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
Buy Now
Buy on

Review this game

  1. Your Score
    0 out of 10
    Rate this:
    • 10
    • 9
    • 8
    • 7
    • 6
    • 5
    • 4
    • 3
    • 2
    • 1
    • 0
    • 0
  1. Submit
  2. Check Spelling
view
per page
  1. Endoki
    Apr 1, 2019
    10
    Normally you buy a game on the assumption that you can play it through. You want to be entertained by the story and enjoy good gameplay. It should be challenging in a way, but fair at all times and you should never feel that the game is unfair.

    Developers have in the past gone over to adjusting the level of difficulty without the player's knowledge and during the game if you fail too    Normally you buy a game on the assumption that you can play it through. You want to be entertained by the story and enjoy good gameplay. It should be challenging in a way, but fair at all times and you should never feel that the game is unfair.

    Developers have in the past gone over to adjusting the level of difficulty without the player's knowledge and during the game if you fail too often. If you don't make a section again and again, the enemies are suddenly weakened quantitatively and qualitatively. This is called "adaptive difficulty" in technical jargon. It should guarantee that the player remains "in the flow" and constantly experiences success without weakening his ego. The player usually doesn't notice this at all, he is happy about his success and the fun of the game remains. If an average player fails too often on an average difficulty level at a certain point, the developer has done something wrong at exactly this point. At least that's the current theory and prevailing opinion among developers.

    Well, and then From Software came around the corner... with a "slightly" different approach. Different levels of difficulty? There isn't. There is only one: ultra-heavy. You really have to train to master the fighting system thoroughly if you want to get ahead here. And you have to understand the world and how it works. In Sekiro we are talking about a wonderfully designed world which has a story to tell. In this world we play our protagonist, who has to keep his honor and would do anything for it, no matter how difficult and hopeless the situation looks. The protagonist would sacrifice everything for it and he has to train hard and develop further if he wants to master the challenges he faces. Nothing more this game demands from the player himself: Develop yourself further, train yourself and face the challenges. An important prerequisite for such a challenging game is extremely good control and a perfect fighting system. Sekiro delivers both.

    We have to explore this fantastic world and conquer the enormous dangers. Either we master this challenge with virtuosity, or we fail grandiosely. In between there is nothing at all. If we meet a boss in Sekiro and he turns out to be a true master of sword art, then this opponent can only be defeated if we become the better master. And that requires a lot of hard work. And it requires one thing above all else: before we defeat our opponents, we must defeat ourselves. We have to learn that failure is not frustrating. Failure is training. Failure is instructive. The game does not give us a sense of achievement, we have to work it out for ourselves. That's exactly what many players don't like. But in a certain way Sekiro not only makes us a better player with this approach, but also a better person. Because here you learn something incredibly important, which also has an enormous relevance in real life: The world doesn't owe us that it's fair and just. Why should it? If we want to achieve something, we have to work hard. And it's a lot of fun when the hard work pays off.

    At the end of the game you actually feel like you've gone through a development. You understand that it wasn't just a game, it was an important experience and a lesson. Hence 10/10 - The best game of the year.    … Expand
  2. MESSAOUD93
    Apr 2, 2019
    10
    Brilliant game.I
    m amazed how much different this game is compared to other Fromsoftware I was definitely sure it would be a great game
    Thank you FromSoftware once again ! You're the best in the world
  3. xofnocrit
    Apr 3, 2019
    10
    One of the most precise and sincerely fascinating videogame of the second decade of this century. A masterpiece that will be forever remembered; the attention and love of the developers (From Soft. & Activision) truly gave us something that rarely we can appreciate, especially in the last, crude, gray years of commercial standars that evermost put blatantly focus of the economic aspect ofOne of the most precise and sincerely fascinating videogame of the second decade of this century. A masterpiece that will be forever remembered; the attention and love of the developers (From Soft. & Activision) truly gave us something that rarely we can appreciate, especially in the last, crude, gray years of commercial standars that evermost put blatantly focus of the economic aspect of the business.

