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. whatiswrongwith
    Mar 25, 2019
    9
    I am terrible at this game. I have played probably 4 hours. I have died almost a hundred times. But it's beautiful, holds me accountable, and I love it. This is my first From Software game, and I went in with the expectation that I would die a million times and might need to restart the game because of how terrible I would be at it. I think if you go in with that mindset, you'll becomeI am terrible at this game. I have played probably 4 hours. I have died almost a hundred times. But it's beautiful, holds me accountable, and I love it. This is my first From Software game, and I went in with the expectation that I would die a million times and might need to restart the game because of how terrible I would be at it. I think if you go in with that mindset, you'll become addicted to the exacting and exciting gameplay and alluring world. Wish me luck. Any advice on how to be better at this would be appreciated it. Gave a 9 cuz it's too hard, but it also gets a 9 cuz it's so hard.… Expand
  2. SLURM187
    Mar 27, 2019
    10
    Different enough from From Software's last few releases to feel fresh, but similar enough to keep us crawling back for more. I don't want to spoil any game mechanics or progression like some of the other reviewers, but don't go into this expecting the exact same Dark Souls formula. It is very much a different game as far as progression is concerned. This game is focused primarily on combatDifferent enough from From Software's last few releases to feel fresh, but similar enough to keep us crawling back for more. I don't want to spoil any game mechanics or progression like some of the other reviewers, but don't go into this expecting the exact same Dark Souls formula. It is very much a different game as far as progression is concerned. This game is focused primarily on combat and exploration. You don't have to worry about finding sets of armor, new weapons, etc. You do however need to practice your combat skills until you feel comfortable navigating this treacherous world filled with supernatural creatures inspired by Japanese myths and lore. One aspect that I like is the removal of any online features. I always felt like summoning was a crutch for players that were too lazy to study each boss and figure out a proper strategy in order to defeat them. Bottom line, it is a great game.… Expand
  3. ultimatesoll
    Mar 24, 2019
    10
    Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice is an action game that strong mix-up of Tenchu and Nioh.
    The plot takes place of the fantastic sengoku era of Japan. Controlling a sole protagonist one-armed ninja who fight against demons and their minions. The main character “Okami” will be facing with numerous strong enemies, such as: giant snake, golem-like undead samurai warriors, ogres, kunoichis and lots    Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice is an action game that strong mix-up of Tenchu and Nioh.
    The plot takes place of the fantastic sengoku era of Japan. Controlling a sole protagonist one-armed ninja who fight against demons and their minions. The main character “Okami” will be facing with numerous strong enemies, such as: giant snake, golem-like undead samurai warriors, ogres, kunoichis and lots of inhuman beings throughout the game.

    Comparing to Dark Souls series, Sekiro is a quite different game. You can either finish off your opponents by full stealth technique or one vs all melee combat style. You can sneak on the ledges, roofs, hills or hiding in the bushes, inside of the walls (just like Tenchu series). Our main character can learn new techniques and collect many new items, power-ups in addition to to his sub-weapons. The combat is heavily based on “sword on sword” gameplay. You can also use your “grappling hook” a lot along with the other gears you have. Unlike the Souls series, you have to be capable with one single character and his skills. Battle and dodge system is perfect despite some difficulties you have to struggle with, at the beginning.

    I can clearly say that boss battles so tough yet super fascinating (sometimes frustrating). So therefore, game gives you a ressurrection option whenever you beaten up. Not to mention this is a fast paced game.

    There are some similarity between the Souls game and Sekiro since it’s the spiritual successor of Souls games. Boss fights, bonfires and estus-like potions just some of them. The campaign has influenced by Souls/Bloodborne theme. The atmosphere is so epic, especially during the boss battles. Surprisingly some clashes are harder then any normal boss battle.

    Visuals are gorgeous but i can’t say the same for the frame-rates. Even PS4 Pro and Xbox One X can’t handle with the stable frame rate at lower resolutions (it barely hits 45fps). This is a big flaw of the game unfortunately, i hope they fixed it with a proper patch soon. Sounds, voices, soundtrack, they all awesome and you can feel the heat!

