Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice

 PlayStation 4
User Score
8.5

Generally favorable reviews- based on 5159 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 4,327 out of 5159
  2. Mixed: 286 out of 5159
  3. Negative: 546 out of 5159
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  1. dannygards
    Jan 10, 2020
    4
    Love Soulsbourne, but I did not enjoy this and gave up on it about 25-30hrs in. My main problem was the lack of variety in combat. I never really felt like I was battling an enemy - rather i was closing distance and then playing a rhythm game. I hate to say it, but I wouldn't bother with a From game again unless they return to the souls formula with greater variety in combat/weapons.
  2. dchoover1987
    Mar 22, 2019
    4
    I 100% understand the team is wanting to branch out and try something new. I 100% understand this is in no way a spiritual successor to DS. However, if you want to make a totally new game that isn't tied to ypur other series.....DON'T LITERALLY MAKE ANOTHER DS GAME WITH MISSING KEY FEATURES!!!

    This is litetally Nioh with all the RPG and loot elements ripped out. It feels EXACTLY like a    I 100% understand the team is wanting to branch out and try something new. I 100% understand this is in no way a spiritual successor to DS. However, if you want to make a totally new game that isn't tied to ypur other series.....DON'T LITERALLY MAKE ANOTHER DS GAME WITH MISSING KEY FEATURES!!!

    This is litetally Nioh with all the RPG and loot elements ripped out. It feels EXACTLY like a Souls game while having none of the elements we expect. You can die in 3 hits...check, you have enemies that are "normal" and enemies that are "supernatural"...check, you have some massively disadvantageous cimbat system weighing against the player....check, you have the same graphics (albeit way prettier)...same weird camera angles for cutscenes...same weird voice acting, same movement system (not talking about the new jump and grappling mechanics), same "look, a long hallway, road, room, etc. with some generic adds to fight on my way to a miniboss/boss that will inevitably be massivly overpowered yet after dying 10+ times, i'll figure out his pattern and i'll be able to do it with a zweihander whist in my loincloth.....except that's impossible because you can't change his BLOODY BROWN BLAND COSTUME OR SWORD!"

    I dont care if it isn't a Souls game......I'm super happy with the whole "no stamina" thing, actually, But give me armor/fashion elements and something other than that generic sword. Nion, at least, gave you stance changes. He's supposed to be a shinobi and, other than the totally fictional mech arm, at no point does he feel like a shinobi.

    This "feels" like a Souls game but bland AF. If you want me to acknowledge your new game as not part of the Souls series and acknowledge you're doing something different.....dont give me a game that's half TenchuSouls, half Nioh and strip all the RPG and character customization from the game and say "totally new game...nothing like DS"

    I had no idea this wasn't another SoulsLike game until I found out it had no RPG/customization. It feels, in every way, EXACTLY liie a Souls game.....yet Reddit is booming with all these toolbags saying "it's not a Souls game, stop comparing it". HOW IS IT NOT??!! Simply because they said the words "this isn't a Souls game"? You can't put cloths on a dog and say "it wears cloths...must be human"....no....it's just a dog in cloths. This is 100% a Souls game with 75% of what makes a Souls game addictive ripped out of it and then "slight of hand....look over here" somehow magically not a Souls game. Combats the EXACT same with slight new features (DS has block/shields, Bloodborne has gun parry, Sekiro has timed counter parry and jump, all three have the exact same dodge system), all three have the EXACT same difficulty "feel", same formula (adds to miniboss to boss), same estus flask, same generic items that do just about the same things, same praying at the alter/statue/etc. which restores estus and all the enemies, same home base you keep returning to to "level up"

    It's a DS game they left out the RPG/custimization from, they changed less than 40% of the formula. If you say otherwise, you're wrong.....if you say it "feels different than a DS game" you're wrong (besides the glaring difference....no stamina and there's a grappling hook)

    IT'S    … Expand
  3. mnylen
    Jul 31, 2019
    4
    I have not finished the game and don't intend to. Having beaten all the Demons Souls, Dark Souls and Bloodborne, this is finally the From Software game that beats me to a point I don't want to even try anymore. The difficulty is just too much - for me.

    My main complaint is that if you're used to Dark Souls games, the level design is quite different here. With Dark Souls you could    I have not finished the game and don't intend to. Having beaten all the Demons Souls, Dark Souls and Bloodborne, this is finally the From Software game that beats me to a point I don't want to even try anymore. The difficulty is just too much - for me.

    My main complaint is that if you're used to Dark Souls games, the level design is quite different here. With Dark Souls you could usually clear out the areas once to find all the loot and then - if you die - run to the boss in less than a minute. This made the experience tolerable, as you had to only engage repeatedly in what you failed at - the boss.