    Through this game H. Miyazaki confirmed that videogames making, nowdays, require first of all one of the most basic yet largely ignored feature, love.    … Expand
  4. kittycatneko
    Apr 3, 2019
    10
    Sekiro is really a bold decision to make for From since they chose to depart from the famed Soulsborne series which has proved to be quite a genre of its own. Because of this decision, many (not all) long time fans of the series felt that they are betrayed. As a fan of the series, I do understand their frustration as Sekiro does not share many characteristics that Soulsborne games do. ForSekiro is really a bold decision to make for From since they chose to depart from the famed Soulsborne series which has proved to be quite a genre of its own. Because of this decision, many (not all) long time fans of the series felt that they are betrayed. As a fan of the series, I do understand their frustration as Sekiro does not share many characteristics that Soulsborne games do. For example, customization, pvp, stamina, dodging, or personally for me, the really, I mean really epic bosses. Although Sekiro's bosses are also really great, and I do feel the joy when I finally triumphed over them over like 50 tries, I still found my fights versus the Nameless King, Gael, or Friede in DS3, and Kos, Ludwig, or Gehrman had greater emotional aspects. Other issues such as no primary weapon variety or no pvp also disappoint some fans.

    HOWEVER, I do believe that this departure from Soulsborne a necessary move. Some people do expect, and love the idea that, any From game should be the same as any other games that they have played. But you know, let's leave that for Bloodborne 2 (yeah I know, I'm excited about this too). That's to say, Sekiro should be treated as a game of its own kind. I see people claimed that they did not expect Sekiro to be another Soulsborne game but at the same time criticized From for taking a different approach. This does not make any sense. Sekiro is made to be a solid game of its own and From should be proud because they made a game like this. I'm not telling people hating on Sekiro need to "git gud" because I understand that this is not really a reason for all the hates. But I don't really feel like this game deserves to be hated that much from the many loyal fans of From. So please give the game another chance in case you decided to throw it away before and appreciate Sekiro for its own mechanics. Maybe it's not as disappointing as you think. Best of luck and die more.    … Expand
  5. Axcalay
    Apr 5, 2019
    10
    This is an amazing game, yet hard as nails and will punish you for not paying attention and/or playing sloppy. Fromsoft really pushed the boat out with this one, and everything from the visuals, worldbuilding, level design and combat mechanics are top notch. Highly recommended, ONLY if you enjoy tough challenges. Even if you are a souls vet, this game will chew you up and spit you out. GitThis is an amazing game, yet hard as nails and will punish you for not paying attention and/or playing sloppy. Fromsoft really pushed the boat out with this one, and everything from the visuals, worldbuilding, level design and combat mechanics are top notch. Highly recommended, ONLY if you enjoy tough challenges. Even if you are a souls vet, this game will chew you up and spit you out. Git Gud will be your god damn mantra in Sekiro.… Expand
  6. Jiesemaster
    Apr 5, 2019
    10
    Definitely one of the best games in the early 2019. Indeed this game is hard or even punishable when you death. But as long as you familiar with the combat or action mechanism, you will experience the true beauty of Sekiro.
  7. Mahmood_Yusuf
    Jun 25, 2021
    10
    From Software and another masterpiece. Enjoyed every bit of a it. Took the fighting to another level after Dark Souls series. In terms of fighting mechanics. it is the best From Software game.
  8. Josiah425
    Apr 11, 2019
    10
    Miyazaki has created his best IP yet. The Souls series was my favorite gaming series by far, but Sekiro came and somehow managed to be a few levels higher than any Souls game. There is only one thing I enjoy more about the Souls game over Sekiro, the variable worlds you explore in Dark Souls are among the best in video games. Sekiro has less variety in terms of land scape, but man isMiyazaki has created his best IP yet. The Souls series was my favorite gaming series by far, but Sekiro came and somehow managed to be a few levels higher than any Souls game. There is only one thing I enjoy more about the Souls game over Sekiro, the variable worlds you explore in Dark Souls are among the best in video games. Sekiro has less variety in terms of land scape, but man is the gameplay superior in every way.

    Sekiro manages to have one of the best progressions in any game I've played. Defeating each boss teaches you new mechanics in the game and familiarizes you with how the combat works. Each boss is a step up from the last all the way up until the end of the game.

    Let's talk about the combat, how has no other game had a posture style combat system before? This seems like it should be the standard for a sword fighting game. Sekiro gives you three options when it comes to killing enemies, stealth, vitality hits on person, and building up posture by supplying a lot of blows that aren't direct hits and parrying at the right time to stagger your enemy for a death blow. This posture system is so good I am shocked no games done it before (at least as far as I'm aware). There are really 8 key parts to combat besides the three ways to kill, there is blocking / parrying slashes / parying thrusts / attacking / jump kicking / prosthetic use / deflecting lightning back at the opponent / and dodging grabs and other unparryable / blockable moves. Each enemy gives you a split second to decide which of these 8 things you want to do at any given time, some bosses have combos that can combo with any other one of their combos allowing for near infinite combability. This means some bosses require to learn every individual combo and be able to identify which combo is coming up on the fly because bosses could use 2 or 3 combos directly in a row. This kind of fast play makes it feel too good when you pull it off and makes you want to master it to do so.