    From Software did a great job on this game. Along with DMC 5, Sekiro: Shadows Die Twices is one of the best action-adventure game of 2019. Highly recommending this game for all DS and epic journey fans. Play on.    … Expand
  4. isylgan
    Mar 25, 2019
    10
    Great game all around, 20 hours in I found myself googling the actual story length, I just don't want it to end anytime soon.
    Combat system is truly revolutionary in its complexity and variability. Exploring for new tools adds a new kind of character building level, when missing single one of many prosthetics means missing a whole new mechanic you can utilize in your combat and therefore    Great game all around, 20 hours in I found myself googling the actual story length, I just don't want it to end anytime soon.
    Combat system is truly revolutionary in its complexity and variability. Exploring for new tools adds a new kind of character building level, when missing single one of many prosthetics means missing a whole new mechanic you can utilize in your combat and therefore you just can't allow yourself to go past any kind of tiny secret path on your way.

    To mention some minor letdowns for me so far:
    1) OST is not that atmospheric and haunting, especially compared to previous From's titles;
    2) level design is a bit too open for my taste - with this much of options to proceed I feel lost out of story progression sometimes and stressed with guessing things like "should I even be here fighting this thing at this point?". Having 2-3 paths to move on is fine, but currently I have like 5 different ways to go further at once and I am not a big fan of this simultaneous levels availability, I'll probably forget about 2 of them by the time I finish writing this.

    Other than that I am so happy with how things turned out with Sekiro. Can't wait for DLC announcement    … Expand
  5. WillTheWise
    Mar 24, 2019
    9
    -great world/level design and enemy placement, this is incredibly important in a game where you die a lot
    -cleverly placed items that encourage you to explore or lead you into traps
    -grounded combat (as opposed to hack n slash games like dmc) with similiar, simple inputs like the Souls/borne games, but with new options and more fancy looking abilities and animations -challenging and    -great world/level design and enemy placement, this is incredibly important in a game where you die a lot
    -cleverly placed items that encourage you to explore or lead you into traps
    -grounded combat (as opposed to hack n slash games like dmc) with similiar, simple inputs like the Souls/borne games, but with new options and more fancy looking abilities and animations
    -challenging and fair difficulty paired with the "face to face" combat makes beating (mini)bosses really satisfying
    -beautiful art design that overshadows the underwhelming graphics
    -and most importantly, the shinobi prosthetic is awesome

    From Software did it again.    … Expand
  6. Grandmaster7
    Mar 29, 2019
    5
    this is not the kind of game from FS that we would like to see, it's a curve slasher that you get tired of, removed the old mechanics by adding slasher elements...
  7. Samx88
    Mar 26, 2019
    10
    I took 3 days off to play this game and man I wish I took a whole week. Sekiro is amazing and I’m so happy! Thank you From Software.
  8. foce
    Mar 24, 2019
    9
    Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice takes Hidetaka Miyazaki's signature world building and deliberate combat in an entirely new direction, ditching the RPG aspects present in the Souls and Bloodborne franchises for a more plot focused action game. While some may be upset by this, the trademarks of a FromSoftware game that have lent themselves to the global acclaim attained by Miyazaki's prior worksSekiro: Shadows Die Twice takes Hidetaka Miyazaki's signature world building and deliberate combat in an entirely new direction, ditching the RPG aspects present in the Souls and Bloodborne franchises for a more plot focused action game. While some may be upset by this, the trademarks of a FromSoftware game that have lent themselves to the global acclaim attained by Miyazaki's prior works are present in this game, arguably at their strongest implementation so far.

    The vertical design of the world of Ashina allows for more in depth exploration than almost any other game, giving the player a variety of options for each encounter. Barge in, guns blazing, and mow down everyone who stands in your way? Sure. Want to sneak through the grass and stealthily take down hordes of enemies to prevent engaging the entire group? Absolutely. Use your grappling hook to soar between buildings and avoid confrontation all together? Sekiro allows that. Despite removing the RPG elements, the freedom of choice in how a player can tackle combat situations is more diverse than it's ever been. Freedom of movement also lends itself to this player agency, with the player's shinobi being able to parkour up walls, swing across canyons, and shimmy across cliff ledges.