    But in Sekiro, you'll find many areas with mini bosses ("stronger enemies") embedded within a mob of normal enemies. To engage these mini bosses - who at least in the beginning are very strong compared to you (I haven't progressed very far) - you need to first clear out the entire area of normal enemies, or you'll soon find yourself against a mob and a mini boss. This means 5-10 minutes of meticulous sneaking and clearing out the area so you can try again. And die. And then do the same thing again. It's rather frustrating.

    In Souls games, you could level up to get stronger and try again. No such mechanism here. You can only level up through prayer beads that you get by killing mini bosses. You need four of them for an upgrade to vitality or posture. Too bad if you have hard time beating the first four...    … Expand
  4. geistreiches
    Mar 28, 2019
    4
    the best thing about the souls games is leveling up and getting better gear, this made it really addictive for me.. but you won't get this with this game, not being able to level up and make your character stronger with better weapons leads to a lot of frustration and in the end it's just not fun to play..
  5. crawft
    Apr 2, 2019
    4
    Not feeling it. It's nice that it is a fresh game from the Demons' Souls/Dark Souls creators, but I don't feel rewarded or satisfied playing this game at all. Most new games that do not offend players with poor performance get a review score bonus simply for being a mediocre, playable game with something marginally "fresh;" I think this is another one.

    My advice: wait for Ghost of    Not feeling it. It's nice that it is a fresh game from the Demons' Souls/Dark Souls creators, but I don't feel rewarded or satisfied playing this game at all. Most new games that do not offend players with poor performance get a review score bonus simply for being a mediocre, playable game with something marginally "fresh;" I think this is another one.

    My advice: wait for Ghost of Tsushima, Nioh 2, and/or the next From Software title. Or, just find something else to play while we wait for Cyberpunk 2077.    … Expand
  6. floppyjabjab
    Feb 22, 2020
    4
    **** **** game riding on the fame of the memes, from software is the Apple of videogames, we all know that the product is mediocre at very best but has that notoriety that is big due to all the memes and the git gud cirle jerk who have accomplished nothing special and feel like they have to like this game just because is hard.
    took me hours to beat it just like the rest of from software    **** **** game riding on the fame of the memes, from software is the Apple of videogames, we all know that the product is mediocre at very best but has that notoriety that is big due to all the memes and the git gud cirle jerk who have accomplished nothing special and feel like they have to like this game just because is hard.
    took me hours to beat it just like the rest of from software games but **** me, at some point I realized that I (no joke) spent more time trying to fight the controls (mainly enemy lock) than fighting the actual enemies.
    Would not reccomend spend more than 10 of whatever currency you have on this.
    STOP FANBOYING is ruining games, doesn't matter if you a fan of the genre, stop being a **** and give the actual rating it deserves, no game is 0 or 10 so **** off    … Expand
  7. Hikage
    Mar 23, 2019
    4
    First of all, no game is ever a 10 or a 0. For those of you giving either of those ratings, its for some other reason unrelated to the game. You are either a fanatic of From Soft who cannot objectively rate their game, or you are currently raging or just hate the game for not being exactly like souls.

    So, Sekiro. If you took all the good parts out of Nioh ( The loot, outfits,    First of all, no game is ever a 10 or a 0. For those of you giving either of those ratings, its for some other reason unrelated to the game. You are either a fanatic of From Soft who cannot objectively rate their game, or you are currently raging or just hate the game for not being exactly like souls.

    So, Sekiro. If you took all the good parts out of Nioh ( The loot, outfits, customization, build system and weapon variety ) and no, the combat in Nioh wasn't that great. It was just a bad clone of Dark Souls. Then, you took all the good parts out of Dark Souls ( Solid combat system, the lore, variety of weapons, variety of armor, and a good build system )

    Afterwards, you take whats left of both. For Dark Souls its the level designs(shortcuts etc) , the estus flasks, fire keepers, bonfires, and the feel of the cut scenes and art work. For Nioh its the forced item usage and similar art style. You take those aspects and shove them into one game with a garbage combat system that is not quite Dark Souls and not quite Nioh. A system that requires you to respond rather than be offensive. Combat is basically boiled down to a Press X for sweep attack, press L1 for parry, Press O to side step...and use prosthetic arm.

    You do not get to choose the style of combat or how you will fight. Follow their style, or die. Do not think for yourself and respond how they want you to, or die.

    Play how they want you to, or you are going to have a bad experience. If you are OK with that, then you will probably enjoy the game. I am not. it is not what I came to expect from From Soft.

    I am severely disappointed in this game. I had looked forward to it for a long time and I only do that for a very few developers. Literally 2.

