Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice

Put simply, it’s one of the finest action games you’ll ever play, powered by fantastic, fast-paced combat.

I've spent roughly fifty hours with the game, and there's still so much to do. Sekiro is a captivating experience given its setting and lore. There are so many mysteries to uncover, and I can't wait to play it even more...It's definitely harder than Dark Souls, but the sense of satisfaction you feel after defeating powerful titans is a reward in itself. The more you play, the stronger you become.

It is the best SoulsBorne game since the original Dark Souls, a tremendous victory lap for the genre that pushes the series in a fascinating direction, revitalizing its most stale features and introducing bold new ones.

It's obvious that this is not a samurai skin over a Dark Souls game. It's more than that. It's a new rebirth that will delight Miyazaki-san followers and that will only be mastered by those who display their utmost skill and patience. It's a game that really penalizes mistakes. A game where you have to learn the behaviour of the enemies you face and be constantly adapting to take on the next challenge. And of course it's a very difficult game, a very big one.

Sekiro is an instant classic and one of the best games of this generation. Its many atmospheres are simply amazing and very well done. At times they are dark and eerie and can rival a Survival Horror game. Exploration is very rewarding and fun. The enemies have personality, are well thought, varied and their design is very imaginative. The combat system is deep, addictive and difficult to master, maybe too much for the average gamer, but very rewarding for those who like difficult games and put the time and effort to get good and learn from their many deaths. I really enjoyed my time with this masterpiece and it reminded me why I love videogames.

Going in to this review I wasn’t sure if Sekiro was going to be simply a ninja re-skin of Dark Souls, but there’s more than enough that’s different, and improved, that it stands on its own within the genre, even if it’s from the same developers. Like every other FromSoftware title, the difficulty is either going to be what drives you to become better, or make you shy away. I believe that Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice is going to be on many Game of the Year lists for 2019, and for good reason.

Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice is not the most polished or accessible title on the market, but it’s certainly one of the most well-executed and satisfying gaming experiences I’ve ever had the chance to play. If you have dropped this game or are on the fence about trying it due to its difficulty, I implore you to give it a chance and really take your time with it. It’s well worth the effort.

Sekiro is quite simply outstanding. It’s stunning, it’s deep, it’s diverse, and it’s wholly engaging across all aspects of play. However, what truly speaks volumes is the developer’s ability to constantly encourage its players’ capacity for improvement. Here, in Shadows Die Twice, due to its punishing difficulty alone, you’re either all in or you’re all out. If you’re of the latter, you’re missing out on what may well be one of the best games of 2019.

With this game Miyazaki puts the player back to the test with what only he knows how to do: increasing to the maximum that feeling of reward by finishing an area that has put you on the ropes.

Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice is a stylish, focused stealth-action take on the FromSoftware formula that evolves in a different and refreshing direction. It may be a bit easier than a Souls game, but it’s something amazing all its own.

An outstanding game that take the essence on the Soulsborne games and brings it forward to make one of the most compelling game experiences that we have played in a while.

It’s certainly not a game for those looking for a more relaxing trip through mythical Japanese inspired locales, but whoever decides to stick with Sekiro through its hardships are bound to experience one of the most rewarding and memorable titles of the year.

The corollary of its obsessive refusal to countenance even a hint of compromise is the vast amount of satisfaction it provides when you do finally make those breakthroughs and progress to a new area. If you fancy yourself as a hardcore gamer, Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice is the embodiment of what games are all about. [Issue#177, p.77]

Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice is the breath of fresh air the "Soulsborne" sub-genre needed. It proves that stats, levelling-up, and equipment, is not what makes this kind of games. Instead, what matters is how death is treated, what sort of consequences there are for choices the player makes, and really big doors that open dramatically slow. The verticality of the level design, grappling hook, jumping and almost Zelda-style progression makes this one stand out in an ever increasing sea of imitators. Ultimately, this is more than just a sum of its parts; it's full of mystery, jaw-dropping spectacle and intense satisfaction.