    The death system is very well executed, to an extent. Too many revivals will cause any characters you've interacted with to fall ill with Dragonrot, preventing interaction with them until one returns to an Idol and heals the characters. The downside of Dragonrot rears its ugly head with the Unseen Aid mechanic: A random chance that the downsides of player death (losing half of the current experience and currency) will be avoided that decreases with each instance of Dragonrot caused. While a viable way to punish a player for abusing the revival mechanic, having this potentially grind-saving skill left up to random chance is sure to cause frustration with multiple players.

    In addition, some items crucial to boss battles are hard to come across and very limited in how many the game will allow a player to access. This can lead to increased frustration upon a failed boss attempt or misuse of an item.

    Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice is undoubtedly one of the best games of the current console generation. Yes, it's got flaws, but high paced combat, a gorgeous and well developed world, and versatile combat make it an experience that is not to be missed.    … Expand
  9. davidh219
    Apr 1, 2019
    10
    Stands alongside Dark Souls 1 and Bloodborne as the best Fromsoftware is capable of and one of the best games of the modern era. No other studio working today is as effortlessly confident and successful at making new IPs, and as much as I enjoyed Dark Souls 3 and, yes, even Dark Souls 2, I think I'm not alone in hoping that their next game will be another fresh IP because they haveStands alongside Dark Souls 1 and Bloodborne as the best Fromsoftware is capable of and one of the best games of the modern era. No other studio working today is as effortlessly confident and successful at making new IPs, and as much as I enjoyed Dark Souls 3 and, yes, even Dark Souls 2, I think I'm not alone in hoping that their next game will be another fresh IP because they have demonstrated three times in a row that they are not only incapable of failing at it, but that it's when they do their most profound and impressive work.… Expand
  10. FredrikM
    Apr 3, 2019
    10
    Brilliant game, nothing shorter than of what you come to expect of a From Software title these days. The biggest criticism I find of this game from players is when they compare it with the dark souls games, or bloodborne for that matter. Thing is, this is not a bloodborne nor a dark souls, and the game is very well aware of what it is and what it's not. It is a game made by the sameBrilliant game, nothing shorter than of what you come to expect of a From Software title these days. The biggest criticism I find of this game from players is when they compare it with the dark souls games, or bloodborne for that matter. Thing is, this is not a bloodborne nor a dark souls, and the game is very well aware of what it is and what it's not. It is a game made by the same studio, applying many of the soulsborne mechanics but also introducing new ones. A lot of criticism is about the game only providing you with one way of playing it, which is partially true and partially not. Compared to dark souls it is definitely true, but that is not really a big flaw, most games does that. People who went into this game expecting a new dark souls-experience might be disappointed, but you must learn that if you want to jump into something to get your expectations met, buy the latest assassins creed or some other AAA mainstream title. If you want something fresh, innovative and exciting buy Sekiro, Jumping into this game with an open mind, and big scoop of determination you will likely have one of the best gaming experiences for years. Sekiro is one of those rare games that will consume you even when you're not playing it. You will find yourself contemplating on what path you should be investigating, what technique to use on the boss you're stuck at, what things you might have missed in your play through so far, and what secrets lying in store.… Expand
  11. blaow
    Apr 17, 2019
    10
    This game is just as difficult as the dark souls games but it doesn't have the crutches. There are no cheap or OP weapons because the game has been balanced around only one. There is no summoning, so YOU have to be good enough to beat the bosses, not someone else. Leveling is dependent on game advancement, so there is no farming to over level and make the game easier.

    This game takes    This game is just as difficult as the dark souls games but it doesn't have the crutches. There are no cheap or OP weapons because the game has been balanced around only one. There is no summoning, so YOU have to be good enough to beat the bosses, not someone else. Leveling is dependent on game advancement, so there is no farming to over level and make the game easier.