    Oh well. I truly hope people find enjoyment in this game. It just is not fun for me, unfortunately.    … Expand
  8. denni5m
    May 7, 2019
    4
    All the rpg elements have been stripped out of the game leaving a action game which you can acquire new attacks in. The boss fights are overly difficult compared to bloodborne or souls because many of the battles rely on you have very good timing to parry attacks. And it just becomes annoying unlike previous games where if you died it felt like your fault, and you could go away and levelAll the rpg elements have been stripped out of the game leaving a action game which you can acquire new attacks in. The boss fights are overly difficult compared to bloodborne or souls because many of the battles rely on you have very good timing to parry attacks. And it just becomes annoying unlike previous games where if you died it felt like your fault, and you could go away and level up or get new weapons or shields and etc and come back. Here you just have to keep bashing your head against the wall and hope for the best. The parry and break stance mechanic you need to beat bosses just feels cheap and annoying because there is no way most bosses can ever be beaten on first try like in their other games and it takes so long to wear some of them down and then a lot of times that can one hit you and you have to start over from a spawn point that takes 5-10 minutes to reach the boss again.. I just could not be FD after about 10 hours in and moved on to other games that are actually fun to play. Its a shame as there was massive potential here if they just spent time balancing the boss fights and adding a character build system to give players options.… Expand
  9. deepnav
    Apr 5, 2019
    4
    Yep, it's another DS try. I'm just frustrated how rewarding system works and there is no fun in this game. It's just constant learning of enemy attack patterns, and I kind a lost my will and satisfaction to play this game. Maybe the most annoying thing for me is the rules - you're suppose to do what game tell you to do, otherwise you'll be punished. To conclude, I never enjoyed playingYep, it's another DS try. I'm just frustrated how rewarding system works and there is no fun in this game. It's just constant learning of enemy attack patterns, and I kind a lost my will and satisfaction to play this game. Maybe the most annoying thing for me is the rules - you're suppose to do what game tell you to do, otherwise you'll be punished. To conclude, I never enjoyed playing this game, it's a constant learning of patterns with no satisfaction at all...… Expand
  10. ZeroPr0xy
    Mar 22, 2019
    4
    The real deal review. The atmosphere is nothing less than true From Software design, veterans of the souls series will see this right away. Here is where the typical From Software title differs from this one. This game is a mix of repetitive "quick time" attacks. Press LB to block, then press RB to attack. You will grow tired of seeing the same choreographed "death blows" over and overThe real deal review. The atmosphere is nothing less than true From Software design, veterans of the souls series will see this right away. Here is where the typical From Software title differs from this one. This game is a mix of repetitive "quick time" attacks. Press LB to block, then press RB to attack. You will grow tired of seeing the same choreographed "death blows" over and over and over. I feel no real attachment to the main protagonist he seems an empty vessel with no real personality. The Shinobi arm is very gimmicky as the shuriken attack does a less than a 1/10th damage and will be blocked 90 percent of the time. So it works like this, block and then continue to block some more.. then attack. Once you have blocked enough attacks they will stutter and you get a quick time kill move. That's it.. that's the whole premise. Keep your 60 bucks, this is nothing more than a "casual" cash grab. Those calling this game a "masterpiece" clearly don't know the difference between an intuitive rewarding control scheme and flashy auto attacks that make you feel like you are having fun. But in reality, you are only pressing two buttons.… Expand
  11. WYKYDTRON
    Mar 24, 2019
    4
    This feels like the game FromSoft should've made BEFORE Demon's Souls. An average, rough-around-the-edges project with a sparkle of potential, but it's not, it's their newest game. It is severely lacking content and features compared to previous titles, and a narrative seems to have developed where comparing Sekiro to Dark Souls or Bloodborne is taboo. Thing is, it IS Dark Souls, all theThis feels like the game FromSoft should've made BEFORE Demon's Souls. An average, rough-around-the-edges project with a sparkle of potential, but it's not, it's their newest game. It is severely lacking content and features compared to previous titles, and a narrative seems to have developed where comparing Sekiro to Dark Souls or Bloodborne is taboo. Thing is, it IS Dark Souls, all the major hallmarks are there, but with a different coat of paint. You have shrines instead of bonfires, but they serve the same purpose. Enemies respawn if you die or rest, even the item descriptions and the wording of those descriptions is almost identical to items from Dark Souls or Bloodborne. Comparison is inevitable and it works to Sekiro's detriment as it simply does not measure up.

