Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice

 PC
User Score
8.5

Generally favorable reviews- based on 3214 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 2,674 out of 3214
  2. Mixed: 202 out of 3214
  3. Negative: 338 out of 3214
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  1. duracellman
    Mar 24, 2019
    10
    I had to come to grips with the lack of RPG mechanics, but I think From have created a masterpiece. The game being based on a specific character / weapon allowed them to make something incredibly focused while retaining signature From oddness, ambiguity, and intricate world design.

    People saying the combat is just about parrying now have not mastered the combat. In practice, deflection    I had to come to grips with the lack of RPG mechanics, but I think From have created a masterpiece. The game being based on a specific character / weapon allowed them to make something incredibly focused while retaining signature From oddness, ambiguity, and intricate world design.

    People saying the combat is just about parrying now have not mastered the combat. In practice, deflection works pretty differently than parrying in Dark Souls. There's so much more nuance to the combat now, from crowd control options, when to jump, dodge, block or deflect, move interruptions, combat arts, combos with prosthetic attachments good against certain enemies, etc. The posture system alone makes it completely different than Dark Souls. You can not play it like those games even if it seems like you can get away with it. If you're playing well you will be aggressive, attacking often and performing very deliberate moves against specific enemies.

    Once the combat clicked I was amazed at how fluid and fun it can be, and that a lot of tough enemies can be taken down pretty quickly if you play well. One thing it does have in common with Souls is that the longer a boss stays alive, the harder it is to deal with. And like Dark Souls it's a difficult game because it wants you to learn how to play it right, and execution in Sekiro is even more challenging, and even more satisfying than From's other games.    … Expand
  2. Smilingcookie
    Mar 22, 2019
    10
    Sekiro shares some "from software feeling" with Dark Souls, but is very different. The emphasis is on learning how to fight with the katana, blocking, deflecting, dodging and countering attacks. As you progress through the game you learn new techniques which you can apply in the correct situation. Stealth allows you to get an advantage before starting the fight and provides some welcomeSekiro shares some "from software feeling" with Dark Souls, but is very different. The emphasis is on learning how to fight with the katana, blocking, deflecting, dodging and countering attacks. As you progress through the game you learn new techniques which you can apply in the correct situation. Stealth allows you to get an advantage before starting the fight and provides some welcome down time.
    The prosthetic arm gives you acces to a bunch of tools and tricks like a grappling hook, axe, spear, shuriken, fire, ....
    There is a good amount of exploration, which gets rewarded as you find new items. The grappling hook makes the game very up/down, a dimension not fully used in Dark Souls games.

    Graphics are beautiful and gameplay is very well thought out. The setting and background information about ninjutsu/martial arts (techniques / weapons / tools / ... are very well researched. The game is extremely optimized and runs super smooth.    … Expand
  3. Avadon
    Mar 23, 2019
    3
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Apparently Miyazaki didn't think he could refine the Dark Souls formula anymore, so he chose to deconstruct it instead. Sekiro is all about the removal of variety. Do you enjoy pure magic/ranged builds? They're gone. Do you prefer to be more agile or more tanky? You get to be agile, period. Do you like acquiring/customizing/upgrading weapons and armor? Too bad, they're gone. Do you like duels with other players or co-op with your friends? All multiplayer features are gone.

    So what do you get to do now? You get to parry (deflect) all the things! Yay! Wait, I could play like that in Souls games too. Well, now it's the ONLY way to play! Yaaaaay! You also get a jump button so you can jump over sweeping attacks. Except when none of those things work.

    You see, there are two bosses in the game, with different skins on them. The first one is the boss whose posture you can break. You beat this boss by standing absolutely still wherever you want, it doesn't matter where, and you play the s****y rhythm game where you press L1, A or B until he gets sick of it and falls over and lets you stab him in the face. The second boss is the one that breaks your posture if he sneezes in your general direction, regardless of what you are doing. You beat this boss by running around and waiting for him to finish his 20 second long mad flails of 1-shot attacks until you get an opening to go in and hit him once for 0.2% of his HP. Rinse and repeat. Honorable mention goes to a third category of boss, the one where the person who designed it was forgotten in a cubicle somewhere for the last 3 years and still thinks he is making a Souls game, so he sets the fight in a 2x2 room with a 6 foot tall ceiling where the objective is to get the camera unstuck from the corner where it's stuck after you gently touched the thumbstick, which made Sekiro dart across the room and slam into a wall, because he moves at 10 times the speed in this game.

    Also note: If one of those two bosses seems too hard for you, that's probably because you missed a prosthetic arm tool, sold by a midget dressed in grey rags, crouched behind a grey rock on the side of a grey mountain, who spawns only after you talk to a totally different guy in another place and timeline altogether about something completely irrelevant. This prosthetic arm tool is specifically designed to trivialize that one boss fight and is useless for anything else. Lovely.

    Have fun!    … Expand
  4. Mostafa11
    Mar 22, 2019
    10
    All i can say they that they gave us what they promised. really enjoying this game. Not the best graphics out there but good enough and the gameplay and story is legendary
  5. Awayforthewin
    Mar 22, 2019
    10
    Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice: Dark Souls the Anime is an excellent game with exceptional, finely tuned combat and great level design that lets it stand above the rest of From Software's already outstanding catalouge. 10/10
  6. rocco30
    Mar 22, 2019
    10
    Game of the year!!
    A perfect accompaniment to the SoulsBorne series, with plenty of unique ideas of its own and some of the best combat of the generation.
  7. TemplarkO_o
    Mar 22, 2019
    10
    Great game, outstanding combat system. Guys, cmon. It's new FromSoft game, what else do you need?
  8. vlxedits
    Mar 23, 2019
    7
    Why do I have to stand still like an idiot just to parry

    Its like the only way to win...
  9. 21grams
    Mar 24, 2019
    6
    So much anticipation yet so much disappointment. It's decent game, especially if you're willing to wait for a sale, however it really doesn't live up to a hype it got.

    Pros: - Story and lore - tho I'm not fan of direct storytelling. I preferred Bloodborne and Dark Souls storytelling where you have dig deep to figure out what's going on and why, but it's good enough, - Good music    So much anticipation yet so much disappointment. It's decent game, especially if you're willing to wait for a sale, however it really doesn't live up to a hype it got.

    Pros:
    - Story and lore - tho I'm not fan of direct storytelling. I preferred Bloodborne and Dark Souls storytelling where you have dig deep to figure out what's going on and why, but it's good enough,
    - Good music score, not on the level of DS3 or BB, but fits the setting very well, builds tension and does other things good music score supposed to do.
    - Level design - it's just great, high versatility, a lot of things to discover, use environment to your advantage
    - challenge and difficulty - here they did not **** up. It will put you to the test like hell.

    Cons:
    - Combat is just not good for one simple reason. Everything is based on breaking posture by spamming attack (on weaker enemies) or deflecting and countering stronger enemies - rinse and repeat, it's just tedious and boring. On some rare occasion you can get leverage with one of special tools you unlock - but that's about it.
    - Character building is very simplistic, basically on the level of older Assassin's Creed games - find thing X to unlock tool, plus you have few skills to unlock at your disposal - that's it. There are no weapons to find, no armor to find - all the loot are upgrade components and consumables - which feels just very linear without any impactful decision making.
    -Graphics look dated, tho some of the artstyle is pretty good and there are some weird fps drops out of thin air (I suspect it has something to do with poor LOD and texture streaming), no ultra-wide support, game doesn't tolerate 2nd monitor and will cut performance severely until you unplug it, there are also some issues on Intel CPUs where having turbo boost enabled hinders performance severely - so pretty mediocre PC port to say the least.
    - Can't see any replay value (except maybe speed running) - because as I mentioned there is not enough diversity in character building (you won't make a different build to enjoy different combat experience - everything is just to thin and basic), there is no online component (so obviously no pvp) - there is just nothing worthwhile for a second playthrough to be seen.

    So yeah, don't believe all those 9s and 10s out of 10. The game is nowhere near on the brilliance of Dark Souls or Bloodborne. It feels like watered down and streamlined action game with very little diversity and choice making at your disposal. If not technical issues and piss poor PC port lacking basic features that should be standard in 2019, I'd give it 7/10, but with technical issues and other problems I mentioned in cons section - 6/10 is max I can rate it. Note: 6/10 means it's a pretty decent game but with some problems. See the difference is - for IGN and other crap outlets, 6/10 is equal to garbage game - personally I utilize full scale and thus it means it's not bad game at all - more like disappointing a bit.

    tl;dr: I suggest to wait for sale, at    … Expand
  10. davyboi
    Mar 27, 2019
    4
    Not sure what people are smoking but for me Sekiro is a step back from its predecessors, and it has nothing to do with it not being a souls game. But if you like parrying over and over and over again you'll probably like this game.

    Difficulty: Souls games always had a certain challenge to them but I think most people would consider them tough, but fair. Sekiro on the other hand I would    Not sure what people are smoking but for me Sekiro is a step back from its predecessors, and it has nothing to do with it not being a souls game. But if you like parrying over and over and over again you'll probably like this game.

    Difficulty: Souls games always had a certain challenge to them but I think most people would consider them tough, but fair. Sekiro on the other hand I would describe as beating your head against a brick wall until it gives, a challenge but not rewarding. My biggest issue is your damage threshold and output. You can die in just a few hits but bosses soak up damage like a sponge, you may as well be fighting them with a plastic butter knife. I know the common response from robots who can only speak in memes will be "git gud" but that doesn't apply here, it's just pure memorization of attack patterns rather than being able to adapt. Sekiro also ruins npc interaction as well, dieing too much will result in them getting sick of "dragonrot" which can only be cured from an item that is limited in quantity. Punishing just for the sake of it.

    Combat: By far where this game fumbles the most. Fighting an enemy is centered around breaking an enemy stance and landing a deathblow. Some enemies have special attacks that can't be blocked which turns into a janken guessing game, couple that with the fact that some moves can kill you in 1 or 2 hits you have a nice recipe for a tedious combat system but it gets worse. Minibosses usually have smaller weak enemies around them so before you can even attempt fighting them again so you have to clear them out since taking on multiple enemies is a death sentence. The dodge is almost useless as you don't get the same invincible frames like the other souls games and its so high risk to do so your forced to parry which gets boring very quickly. I like the idea of the grappling hook but it felt like a shallow gimmick to me, not very useful in a fight as the sub weapons only chip away at enemies life and are usually blocked. Using it to get around was fun though.

    Stealth: When it works it's great, but the problem is that its inconsistent. Sometimes you can walk right up to an enemy from the side and stealth kill them, other times you can be behind a wall and still alert everyone in the vicinity. You can throw objects to distract but this is inconsistent too, sometimes it works sometimes it doesn't. This is a mechanic that I feel doesn't mesh well with the bonfire system as it becomes tedious to stealth the same enemies just to attempt the boss again. Also there is no option to go pure stealth because you're forced into single combat when it comes to mini bosses or bosses, which is the opposite of what it means to be a deadly shinobi.

    Sekiro borrows some elements from past souls games but does very little to stand out resulting in a game that has no identity outside of being a challenging action game made by fromsoft. I cant recommend this to souls veterans because they would be turned off by the lack of alternate weapons/armor and how bare bones the combat is. But I also can't recommend it to newbies either because they would be turned off by the difficulty. Save your money.

