What Focus Mode actually does

Focus Mode lets you aim attacks and guards toward the camera's direction. It highlights wounds and exposed weak points; Focus Strikes are special attacks that exploit those targets.

Capcom's developer interview explains that repeated attacks create wounds and that attacking them further can break them for additional damage. You still need to judge your distance.

A hunter facing a Chatacabra with an aiming reticle at the center of the screen
The central reticle is visible in this official Focus Mode gameplay image. It illustrates aiming; the still does not display an input sequence.CAPCOM / PlayStation · Official image source · View full size

Source: Official Focus Mode and Focus Strike overview · Capcom developers on wounds and positioning

PS5 inputs: aim, then use a Focus Strike

These are the inputs documented in PlayStation's official starter guide. If you use remapped controls or another platform, check your own weapon controls instead.

  1. Hold L2 to enter Focus Mode.
  2. Use the camera to aim at a highlighted wound.
  3. While Focus Mode is active, press R1 for a Focus Strike.
A hunter aims a long weapon toward a monster's red-highlighted head area
A red-highlighted target is visible near the monster's head in the official Focus Strike image. Use it to recognize the visual cue, not to infer a weapon's timing or follow-up.CAPCOM / PlayStation · Official image source · View full size

Source: PlayStation starter guide, tip 10

Find the instructions for your weapon

On PS5, press Options, open Info, then choose Play Guide → Weapon Controls. The official guide points to this menu for individual moves and combos, and to the Base Camp Training Area for practice.

Editorial practice suggestion: learn the input first, then try it against a familiar monster. After a miss, check whether you aimed at the wound, stood close enough, or started too late. Change one part of the attempt at a time.

Source: PlayStation starter guide, tip 1

Sources & scope

This article summarizes the official material linked below. It is not a hands-on review. Screenshots are credited to their original publishers; they are not evidence that we tested these steps. Game details can change after publication.

Sources checked: 19 Oct 2026. Read how we use sources and AI assistance.