    What I absolutely despise about this game is the extreme narrow approach to play style. You have one weapon, a few gadgets that serve VERY specific purposes and some special moves, none of which have been terribly effective so far. I'll admit I never really got "gud" at the Souls games, I enjoyed playing them with my friends, I enjoyed co-op, strength builds, miracles, playing my character my way. But not Sekiro, oh no. You must parry. It is the only way to play the game. I've never been a big fan of parrying, the PVP community from the Souls games absolutely soured me on the whole mechanic. I think it's cheap, dishonest and essentially shuts out any alternative styles.
    Sekiro suffers from it's lack of leveling up. In Dark Souls, if you were struggling, you could grind a bit, increase your health or your strength or pump your spells a little more. You could upgrade your weapon, or try a different one. Sekiro has no options. One build, one weapon, one technique, rinse and repeat. It's dull, it's not challenging it's just tedious, more about rote memorisation and pattern recognition than adapting.
    Plus, the game doesn't play by its own rules. Early on, I came across a...mini-boss maybe? A big samurai guy that needs TWO death blows to kill. I figured I could get the first one with a sneak attack, and after trying and failing a couple times to fight him face to face I thought I'd just grapple away, wait for him to stop aggroing and sneak attack him again for the second deathblow. But no. He regenerates completely. The game has just said "No, play it OUR way". Even though Wolf is a sneaky shinobi man who uses trickery and subterfuge, except don't use trickery or subterfuge, just parry you scrub.

    So that's why I'm giving Parry Souls: Shadows Parry Twice a 4/10. This might be a 5 or 6/10 if it was a different studio, but FromSoft can do and have done better. This is a step in the wrong direction for them. I refuse to praise this stripping away of content and options as "trying something new". New isn't always good.    … Expand
  12. Daisukereds
    Mar 29, 2019
    4
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Sekiro is a beautiful game with great soundtrack and sound effects. The story is scarce, the questlines boring, and the NPC forgettable (can't even kill them this time). There is little incentive to play this after the first run.

    It is ALSO let down by the combat
    With each iteration, From Software wants the player to stop doing what they are doing and "parry". That was the case in Dark Souls, where some enemies are easily taken out by properly learning this technique. Makes sense! Then in Bloodborne, they took out the player's shield and gave it a gun for parrying enemies (you can't parry most Bosses, but the safe distance of the gun was balanced).
    Then in Sekiro, they want you to do nothing but parry / deflect. Block-spamming, or block dancing, for most players, is the most boring combat engine I've seen in a recent game..

    Did you not deflect a flurry of attacks perfectly? Well, you are going to eat an attack! Where you not at full health? Well, you'll probably die. Oh, and while you are rolling on the floor after being punished for not playing perfectly, all that posture damage you managed to make will go away because you didn't deal any actual damage to the Boss. So, you either play perfectly and don't press any buttons so you can press block / deflect from the barrage of attacks the Bosses do (that take at least 1/2 your life, while you do 1/32 or even less).. or you run around waiting for that ONE hit you can make without being hit back, lowering the Boss's vitality making your posture damage worthwhile.

    I'm also very disappointed with the Controls and hit-boxes.. They should not be a problem for such a company. The lack of interesting items, weapons and the short duration of this game is also a negative.

    The Unseen Aid and Dragonrot mechanic is also nothing but an annoyance. Players, instead of risking moving forward when low in resources will now, due to fear of the unexplained mechanic (and the probability of NPCs dying), return to the closes Sculptor Idol. It's fabricated length.
    Also, I would have been fine with dying a lot, but losing SKILL points and money? Because seriously.. who is going to walk around with skill or money that they wouldn't rather FARM and SPEND as needed? It doesn't really tie-in the theme of the game..
    And speaking of that, this is a Shinobi or Ninja we are playing as.. but the little stealth / deathblow mechanic is relegated to common enemies.. There is NO Boss battle where anything akin to Ninja skills are required. Instead, you fight like an honorable Samurai each time (without mentioning the "Shinobi Execution" message, that makes no sense).

    Finally, Ninjas are known for strictly following the rules.. So when it comes to decide which ending you are going to pursue, not listening to your number 1 rule is out of character. Also, 2 immediate fights and a lazy twist where you become "Shura" is one of the worse things of the game. It seems like they ran out of time or creativity.

    ** And a personal issue : They had the Sculptor's Idol right in front of the optional Demon of Hatred Boss, but for Genichiro + Isshin, you have to wait for the LONG load times + go up the stairs + skip a cutscene every time. The fact that this is such a long battle, and Isshin's Phase 2 and 3 don't give you that much time to heal when you are learning the strategy doesn't help, and Dragonrot messages + Useless unseen aid makes repeating this process utterly annoying after a while. If you are going to make your Boss a minimum of 5 minutes (with basically 4 life-bars), you could at least make it easier on the casual player, if they are to repeat this for days.