    This game takes my favorite thing from DS - difficult bosses/gameplay to conquer giving huge accomplishment - and gets rid of all the extras. Instead of swapping in gear to help against fire like in Dark Souls, I'm spending all of my time thinking of new, improved, or perfected strategies. In DS the boss strategy often came down to just hanging back, learning attack patterns, now dodge and pick away. In Sekiro sometimes you have to be on the defensive, sometimes you have to be full offense, and everything in between. Super satisfying and HARD.
    9 for now, I expect a 10 when I'm done.

    Update: Instant classic, easy 10. The game is even harder than I thought it was halfway through. Even after beating everything else the final boss feels like an insane difficulty spike. This game is not for everyone, but if you're up to the challenge I can't recommend it enough.    … Expand
  12. pr0phacy
    Dec 30, 2019
    2
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. The majority of the game is fun and challenging but it doesn't seem like From Software think players should learn things progressively and definitely not all customers deserves to finish their product. I can understand hard games. But usually hard games gives you a learning window for specific skills required to not get one shot'd by bosses before you actually face them. Genichiro for example. There is no enemy before him that launches the same lightning attack for his last form so you can practice return lightning skill before the boss fight. Instead you have to die repeatedly trying to figure out how since it pretty much kills you in one hit if you mess up the execution. Sure you can look up videos and guides. But that should not be a part of the gameplay experience. I would not recommend this game to anyone other than the most hardcore masochist.… Expand
  13. JGY
    Mar 26, 2019
    10
    I am writing a review from the perspective of someone who has very little experience with the Dark Souls/BloodBorne series. So from this perspective I can tell all who fall into this boat that Sekiro is a game of contradictions. It is difficult, challenging, and certainly NOT a game you play just to relax. That being said, if you play it, there is something about this game that keeps youI am writing a review from the perspective of someone who has very little experience with the Dark Souls/BloodBorne series. So from this perspective I can tell all who fall into this boat that Sekiro is a game of contradictions. It is difficult, challenging, and certainly NOT a game you play just to relax. That being said, if you play it, there is something about this game that keeps you wanting to come back.
    The world itself, set in feudal Japan, is absolutely breathtaking. It is authentic, regal, mature, taking aspects of Japanese history/mythology and highly immersive. I found myself sometimes just standing in one spot and moving the camera around just to admire the design. By the way, do this often in the game, there are many hidden areas that can be overlooked if you aren't aware of your surroundings. The story is equally engaging, and you begin to really take a liking for the character you play as you progress in the game.

    But the greatest factor of this game is its controls. I've played lots of games in my lifetime, but I have never played a game whose controls were so fluid and perfect. After five minutes of playtime I was surprised how organic the controls were. And, by extension, this drastically elevates the combat system. Suffice it to say you actually feel like you are holding the katana when fighting NPCs. It will take some time to learn the combat, however. The enemies in the game aren't messing around, they are just as skilled if not more skilled than you are. With practice and PATIENCE you'll become the Shinobi the game requires you to be.
    All-in-all this game is beautiful, challenging, brutal, and so rewarding to play. It challenges the gamer to become precise in combat, aware of surrounding and, in a nutshell, gain an intelligence that not many games offer. In terms of warnings, be prepared to die A LOT. If you can get through this game with minimal causalities you are a god. But if you are a vanilla mortal like the rest of us, you will certainly enjoy getting your ass kicked in a stunningly beautiful way :P
    Thus far this is the best game of 2019 and actually has made it to my top ten best games I have ever played easily.    … Expand
  14. Quina
    Apr 8, 2019
    8
    How to enjoy Sekiro:
    1. Deflect
    2. Deflect 3. Realise that this is NOT a soulsborne game 4. DEFLECT As a huge soulsborne player, after Dark Souls 3 I was actually aching for something new by FromSoft, and that's what I got. Sekiro takes the learnings from the recent FromSoft games and makes them into a classic stealth-action game with a twist. It repeatedly puts the player in    How to enjoy Sekiro:
    1. Deflect
    2. Deflect
    3. Realise that this is NOT a soulsborne game
    4. DEFLECT

    As a huge soulsborne player, after Dark Souls 3 I was actually aching for something new by FromSoft, and that's what I got. Sekiro takes the learnings from the recent FromSoft games and makes them into a classic stealth-action game with a twist. It repeatedly puts the player in positions where you feel absolutely hopeless in defeating a boss/miniboss, but through trial and error and not giving up (and 'getting gud') it is eventually possible, and success feels like sweet sweet FromSoft goodness. Graphics and designs are top notch of course.