    TL;DR if you were one of the few who did dexterity builds, this is your time to shine.    … Expand
  11. timmytoga
    Mar 23, 2019
    4
    Shame on me for riding the hype train and buying this day one. I knew this wasn't a Dark Souls game, but I still had hopes that it would have that From Software game-play. It kind of does, but it doesn't. They got rid of stamina, neutered dodge rolling, and made parrying the name of the game. I personally find it super tedious and just... not fun. Furthermore, this is the only play-styleShame on me for riding the hype train and buying this day one. I knew this wasn't a Dark Souls game, but I still had hopes that it would have that From Software game-play. It kind of does, but it doesn't. They got rid of stamina, neutered dodge rolling, and made parrying the name of the game. I personally find it super tedious and just... not fun. Furthermore, this is the only play-style available to you the whole game. I do not find this appealing and it felt like I was playing a generic action title.

    I also didn't enjoy the world that the game took place in... just kind of samey and boring. Stealth felt tacked on. I just felt bored by the whole ordeal and could not press on...

    I'm happy people are enjoying it, but unfortunately it's not for me. Bummer.    … Expand
  12. devilchao0
    Mar 22, 2019
    5
    Pros:
    -Decent Graphics
    -Good voice acting
    Cons
    -Artificial Difficulty
    -Strange Hitboxes
    -Low enemy variety
    -Jerky movement coupled with strange animations
  13. kr1sh
    Mar 27, 2019
    3
    Boooooring ( Very, very Booooring. Really, stealth mechanic works bad, repetitive fight mechanics and no other weapons than the sword.
  14. AkumaJack
    Apr 15, 2019
    7
    Okay, so this game is quite good but like every fromsoft game it has many problems.
    Pros:
    AMAZING world design
    Good level design
    Almost every bossfight is great...

    Cons
    ... But they copy&paste like 20 bosses/minibosses.
    Combat system is subpar
    No replayability
  15. p0k3m0n
    Mar 23, 2019
    3
    I love DS series - it is one of best series of the games ever. But Sakito is unplayable for me - sorry, but I do not have cyborg reflexes. And I do not care about it is hard, because must be hard and other bla-bla. I know what is hard game very well. It is something wrong with Sekiro: I saw good speed-runners who have real problems with this game, too. WTF From Software, whats wrong? It isI love DS series - it is one of best series of the games ever. But Sakito is unplayable for me - sorry, but I do not have cyborg reflexes. And I do not care about it is hard, because must be hard and other bla-bla. I know what is hard game very well. It is something wrong with Sekiro: I saw good speed-runners who have real problems with this game, too. WTF From Software, whats wrong? It is poor, rushed developed action slasher!

    Refund.

    BTW: PC port is awful, simply terribly, eg. I have many fps, no delay on screen, but input lag is real and exist. How to beat this kind of game with input lag? Please, From Software, tell me how do it, I will be grateful!

    Now I begin to understand why Sekiro has a new publisher.

    I registered on MetaCritic only to say how I am deeply disappointment.    … Expand
  16. androidfan
    Mar 23, 2019
    0
    Very boring. Controls sucks. No quick saves. Why I need to respawn again and again from check point If i cant kill your dumb boss because my retarded character can not block his hits??? Very frustrating.
  17. NaaR
    Apr 20, 2019
    8
    Great game from From Software. Ive played it for 75 hours. 2 play throughs.

    + Combat. Demanding and rewardning. + Story. + Aesthetics + atmosphere. + Gameplay in general, level design + bossfights + stealth is great. + Parry-fest. I played a parry-build in DS1, DS3 and used the parry alot in BB. So i enjoy it. A matter of taste. - No different weapons and gear makes exploration    Great game from From Software. Ive played it for 75 hours. 2 play throughs.

    + Combat. Demanding and rewardning.
    + Story.
    + Aesthetics + atmosphere.
    + Gameplay in general, level design + bossfights + stealth is great.
    + Parry-fest. I played a parry-build in DS1, DS3 and used the parry alot in BB. So i enjoy it. A matter of taste.

    - No different weapons and gear makes exploration less rewarding, allthough prosthetic arm and skilltree works fine. However:
    - Prosthetic tools not that impactful. They should have been more like the secondary mode/attack in Bloodborne. The prosthetics are really nice but since they cost emblems to use they get somewhat limited which is a shame.
    - A bit busy on the controller. Especially the X-button (square on PS4) is crammed with **** Using items becomes a chore compared to Bloodborne and DS.
    - Dragon rot mechanic that makes NPCs sick creates unnecessarty stress when you die. However it doesn't have that much of an impact.
    - Wierd enemy AI and sightmechanics. Can get frustrating at times.
    - The difficulty level is sometimes unnecessary punishing, specially in the first playthrough. However, the game became easy the second time i played it. It took me 3 hours to beat a specific boss my first time, but my second playthrough i beat him with ease only taking 1-2 hits. So be ready to git gud.
    - Lack of replayability. Unilke DS and BB i don't really feel the urge to return to the game after finishing it the second time. And it's mainly because of the lack of weaponry and difference in playstyle. However, i do want to play the bosses agian so maybe i will return.

    = Great game. I hope for a great expansion that adds at least 20h of gameplay.    … Expand
  18. getBrutal
    Mar 31, 2019
    10
    Game of the year. Truly tense but balanced between tensity and exploration. Also the most satisfying combat to hit a video game of all time.
  19. lameandboring
    Apr 1, 2019
    9
    Sekiro is the number 1 game for me this year: I loved the challenges of the combat and the learning curve troughout the game. Replayability for me comes in the form of beating bosses at the beginning with the knowledge of beating Isshin at the very end. Aside from that I really enjoyed the fact that you dont need to watch Vaatividya videos to understand the story, compared to other titlesSekiro is the number 1 game for me this year: I loved the challenges of the combat and the learning curve troughout the game. Replayability for me comes in the form of beating bosses at the beginning with the knowledge of beating Isshin at the very end. Aside from that I really enjoyed the fact that you dont need to watch Vaatividya videos to understand the story, compared to other titles it shows a clear line and you always know what to do and why to do it. I also do not agree that the game was to hard, statues were pretty much always before any boss, so I guess the learning by dying experience was wanted and was an outstanding challenge to master the art of beating a boss and still have heals available at the end. Only downside for me was the lack of ultrawide support - thats a bummer. Apart from that best game this year! Thanks for making this a reality From Software!… Expand
  20. shanshans
    Apr 1, 2019
    9
    Don't blame the game, it actually teach you how to be better(as a gamer in general) . This is not dark soul but mashing doesn't work here. To those who is interest to this game, If you want a fun , relaxing and play as a overpower killing machine with lot of cut scenes , just turn around. This game is not for everyone, even some pro gamers can't beat it. Actually the hard part of this gameDon't blame the game, it actually teach you how to be better(as a gamer in general) . This is not dark soul but mashing doesn't work here. To those who is interest to this game, If you want a fun , relaxing and play as a overpower killing machine with lot of cut scenes , just turn around. This game is not for everyone, even some pro gamers can't beat it. Actually the hard part of this game is thinking, focusing and patient..… Expand
  21. Figaro79
    Mar 29, 2019
    9
    Лучшая игра от FromSoftware! Отличная боевая система, вменяемый сюжет, обалденный level design. Сложная, умная и безумно увлекательная.
    Best game from FromSoftware! Best battle system, good story, awesome level design. Hard, smart, the masteriece for real gamers. Other go cry to your moms)))
  22. Kamamura
    May 7, 2019
    9
    Made it through the whole game, and I consider it a masterpiece. Especially the combat is demanding, fresh, dynamic, risky and rewarding, precisely everything what combat is not in modern RPG games, where you just press a single button and your stats fight for you. Sekiro's combat best capture the spirit of a swordfight, the necessity to feel the rhythm and the flow of the endlessMade it through the whole game, and I consider it a masterpiece. Especially the combat is demanding, fresh, dynamic, risky and rewarding, precisely everything what combat is not in modern RPG games, where you just press a single button and your stats fight for you. Sekiro's combat best capture the spirit of a swordfight, the necessity to feel the rhythm and the flow of the endless back-and-forth exchanges of the initiative, and after drilling a demanding encounter enough so that you are finally able to win, every victory in this game is rewarded by deep sense of accomplisment.

    Aesthetics of the game are top notch - level and character design, architecture, music, everything is dripping with atmosphere, easily immersing the player in the grim and moody world of this particular interpretation of the Sengoku Jidai period (dragons, ghosts and dark magic are in, by the way). When discussing "realism", one must realize that this is the mythological Japan we are talking about - Arthurian Britain would have to contain Merlin, magic swords and eniightment-bringing Grail, so similarly, Sekiro brings dragon blood, search for immortality, demons and tengus from the prop department to conjure up a one-of-a-kind story to tell.

    Not everything is perfect, however, especially on the technical side of things. The problems with locked framerate, typical for console ports, are present as well, and were solved only by a third party mod tool, which is less than ideal. The graphic engine shows its age, using a sort of dithering instead of true transparency, which creates really ugly dithering artifacts in some situations. The camera traditionally fails to track your opponents when the action speeds up, and sometimes shows a piece of your garment from 1 inch distance while the unseen enemy cuts of your head. Performance suffers from unused network calls that are mistakenly left in the code - once again, a problem solved only by a mod.

    However, the small glitches must be forgiven, since Sekiro is a unique, intense, one-of-a-kind experience that in my opinion belongs rightfully among the very best games that have ever been produced. Well done, FROM software, you certainly know your craft!    … Expand
  23. nonameforme
    Apr 26, 2019
    9
    If this is PS4 version, I would gave it 7/10 because this game isn't mean to be played with controller. It's PC game purely on the logic that, you need to use all of your finger to press every buttons in order to play and feel like a badass.
    The game is everything you want from Form Software. With the exception that Moonlight Blade is nowhere to be found. This game has one of the most    If this is PS4 version, I would gave it 7/10 because this game isn't mean to be played with controller. It's PC game purely on the logic that, you need to use all of your finger to press every buttons in order to play and feel like a badass.
    The game is everything you want from Form Software. With the exception that Moonlight Blade is nowhere to be found. This game has one of the most enjoyable swordplay system I. The 'deflect' system was one of the best contribution Form Software gave to the industry. Just for the experience of deflecting boss attack instead of 'keep rolling rolling rolling rolling' is already worth the price.

    -1 point for requiring mod to fix the camera and lock-on bug.    … Expand
  24. Eric9292
    Mar 31, 2019
    10
    Uno nuevo juego de From Software con la dirección de Hidetaka Miyazaki no podía salir mal y así ha sido , un juego digno de tener ya que no tiene nada de envidiar a sus secuelas Souls, con su propio estilo destaca por si solo, su frenético combate es tan adictivo que te ara pasar horas y horas delante del monitor. Las criticas negativas no las comprendo, realmente una vez le cojees elUno nuevo juego de From Software con la dirección de Hidetaka Miyazaki no podía salir mal y así ha sido , un juego digno de tener ya que no tiene nada de envidiar a sus secuelas Souls, con su propio estilo destaca por si solo, su frenético combate es tan adictivo que te ara pasar horas y horas delante del monitor. Las criticas negativas no las comprendo, realmente una vez le cojees el ritmo y entiendes como tienes que jugar el juego es una maravilla. Si le tengo que poner algún pero , es en el final del juego donde se repiten los escenarios, pero vamos comparado a otros juegos sigue siendo un juego largo y poco repetitivo. Aun así con su estupenda jugabilidad innovadora, hace que ese punto negativo sea apenas visible. Una obra de arte, quien diga lo contrario es que no lo ha jugado , recomendado 100 % . Sekiro marcara un antes y un después.… Expand
  25. AlexTrask
    Apr 1, 2019
    9
    Semplicemente uno spettacolo

    Vorrei sottolineare un fatto che dovrebbe essere ovvio ma a quanto pare non è così: QUESTO NON E' DARK SOULS 4. ps. se per voi è troppo difficile, 1° non è un difetto del gioco, 2° siete voi a sbagliare perché ci sono metodi che permettono di smorzare parecchio la difficoltà del titolo, come utilizzare la prima morte per scappare, utilizzare la    Semplicemente uno spettacolo

    Vorrei sottolineare un fatto che dovrebbe essere ovvio ma a quanto pare non è così:

    QUESTO NON E' DARK SOULS 4.

    ps. se per voi è troppo difficile, 1° non è un difetto del gioco, 2° siete voi a sbagliare perché ci sono metodi che permettono di smorzare parecchio la difficoltà del titolo, come utilizzare la prima morte per scappare, utilizzare la furtività per pulire le zone, o gli oggetti come le palle di fuliggine per gli sconti più ostici, quindi i modi ci sono, siete voi che non li trovate o non sapete utilizzarli.    … Expand
  26. wagllgaw
    Mar 30, 2019
    9
    Sekiro is real innovation in the souls-like genre. FROM has really created a novel combat system and expanded the world building to tell a more detailed campaign.