    Played it, finished it, didn't really enjoy any aspect of it and will not return to it.    … Expand
  13. TheSchwartz
    Mar 31, 2019
    4
    I have completed Dark Souls 1-3 including DLC for each one, I beat Bloodborn and loved getting my behind kicked by all of them, but I DO Not like Sekiro. Sekiro is in my book not a 9/10 game there is simply to much repetetion and those quicktime inspired ripostes are horrible. I would imagine that the pc version runs much better than the night ps4 and I even have the pro, it is aboutI have completed Dark Souls 1-3 including DLC for each one, I beat Bloodborn and loved getting my behind kicked by all of them, but I DO Not like Sekiro. Sekiro is in my book not a 9/10 game there is simply to much repetetion and those quicktime inspired ripostes are horrible. I would imagine that the pc version runs much better than the night ps4 and I even have the pro, it is about time the fromsoft puts out a game that runs smooth either in 30 or 60+ fps, but without frame pacing issues and highly variable refreshrate. I played through the first two bosses, and I was done with the game I do not like the timings, the mechanics or the riposte annimations. I am sorry that I will never expeirience the story of the game, but it simply does not appeal to me, and I have an assumption that many have given in to the fromsoft hype, and given the game 10/10 wich is generally higher than DS1. Give me Bloodborn 2 cheers.… Expand
  14. Vorlog
    Apr 5, 2019
    4
    Like a lot of reviewers I was a big fan of Dark Souls 3 and Bloodborne, having played through both games multiple times. I thought From struck the right balance in terms of difficulty for both games. Not the same with Sekiro. Sekiro is hard - which I expect and accept - but its also often very unfair. For example, your hit box during Boss fights, particularly for their most powerLike a lot of reviewers I was a big fan of Dark Souls 3 and Bloodborne, having played through both games multiple times. I thought From struck the right balance in terms of difficulty for both games. Not the same with Sekiro. Sekiro is hard - which I expect and accept - but its also often very unfair. For example, your hit box during Boss fights, particularly for their most power attacks, are often absurdly large. I put 60 hrs in and beat the game, but ultimately ended up regretting my time investment. Last From game I buy unless it comes from the bargain bin.… Expand
  15. needtohavefun
    Apr 10, 2019
    4
    Ridiculous difficultly. Not as in " you need to practice to get better" difficulty, but the "you must memorize poorly constructed button inputs" difficult that makes the game less fun.
  16. Phrett
    Apr 13, 2019
    4
    Once you get past the fairly above-average art direction, this game is nothing more than Simon... with a flashier outfit. The combat system forces you into very restricted playstyles, and there's not much variety or replayability.
  17. borovinka
    Apr 15, 2019
    4
    There is a lot this game does great. World, exploration and progression is amazing. Shame the boss fights are so out of tune in terms of difficulty. They are relentless and unforgiving making it an enjoyable experience for selected few. I wanted so much to finish this game, but could not, despite the hours spent bosses with little to no progression. Not fun to be charged for a game only toThere is a lot this game does great. World, exploration and progression is amazing. Shame the boss fights are so out of tune in terms of difficulty. They are relentless and unforgiving making it an enjoyable experience for selected few. I wanted so much to finish this game, but could not, despite the hours spent bosses with little to no progression. Not fun to be charged for a game only to make it impossible to complete. I do not recommend a purchase until a system to reduce difficulty of bosses is implemented. Shame. :(… Expand
  18. Warbeagle
    Apr 19, 2019
    4
    Sekiro is a lazy game compared to its predecessors. I played Demons Souls, all the Dark Souls and Bloodbourne. Loved all of them though Bloodbourne less than the Dark Souls games. Sekiro is a dumbed down version of Dark Souls and Bloodbourne. No levels, no builds and one weapon.

    The game is Bloodbourne's focus on aggression, only on steroids. If you prefer the aggression of    Sekiro is a lazy game compared to its predecessors. I played Demons Souls, all the Dark Souls and Bloodbourne. Loved all of them though Bloodbourne less than the Dark Souls games. Sekiro is a dumbed down version of Dark Souls and Bloodbourne. No levels, no builds and one weapon.

    The game is Bloodbourne's focus on aggression, only on steroids. If you prefer the aggression of Bloodbourne to the more defensive and tactical nature of Dark Souls, then you'll probably love Sekiro. If you prefer Dark Souls to Bloodbourne, this game will likely prove disappointing and annoying.

    The Good:
    The music and sound are good. The sound effect of clanging swords is great. The voice acting is good. Some of the particle effects are good. Anytime something is on fire it looks great. Controls are mostly good with some exceptions. World design and connectivity are good, but not as good as past games. Framerate is good as are the animations.

    The Bad:
    Everything is very samey. There are not the variety of bosses that the previous games had - the ones here are generally very similar. Encounters mostly come down to L1 parry if the posture bar builds fast, or run around and attack during the times they are open to attack if the posture bar builds slow. The prosthetic tools feel like they were added because the dev team realized how one dimensional the gameplay is. Most of them are gimmicky for one specific use, while only a few are useful in many situations. The prosthetics do very little damage, so they aren't a separate play style by any means. The overall game design is very inflexible (particularly compared to other From games). They expect the player to play within very narrow parameters. Its a weird situation because you'll know you exactly what you are meant to do, but you won't always be able to execute successfully for a variety of reasons. The gameplay is very twitch based and reflex sensitive. Some will like this, but it makes the game harder for older players whose reflexes are slowing.