    Why is this not a 10? Music is a meh. I was hoping for a lot more replayability. Sadly there are not many varieties to play Sekiro in terms of builds etc. Combat arts would have potential for this, but sadly they are mostly underwhelming.

    FromSoft shines when they make a new type of game, new world, new IP. We saw it with Dark Souls 1 and Bloodborne and now we're seeing it with Sekiro. Great game.    … Expand
  15. madFlasher
    Apr 2, 2019
    10
    Perfect balance, amazing fighting system, rich atmosphere make this game a pure brilliant
  16. ardademirel1990
    Apr 8, 2019
    8
    this games are supposed to be challenging. Thats why they are great pieces of art. However throughout the game there are moments where it gets from hard to f*cking bullsh*t. Especially the last boss! I was expecting to conclude my experience by facing off with a worthy opponent but i was forced to fight against a guy with four phases (its third one being the hardest off all game). Afterthis games are supposed to be challenging. Thats why they are great pieces of art. However throughout the game there are moments where it gets from hard to f*cking bullsh*t. Especially the last boss! I was expecting to conclude my experience by facing off with a worthy opponent but i was forced to fight against a guy with four phases (its third one being the hardest off all game). After numerous tries when I defeated Ishhin there wasnt the feeling of triumph but just relief that the game was finally over. All in all Sekiro is a fine and polished game however at some parts it takes its difficulty to extremes therefore ruining the games memory.… Expand
  17. Richard_abc
    Apr 1, 2019
    10
    Sekiro is so far the best game from FromSoftware in terms of the combat system, art design, and overall atmosphere. Some players would probably have a harsh time to get used to ist new combat system, but once you get it right, the satisfaction is beyond words. Plus, this is almost the only game you can find which successfully created a Japanese chambara (or Chinese swordman) sort of world,Sekiro is so far the best game from FromSoftware in terms of the combat system, art design, and overall atmosphere. Some players would probably have a harsh time to get used to ist new combat system, but once you get it right, the satisfaction is beyond words. Plus, this is almost the only game you can find which successfully created a Japanese chambara (or Chinese swordman) sort of world, so if you are a fan of chambara (or Chinese swordman) film, this is the right one for you.… Expand
  18. MurphyBrandon
    Mar 23, 2019
    10
    The swordsmanship in Sekiro feels swift and powerful. The game gives the player immediate feedback using visual and audio cues. Winning a duel is always well-deserved and never just lucky. Deflecting attacks, jumping over sweeps, and quick-stepping into thrusts will reward the player appropriately. The large enemies aren't stacked with health points like in other games. They are dangerousThe swordsmanship in Sekiro feels swift and powerful. The game gives the player immediate feedback using visual and audio cues. Winning a duel is always well-deserved and never just lucky. Deflecting attacks, jumping over sweeps, and quick-stepping into thrusts will reward the player appropriately. The large enemies aren't stacked with health points like in other games. They are dangerous yet vulnerable. Stealth killing some of the tougher enemies is also possible if you prefer ninjas over samurai. Plus, the traversal around the diverse, beautiful world is fun thanks to the wall jump and grappling hook.… Expand
  19. Lumso
    Apr 14, 2019
    8
    Sekiro is a must play for Souls' fan, the sense of accomplishment when you defeat a boss is astonishing, nothing compared to the Souls saga.
    From Software brought the exploration of an interconnected world to another level, and the lore is involving.
    However for a non-Dark Souls fan, this game can be a frustrating experience if the player doesen't enter in the mindset of a game that let    Sekiro is a must play for Souls' fan, the sense of accomplishment when you defeat a boss is astonishing, nothing compared to the Souls saga.
    From Software brought the exploration of an interconnected world to another level, and the lore is involving.
    However for a non-Dark Souls fan, this game can be a frustrating experience if the player doesen't enter in the mindset of a game that let the player alone and doesen't help him during the playtrought.    … Expand
  20. tarker12
    May 28, 2019
    3
    I can't believe this was made by the same people that made dark souls and bloodborne.

