Controls and key bindings

These are the defaults shipped in the game's input tables, not a transcription of a settings screen. Tears of Metal ships two controller presets — Arcade and Combat — and you can rebind any action from Options › Controls.

Actions

Action	Keyboard / Mouse	Controller — Arcade	Controller — Combat
Strike	`Left Mouse`	`X (□)`	`RB (R1)`
Heavy	`Right Mouse`	`Y (△)`	`RT (R2)`
Dodge	`Shift`	`B (○)`	`B (○)`
Block	`Space`	`RT (R2)`	`LB (L1)`
Cheer	`B`	`D-Pad ↑`	`D-Pad ↑`
Interact	`E`	`A (✕)`	`A (✕)`
Lock-On	`R`	`LT (L2)`	`RS (R3)`
Zoom Minimap	`Tab`	`LB (L1)`	`D-Pad ↓`

Special Actions

Troop commands and your Special are bound to the same buttons as your attacks — Infantry Assault is the same left mouse button as Strike. They are told apart by holding the Special Actions Modifier (Ctrl on keyboard, RB (R1) on an Arcade pad, LT (L2) on Combat). Options › Controls lets you switch that modifier between hold and toggle.

Action	Keyboard / Mouse	Controller — Arcade	Controller — Combat
Special	`Ctrl`+`F`	`RB (R1)`+`B (○)`	`LT (L2)`+`B (○)`
Archers Volley	`Ctrl`+`Right Mouse`	`RB (R1)`+`Y (△)`	`LT (L2)`+`Y (△)`
Spearmen Charge	`Ctrl`+`Middle Mouse`	`RB (R1)`+`A (✕)`	`LT (L2)`+`A (✕)`
Infantry Assault	`Ctrl`+`Left Mouse`	`RB (R1)`+`X (□)`	`LT (L2)`+`X (□)`

Hold or toggle

Two actions are options rather than bindings — the game lets you choose whether they are held down or switched on and off.

Lock-On Toggle
Use Special Actions Modifier

Not in the preset tables

Movement (4 directions) and Reset appear in the rebinding screen but carry no default in the preset tables, so no key is listed for them here.

Controller labels use the Xbox layout, with the PlayStation face button in brackets.

Rebind your controls at any time from the Options › Controls menu.

Verified from game files · EA 1.0 (2026-07-22)