    Pros: The new fighting style innovates on the traditional stamina management and block, roll, and punish. We've got a very gritty in your face combat that still requires you to learn your opponent but isn't just the same old    Sekiro is real innovation in the souls-like genre. FROM has really created a novel combat system and expanded the world building to tell a more detailed campaign.

    Pros:
    The new fighting style innovates on the traditional stamina management and block, roll, and punish. We've got a very gritty in your face combat that still requires you to learn your opponent but isn't just the same old thing.
    Much more detailed world and beautiful landscapes. I enjoyed this take on Japanese culture and it was a breathe of fresh air after the gloomy gothic cathedrals of DS

    Cons:
    There are a few odd game design choices such as a focus on consumables and a weird punishment for dying. I'm always saving for the next big fight so the entire consumable component feels like a waste. The "unseen aid" mechanic feels completely useless and while I appreciate that it isn't the same "drop your souls where you die", it doesn't provide the great gameplay loop and also feels like you are punished for experimenting.    … Expand
  27. guggermaister
    Mar 31, 2019
    10
    Incredible game, very challenging and its not a dark souls in which you have to wait until the enemy finishes his attacks, you are the one who has to stop the enemy attacks to create your opportunity to beat them. If you were waiting for a 100% souls-like mechanics this could not be your game
  28. BarelyLewd
    Mar 30, 2019
    10
    Not sure how From Software keeps making masterpiece after masterpiece but they do, this game is hard let no one tell you otherwise, and this game will beat the ever loving **** out of you.....if you are a scrub, but if you like your games balls to the wall Dark Souls on crack difficulty, fast as **** combat, a 10/10 story, and Japan in all it's glory, then why you not play fam?
  29. Aetius21
    Mar 30, 2019
    10
    This is the best game I've ever played ever.
    Thank you Fromsoftware.
    I cannot wait for more dlcs and more games from Fromsoftware.
  30. XDashRipRockX
    Apr 1, 2019
    8
    *The Experience*

    A players experience while in a game is very much what dictates how players feel about the over all adventure in conclusion. With that said there are those who will love and hate the experience based exclusively on how difficult the game can become. Just how hard is this game? The game is immensely difficult - Not just in the mechanics but in everything the player    *The Experience*

    A players experience while in a game is very much what dictates how players feel about the over all adventure in conclusion. With that said there are those who will love and hate the experience based exclusively on how difficult the game can become.

    Just how hard is this game?

    The game is immensely difficult - Not just in the mechanics but in everything the player must do to over come circumstances. Some of the best means to deal with an enemy is by defeating them head to head for loot which Incidentally is the item that you really needed. Sometimes you have to figure out another mission area that indirectly makes things slightly easier, usually after talking with an npc elsewhere. The trick however is no one is gonna know the optimal route to take for some skill points and some of the encounters do require some foot work to see to its completion such as collecting divine confetti, which your gonna need a ton of if going after some optional baddies.

    I feel most whom play this game will likely put it away once they put in two dozen attempts against any average boss fight with little progress. The difficulty curve is so great that I almost feel From Software created this game really to create a cult classic of over the top challenges. In some ways it seems like they wanted to make this game insanely difficult to create a space for their own masterworks of difficulty.

    What will be a shame is having all this beautiful content and no one to speak of it’s beauty cause only a fraction of the games players will have actually beaten any of its endings.

    *Difficulty Aside from the review*

    If Sekiro demands perfection from the player is designed to be fair then this is where I find it lacking.

    The controls are so very sweet except boss enemy hitbox’s aren’t so acurrate. You’ll miss direct hits which could of been a win had they made contact. It is similar to other From Softs games but while feeling precise doesn’t always work out.

    Many times while dodging or jumping you’ll still get hit by boss attacks - even if your following the rhyth perfectly. In some ways this feels sloppy since replicating the perfect action to avoid the damage is super tricky, as in need perfect timing throughout (Spacing, timing when to eat, and even especially jumping).

    If Sekiro’s controls were perfected in a way that ensured the Wolf reacted as to not take needless damage then I could see From Soft saying it’s on you the player to figure it out - either way it’s on the player whether or not the game plays as fair as it intends.

    *Overall Thoughts*

    This game is insanely awesome once you try NG plus with some of the extra gear upgrades. Really, if the game allowed all the upgrades during the first play though and have options to earn them outside the boss fights I imagine thousands of players putting thousands of hours into the game.

    The game is simply beautiful and deserves a play through - the question is will you have time for it or patience.

    Regardless of decision playing in PC with this game is the only way to go, those 60 FPS will make the experience much sweeter overall.    … Expand
  31. Shinnio
    Mar 28, 2019
    10
    The game at the start proves a worthy challenge which stands up to the souls born series and it only gets better. The game gives you different way to tackle each situation, either go in full with sword swinging and using your shinobi tools to just take them out. But then you can also take the stealthy way, which often can prove quite hard but rewarding in the end when you finaly sneek upThe game at the start proves a worthy challenge which stands up to the souls born series and it only gets better. The game gives you different way to tackle each situation, either go in full with sword swinging and using your shinobi tools to just take them out. But then you can also take the stealthy way, which often can prove quite hard but rewarding in the end when you finaly sneek up behind that boss and get tons of his HP taken out.

    The bosses of the game are offcorse pure art, with every boss encounter challenging the player in new and different ways. The bosses require you to take it slow in the begining and watch the moves and the different fases of the boss, just like the other souls born games in the series. The art of the bosses is also incredible with japanese folk lore monsters pulled right from the books and into the games with nice grapics to compliment the boss slaying expirience.

    I have seen many people complain about the lack of vaierity in the combat. To that i understand and i see where you are coming from, especialy looking back to the souls games were different wepons and classes were quite varied. But the only variation in Sekiro is the shinobi tools. I would say this games combat is what you make it. You can chose to tackle different combat situasions in your own way with different shinobi tools. You can also try to find new and creative ways to defeat enemies.

    The game has a few flaws here and there but in the end is extreamly enjoyible and a must buy for pc gamers in 2019.    … Expand
  32. Avallach
    Mar 31, 2019
    10
    Like all From Software games, it's not a game that will reach and please all the masses because of the difficulty factor mainly, which is somewhat sad because at the same time it's the charm of From Software's creations and is truly a masterpiece.

    The mechanics are mostly different from their past games, the combat is fast paced, you have much more mobility, both vertically and    Like all From Software games, it's not a game that will reach and please all the masses because of the difficulty factor mainly, which is somewhat sad because at the same time it's the charm of From Software's creations and is truly a masterpiece.

    The mechanics are mostly different from their past games, the combat is fast paced, you have much more mobility, both vertically and horizontally, allowing great scenario exploration and combat mechanics.

    The game is hard, as you should expect, even with the revive system. The combat is focused in exchanging, and that's where the game started to shine for me. Also the stealth system flows good and opens up a lot of variety to your approaches.

    On the start you will have a very hard time for sure, i saw reviews saying the game is unfair, or things like that, i can guarantee you that is not, when you understand the mechanics and the best approaches to each enemy, things will start to flow, if you die, it's your fault, that's for sure. You can't be totally agressive, you can't be totally defensive, again, it's all about exchanging, and the combat flows amazingly smooth and satisfying. The prosthetic tools are very fun to use and can expand a lot your play style.

    The graphics aren't top notch compared to another titles nowadays, but in a game like this, i really look for gameplay and world design first. The world design is beautiful, there's a lot of connections between points and or shortcuts to specific areas, not that interconnected like Dark souls 1, but it's incredible nonetheless. The sounds are immersive, the OSTs are not as remarkable for me like it was in DS3 and Bloodborne, but it fits really well into the game atmosphere. The lore is more straightful than past games, but still a lot to discover from items/npcs, also the plot is engaging, specially around mid game. Regarding bosses you will not be disappointed, the epicness of some fights are breathtaking, some of them is already on my favorites of all time list.

    Things that can improve in my opinion:

    - I would love to see more deathblows animations, make it happen in a patch please From!
    - Customizing your robe would be cool
    - The camera in small rooms sometimes can be troublesome

    As a soulsborne fanatic i tought that it would be hard to happen, but maybe Sekiro is From Software game that i'm having most fun to date, it's challenging, it can be frustrating until you realize what you're doing wrong, but in the end it's fun, and that's all that matters.

    I praise From Software for risking a change in the formula, and at the same time respecting the fans of the past games, it's vey honorable.

    I have much more to say about the game, but the review is big enough already and would have spoilers, if you've read until here thanks and good gaming!    … Expand
  33. StellarKane
    Apr 1, 2019
    10
    Sekiro is an absolute masterpiece - perhaps the best thing I’ve ever played. Its just enough Souls - the atmosphere, the sense of mystery and deep, melancholic purpose, but it has this incredible combat system which actually makes every fight rewarding, makes you use all your skills, items, and tools in ever evolving combinations to best opponents. The fights are very hard at first, and ifSekiro is an absolute masterpiece - perhaps the best thing I’ve ever played. Its just enough Souls - the atmosphere, the sense of mystery and deep, melancholic purpose, but it has this incredible combat system which actually makes every fight rewarding, makes you use all your skills, items, and tools in ever evolving combinations to best opponents. The fights are very hard at first, and if you’re not switched on, you’ll die to most bosses in about 3 hits. That fact makes it all the more thrilling that if you react properly you can beat them and win without having to use healing at all. The posture system and the fact that guarding 100% protects health (but not posture) is probably the best thing ever to happen to games like this.

    Above all of this though, the thing that’s blowing me away is the world - the sheer mythological, but real, epic beauty of the landscapes. The brightly coloured leaves between the roof tiles of forgotten Buddhist temples. The soaring mountains, the shafts of light in the deep gorges - I frequently just stop and look around in awe. The game is almost a religious experience - and not just because of the constant death and resurrection.    … Expand
  34. Resshin27
    Apr 2, 2019
    10
    I created a Metacritic account just to give this game a 10/10. I love the pacing of the game. I like that actually your skill in the game matters. The swordplay system comprising of posture, vitality and block/deflect is the real charm. I like that you have to fight most bosses and enemies aggressively and head on, instead of rolling and dodging like an idiot.
    Sekiro is difficult. But its    I created a Metacritic account just to give this game a 10/10. I love the pacing of the game. I like that actually your skill in the game matters. The swordplay system comprising of posture, vitality and block/deflect is the real charm. I like that you have to fight most bosses and enemies aggressively and head on, instead of rolling and dodging like an idiot.
    Sekiro is difficult. But its difficulty is not insurmountable. When you get into the flow, this game beats any other action game experiences i have had in my life.
    I don't mind the stats and all RPG stuff which were axed in favor of skill. i love that rolling and dodging is not a panacea. It makes this game more challenging and adorable for me. The game demands that you learn and master the skills it wants. You cannot sidestep your skills by getting better armor and better weapons through farming and leveling up for hours.
    I absolutely love this game.

