Sekiro™: Shadows Die Twice - GOTY Edition

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FromSoftware's only singleplayer, souls-like game they've released so far (to my knowledge), and they really hit it out of the park! And during the Sengoku period, of all time periods? [i]We love Japanese mythology here.[/i] Game mechanics? Prepare yourself... you're about to have to re-learn a souls game, because this game is ALLLL about sword-clashing/parrying/timing! Enemies are a lot more reactive to your movement, and have more tracking when they attack. Expecting to roll out of trouble is not going to be something you can do on a whim now with your dodge. Think of the 'Bloodborne shimmy' dodge you're forced to use when locked on to a boss. Oh, and the multiple weapons you get in Dark Souls 1 through 3? Your primary is only the katana from the beginning of the game... although the Shinobi Prosthetic grants you multiple 'weapon arts' for more versitility. In my absolute opinion... the game mechanics in this game is FromSoft's most refined of all Souls' games (possibly rivalling Elden Ring's faster-paced combat). Also, a [b]jump button[/b]? A grapple hook?! Whoa whoa whoa whoa whoa whoa... the first of its kind?! STEALTH?! Graphics? It's a relief to see FromSoft handle new and old assets to better suit their game environment, and it truly pays off! And daaaang... is it beautiful: [url=https://ibb.co/ZRBqytZH][img]https://i.ibb.co/HLt5m1JN/image.png[/img][/url] [url=https://ibb.co/0yVY33TT][img]https://i.ibb.co/chX2dd00/image2.png[/img][/url] Bosses? Fun as FUNK, and tests you well with patience and aggro. Going full aggro in Sekiro is legitimately a decent strat. Each boss demands a different kind of solution though. And their health bar? Their health can hit 0, and they're not going to keel over, until you wear them down and 'repose' them. DLC? Well, I wouldn't call it 'DLC', but moreso a combat-focused add-on of some sort? I haven't personally beaten the Gauntlets of Strength and dabbled a tiny bit in the Reflections of Strength for boss replayability. You don't gain anything from it, except for Gauntlets of Strength (which you can only access after you beat the game), which gives you combat arts, and... costumes. '^^ A bit lackluster, but very neat, and gives you a chance to show your mastery towards bosses in a boss rush! Luckily, this DLC is just an arm's extension of the game, instead of a stray add-on you have to pay for. What can you take away from this review? Giving a company some actual TIME and solely working on a singleplayer-focused game like this shows us two things: They can cook up a great narrative with a dreary, melancholic setting (as does all/most of the settings of the Soulsborne portray), while ascertaining a great and challenging combative experience, without having to force the player into something too difficult/grueling. The beginning has a bit more clarity for game mechanic introduction, instead of dropping you straight in. Combatively, Sekiro is more rhythm-based than any other Souls' game to date, and your increased agility and stealth really prevents most of the gank spots. Arguably, my previous experience with Souls' games prepared me for the worst, despite the unique game mechanic shift. Sekiro claims its worth as my favorite Soulsborne, just above or close to Dark Souls 3. Try it! Once the combat 'clicks', it's super satisfying! And you get to throw them hands, [i]samurai style[/i].

This is the best game I have played since Bloodborne, nothing I can play on pc can match it. Incredible!

good game fun and not too hard

Perfection.