    The stealth feels clumsily implemented. It's as if the devs included stealth out of a sense of obligation due to this being a ninja game, but they didn't really want to take it very far. The only purpose stealth really serves is to make traversing the levels slightly less annoying and in knocking one life bar off of minibosses.

    The worst sin of the game is that minibosses and bosses are repeated all of the time. You will fight the same samurai and ninja minibosses god knows how many times. You will fight repeats of most of the bosses, not just once but many times. You fight one boss five times. You fight a variant of another boss 4 times. The majority of the bosses and virtually all of the minibosses are copy/pasted later in the game. It's a cynical, lazy way to add content to the game and I can't believe people aren't mad about this.

    Graphics, textures in particular, are poor to mediocre. This game has a lot of blurry textures to the point where it sometimes looks like a PS3 game. In general, the game lacks a sharpness in the graphics department. The camera in this game is atrocious, as is the lock-on system. Get near a wall and you'll lose lock and then have to relocate the enemy. This generally happens during minibosses and bosses. FromSoft seems to have designed a few encounters around these failures. One miniboss in particular is placed in a room so small that the camera and lock-on are constantly a problem. Very cynical game design.

    The game is an exercise in tedium. Almost everything about the game is tedious. Enemy placement in levels is designed to be as annoying as possible. Many of the minibosses are surrounded by 5-10 trash enemies that have to be cleared before each attempt on the miniboss. Many of the bosses are not very engaging due to the one dimensional emphasis on parrying. All of the bosses have multiple health bars. Then some have three, while other encounters have a 2 health bar boss and then a sidekick with a third health bar.

    All FromSoft games are difficult, but this one lacks the pressure release valves that the previous entries had in the form of coop and leveling. Increasing attributes occurs via beating bosses, so there is no way to powerlevel if a boss proves difficult. There is no coop to help with bosses you're stuck on. Some will view this as a positive, but it greatly restricts the accessibility of the game to the non-hardcore gamer.

    Previous FromSoft games drove me crazy, but I felt a huge sense of accomplishment when I beat a boss. In this game, the bosses drove me crazy, but there was very little sense of accomplishment upon beating one. I mostly felt relief at moving on to something else, almost like I finished a chore. I am extremely disappointed with this offering. It is not up to From's lofty standard.    … Expand
  19. Solrac19
    May 2, 2019
    4
    Honestamente no entiendo tanta nota de 10, ni de lejos es perfecto...repetitivo,con un sistema de combate que consiste en morir hasta memorizar los patrones de ataque de un boss tras otro, lo que alarga artficialmente la duración de un juego que si no fuera por eso sería corto.
    En cuanto a la dificultad en realidad yo diria que su dificultad es no perder la paciencia con Bosses que te    Honestamente no entiendo tanta nota de 10, ni de lejos es perfecto...repetitivo,con un sistema de combate que consiste en morir hasta memorizar los patrones de ataque de un boss tras otro, lo que alarga artficialmente la duración de un juego que si no fuera por eso sería corto.
    En cuanto a la dificultad en realidad yo diria que su dificultad es no perder la paciencia con Bosses que te matan de un golpe, hitboxes imposibles y tracking descarado lo que convierte el combate en bloquear secuencias de golpes que memorizas a base de repetir y golpear cuando termina .Fin
    Los gráficos no son nada del otro mundo y la historia tampoco destaca.
    Si, es Fromsoftware y si,tiene su dificultad pero ni de lejos es un 10    … Expand
  20. TheScrublord
    Aug 12, 2019
    4
    First of all, I'd like to say that despite my rating of just 4/10 I do not think Sekiro is necessarily a bad game. My rating indicates my PERSONAL enjoyment of the game, which was poor. I'm a huge fan of the Souls series and perfectly comfortable with a "difficult" game, but Sekiro simply plays so fast that my reflexes could not keep up with it. FROM Software's head-scratching designFirst of all, I'd like to say that despite my rating of just 4/10 I do not think Sekiro is necessarily a bad game. My rating indicates my PERSONAL enjoyment of the game, which was poor. I'm a huge fan of the Souls series and perfectly comfortable with a "difficult" game, but Sekiro simply plays so fast that my reflexes could not keep up with it. FROM Software's head-scratching design decisions probably solidified my poor review, as you are also prevented from farming up more health or damage in order to ease the difficulty. As a result, an otherwise huge fan of their games did not enjoy Sekiro very much at all. If you liked the game, more power to you, but for many players (including myself) the game is simply more frustration than fun. Frankly, with my experience, a 4/10 is pretty generous.… Expand
  21. Timenick
    Aug 24, 2022
    4
    This game was a huge disappointment for me at launch and it has only gotten worse after I played Elden Ring. Sekiro is japanese Dark Souls but most of the good stuff is gone.