    PS. Dark Souls people who are crying that this game is difficult; My only advice is: Stop f**king rolling and dodging. Face the enemy head on. Learn to deflect instead of roll/dodge.    … Expand
  35. Tanikaze
    Apr 24, 2019
    10
    Hello gamers, my two cents:
    I never liked ANY of the Souls-games. Not even the ''more friendly for noobs'' DS3. But!
    Sekiro:SDT is a masterpiece of fast-paced combat, high risk and high reward, in a fantasy setting with more history than myth, and more blood and anshes than spells and miracles. Finally we also have a decent CAMERA to follow our character! One of the games that i'll    Hello gamers, my two cents:
    I never liked ANY of the Souls-games. Not even the ''more friendly for noobs'' DS3. But!
    Sekiro:SDT is a masterpiece of fast-paced combat, high risk and high reward, in a fantasy setting with more history than myth, and more blood and anshes than spells and miracles.
    Finally we also have a decent CAMERA to follow our character!
    One of the games that i'll always remember for a few scenes that became instant-classics for me (i.e. the Great Shinobi).    … Expand
  36. Tomle1202
    Oct 4, 2019
    9
    Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice is an addictive yet challenging and unforgiving journey of clashed swords, gigantic monsters and spilled blood, although sometimes it comes with some unfair camera angles.
  37. Elysium82
    Jul 8, 2020
    0
    It is such a promising game, but it has that "dark soul" system that a new gamer is probably unfamiliar with. I feel like a freaking tank commander when fighting. You almost need to study your opponents one by one before engaging them. It makes it rather painful to some of us I guess.
  38. Onigiri
    May 13, 2019
    10
    This is the first 'Souls' game I enjoy for the gameplay. The game is rough on new players, but never unfair.
    When you get well versed in the parry system, you can feel like a badass shinobi and steamroll all enemies even bosses.
    I understand that Souls games are not for everyone, and they know that, they are not even trying to please every snowflake that can't take a difficult game and I    This is the first 'Souls' game I enjoy for the gameplay. The game is rough on new players, but never unfair.
    When you get well versed in the parry system, you can feel like a badass shinobi and steamroll all enemies even bosses.
    I understand that Souls games are not for everyone, and they know that, they are not even trying to please every snowflake that can't take a difficult game and I love them for it.
    They could have been a bit more deep in the lore, but the gameplay is more than enough.
    An easy 10.    … Expand
  39. xorbane
    Sep 23, 2020
    0
    Is this supposed to be a joke? AAA PC release without proper keyboard support? WTF? Also, no ultrawide support, so basically this game feels like a console game being played in some sort of software emulator on PC.
  40. Honest-Review
    Apr 28, 2023
    3
    The biggest issue I have with Sekiro is that it demands perfection from the player, yet punishes them for even the slightest misstep. The game's combat system is incredibly unforgiving, with enemies dealing massive damage with every hit and the player being forced to dodge and parry with split-second precision. This would be fine if the game's hit detection and controls were up to par, butThe biggest issue I have with Sekiro is that it demands perfection from the player, yet punishes them for even the slightest misstep. The game's combat system is incredibly unforgiving, with enemies dealing massive damage with every hit and the player being forced to dodge and parry with split-second precision. This would be fine if the game's hit detection and controls were up to par, but unfortunately, they are not.

    Too often, I found myself dying because of bad hit detection or clunky controls. Sometimes, I would dodge an attack only to be hit anyway because the game didn't register my movement correctly. Other times, I would try to jump over an obstacle, only to get stuck on it and take damage from an enemy. These issues are frustrating enough on their own, but when combined with the game's punishing difficulty, they make for an experience that is more aggravating than enjoyable.

    Furthermore, while the game's story and world-building are certainly impressive, I found that they were often overshadowed by the game's difficulty. Instead of being able to fully immerse myself in the game's lore and characters, I was constantly stressed out about the next fight and whether or not I would be able to survive it.

    In conclusion, while I can see why some people might enjoy Sekiro's challenging gameplay, I personally find it to be a bad game due to its demanding nature and flawed mechanics. I hope that future games in the same vein will learn from Sekiro's mistakes and provide a more balanced and enjoyable experience for players.    … Expand
  41. Muikku
    Dec 1, 2022
    0
    Worst **** bosses out of any game ever. These developers literally never learn from their mistakes and I'm convinced their entire garbage catalogue of games is just a social experiment to see how much their braindead cult fanbase can eat up **** before they realize their games are utter trash. **** you.
  42. Atecno
    May 24, 2021
    10
    i 100% THIS GAME! Gameplay is so demanding that YOU NEED TO PAY ATTENTION AND LEARN! I love the story and characters.
  43. TheW4tchT0wer
    Mar 10, 2023
    2
    I'll give it a couple points for art design. Combat is terrible when coupled with obvious developer bugs (e.g. controller input lag and dropped/unregistered inputs. Curious how it only happens in From Software games and no others....). Sekiro dials up the From Software 'sunk cost' illogic of its fanbase to 12. 'Just keep at it until you git gud' except the combat is centered around theseI'll give it a couple points for art design. Combat is terrible when coupled with obvious developer bugs (e.g. controller input lag and dropped/unregistered inputs. Curious how it only happens in From Software games and no others....). Sekiro dials up the From Software 'sunk cost' illogic of its fanbase to 12. 'Just keep at it until you git gud' except the combat is centered around these scripted death animations where the camera goes cinematic and then back to normal every few seconds when fighting a large number of enemies. How about instead, just let me fight all the enemies and kill them like a normal action game without the Alice in Wonderland syndrome? I gave it a few hours to see what the hype was all about. It should be a textbook lesson in poor game design that should be avoided at all costs with its counterpoint being Ninja Gaiden Black about what to strive for in a great action game.… Expand
  44. SpaceCowboy2137
    Mar 27, 2019
    9
    From Software didn't disappoint like always. Just when i thought the combat couldn't get any more better they hit me with a variety of new tools and ways to resolve problems in game. The combat is fast paced and there are many ways to tackle the same enemy depending on how you want to play. The story is compelling and easily understandable unlike other games in soulsborne series.

    Of    From Software didn't disappoint like always. Just when i thought the combat couldn't get any more better they hit me with a variety of new tools and ways to resolve problems in game. The combat is fast paced and there are many ways to tackle the same enemy depending on how you want to play. The story is compelling and easily understandable unlike other games in soulsborne series.

    Of course this game is not for everybody. You have to be very good at games to easily go through the plot and sometimes it can take hours to get 1 boss or mini-boss to lay down on the ground permanently, but when you finally do it, the feeling of satisfaction and accomplishment is unmatched by any other game, even in previous From Software titles.

    Absolute masterpiece.    … Expand
  45. Caste
    Mar 27, 2019
    10
    What a good time to be a gamer :)
    Awesome game in every way. It takes some time to understand, embrace and click with the combat mechanics (less dodging, more parry), but when you do... what a blast.
  46. Juggynawt
    Mar 27, 2019
    9
    This game is not Dark Souls. Don't play it like it's Dark Souls.
    You will feel tremendous amounts of frustration but also overwhelming pride when you finally get that boss down. Git gud.
  47. BileTooth
    Mar 31, 2019
    10
    Simply amazing. As a huge Dark Souls fan this it's almost hard to say, but I think I like Sekiro more than any of the Souls games. Well Dark Souls (1) will always have a special place in my heart, but boy is Sekiro a good game.

    Looks gorgeous, sound design is great, movement is fun and fluid. Action is fluid, thrilling, challenging and very rewarding. One of the best single player games    Simply amazing. As a huge Dark Souls fan this it's almost hard to say, but I think I like Sekiro more than any of the Souls games. Well Dark Souls (1) will always have a special place in my heart, but boy is Sekiro a good game.

    Looks gorgeous, sound design is great, movement is fun and fluid. Action is fluid, thrilling, challenging and very rewarding. One of the best single player games I have ever played, up there with Witcher 3, Dark Souls and the likes.    … Expand
  48. PuckMan
    Mar 31, 2019
    8
    The controls and game mechanics are re-worked just enough to throw veteran Souls players off in the beginning but make no mistake this is the easiest and most streamlined game in the series.

    Difficulty from regular enemies as ever comes from being ambushed by gank squads. Bosses take there cue from DS3 by spamming grab attacks and magic projectiles between quickly closing the player    The controls and game mechanics are re-worked just enough to throw veteran Souls players off in the beginning but make no mistake this is the easiest and most streamlined game in the series.

    Difficulty from regular enemies as ever comes from being ambushed by gank squads. Bosses take there cue from DS3 by spamming grab attacks and magic projectiles between quickly closing the player down to prevent healing.

    The game is easy now because you can't fall off ledges to your death anywhere near as easily. You can warp to and from bonfires at will and you can just run and grapple hook your way past enemies to the next bonfire even without knowing the layout of the area because your character is so fast. You can now also pause the game to use items at leisure.

    The combat is all about getting that satisfying visceral by wearing down enemies health and breaking their guard. It's not as hard as it initially appears and mostly involves spamming the bumper buttons while learning which attacks need to be dodged though there are other abilities and nuances to the combat.

    Leveling up has been cut down to two stats, really it works the same as always (except stamina has been removed) it's just now all the numbers are under the hood. Upgrades are now on a skill tree which I am not a fan of as I feel it limits your options as you often have to upgrade something you don't want in order to get the thing you do.

    Level design is dense and well crafted for the most part, although there was a few occasions when I would get turned around an not know which direction I had come from due to the area looking similar in all directions.

    Overall another excellent game by FromSoft with superbly realised art direction. I do miss some of the previous games features like being able to make unique character builds and I do think this will limit the games re-playability slightly.    … Expand
  49. Karmazyn83
    May 8, 2019
    9
    Don't let the little fool you. In Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice you will die a million times+ . Yes this is one of these games you will enjoy playing but probably will never finish it.

    The graphics look really decent. The combat is fluid and definitely a highlight of the game. It is punishing, one mistake might cost you life. I would like game to explain fighting little bit more. There are    Don't let the little fool you. In Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice you will die a million times+ . Yes this is one of these games you will enjoy playing but probably will never finish it.

    The graphics look really decent. The combat is fluid and definitely a highlight of the game. It is punishing, one mistake might cost you life. I would like game to explain fighting little bit more. There are few ways of countering incoming attacks. It is rock/paper/scissor mechanic due to the lack of proper tutorial less skilled players will find it really difficult to defeat some tougher enemies. Game has lots of mini bosses. Dont worry though game has a really clever resurrection mechanic, in the event of death game lets you use resurrection power to offer a 2nd chance. You will most likely die again but hey at least you could try to tip the scales of death in your favor.

    You need to use controller for the optimal gaming experience. I could not play comfortably with K/M, I just prefer to use controllers for these ports. Game is playable with K/M but controller is a way to go.

    Game does not support 21:9 resolution which is a big negative for me. Fortunately there are skilled people out there who come up with the fix to this problem. Fix which can be obtained from WSGF website get rids of black bars. It works similar like the fix used in Dark Souls games. Any movement caught on camera outside 16:9 is captured in frames which breaks immersion a little bit so make sure to have your camera centered. All items and HUD is placed within 16:9 aspect ratio but it is ok. The only problem is stealth mechanic and visual feedback when you are low on health. In both cases 16:9 part of the screen will be covered with dark grey or red filter. The picture outside 16:9 will be normal. It is annoying but you can get use to it. Other than this game looks stunning in 21:9. So if you are blessed with UW monitor make sure to use the fix and play it this way.

