Keep an eye out for the exclamation point and missile markers that appear when you're in danger. Use R2/RT to parry right before an attack.
Dodging works great for those unblockable red attacks but when areas get crowded with enemies, dodging won’t solve your problems. Look for the circle animation that appears, in melee combat, telegraphing an enemy attack. Use this to gain the upper hand against your enemies. If you time your dodge right - dodging at the last possible second - time will slow down for just a second or two. When they're stunned, then run in for the kill. Instead of rushing them, which prompts them to teleport away, try stunning them by throwing something at them or shooting them. Adaptoids and other enemies that teleport using void-like abilities can be hard to hit. When on the offensive, take down their arm weapons individually to make the fight easier. The vent will glow red hot before the flames shoot out - when you see that glow, that’s your cue to get out of the way.
Each objective in a mission will be graded on a scale of one to five stars and you lose a star every time a hero is downed.
You can also break these cylinders with a cross on them to heal up. Doing so will allow you to recover Willpower, which is essentially your health. When you stun an enemy with a heroic ability, you can press Triangle/Y and Circle/B at the same time to knock the enemy out. Taking down hordes of enemies with a strategic hit. Use environmental explosives to your advantage. Tap up on the d-pad to quickly see what’s breakable and interactable in the environment. The game will eventually tell you this but much later than you’d expect.