    - Worst customization of the series, because there isnt any. - Worst gameplay of the series. Fromsoftware can make games with a hundred weapons that all feel great, so if they make a game with just one weapon it    This game was a huge disappointment for me at launch and it has only gotten worse after I played Elden Ring. Sekiro is japanese Dark Souls but most of the good stuff is gone.

    - Worst customization of the series, because there isnt any.

    - Worst gameplay of the series. Fromsoftware can make games with a hundred weapons that all feel great, so if they make a game with just one weapon it would result in absolutely god tier gameplay, right? No. Its just one dimensional Katana bashing all the time and nothing else. Not really better than using a Katana in all their other games. Gets boring after the first few areas. Also it straight up doesnt work when fighting multiple enemies at once and all the other minor problems these games have (bad camera, weird hit boxes etc) are still there.

    - Worst online of the series because there isnt any as well. No coop, no pvp, nothing.

    - Worst overall content of the series, most bosses and all mini bosses and even some areas get reused multiple times. 3x Ashina castle, really? This is lazy. All the other Souls games have way more content and Elden Ring is probably ten times bigger than Sekiro.

    - Besides that its not better than the other games at anything. Bloodborne and DS3 still have the same or even better overall quality than Sekiro and ER and the Demon´s Souls Remake absolutely dunk on it.

    If Elden Ring is a $60 game Sekiro would be $5. Good that Fromsoftware got away from this misguided garbage.    … Expand
  22. jacobgoh101
    Nov 24, 2019
    4
    I can force myself to get killed 50 times in order to kill a boss, but what's the point of a game, if it's not fun and enjoyable?
  23. Exethel
    Dec 23, 2019
    4
    very boring gameplay as u just use 1 sword spaming parries all the time and nothing more . Most trick weapons are useless and u pretty much keep using 2 of them for the entire game.Finally the story is nowhere near dark souls or bloodborne. It is a very bad mehhh compared to those other dark fantasy titles
  24. amiller15
    Jan 15, 2020
    4
    I finished the game 5 times now, four times on the ps4 pro and one time on the regular PS4. The reason it gets only 4 points is because technically, it’s a shame to even release a game like that. The frame pacing on the regular consoles, not the enchanced ones, is a disaster. It completely interrupts the flow, inputs are often not registered and in intense boss fights, this is nerveI finished the game 5 times now, four times on the ps4 pro and one time on the regular PS4. The reason it gets only 4 points is because technically, it’s a shame to even release a game like that. The frame pacing on the regular consoles, not the enchanced ones, is a disaster. It completely interrupts the flow, inputs are often not registered and in intense boss fights, this is nerve wrecking. On the PS4 Pro the experience was good, stable frame times, around 40 FPS and the combat system was smooth. It was a gorgeous experience, one of the reasons why I unlocked the platinum.

    But it just don’t understand how stubborn Developer have to be, to be releasing a game, that has 2013 visuals, and not even vaguely polish it for running smoothly on 30 FPS on the base consoles.
    I am saying all this because not everyone has an enchanced console like the One X or PS4 Pro.

    Overall great game on PC, PS4 Pro and one X. For the base consoles I can definitely not recommend.    … Expand
  25. lc0403092
    Mar 19, 2022
    4
    Not a fan of the style of battle system, wont play any similar game anymore.
  26. ZoltanZero
    Mar 22, 2020
    4
    Ok thi is not a souls like,so they said...
    Just take Dark Souls/Bloodborne/Nioh and take off all the cool staff like, level, personalization of the carachter, weapons, ecc....
    Copy and past Tenchu, and voilà.... Sekiro.... -_-
  27. Storm02
    Jul 6, 2020
    4
    Sekiro is a game that i tried my hardest to like. Im a huge dark souls and bloodborne fan and i loved the games for their challenge... I just cannot say the same for sekiro. To me, the game feels like assasins creed and dark souls mixed together with clunky and overreactive controlls. Sometimes when i try to grab a ledge thats clearly marked, my character falls down and wall hugs. JumpsSekiro is a game that i tried my hardest to like. Im a huge dark souls and bloodborne fan and i loved the games for their challenge... I just cannot say the same for sekiro. To me, the game feels like assasins creed and dark souls mixed together with clunky and overreactive controlls. Sometimes when i try to grab a ledge thats clearly marked, my character falls down and wall hugs. Jumps are hard to controll and i usually end up overshooting my enemy and getting spotted. The stealth kill mechanic sometimes dosent work and i strike my target instead, eventhough there is a red mark on them. The difficulty is more annoying than hard in my opinion and early game is a chore to play through the first time. If you dont play the way fromsoftware intended, you are not going to have fun, which in my opinion, kills all the fun and creativity in different playstyles. They could have done cool stuff with the setting. You could have been a stealthy ninja that could take out everything quickly or an awesome samurai that would dominate in combat. The lack of different weapons and attires just makes it feel boring imo. Fromsoftware has always let the player be who they wanted to be in their games, which is why i feel that sekiro is a step down from what i liked in their games. I know i have **** on the game for most og this review, now i want to state some positives.