    In FromSoft fashion we also have plenty of secret areas to explore and numerous bosses / minibosses that are optional. I look forward to DLC and more games in this IP to come, it has become my favorite for sure.    … Expand
  9. jrskub
    Apr 7, 2019
    10
    Absolutely loved Sekiro. In the from soft pantheon, I would it put it behind Bloodborne and Dark souls 1, but that is likely based on nostalgia. I truly enjoyed how this game forced me to learn. There are no summons, no over powering your character, and no obvious methods of cheesing tough encounters (they are definitely still there if you look though). I haven't felt this kind ofAbsolutely loved Sekiro. In the from soft pantheon, I would it put it behind Bloodborne and Dark souls 1, but that is likely based on nostalgia. I truly enjoyed how this game forced me to learn. There are no summons, no over powering your character, and no obvious methods of cheesing tough encounters (they are definitely still there if you look though). I haven't felt this kind of personal progression since my first encounter with dark souls 1.… Expand
  10. Gabilan3
    Sep 23, 2019
    10
    Una joyaaa!!!! Lo mejor d fromsoftware por lejos.. super rejugable y dificultad endiablada..
  11. Illumi_Zoldyck
    Apr 9, 2019
    10
    Wow. Just wow. They really nailed it this time. Combat is tight, fluid, rewarding. The world is breathtaking and exploration is engaging, exciting and tense.

    If there is anything I miss it is customizing the appearance of my character, finding clothing and armor is a lot of fun, and something I would have enjoyed even in this game. All in all, Sekiro is an amazing accomplishment. It    Wow. Just wow. They really nailed it this time. Combat is tight, fluid, rewarding. The world is breathtaking and exploration is engaging, exciting and tense.

    If there is anything I miss it is customizing the appearance of my character, finding clothing and armor is a lot of fun, and something I would have enjoyed even in this game.

    All in all, Sekiro is an amazing accomplishment. It has quickly, yet safely, become one of my favorite games of all time (especially if I put down my nostalgia glasses). I admire the bravery of FromSoftware to dare stepping out of the mold, trying something new and completely owning it. Well done, and thank you!    … Expand
  12. CatrickGamer
    Apr 19, 2019
    10
    To put simply, this game is a masterpiece! From it's look to it's feel it is down right polished! It can be difficult but it's more like a puzzle, memorizing the enemy patterns and knowing how to get past certain attacks. To those who say the game is to difficult and needs and easy mode, if a quadriplegic man can beat it, so can you!
  13. Don_Quixote007
    Apr 20, 2019
    10
    Great game but not for mainstream players. No power leveling, no summoning, you need actual raw skill and reflexes to complete this game which many will find it so challenging even more than other From Software games. I give it 10/10.
  14. giannis2001
    Jul 16, 2021
    10
    I have no words about this game. I just earned Platinum trophy and I can safely say this is a pure masterpiece. The combat system is perfect for this genre. It's very difficult in the beginning but as you try and try again you begin to get good, leaving you with a huge satisfaction when you actually beat a boss. The game's difficulty scales very good by my opinion and most bosses areI have no words about this game. I just earned Platinum trophy and I can safely say this is a pure masterpiece. The combat system is perfect for this genre. It's very difficult in the beginning but as you try and try again you begin to get good, leaving you with a huge satisfaction when you actually beat a boss. The game's difficulty scales very good by my opinion and most bosses are easily beatable of you learn their patterns after many tries. The story is very interesting and visuals are stunning too, especially now that the game got an upgrade for new Gen running at 4K 60fps. In general, the more action aproach in this game, while still remaining a soulsborne is what makes it my personal favorite on the series. Again, it's a masterpiece and I highly recommend it.… Expand
  15. mxnu54
    Oct 27, 2020
    10
    One of the best games i ever played, FromSoftware is one of the few Studios left over that really want to make games for the people that are pure quality. Sekiro has one of the best Atmospheres of all games i ever played, it is easily the best Samurai Game, better then Ghost of Tsushima, Sekiro is also a very very hard game, but it makes the whole thing interesting and rewarding. You justOne of the best games i ever played, FromSoftware is one of the few Studios left over that really want to make games for the people that are pure quality. Sekiro has one of the best Atmospheres of all games i ever played, it is easily the best Samurai Game, better then Ghost of Tsushima, Sekiro is also a very very hard game, but it makes the whole thing interesting and rewarding. You just have to stick to it and learn to master the Katana. Beginners should open guides while playing it. FromSoftware has genius game designers.… Expand
  16. KingRat_Yo
    Apr 26, 2019
    10
    From software did it again. Sekiro is a game which ask you to play by its rule, but reward you with the satisfaction when you beat it at its own game.