    Artwork is sublime and the setting is really well done. It makes me want to explore the world. I would love to have some sort of difficulty scale slider but these games are all about the challenge so if you are looking for a game that will test your skills better be ready.

    I would easily give this game a 10 but lack of 21:9 support is a big let down. It would not cost developers that much time to recognize this immersive style of gaming.

    Pros:
    - graphics & artwork
    - fighting mechanics
    - setting
    - challenging

    Cons:
    - lack of 21: 9 support
    - too difficult

    Score: 9/10 - absolutely worth getting !    … Expand
  50. DukeBalek
    Apr 4, 2019
    8
    I am an average player (well i finished all dark souls but i can't say i was the best, i won with patience and luck for some bosses lol) and personally i find Sekiro less difficult than the souls
    Here, once you have trained with parry, jump and you get some tools like fire on your blade (last tech on the prosthetic tree) + the ability to kill from behind and the two resurections, the    I am an average player (well i finished all dark souls but i can't say i was the best, i won with patience and luck for some bosses lol) and personally i find Sekiro less difficult than the souls
    Here, once you have trained with parry, jump and you get some tools like fire on your blade (last tech on the prosthetic tree) + the ability to kill from behind and the two resurections, the game is a piece of cake. Some mini bosses are difficult, i agree but with 5 tries max you can beat them , maybe 10 for the ones in narrow spaces and the camera bugging...Same for the very few real bosses... lady butterfly is really easy to beat, genchiro is the only one to be hard, but none are really a game blocker (and don't tell me about the snake or monkeyz, they are just... ok) In souls game i remembered bosses i had to try for hours, even days ^^ here once you realise wich tool is the right, the fight is quite easy, the only thing to think is to be perfect on timings because the real difficulty of the game is the fact that you can die with one or two blows. It's maybe artificial difficulty.. and sometimes i find that the bosses are more QTE like than before. To be honnest, the game is lacking of epicness for me... there is a fire at every corner, they are no more some kind of rewards, and there is no pressure in exploring the world (the loots are boring too, damned candies lol).

    But behind this critics, i think the game it self is a very very great game, you really feel the samourai sword battles like never before and the mood, caracters and story are ok. The gameplay is very good too, maybe the best in this type, and overall the game is a masterpiece. But FS is not a company like others, ppl has very high expectations...to be just a very good game is not enough for the fans, they want a ground breaking experience, and i understand the feeling that the game is beyond the souls serie ^^

    more over 3 years to develop this is far too short... the end of the game fighting the same bosses/mini bosses on the same map you have already farmed is kinda a joke .... it feels lazy work and breaks the greatness of the game.

    I red that FS wants now to develop every game within 3 years.... let's hope not..    … Expand
  51. sabaothkelly
    Jul 30, 2020
    8
    ______________________________________________
    Always using the same main weapon and mc can make it repetitive..
    but overall.. this one truly is a enjoyable TENCHU SOULS, my guys.
    ______________________________________________
  52. cydeliveryguy
    Aug 5, 2020
    0
    just play something better like ghost of tsushima!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
  53. gerryrobinson78
    Mar 25, 2019
    8
    To hard for me, but it's still good artistic work. if it was not for the level of difficulty, I would give 10/10
  54. dryerlaw
    May 18, 2019
    8
    Very immersive & well-narrated story. Very well-crafted world that leaves you wanting for much more when the game has finished. I can imagine playing 2-3 sequels or prequels of Sekiro.

    The only negative for me is that it's way too difficult. Heard an easy mode is coming, so that should fix it for many potential players.
  55. p1menta
    Apr 4, 2019
    9
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. the only reason this game is not a ten for me is the lack of high quallity lore. i mean it is ok and all, but it's not really entertaining. i know it's not the main theme in this from softwaare games, but the scheme for a good stry is right there, the characters are interesting, it makes you wanna know more, but you can't
    other than that (and some minor problems with the damn camera and auto lock, but these are really minor) the game is perfect. the batlling mechanics are extremely perfect and fun, the grapling system too. the boss fights: D A M N. they are literally supreme. every single one of 'em are creative, and special, and the Divine Dragon, H O T D A M N, it may be my favourite boss battle in any video game ever.    … Expand
  56. georgematos
    Apr 6, 2019
    10
    Sekiro is on the top 3 "Souls like" games for me. 10 for the first game play, but 8 if you consider the replay factor.
  57. Cougargames
    Feb 20, 2020
    9
    If you like to get a**** raped 520 times by enemies, and have to rebuy like 10 extra controllers then this is the game for you
  58. Vladyvinogrady
    Apr 2, 2019
    10
    One of the most difficult games I've ever played.
    All the charms of the game in its complexity. These are big worlds, intense battles like Dark Souls and speed like Bloodborne
  59. teonimesic
    Apr 2, 2019
    10
    Amazing game play mechanics, beautiful world, awesome level design (as expected of from software) and interesting story... The cons? Locked frame rate and no 21:9 support, which can be fixed with community made mods. Its also very different from previous entries, so just because you liked X game doesn't mean you will automatically enjoy the game play of Sekiro, so don't expect it to beAmazing game play mechanics, beautiful world, awesome level design (as expected of from software) and interesting story... The cons? Locked frame rate and no 21:9 support, which can be fixed with community made mods. Its also very different from previous entries, so just because you liked X game doesn't mean you will automatically enjoy the game play of Sekiro, so don't expect it to be Dark Souls 4/Bloodborne 2, but let it stand as its own thing and you may consider it the best entry yet.… Expand
  60. Penetrator2
    Apr 5, 2019
    10
    An absolute masterpiece. It's rare for a modern game to feel this fresh. The combat mechanics are in my opinion the best ever created. I really hope future "Souls" games use similar combat mechanics.
  61. ManfredCB
    Apr 2, 2019
    10
    Just beated the game... amazing, beautiful... whole some... SU BA RA SHI!

    This game is beautiful, still i think it missed more bosses and better zones but when I think it's a japanese based games, I realised that It dit pretty well, you just can't add a lot of monsters here, the game is crealy meant to be played as fights against humans.
  62. DAIDEL
    Apr 4, 2019
    10
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Good story, new interesting action game. Everything else in general repeats the previous games of this company.… Expand
  63. OverFunnY
    May 5, 2019
    8
    Most criticisms are about the game being difficult and not being a Dark Souls. And the game really is not a Dark Souls, if you think this you are very wrong, it does have elements of Dark Souls, but it should be evaluated as a different game.
    Pros: The game's combat is great and works great, with Sekiro's hook all gotten too wide. The artificial intelligence of enemies is great since they    Most criticisms are about the game being difficult and not being a Dark Souls. And the game really is not a Dark Souls, if you think this you are very wrong, it does have elements of Dark Souls, but it should be evaluated as a different game.
    Pros: The game's combat is great and works great, with Sekiro's hook all gotten too wide. The artificial intelligence of enemies is great since they can do just about anything you can do against them. You feel that you are evolving every moment and every defeated enemy is really a sense of victory. You can face enemies in a variety of ways: either on stealf, taking out your HP or breaking your posture.
    Cons: The story is not very interesting but it's still good. Some enemies are powerful enough to even give you hit kill, frustrating enough you make a single mistake and die. The "dragon disease" caused after you die sometimes is very appealing, having to spend an item every time it happens (several times), but sometimes you do not even notice the difference, you should have thought of another way to punish yourself after the death. The bosses are not as interesting as FromSoftware is customary to do and some Mini Bosses are repeated, except that some Mini Bosses are more powerful than the bosses themselves, which makes no sense at all.    … Expand
  64. amazingmold46
    Feb 17, 2020
    9
    Sekiro recreated the same feeling that playing through my first dark souls game gave me, something that the series had failed to do for me since. As much as I love the usual soulsborne formula, Sekiros different approach to combat was a refreshing change. Traversing the environment is more fun then it's ever been in a Fromsoftware game thanks to the introduction of the grappling hook,Sekiro recreated the same feeling that playing through my first dark souls game gave me, something that the series had failed to do for me since. As much as I love the usual soulsborne formula, Sekiros different approach to combat was a refreshing change. Traversing the environment is more fun then it's ever been in a Fromsoftware game thanks to the introduction of the grappling hook, although the stealth elements are a little underwhelming. Overall a fantastic game, and most definitely my 2019 game of the year.… Expand
  65. CowboyCart
    Apr 2, 2020
    8
    I love a good deal about Sekiro, but there's some issues I feel can be a hamper for those looking to dedicate to it. I'mma get into just that:

    Pros: - Fantastic rhythm-based combat. What it lacks in variety, it more than makes up for in its depth, precision, its feel and the satisfaction of scoring death blows. Also, the shinobi prosthetic is a great, unique tool to use in fights    I love a good deal about Sekiro, but there's some issues I feel can be a hamper for those looking to dedicate to it. I'mma get into just that:

    Pros:
    - Fantastic rhythm-based combat. What it lacks in variety, it more than makes up for in its depth, precision, its feel and the satisfaction of scoring death blows. Also, the shinobi prosthetic is a great, unique tool to use in fights against the many enemies.
    - Movement is quite possibly the best it has ever been in a From Software title. Fluid, fast, vertical and fun.
    - Well-made stealth mechanics that make it a must for those who wish to gain an edge over the enemy.
    - Great boss lineup, as per usual with From Software.
    - A satisfying learning curve. For those willing to dedicate, there will come a time where the game clicks, and you become way better than before. For me, this came around mid-game, but boy, did it feel good.
    - Great voice acting in general. Even with those who do not favor reading subtitles akin to an anime sub, you will be fine, knowing this.
    - A well-done, engaging story to boot, on top of the great gameplay.
    - Solid soundtrack that gets the job done.
    - WOOOOOO!

    A useful tip, since I can't come up with neutral points:
    - Do NOT treat this like a Souls game. You will get killed with that mentality. Treating it more like Guitar Hero is what got me to get better at the game. It may not be for everybody, but that's just me, and this *is* my review.

    Cons:
    - Not much replay value. Unless you wanna see the multiple endings, you're not getting much past beating the game the first time.
    - There's one end-game boss that just...doesn't fit with Sekiro's gameplay style. I won't spoil who, but I'm sure it's known who at this point.
    - Not a lot of variety in the combat. All you can really customize is your choice of approach, the shinobi prosthetic and what items you carry.