    First off, beautiful game, love the setting aswell. Story is a bit more straitforward which is nice for newer players. 1v1 combat is awesome! And i truly feel like a badass destroying an inferior foe. Other than that, i really didn't like the game. And i think that fromsoftware should stick to their souls formular. (btw english is not my first language so please forgive any spelling errors)    … Expand
  28. Slaventino
    Aug 11, 2020
    4
    Much worse than dark souls and bloodborne. Every 10 minutes boss or mini-boss. Unseen help doesn't have any sense, because in 10 min after boss, you will die at least 5 times on next boss or miniboss. No fun with this game, don't feel satisfaction after kill boss
  29. Ricardokc5
    Aug 13, 2020
    4
    A lot of frame rate drops on my PS4 fat, the game have graphics that seems to be from ps3, but even that way have a lot of drops.
    The gameplay it's very difficult, the developers could put a easy mode.
    But it's a good game if you have a lot of time to play. Because you will die. Lol
  30. Dyldom
    Feb 19, 2022
    4
    Probably my most controversial gaming take of all time is that I think this game is really really poor. I’m a huge fan of fromsoft games, in fact I’ve played every soulsborne game to completion at least once other than DS2. I really believe this game doesn't deserve to be in the same conversation as Dark souls and especially bloodborne. A lot of elements of this game feels like a step backProbably my most controversial gaming take of all time is that I think this game is really really poor. I’m a huge fan of fromsoft games, in fact I’ve played every soulsborne game to completion at least once other than DS2. I really believe this game doesn't deserve to be in the same conversation as Dark souls and especially bloodborne. A lot of elements of this game feels like a step back from its predecessors including those that came out over a decade ago. For example cutscenes that lead into boss fights play every SINGLE time you approach the boss. Not only does this not make narrative sense in the context of the game, but its needlessly frustrating. Fromsoft seemingly recognised this when creating Demon Souls in 2009 and this issue is resolved in that game, so why not here?

    Other than it’s verticality, the world is, in my opinion, less interesting in both its design and art direction than the games that came before it bar a small number of locations. The grappling hook which should be an absolute game changer picks and chooses when to work properly, and the option for meaningful customisation in the build of your character is gone completely. The combat, while extremely satisfying and rewarding during 1on1s, falls apart completely when facing more than 1 enemy which might be fine if there isn't a non optional boss encounter based on fighting two bosses at once. This is not an interesting way of scaling difficulty, this is creating a situation that the combat mechanics are not built to handle well in order to make it difficult for the player to progress.

    I think this game falls short in almost every aspect of its direction, and I’m adamant it’s Game of the Year win is some inside industry joke that I’m not in on.    … Expand
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Awards & Rankings

4
#4 Best PS4 Game of 2019
5
#5 Most Discussed PS4 Game of 2019
5
#5 Most Shared PS4 Game of 2019

Critic Reviews

All reviews »
Metascore
90

Universal acclaim - based on 77 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 76 out of 77
  2. Mixed: 0 out of 77
  3. Negative: 1 out of 77
  1. RPGamer
    Dec 17, 2024
    90
    Overall, Sekiro is defined by its riveting, challenging, and ultimately highly rewarding gameplay. Stemming from simplicity but giving a wide variety of different combat options, few games come close to matching the exhilarating rush that Sekiro’s best moments provide. Exploring its atmospherically engrossing levels is a treat, from a visual, musical, and atmospheric standpoint. Even if exploration and character storylines are sometimes hampered by Dragonrot, repeatedly severing the immortality of bosses with brutal “Shinobi Executions” and discovering the ritual secrets of eternal life offers a captivating experience that stands out as one of FromSoftware’s best and most distinctive titles.
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  2. Gamers' Temple
    May 15, 2019
    90
    Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice is an enjoyable, yet deeply challenging game. It's not really a Dark Souls with samurais game, but whether or not you enjoyed the difficulty level of the battles in Dark Souls will be a good benchmark in gauging how much you'll like Sekiro. If you're persistent, up for a challenge, and don't become frustrated easily, then Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice is an easy game to recommend.
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  3. Daily Star
    Apr 28, 2019
    100
    Though Sekiro feels impossibly hard at times, the level of euphoria you experience when delivering a death blow to a tricky boss or when you finally clear a castle grounds of all enemies is almost unparalleled.
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