    Cant thank enough from software to keep on making games that are actually games and not going to point A to B and then killing bunch of same enemies for the entirety of the gameplay. Looking at you red dead 2.
    From software is the best
  17. AlexJCarr
    Apr 23, 2019
    10
    Phenomenal experience! I've seen some articles complaining about difficulty but I truly think that Sekiro is one of From Software's most generous games. You have SO MANY options in combat, you can choose to fight your enemy's up close and personal, mastering the art of the parry, you can employ hit and run tactics or you can take a more cautious approach, using your shinobi tools andPhenomenal experience! I've seen some articles complaining about difficulty but I truly think that Sekiro is one of From Software's most generous games. You have SO MANY options in combat, you can choose to fight your enemy's up close and personal, mastering the art of the parry, you can employ hit and run tactics or you can take a more cautious approach, using your shinobi tools and attack skills to whittle down their health bars, tools and attack skills you can even SWITCH DURING COMBAT! Yes, you can pause during boss fights in this game. The boss keeps blocking your spear? Switch up to the firecrackers. Can't seem to block their attacks? Maybe try the umbrella shield. Can't get that doge timing right? Not a problem, you have unlimited stamina in this game, you can literally run circles around pretty much every enemy.

    Sekiro is not too difficult, and worrying about how hard it is should definitely not be a reason not to buy. If you can't beat a boss or get past a certain area, trying something different, and keep trying until you are successful. Like Dark Souls and Bloodborne, overcoming seemingly insurmountable challenges is what this game is about, and finally beating it is one of the best feelings in gaming.    … Expand
  18. AceAscendus
    Apr 23, 2019
    10
    Absolute MASTERPIECE! One of the best games I've ever played in my life! Amazing combat, amazing exploration, amazing aesthetics, amazing boss fights, perfect difficulty and overall a fantastic product! All true gamers should buy and play this amazing game!
  19. allen55536
    Apr 23, 2019
    10
    This game is actually very hard at the beginning. However, when I find the way to beat the enemies and get the learning curve, it becomes a game so satisfying.
  20. oddnanref
    May 3, 2019
    10
    The game has a good chunk of what you would expect from a Souls game: High but extremely fair difficulty, amazing animation and movesets from enemies, a LOT to be discovered around the main story (evironment storytelling is back) and bosses that will always test what you have learned so far.

    I like to compare SEKIRO to real life, you will fail a lot at something, but each time you fail    The game has a good chunk of what you would expect from a Souls game: High but extremely fair difficulty, amazing animation and movesets from enemies, a LOT to be discovered around the main story (evironment storytelling is back) and bosses that will always test what you have learned so far.

    I like to compare SEKIRO to real life, you will fail a lot at something, but each time you fail you will get a little step closer to overcoming your obstacles, until you finally do and you just feel really proud of what you just did.