    Overall, a great game, but it has issues that make it hard to come back to, at least for me. Still, if you want a challenging action game with solid stealth mechanics, a good story and a learning curve that is very satisfying to learn, this is for you.
    8/10.    … Expand
  66. e2rqey
    Mar 26, 2019
    9
    Great game. (No Spoilers)
    This game gives you that feeling you had when you first played Dark Souls, before you "Got Gud", There are many who have been chasing that feeling ever since. But you could never really get it from new Dark Souls games because the combat was basically the same. People who only got through Dark Souls by summoning others to help them are gonna be in for quite a    Great game. (No Spoilers)
    This game gives you that feeling you had when you first played Dark Souls, before you "Got Gud", There are many who have been chasing that feeling ever since. But you could never really get it from new Dark Souls games because the combat was basically the same. People who only got through Dark Souls by summoning others to help them are gonna be in for quite a challenge. It's very well optimized and getting a locked 60FPS at 1080p with Max Settings is easy to achieve. I wish it would support higher framerates, but at least capping it at 60 makes the frame pacing pretty consistent. The graphics are a clear step up from Dark Souls 3, at least on PC. The Combat is really engaging. It's certainly difficult, but it's a different kind of difficulty than Dark Souls. When you first start playing you may think that the combat is simplistic and completely focused on Parrying. But as you get better at the game you will start to see the nuance and complexity. Deflecting certainly is important though, but I don't see why people are shocked or angry that in a game about fighting people with swords, stopping the swords from hitting you by blocking is an important aspect of the combat. The best way to describe what the combat feels like when you’re playing it correctly, is that it feels like your actually participating in one of those super intense sword fights in an anime like Samurai Champloo, Rurouni Kenshin or Afro Samurai. I think there are a lot of negative reviews of this game that are posted in a fit of rage immediately after being **** on by a Boss in the game for the 50th time. This is not the kind of game where if you are using the wrong tactics against a boss, no matter how many times you try you will never beat them. While Dark Souls combat felt like a frantic, white knuckle, adrenaline fueled, fight for survival. Sekiro is more about being able to keep your composure and and making the correct tactical call instead of relying on impulsive survival instinct to win. The story is more straightforward than Dark Souls but there are still lots of little secrets and bits of information for VaatiVidya to delve into. I do wish there was more variety in the weaker enemies but it’s still decent. Overall, this is another fantastic game by From Software. I still don't know exactly how high the Skill Ceiling is, but I'm looking forward to seeing all the crazy **** people will be able to pull off in this game. Don't play this game like its Dark Souls. It is its own beast. There are still lots of mechanics and stuff in the game that are unmistakably From Software touches. It's still hard as hell, which is great. It's not cheap, when you get killed you know that you messed up and that it wasn't the games fault. It's amazing that From Software was able to make an experience that is as hard as, if not more difficult than Dark Souls. It makes you feel like how you felt in Dark Souls before you "got gud" and I’m just happy I get to enjoy that feeling again. The only reasons I don't think it's a 10/10 is that the Stealth System is pretty lack-luster. I get what they were going for and it is functional. But the AI was not really designed well enough for a deep stealth system. You can just run away and hide for like 30 seconds and everyone will forget that you were ever even there. The Stealth Assassinations look cool as hell and are super visceral, but they super over the top and LOUD AS HELL. You can kill someone and another guard who is probably close enough that the massive spray of blood would get on him and he doesn't notice. Unless the guy is literally right next to the person you kill they won't notice. 85% of the time they don't even notice the dead bodies all around them The thing is, I'm not sure whether a lot of these shortcomings with the stealth system are because of poor design or if it was a deliberate decision so that the game wouldn't be even more difficult than it already is. Although performance is good, I would still rather be able to play at above 60FPS. The PC port doesn't give the granular control of settings that is possible on PC. I used a controller for this game even though I normally use Mouse and Keyboard so I'm not sure about how good the controls are with M+KB. I do also wish there was more weapons and items to get just to give the combat more diversity but realize that the Prosthetic Arm is supposed to bring some of that and it just wasn't part of their vision for this game. The Story is decent but I still enjoyed Dark Souls more. I think the game could have been even better than it is, but that's the case with basically anything. So yeah 9/10 absolutely worth picking up if you liked Dark Souls and I think it's also a good first title for people to start getting into From Software games with. Ignore any Negative reviews you see where the whole thing is just someone complaining about the game being hard.
    ** PC Specs: Intel i7-8750H, GTX 1070, 16GB RAM and 512GB NVMe    … Expand
  67. kycokkycka
    Apr 7, 2019
    10
    божественно с небольшими минусами, как и у всех богов
  68. ElderNox
    Mar 25, 2019
    10
    A true masterpiece and a very worthy successor to the souls series. From the stealth to the heart-pounding combat, this game is a total joyride. It can be hard, just like its predecessor, but its worth every aggravating minute to see something so lovingly crafted.

    Ignore any negative reviews found here, they're just salty and can't handle change or variety.
  69. Monotosh
    Mar 26, 2019
    9
    ELECTRONIC ARTS : Single player games are dead.
    FROM SOFTWARE : Hold my sake.
    At first I was saddened to hear that Miyazaki would not make another souls game again, but little did we realise that what he meant was that he would soup up the system so much that becomes impossible to call it a soulsborne game. 10/10 would want to get bamboozled again. STORY : The story takes place in    ELECTRONIC ARTS : Single player games are dead.
    FROM SOFTWARE : Hold my sake.
    At first I was saddened to hear that Miyazaki would not make another souls game again, but little did we realise that what he meant was that he would soup up the system so much that becomes impossible to call it a soulsborne game. 10/10 would want to get bamboozled again.
    STORY : The story takes place in feudal Japan and one of the first major changes you realise when starting the game is that there are "comprehensible" dialogues and the protagonist speaks. This is very welcoming for new players as they can get the gist of the story and get motivated to push forward which really lacked in their previous games. Though the previous souls games had some dialogue, they Individually weren't any useful unless you knew the bigger picture, and most of the real story elements were hidden in item descriptions. Here atleast you know why and what you are doing. There is a fun mechanic where you offer "Sake" to different NPCs to get their backstories, different sake causes them to deliver different dialogues, just remember to keep track of which kind you are giving to whom as giving the same type of sake will repeat the same dialogue.

    GAMEPLAY : The real meat and potatoes of the game, while it essentially shares the skeleton of a souls game, the new changes are quite welcome. For starters as you all know from the name Shadows die twice you can resurrect after dying. This helps reduce frustrations when you get ambushed or one shot by something as you get the time to check who and how you got killed then resurrect to deal or run away from the problem. This was really annoying in souls games as you might be carrying a lot of resources while exploring and suddenly a new trap or enemy one shots you and you drop everything. That doesnt make the game any easier though as all minibosses and bosses have multiple health bars to chew through.
    Speaking about multiple health bars, you need to perform deathblows to kill enemies, which you can do by reducing their health to 0, or by breaking their posture. Attacking, deflecting, countering deals posture damage to enemies, and they can do the same to you. Once their posture breaks you can deal a deathblow instantly regardless of the amount of health remaining and take out one health bar. The posture recovers slowly over time when not attacking or defending, and the lower the health the posture will recover at a lower rate. So while trying to defeat bosses aggressive players can go for the posture breaks, and the "safe" players can slowly but surely whittle down the health bars. Also when you die you lose 50% of your xp and gold and they are not recoverable like in previous games, on the other hand you get a mechanic called unseen aid which provides 30% chance to not lose anything upon death, the more you die there is a chance the NPCs will get affected by dragonrot disease which lowers the chance of unseen aid and prevents the NPC quests from progressing.

    Theres a grapple hook to traverse the areas and not much else as it isnt used for combat. The level design is top notch to allow the players to pull a sneaky on the enemies by using the grapple to bypass or backstab them. And some secret areas are really well hidden out of usual view and you need to grapple specific spots to reach them.

    Now on to the prosthetic tools, there are 10 tools to find and choose from. You can upgrade them to have different properties to suit your needs, certain enemy types become MUCH easier when using some particular tools and their upgrades to exploit their weaknesses. For example throwing the shuriken towards airborne enemies staggers them and interrupts their attack chain, using fire on chained ogre stuns him for a few cheap hits etc. Other than that, the tools arent as necessary I thought it would be, your sword is enough to deal with almost every situation. However the last tiers of tools provide some juicy benefits which will be fun to play with in new game+.

    CONCLUSION : Its one of the best designed games ever made, FROMSOFTWARE delivered and even exceeded our expectations on how they can improve the genre, a must buy if you are a souls fan and always wanted to try out something new yet similar.    … Expand
  70. Dojan
    Mar 27, 2019
    9
    Amazing game that doesn't deserve the negative review bombing it has gotten,
    mainly for reasons like it being too hard, it's not similar enough to Dark Souls etc.
    The combat is second to to none, 10/10. The movement can be slightly wonky sometimes, specifically the jumping but it's not a big deal. The game is not the most technically demanding one but exploring the environments is    Amazing game that doesn't deserve the negative review bombing it has gotten,
    mainly for reasons like it being too hard, it's not similar enough to Dark Souls etc.

    The combat is second to to none, 10/10. The movement can be slightly wonky sometimes,
    specifically the jumping but it's not a big deal.

    The game is not the most technically demanding one but exploring the environments
    is a sight to behold, from snowy mountains to lush forests.

    Even though it's very early to tell, this is as of yet my GOTY.    … Expand
  71. Kazenokenshi
    Mar 30, 2019
    10
    Literally the best game i have ever played, and that says a LOT, since i ve been gaming very actively for over 20 years and played pretty much everything that's any good. I only wish for expansion packs and more wonderful games by FROM, just like this one.
  72. lordherpie
    Apr 16, 2019
    9
    when starting Sekiro as a souls veteran who never felt shame in summoning or farming to get past the harder bits, it felt quite impossible to overcome the challenges provided in this game. 4 hours in i really wondered if i was ever gonna finish it. however, with persistance and patience anything becomes possible. This is the lesson Sekiro taught me. I am currently struggling on the finalwhen starting Sekiro as a souls veteran who never felt shame in summoning or farming to get past the harder bits, it felt quite impossible to overcome the challenges provided in this game. 4 hours in i really wondered if i was ever gonna finish it. however, with persistance and patience anything becomes possible. This is the lesson Sekiro taught me. I am currently struggling on the final boss, but in contrast to the feeling i had with the first boss of the game there is no doubt in my mind that i will finish it. I will stress that i am not a pro gamer, nor do i have much time to play (less than i want to anyway :)) Yes it is hard, very hard. but a slow 38 year old like me can still beat it if willing to learn the mechanics and getting used to it. The game requires faster reactions than the souls games, but if i can manage, most gamers will be able to, it all boils down to 1 thing: are you willing to learn, when it will take hundreds of deaths. If you are, than Sekiro is definitely for you. If you aren't, best avoid this game.

    I gave it a 9 out of 10 because perfection doesnt exist and the graphics aren't god-like. but i am pretty enthousiastic about this game after breaking trough the frustration wall that is the first few hours of Sekiro.

    Sekiro is a learning experience. not just learning the game, but learning about yourself and the strength of muscle memory. even if the first bosses gave me the feeling i was dying without learning anything, persist with Sekiro and you shall be rewarded with more than a credit-roll and a trophy. A true feeling of victory upon every challenge conquered and a biology masterclass about procedural/motor memory.    … Expand
  73. Doggsnacks
    Mar 27, 2019
    10
    For all negative comments and ratings, I have two words for ya: GIT GUD!! please
  74. Bunkerbudy
    Apr 10, 2019
    9
    First of all my real score for this game is a solid 9/10. Why did I rate it 10?
    Well after reading some weird 0/10 reviews and reasons behind it, I had no choice.
    The review: - Solid, very satisfying gameplay and mechanics. Being able to stealth, grapple trought the envirement or rushing some trash mobs is realy fun and amusing. (Also, you can swim!!!) - Typical FromSoft story,    First of all my real score for this game is a solid 9/10. Why did I rate it 10?
    Well after reading some weird 0/10 reviews and reasons behind it, I had no choice.

    The review:
    - Solid, very satisfying gameplay and mechanics. Being able to stealth, grapple trought the envirement or rushing some trash mobs is realy fun and amusing. (Also, you can swim!!!)

    - Typical FromSoft story, confusing but interesting and a couple of wtf moments as well as the know side quests. But some of those side quests could have been better tbh.

    -Boss fights are good, hard, but good. Only minor point here is that sometimes bosses feel to recycled.

    - Great music overall, but less compaired to what we are used to in DS and BB.