    DS + Bloodborne: customizeable gear, useable consumeables, different builds, different armor, different weapons, decently rich and cool story. Sekiro: No customizable armor, no customizable weapon, no costume changes for the entire game, cool environment, boring story, no builds, worthless    I can't believe this was made by the same people that made dark souls and bloodborne.

    DS + Bloodborne: customizeable gear, useable consumeables, different builds, different armor, different weapons, decently rich and cool story.

    Sekiro: No customizable armor, no customizable weapon, no costume changes for the entire game, cool environment, boring story, no builds, worthless prosthetics that deal almost no damage and you get maybe 10-20 of them (aka almost none per life).

    Sekiro is a boring block/parry fest. You don't really even need to move because the enemies lock on so well (and never miss) you just stand there and either: A) jump over perilous attack, requires no movement B) roll into jabs to block jabs, requires little movement. C) Parry everything else by mashing L1. SUPER boring game once I realized this.

    Most bosses can insta-kill you and take barley any damage making the game quite boring and frustrating. Healing is terrible and the consumables are not worth using compared to bloodborne or dark souls.

    I killed every single boss by doing the two following boring things, the list you saw above: Parry/jump/block and strike OR run around enemies in circles waiting for openings to chip away at health.

    Very boring game. Please never do this again fromsoft.

    Replays: (times I started a new game or new game plus)
    Dark souls 3: 50
    Bloodborne: 50+
    Sekiro: 0...

    Can you tell which one was fun and repayable?    … Expand
  21. xeis
    Jan 20, 2020
    0
    Overly patched, the game seems to have become unplayable with patches.

    It is a very good game, but the balance of just one boss has gone too far. There is simply one boss that you need to kill in order to progress which can not be killed with the latest patches (and there is literally nothing left for me to do in the game), no techniques, side steps or abilities work, none of the    Overly patched, the game seems to have become unplayable with patches.

    It is a very good game, but the balance of just one boss has gone too far. There is simply one boss that you need to kill in order to progress which can not be killed with the latest patches (and there is literally nothing left for me to do in the game), no techniques, side steps or abilities work, none of the youtube walkthroughs work (as the patches have not only addressed the obvious bugs) but patched out the techniques you could use to exploit a weakness, by making the boss hyper aggressive, air borne and makes the summons hang about to agro you during the fight. I may return and play the game unpatched, but right now there are other games to move onto. Dissapointing as I was enjoying it and had been killed 20-30 times on some of the earlier bosses, but there is a limit when the game stops being fun, and is not about gitting gud.    … Expand
  22. Setandugal
    May 25, 2019
    2
    It's ok if you want to make a hard game, but when you do make sure you give players the best tools so we can do the job fairly. This is not the case with sekiro. This is the game where the developer still want your money and do whatever they want to players without consent. I know you can deflect, parry and dodge the attacts, but pretty much most of times it's about rock paper scissors.It's ok if you want to make a hard game, but when you do make sure you give players the best tools so we can do the job fairly. This is not the case with sekiro. This is the game where the developer still want your money and do whatever they want to players without consent. I know you can deflect, parry and dodge the attacts, but pretty much most of times it's about rock paper scissors. Most tools and moves are pretty much useless too, only some of them are useful, and i don't understand why a badass shinobi like wolf/sekiro needs 3-5 second pause to drink his potion while the enemy in front of him is going haywire. Also some technical issues like camera and unresponsive control {PS4 version played), especially when you fight a boss in a confined space the camera just going haywire and i don't even know the position of the boss is, next thing i know i got slashed from behind and walah...DEAD. I clocked this game for 70 hours and i spent most of those hours on bosses. Yeah yeah i know you the badass gamer will say "You suck man", But you probably don't have family or a job, but i do. The reason i played this game is because of the hype and i don't want to waste money on the game i already bought. Lastly this is gonna be the first time and the last time i play fromsoftware game. Thanks fromsoftware for wasting 70 hours of my time.… Expand
  23. mbestvina
    Apr 1, 2019
    8
    Sekiro is a disjointed experience. It clings to the structure and elements of the SoulsBorne games but desperately wants to be something different. Namely, an action sword-fighting game in the vein of Ninja Gaiden. The stealth and grapple mechanics make adventuring through the world much less threatening and more accessible, while they've made the bosses so impenetrably difficult as toSekiro is a disjointed experience. It clings to the structure and elements of the SoulsBorne games but desperately wants to be something different. Namely, an action sword-fighting game in the vein of Ninja Gaiden. The stealth and grapple mechanics make adventuring through the world much less threatening and more accessible, while they've made the bosses so impenetrably difficult as to alienate anyone that isn't a "git gud" snob. It's not particularly immersive as an adventure and it's often frustrating and time-consuming in its action. The pieces didn't gel for me, and the experience ultimately boiled down to a long list of hard, punitive bosses that made the game difficult to enjoy... but admittedly, I couldn't put it down.