    The only bad thing in SEKIRO is that it does not have the variety the other Souls games have (you can't change your clothing and main weapon), but as FROM SOFTWARE stated, this is NOT a Souls game.    … Expand
  21. Talomustkill
    Apr 26, 2019
    10
    Un juego excelente! dificultad variada con cada enemigo, desde los mas débiles hasta los jefes, unos gráficos impecables, una historia que se entiende a la perfección (no como los otros juegos de FromSoftware que había que investigar el lore y hacerse uno su propia historia) una total reinvención de la jugabilidad y lo mejor de todo; su tamaño es de menos de 15gb.
  22. drakethedragon
    May 3, 2019
    10
    Absolutely incredible game. From Software has outdone themselves yet again. You will die a lot but you simply cannot stop playing because of how fun it is
    10/10 must buy
  23. Gorox12
    May 20, 2019
    10
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. A great game with a great story and incredible soundtrack background Without a doubt one of the best games of this year… Expand
  24. RealJSCarpio
    May 3, 2019
    10
    Otra obra maestra por parte de From Software, jugablemente increíble es una delicia, gráficamente precioso al igual que en cuanto a sonido, incluso la historia esta a gran altura, un juego ademas largo, con un montón de jefes o mini jefes opcionales, varios finales alternativos, muchas cosas ocultas con un mapa enorme por explorar, la gente que lo vota negativo es simplemente por laOtra obra maestra por parte de From Software, jugablemente increíble es una delicia, gráficamente precioso al igual que en cuanto a sonido, incluso la historia esta a gran altura, un juego ademas largo, con un montón de jefes o mini jefes opcionales, varios finales alternativos, muchas cosas ocultas con un mapa enorme por explorar, la gente que lo vota negativo es simplemente por la exagerada dificultad, es cierto que es de los juegos mas difíciles que he jugado, por no decir el mas dificil la verdad, pero justamente esa es la gracia de este titulo, es lo que buscaban para diferenciarse, no es como para votarlo negativo por eso, practicamente todos los juegos del mercado son un paseo, asi que la gente que se queja de la dificultad simplemente que busquen otra cosa, pero que no voten negativo a tal obra maestra, con tanto trabajo detrás, el único pero que le puedo poner respecto a los DS, es que es un juego que tienes que estar siempre al 100%, no hay momento de descanso, incluso con los enemigos mas básicos, no te vale solo aporrear el botón de ataque, pero vamos que eso no quita la obra de arte que es, gracias de nuevo FS.… Expand
  25. Luxe1
    May 7, 2019
    10
    Ich verstehe nicht wie man als Bloodborne oder Dark Souls Fan dieses Spiel nicht leiden kann. Es ist auf seine eigene Art und Weise absolut ebenbürtig. Ich für meinen Teil habe dieses Feeling beim Zocken welches ich nur bei From Software Games bekomme, deshalb 10/10!!!
  26. theonlyone21
    May 3, 2019
    10
    really good game the grafix are att point! i dont get why people say it looks like ps2 graphics i mean have you ever played or seen a ps2 game i dont think a ps2 can run this game it will just crash people these days i swear anyway this game is really good the combat the bosses everything is great from software dont litsen to people this game is awesome keep it up!. also the game isreally good game the grafix are att point! i dont get why people say it looks like ps2 graphics i mean have you ever played or seen a ps2 game i dont think a ps2 can run this game it will just crash people these days i swear anyway this game is really good the combat the bosses everything is great from software dont litsen to people this game is awesome keep it up!. also the game is difficult but what do you expect from the people who made dark souls i mean hell it has prepare to die edition. im gonna tell you why these games are difficult the hidetaka miyazaki the idea of the souls series said that he wants to make players feel like they accomplished something big you know that hard boss that you keep dying to and then the satisfaction of finally beating the boss is so good it feels like you took herione. thats why these games are hard they are supposed to be hard thats why these games are so good… Expand
  27. christophmetv
    May 8, 2019
    10
    Also meiner Meinung nach das beste Spiel der FromSoftware Reihe.

    Kann ich nur empfehlen!
  28. Mickepung
    May 10, 2019
    10
    I would give this game a 9 but i just can't. It is so rare to see a game this polished and playable today. Tried alot of them. ARK, PUBG, HUNT, TARKOV. Those were all Early-A games and the hype has been on that trail along time. It was just refreshing.

    Game might be hard, but everything is when you don't know how to handle things. It's still more forgiving to a new player than a Dark    I would give this game a 9 but i just can't. It is so rare to see a game this polished and playable today. Tried alot of them. ARK, PUBG, HUNT, TARKOV. Those were all Early-A games and the hype has been on that trail along time. It was just refreshing.

    Game might be hard, but everything is when you don't know how to handle things. It's still more forgiving to a new player than a Dark Souls game because Sekiro does not require as much setups. It requires you to undertand the mechanics and truly test you.

    Everything below a 7 in a rating on this game is clearly wrong. Expecting things to be something there not is a sin of your own mind. Rating a game is about you not comparing the title to others or your skill with what you managed in other situations.

    I will claim that the phasing in this game is so good it puts alot of games to shame.
    And like most things in life, if you just "Stay a while and listen" most things becomes obvious.
    The game even got a Tutorial were you can practice your mechanics with ease.

    My last words will be "Git Gud". People who can't stand knowing they have to become better sometimes to reach certain satisfactions will never accept that their not good enough either. You can't be good enough with everything in life, check out Tetris.
    So yeah...Git gud.    … Expand
  29. BFMSAND
    May 14, 2019
    10
    Ok , so, ... if you dont like hard and challenging games, please just stop reading.

    If you like hard and challenging games, keep going !
    If you like from software, keep going !
    If you like feudal japan, then 立ち止まるな !

    Truly a masterpiece !
    ( 本当に傑作！)
  30. Tempestx
    May 15, 2019
    10
    If you pay attention there are soo many details. The challenge is very satisfying to experienced gamers. From software should not change a thing. Currently I'm stuck but breaking that barrier is the point. Learn, grow and be the story
Page:

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.
    Read full review
  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.
    Read full review
  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.
    Read full review
See all critic reviews »