From Software mixes well-proven and new gameplay elements to deliver an incredibly challenging and satisfying game, within a captivating Asian environment. It could have been bett-optimized and it's a pity it can't reach 60 fps on Xbox One X, but this undoubtedly is a must-have for all lovers of skill-demanding action games.

It’s a game that asks you to succeed on your own and creates an intimate, engaging experience as a result. Oh, and you can pause the game to use items or take a breather this time around, because really, the game doesn’t need to be any more difficult than it already is. It has already found the perfect balance of risk and reward.

Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice is one of the best games to emerge this year, adding yet another masterpiece to FromSoftware’s formidable catalogue of grim, uncompromising experiences. Nearly every encounter feels like a nuanced session of cat-and-mouse as you dance alongside the enemy, culminating in a final act that leaves them in a puddle of their own defeat.

Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice is effectively the offspring of what would happen if Dark Souls and Tenchu got frisky under the covers on a weekend trip out to the lake. It’s devilishly difficult, supremely stylish and fantastically realised. It’s just a shame that FromSoftware still hasn’t fixed the camera issues and shonky lock-on system a whole ten years after the first Souls game.

Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice stands tall among some of From Software’s most renowned titles. The challenge is clear and present, the story and mystery are equally intriguing, and the beautiful vistas and soundtrack work in perfect harmony. It might be entirely different to what came before it, but Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice is a near-perfect experience and a natural progression of the Soulsborne series.

An intelligent reinvention of the tried and true SoulsBorne formula. It successfully manages to strike a delectable balance between difficult and enjoyable, without the frustrating moments players might’ve experienced in Dark Souls or Bloodborne. Owing to its fast-paced combat that rewards an aggressive approach, Sekiro is both fulfilling and satisfying and easily the best of FromSoftware’s games yet.

Sekiro comes packed with a beautiful world full of various characters, incredibly challenging bosses and a lot more to explore to your heart's content.

Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice is a truly new expression of the design philosophy that FromSoftware has spent years refining. Shifting gears a bit in the setting, story, and gameplay, the spirit of Dark Souls is still clearly the driving factor here.

If, like me, you’ve always just shied from games that punish for the sake of punishing, but thoroughly enjoy a story with mystery, excellent dialogue and unique fantastical components, Sekiro will punish, but it will also deliver in damascus folds. Folds upon folds. Prepare to die though, and much more than twice.

Sekiro is without a doubt a powerful, timeless addition to Miyazaki's legendary collection of difficult but amazingly satisfying action RPG's, something that fans of Dark Souls will be very happy with. We have to be honest though, Nioh is a stronger Sengoku-game then Sekiro and we miss some of the usual From Software variation.

Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice will try your patience. As you might expect given its developer, it’s a devastatingly difficult game that will require your skill and concentration. It’s beautifully designed, with a clever new combat system and some of the most cinematic action ever in a From game, and it will kill you over and over again. All told, it’s the best game I’ve ever hated, and I never want to play it again.

Doubt no more: From Sekiro is a true From Software game, demanding and technical. Despite its not-so-inspired stealth sequences, Sekiro rewards the player each step he/she takes, with visceral sword-fighting and gorgeous landscapes.

Everyone knows FromSoftware make hard games, and Sekiro is certainly no different. If anything, it may be even harder than those which have come before it. So, for newcomers it may not be the best ‘entry’ point to these types of games but if you have more than a passing interest in Soulsborne games, then Sekiro is definitely another one to add to this ever-growing list.

My first ten hours with Sekiro reminded me of my first ten hours with “Demon’s Souls.” Its steep learning curve stared me in the face like a foreboding mountain.

Sekiro is a great game. Despite my complaints with its boss fights and the elimination of the equipment system Dark Souls was known for, it was a challenging and exciting adventure through Feudal Japan. If you’re a From Software fan, it’s a must-buy game, even with the changes, and it’s a decent place to start even if you’ve never played a From game before. However, Sekiro is far from perfection.