    In general this is a well executed games, sure its not the same as BB or DS, but thats what they were going for. Do I miss some features from those previous games? Yes... I realy do. But it does not ruin the game at al. But yeah it has to be said, when it comes to replayability, Sekiro is kinda a bit of a let down.    … Expand
  75. dantah
    Mar 27, 2019
    10
    Game of the year!!
    A perfect accompaniment to the SoulsBorne series, with plenty of unique ideas of its own and some of the best combat of the generation.
  76. HollandMST
    Mar 28, 2019
    10
    Jogo do ano!
    FANTÁSTICO, jogabilidade magnifíca, boss fights épicos, uma baita história, junto com belos gráficos, e ótima trilha sonora e um jogo bem otimizado. tudo isso em um só jogo!
    Fora a dificuldade, não é recomendado pra jogador de LOL.

    10/10 GOTY
  77. zyphir77
    Mar 26, 2019
    10
    This game is a perfect 10. I have spent upwards of 700+ hours playing From Software titles and within 10 hours of playing Sekiro I already knew just how special this game truly is. It's much of the same but yet so different. Sekiro's story and gameplay are a little more direct than previous From Software titles but they still don't hold your hand and guide you through everything. ConceptsThis game is a perfect 10. I have spent upwards of 700+ hours playing From Software titles and within 10 hours of playing Sekiro I already knew just how special this game truly is. It's much of the same but yet so different. Sekiro's story and gameplay are a little more direct than previous From Software titles but they still don't hold your hand and guide you through everything. Concepts like the Dragonrot leave you wondering how your actions can impact the ending (if at all). Some of the mini boss fights were as challenging as boss fights from other games and my first actual encounters with main bosses were exhilarating experiences. The posture system in the game really adds an amazing dynamic to the combat that I find to be a refreshing change. Overall, the game is beautiful and fluid, the combat system rewards stealth and patience but still offers avenues for people who like to play more aggressive, and the story is exactly what I've come to expect with a From Software title. 10/10 - highly recommend to anyone that doesnt have anger management issues and temper problems :D… Expand
  78. Bruhitsme
    Jul 21, 2020
    2
    "Oh look at me I know how to play this super difficult game that makes me better then anybody that doesn't know how to play it"
    EVERY SINGLE SEKIRO FAN.
  79. Cyber_Angel
    Apr 15, 2019
    8
    The game would be a solid 9/10, but the difficulty overall brings it down to 8.
    One of the highlights of 2019 and another great game in the legacy of Soulsborne series.
  80. CesarOrdazV
    Apr 26, 2019
    8
    Buen juego. Con la típica dificultar de fromsofware. La mecánica de bloqueo tiene mas peso que la mecánica de esquivar, pienso que ahí radica que a muchos fans de darksouls no les agrade mucho. Optimización sobresaliente, corre muy bien en una GTX 1060.
  81. Vilgefortz_
    Nov 24, 2019
    10
    A true masterpiece for those who are willing to try and understand and learn it.

    This game strips down most of the extras from the previous From Software games, and instead refines the core fighting mechanic for a singular fighting style. Fully embracing hyper-aggression, without letting it become attack-spamming by means of the posture system. These changes lead to there being a    A true masterpiece for those who are willing to try and understand and learn it.

    This game strips down most of the extras from the previous From Software games, and instead refines the core fighting mechanic for a singular fighting style. Fully embracing hyper-aggression, without letting it become attack-spamming by means of the posture system.
    These changes lead to there being a correct way to play this game, and your journey as a player to master the mechanics is mirrored by Sekiro's journey to become a master shinobi.
    The ways to cheat this natural progression are reduced: you can't summon other players, and both over-leveling or building a tank are no longer an option.

    It's truly up to you, and the only true defeat is giving up. A great metaphor for life.    … Expand
  82. robbeach77
    Jan 5, 2020
    10
    Never had a game push me so hard to get better, although needed some help from youtubers on strategy. Outstanding game.
  83. MaltaSaksham
    Apr 28, 2020
    10
    The best combat in any video game ever! Mind blowing visuals and lore. Miyazaki has done it once again, what an experience. I recommend this to everyone who loves acting adventure
  84. Lucion
    Feb 24, 2020
    9
    In this cold world where Blizzard, Bethesda and other giants keep producing trash, From Software manages once again to throw out an amazing game. Yes its hard, yes not everyone will be able to do it but that makes the game amazing. not because others wont be able to do it, because the walls this game presents are real walls without any way around. so many other games have fake challanges,In this cold world where Blizzard, Bethesda and other giants keep producing trash, From Software manages once again to throw out an amazing game. Yes its hard, yes not everyone will be able to do it but that makes the game amazing. not because others wont be able to do it, because the walls this game presents are real walls without any way around. so many other games have fake challanges, where you can either grind away or cheese them, this game has some real challanges and it feels amazing to master them… Expand
  85. bGI
    Mar 7, 2020
    9
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Sekiro Shadows Die Twice is a masterpiece of a game that makes it feel like your a part of the scenery, environment and part of the your Master Kuro's life as you help him on his journey to rid himself of the Dragon's Heritage Blood. But on this journey I was breath taken by the detail and how well everything was polished in the game. From Beginning to End I was happily thrilled with the roller coaster of some decisions that would have to be made and struck by how hard the decisions were to choose between the two. But all in all I'm glad I bought Sekiro Shadows Die Twice. Awesome Game… Expand
  86. dmcrun11
    Oct 11, 2020
    10
    I am relatively new to this genre of third person melee combat games. Sekiro is the best PC game I have ever played.

    The difficulty of the game was initially extremely off-putting. I wanted to dislike the game. Admittedly, the only reason I pushed on past the first 10 hours was to beat the game and then give it a negative review. I was a late bloomer in regards to the gameplay    I am relatively new to this genre of third person melee combat games. Sekiro is the best PC game I have ever played.

    The difficulty of the game was initially extremely off-putting. I wanted to dislike the game. Admittedly, the only reason I pushed on past the first 10 hours was to beat the game and then give it a negative review. I was a late bloomer in regards to the gameplay "clicking" for me. I didn't start to master the gameplay until 25 hours into the game. Once I became very comfortable and confident with the mechanics, the fun factor of the game sky rocketed.

    I have played Sekiro 5 times to completion, back to back. It is one of the very few games that I cared to get 100% of the achievements. Sekiro sets the bar for all future third person melee combat games, and that bar is extremely high.    … Expand
  87. janome
    May 12, 2020
    9
    Playing this in 2020. The game is fun, hard to master but easier to understand than demon souls, dark souls and bloodborne were. It has "fromsoftware" all over it except in the english dub (it's so bad). Super fast paced, and even though you can sometimes spam the block button to deflect more often than not you'll need to learn how and when to deflect. Overall a great game.
  88. PureWheel9
    Jul 8, 2020
    10
    From Software didn't disappoint like always. Just when i thought the combat couldn't get any more better they hit me with a variety of new tools and ways to resolve problems in game. The combat is fast paced and there are many ways to tackle the same enemy depending on how you want to play.
  89. Blekota
    Aug 30, 2020
    10
    Absolutely amazing game. Faster and more dynamic than Dark Souls. Fascinating combat with bosses. Just have finished it after many months. The feeling after defeating Isshin, the Sword Saint - priceless :)
  90. GRSteffen
    Oct 6, 2020
    10
    Sekiro is a great adaptation of the slow and boring combat in Dark Souls.
    You are forced to play aggressively and blocking isn't the best way to defend yourself. You better try to dodge and counter-attack or deflect it (there is no parry like in Dark Souls).
    Once you get the hang of it, you simply don't want to change back to Dark Souls, it least I couldn't. But to compare DS and    Sekiro is a great adaptation of the slow and boring combat in Dark Souls.
    You are forced to play aggressively and blocking isn't the best way to defend yourself. You better try to dodge and counter-attack or deflect it (there is no parry like in Dark Souls).

    Once you get the hang of it, you simply don't want to change back to Dark Souls, it least I couldn't. But to compare DS and Sekiro is a dumb decision since Sekiro is by all means NOT a DS title. There is no Co-op or multiplayer nor Armor/ weapons to choose from. The game is also not "dark", sometimes the World looks actually pretty nice and colorful.

    Some Boss designs are like boring normal Samurai (they still punch hard), but sometimes they have a Souls-like design (Hugh and scary/non-human). But still, each Boss has a unique move-set which you have to adapt to.
    You don't need any prosthetic tool to defeat a boss, unlike stated in other posts. I actually missed "the most important ones" in my first playthrough (like the firecrackers).

    Even though the combat might frustrate you first, keep playing. You will get better over time, especially if you have played DS recently (Sekiro uses different buttons for E.g. healing). If after like 5 hours you still don't like the game, stop playing for a few months. I got the hang of it in my third try.

    All in all, I really started to love the game in my third try, especially the combat-system. It is now my favorite game, even though I really disliked it at first. You should definitely buy it, especially if you find it on sale (there is a patch coming at the end of October 2020, maybe they will also start a sale).

    Here are some statements from other posts:

    -Input lag on Pc: I could not feel any input lag

    -Strange Hitboxes: Sometimes yes, but it is common if you doge a sweep attack or try to jump over a thrust attack. So it should only appear if you do something wrong.

    -You can die in 1 or 2 hits from a Boss: Yes, this can happen. Especially in new game+.

    -You lose 50% of your exp and money with no means of getting it back: You only lose exp between your skill points. You can buy coin purses. They cost 10% more, but they will not disappear.

    -60 fps cap: Yes, but you can install mods (nexus-mods with Vortx) to get rid of it. That way you can also install custom shaders

    -Poorly explained mechanics and system: Right, some tips are only on the loading screen or hidden in the item description or are completely missing.    … Expand
  91. cmoyano
    Mar 24, 2019
    10
    The hardest, most insane, visceral, brutal experience From Software has ever brought us. This game will expose your lies, your souls "vet" status will be crushed, spat on, picked up, chewed on 10 times, and spat again.

    You are trash when it comes to Sekiro, and you will feel it. No lubricants, you butt will be sore from so much pounding. Best game From has delivered. Pure adrenaline,    The hardest, most insane, visceral, brutal experience From Software has ever brought us. This game will expose your lies, your souls "vet" status will be crushed, spat on, picked up, chewed on 10 times, and spat again.

    You are trash when it comes to Sekiro, and you will feel it. No lubricants, you butt will be sore from so much pounding.

    Best game From has delivered. Pure adrenaline, learn, adapt and prepare to die. 125k peak on Steam only shows that PC gamers are real hardcore gamers and they want this type of game. Console plebs are crying at the difficulty.    … Expand
  92. CarbonCarlos
    Mar 26, 2019
    10
    good game really gives my reflexs a run for it money and adrenaline pumping
  93. DrGreatJob
    Apr 3, 2019
    8
    Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice is a fine game. It's _NOT_ Dark Souls, as you can tell by it being called "Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice" and not "Dark Souls 4." It plays like Sekiro, not Dark Souls. It's not about building a character, it's about refining your skill. There are skill trees, upgrade paths, and other stuff, but there's no Dexterity stat. There's no vitality. No armor, no weapons, noSekiro: Shadows Die Twice is a fine game. It's _NOT_ Dark Souls, as you can tell by it being called "Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice" and not "Dark Souls 4." It plays like Sekiro, not Dark Souls. It's not about building a character, it's about refining your skill. There are skill trees, upgrade paths, and other stuff, but there's no Dexterity stat. There's no vitality. No armor, no weapons, no stats. All you have are your sword and your prosthetic tools. It's cool and unique. It's not a "deconstruction of the Souls formula." It's a different formula. What there is a fantastically crafted game.

