The one thing I am not digging about combat is the Flash mechanic for melee attacks. It feels too much like a 'Press X to not die' mechanic and I feel it can be improved upon. Instead of being surprised by a flash, I feel a shrinking white ring around your character could accomplish the same thing without feeling like a surprise each time. It would allow players to anticipate the right moment to press the proper action button (though again, be a little more forgiving on that score in general) with a visual cue. You could vary the speed of the shrinking ring for various attacks, but always ensure that the 'Flash' occurs at the same ring size each time.