    At the surface, Sekiro appears to be a spiritual continuation of Dark Souls and Bloodborne. You explore an interconnected dark fantasy world, collect items to help in battle, grow stronger, and fight a horde of monsters and villains. However, I'd strongly suggest you leave your expectations at the door as this is a totally different beast.

    From an adventure or exploration standpoint, Sekiro falters a bit. It differs by introducing stealth and a grapple hook, both resembling those of Batman Arkham and other AAA games. These mechanics work just fine but neither offers a ton of depth or skill and both of them trivialize the exploration. The grapple has also caused the levels to become more linear, just hiding usable items in every corner that you'll never use. Sprinting (or grappling!) past enemies is more effective than ever, with little incentive to fight them as the leveling system has been nerfed into a perk-system, most of which you'll never use. Stealth can be abused to defeat enemies one-by-one and even if you go in guns blazing, most standard enemies can be defeated by mashing the attack button all the way up to the last area. As hard as this game's bosses are, it's shockingly easy to get around the world and kill grunt enemies. Hence, the experience is a bit disjointed. Combine all that with the by-the-numbers Sengoku Japan storyline and the fact that there are only 8 linear levels and Sekiro fails to offer a substantial or immersive adventure for the player.

    The real meat of Sekiro comes in its combat and specifically its bosses. There are over 50 bosses and mini-bosses, making for a daunting quest. I lost count of how many of these I had to fight 5+ times, with the final boss taking me 30-50 tries over 3-4 hours. Sekiro is not for the faint of heart, approach with caution. This is substantially harder than Dark Souls and Bloodborne and they've removed leveling and summoning, which effectively served as those games' difficulty-select. You simply have to play these fights over and over until you've learned their patterns and can parry and punish appropriately. It's basically a rhythm game where you need to respond to each attack with one of a handful of actions. It's challenging and can be rewarding but it's far from the ground-breaking combat system it's being praised as. The "git gud" hype behind this game implies there to be a large component of skill but I found it to be much more a matter of trial-and-error. I don't care how "gud" you are, some of these bosses will wreck you on your first couple tries due to how fast and unpredictable they are. Also, many of the bosses can be more easily and safely defeated by running in circles and poking when open, making the core mechanics pointless.

    Unfortunately, Sekiro can't leave well enough alone, and feels the need to up the ante with extraneous difficulty at every turn. Like Dark Souls 2, you start with 1 healing item and almost no health, making the early-game unnecessarily difficult and sure to make many quit in frustration. In spite of its focus on action, Sekiro retains the bonfires and running back to bosses after death from Dark Souls. I think proper checkpoints would have better meshed with the trial-and-error combat here. Some mini-bosses can be stealth killed too, requiring some elaborate setup, meaning you'll have to redo that too every time you die. The die-twice mechanic gives you one extra screw-up but From seems to have used this as an excuse to push extra-hard rather than it being a tool for success. And lastly, a couple end-game bosses have 3+ phases and feel like complete overkill.