    My only complaints are the hitboxes on some enemy attacks are very bad and hard to read, and the health inequality between you and a boss is... extreme. Some of the boss fights feel like they take longer than anything I experienced in another From Software title. That's both good and bad. Also, I didn't care for the scenery in some areas. Not that big of a deal, but it does get docked a couple of points. Altogether? Solid game, highly recommended, but it's not their best.    … Expand
  94. Thinesh
    Apr 6, 2019
    8
    great one from fromsoftware .do more games guys.better than dark f-ing souls man
  95. Whalebot
    Mar 25, 2019
    10
    I'll start out by saying that while the closest game to Sekiro, would be Dark Souls 3, Sekiro is a different beast compared to the Dark Souls games. Saying that not being like Dark Souls is a negative would be counterproductive. It would be similar to criticising Red Dead Redemption for not being about gangsters like in GTA.

    The way I see it, the focus of the combat in this game has 2    I'll start out by saying that while the closest game to Sekiro, would be Dark Souls 3, Sekiro is a different beast compared to the Dark Souls games. Saying that not being like Dark Souls is a negative would be counterproductive. It would be similar to criticising Red Dead Redemption for not being about gangsters like in GTA.

    The way I see it, the focus of the combat in this game has 2 key points: Feeling like a duel and playing like a ninja. These 2 elements are mutually exclusive and will be the main difference between playstyles among different players.

    This game, is the closest thing I've seen in a single player game to resemble an actual duel. Boss fights are very interactive. The norm for boss battles in most games are that they do some attack pattern which you have to dodge which leaves a window so you can attack. Generally speaking, you cannot attack without getting hit outside of this window, the window getting smaller and attacks harder to dodge as games becomes increasingly difficult. In Sekiro you have the option to go on the offense which enemies in general will react to by using the key mechanic of their combat system; deflecting. Sekiro is able to interrupt many attacks or force the boss to go on defense until they manage to deflect Sekiro's attacks or use an attack which can't get interrupted. Overall this makes humanoid boss fights feel like an organic back and forward which I haven't seen replicated in other games ths well.

    Playing as a Shinobi is represented in your many stealth options, having the option to instantly take half of the hp of many bosses by using stealth to assassinate them pre fight. Stealth typically only plays a role ouside of boss encounters so it's nice how they allow Sekiro's ninja character to stay relevant even when most boss fights in this game are about a epic 1v1 duel.

    If we compare this game to the other juggernaut of an action which just released Devil May Cry 5, I would say that Devil May Cry 5 has the best offense in perhaps any game, while Sekiro has the best defense in a single player game, Most attacks get an implied way to handle them whereas your common options are to jump, dodge and deflect. However to expand this you have the option to interrupt the enemy with fast attacks, you have attacks which can't get interrupted and you can use defensive maneuvers aside from the suggested ones to deal more damage to health rather than breaking posture. The bosses in this game, while not all visually distinct, it's mostly humanoids, their functions are quite different. Some bosses hp are easy to wittle down, leaving posture regeneration slow, enabling Dark Souls style spacing + hit and runs strats to be effective, while other bosses are very hard to hurt, requiring you to stay in their face and be on the offense at all times to be able to bring down their posture.

    Lastly I would like to say that this game do have some Dark Souls elements. They have taken item descriptions and instead of describing pure lore, they often have an ingame function such as leading to a secret technique or similar. They have also taken note of experienced Dark Souls players just running through areas like madmen. While it's still possible for the most part, it feels more intentional now rather than exploiting bad AI. Some specific areas encourage doing this and some areas make it practically impossible to just run through it like a retard. I have completed the entire game and feels it provides good variety in general and far better gimmick/setpiece fights than the other From games. Fighting beasts type bosses feels bad in general, description of dragonrot mechanic is misleading etc.

    I can make a long list of faults and how I think the game could be improved but overall great game, I don't think that any games does what Sekiro tries to do and pulls it off as well and thus gets a 10/10 for me.    … Expand
  96. Ozweed
    Mar 25, 2019
    9
    It is like "metal gear rising" and "soul reaver" had a baby. Very hard to pass but not impossible millenials. Just the camera sucks ass.
  97. bryceaf
    Apr 6, 2019
    10
    Beat it two days after release and I am now on NG+4, and I must say it is another solid entry by From Software. Sure, sometimes From throws a lot of enemies into mini-bosses to increase difficulty in a very cheap way, but it's not like it's not like manageable (except for a couple occasions which I genuinely don't like). They did remove armor sets and other weapons that could be obtainedBeat it two days after release and I am now on NG+4, and I must say it is another solid entry by From Software. Sure, sometimes From throws a lot of enemies into mini-bosses to increase difficulty in a very cheap way, but it's not like it's not like manageable (except for a couple occasions which I genuinely don't like). They did remove armor sets and other weapons that could be obtained like in Dark Souls and Bloodborne, but I usually fought with no armor for max movement and a few +10 weapons in those games anyway, that's just how I played. it may hinder replayability somewhat but it doesn't bother me all that much. Speaking of replayability, there is still plenty of it, contrary to what some negative reviewers are saying. There are 4 endings total, with several bosses only accessible through certain ending paths. There are also sidequests that can be taken, as usual for a From game. Prothetics are a nice addition, but some of them are either very useful (firecrackers, firecrackers, and firecrackers) and some very situational (hand axe, loaded umbrella, and malcontent). Some negative reviewers have said the parry-based combat is repetitive, but isn't Souls combat where you have to roll constantly to dodge attacks also repetitive? I feel as if some people are just mad because it isn't a by-the-books Souls game, but perhaps it isn't a Souls game at all, so maybe you shouldn't judge it as such.

    There are other factors that I didn't touch on, such as bosses, characters, world, and lore, which are all superb, however the music was a little lacking this time around. There were tracks I liked (menu music, Corrupted Monk fight music, final boss music, and most of the general exploration and combat music was good), but a lot of the other ones were not bad, per se, but more forgettable compared to other From Soft games.

    I would give this game a solid 8.5, but user reviews only support whole numbers so I'll round it up to a 9 (I'll actually give it a 10 to counter some of these ignorant bad reviews). Awesome game, check this game out if you like action games or are a Souls-like enthusiast. Definitely in my top 3 for best Souls games.    … Expand
  98. DoppelGang3r
    Aug 3, 2020
    2
    The game as a whole is really good for people not like me. I tried to love the game, really did, but I just couldn't. After about 10+ hours and several bosses, I decided I did not enjoy the combat or the controls, it felt very arcadey and like a game from another company. I did not expect the arcadiness of the game but also did not struggle much - and just to be clear, I don't getThe game as a whole is really good for people not like me. I tried to love the game, really did, but I just couldn't. After about 10+ hours and several bosses, I decided I did not enjoy the combat or the controls, it felt very arcadey and like a game from another company. I did not expect the arcadiness of the game but also did not struggle much - and just to be clear, I don't get frustrated with From games. I beat all From games including BloodBorne and Demon Souls, and Sekiro to me was the weakest in terms of the feel and quality in game engine as a whole.

    I envy players who like this game a lot, maybe someday I will change my mind...

    As a massive From Software fan, I would advise for the new fans to be cautious going into Sekiro coming from Souls games, it is a very different game in terms of the movement and combat feel. There is a lot of zealotry going on and people will dislike/downvote into oblivion if you say the game can be unsatisfying for some people, especially for hardcore Souls game fans. I understand that people feel great satisfaction from beating this game, but to me it seems that a lot of people praises this game automatically just because it is a From Software game. Were it from any other company, the initial reviews would have been much harsher, and Sekiro fans will not accept that reality. That's why you don't see negative reviews for this game....    … Expand
  99. sunny1123
    Apr 6, 2019
    10
    I just opened up a metacritic account after seeing so many negative reviews for this game. In my opinion all those reviews come from the frustration of not being a souls game. To me this game's combat is much more fluid and varying than other soulsborne game but you have to learn to use the tools you have to enjoy combat completely instead of just dodge 2 hit or parry visceral like otherI just opened up a metacritic account after seeing so many negative reviews for this game. In my opinion all those reviews come from the frustration of not being a souls game. To me this game's combat is much more fluid and varying than other soulsborne game but you have to learn to use the tools you have to enjoy combat completely instead of just dodge 2 hit or parry visceral like other souls game. And for the same reason combat is much more demanding. The different counters and dodge mechanics seems much more sensible to me rather one button to abuse i-frames dodges in the other souls games. Yes, there are i-frames in dodges and jumps in this game but they are much shorter.
    You cant have any other weapon than your katana as your main weapon but that is more than compensated by the prosthetics. So if you like fast paced combat rather than enemies throwing what ever they have in the air for you to dodge, you will find this to be better than other soulsborne games.
    And the combat takes time to get used to. And specially if you are not ready to learn a new game when starting or expecting combat to be souls like you will find this game extremely hard and punishing for your muscle memory . But unlike other souls game this game is much more friendly to new players as this has a dedicated tutorial and a dedicated npc to practice your moves.
    The only things i missed from other souls games is the character development and lack of pvp. Though the need for character development is somewhat balanced as you dont need to farm levels in this game, and if you dont there will be a lot left for another one or two new playthroughs. And honestly pvp in this game is somewhat hard to create because of the lack of different builds and weapons for the main character in this game which makes the different counter and dodge mechanics completely irrelevant in pvp fights as the default sword has only one light attack combo and one thrust attack.
    Honestly if you are about to buy this game dont go in with the expectation of getting a soulsborne game. If you just think you are getting an action game with Fromsoftware's signature difficulty and learning curve, you might even like this game more than other games by From just as i did.    … Expand
  100. Mystipony
    Apr 7, 2019
    10
    I feel it's not that the game is hard per-say, it's that the game wants you to play a certain way. you have more options after skills are unlocked, sure. but it's it's more that this is not a souls game, it's a timing mini game each fight, and you learn what you can deflect and what you can't, when to run and when to you attack. You also just want to be consistently pressuring if you can,I feel it's not that the game is hard per-say, it's that the game wants you to play a certain way. you have more options after skills are unlocked, sure. but it's it's more that this is not a souls game, it's a timing mini game each fight, and you learn what you can deflect and what you can't, when to run and when to you attack. You also just want to be consistently pressuring if you can, if you're not being attacked, attack them. The hardest part I feel is actually grabs, which you need to be far enough away from to not get hit by. hitboxes for grab attack are a tad too wide IMO.… Expand
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Awards & Rankings

9
#9 Best PC Game of 2019
6
#6 Most Discussed PC Game of 2019
69
#69 Most Shared PC Game of 2019

Critic Reviews

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Metascore
88

Generally favorable reviews - based on 25 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 24 out of 25
  2. Mixed: 1 out of 25
  3. Negative: 0 out of 25
  1. Game World Navigator Magazine
    May 15, 2019
    80
    There’s no leveling (in Soulsborne sense of the word), no covenants, no multiplayer, no variety in armor and weapons. It could be written off a stylistic choice, if the rest of the game didn’t feel very similar to the previous FromSoftware games. But it does, so Sekrio comes across as rather shallow. [Issue#237, p.28]
  2. MGG
    Apr 27, 2019
    88
    Sekiro Shadows Die Twice is a milestone in the genre. It offers complex, stunning and precise sword fights and duels that its predecessors lacked, and from which its successors will have to keep up with. You no longer simply learn by repeatedly and unfairly dying, but you refine your talents as a player. You seek unique methods to overcome each boss, rather than just rolling at the right time before spamming a few hits.
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  3. Edge Magazine
    Apr 25, 2019
    90
    Dozens of hours later, we're still not sure how we feel about it. It's a game of contradictions, open and flexible in its level design, yet resolutely strict in its combat... It is a brilliant game, that is certain. but it is often a difficult one to truly love. Naturally, we can't put it down. [Issue#332, p.104]
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