    Due to all this exacerbating what is already a demanding combat system, I found Sekiro to be immensely frustrating for about 50% of my playthrough. Every time I'd fight a fair, rewarding boss, it would throw me another that would twist my arm in painful, unexpected ways. If challenge for the sake of challenge is your thing, by all means have a blast! For everyone else, approach with caution. Sekiro lacks the immersive appeal of SoulsBorne, while offering a brutal combat experience that can be more frustrating and time-consuming than it is rewarding.    … Expand
  24. Valkuntah
    Mar 27, 2019
    10
    Game with an interesting story, it is true that the weapons and style of clothing are the same and that the enemies are almost repetitive, but with a great difficulty of game as well as history, if you only look for a game where you would like to have a character cute without anything deep in their environment Sekiro is not for you (players who only look for meaningless complaints), inGame with an interesting story, it is true that the weapons and style of clothing are the same and that the enemies are almost repetitive, but with a great difficulty of game as well as history, if you only look for a game where you would like to have a character cute without anything deep in their environment Sekiro is not for you (players who only look for meaningless complaints), in short an increibe game.… Expand
  25. Reyn_Sedai
    Apr 18, 2019
    8
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. fantastic atmosphere and world designs. as someone who's a huge Dark Souls 3 and Bloodborne fan Ive had a truly hard time adjusting to the parry method rather than dodging method and have died many many many many many times, giving the rot to most of my available npcs, all before the first boss in the past when the estate was burning. Thats my fault though not the games but i cant help but to miss the gradual progression through leveling up.… Expand
  26. Loran_
    Apr 2, 2019
    9
    Satisfying and challenging combat. Great Boss encounters , tremendous atmosphere and a stellar Art Design , Classic From Sofware. Some ugly texture work and a not so great enemy variety don't ruin the overall experience. Absolutely recommended
  27. Jaapert
    May 9, 2019
    3
    A very disappointing game. The game started very good but the further I progressed the game just became a kill boss after other boss game. They could have created just a arena and fight 53 bosses in a row and you would hardly know the difference. I seems that they have rushed through the game development and just threw in some bosses (and several times the bosses are exactly the same). IA very disappointing game. The game started very good but the further I progressed the game just became a kill boss after other boss game. They could have created just a arena and fight 53 bosses in a row and you would hardly know the difference. I seems that they have rushed through the game development and just threw in some bosses (and several times the bosses are exactly the same). I hope their next game will be from the same quality as Bloodborne again.… Expand
  28. erixguna1986
    Jul 5, 2019
    10
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Actually, I created the account to tell my honest experience of Sekiro Shadow Die Twice. It is absolutely a stunning game. I am really proud of myself because I really beat the hardest game ever created after the dark souls 3.
    Fromsoftware you have done an amazing job to keep our adrenaline level sky-high during the entire gameplay. When it comes to the final moments of a boss fight, my heart is pounding like jumping out of the body. Now we are fully equipped shinobis to take part in the DLC or Sekiro 2.    … Expand
  29. 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?
  30. Ishi123
    Apr 19, 2020
    2
    It's really sad to see From forget its principle mantra that a challenge should be fair. I've never seen a game hate its player more than this game. Previous games in the series were hard but at least felt like they wanted to be beaten, and they encouraged you to try different ways to defeat a tough challenge. This game does not want to be beaten. It absolutely despises the player and willIt's really sad to see From forget its principle mantra that a challenge should be fair. I've never seen a game hate its player more than this game. Previous games in the series were hard but at least felt like they wanted to be beaten, and they encouraged you to try different ways to defeat a tough challenge. This game does not want to be beaten. It absolutely despises the player and will kill you over and over and over again without a single chance because it just hates you that much. It's unreasonable how absolutely crushing this game is. It's a game that demands you to play it only the way that it wants you to and to be absolutely 100% perfect, and after a while it just stops being fun. This game is not fun. It's a chore, and playing it was probably the most depressing experience I've ever had in 20 years of playing video games. It's handily the worst game From has ever made and it's not even close. As someone who's defeated the entire Dark Souls series and Bloodborne, the only thing I can feel with this game is disappointment.… 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

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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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