In 2019, FromSoftware launched Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice. As the developers just finished the series they became known for, Dark Souls, and also after releasing Bloodborne, fans assumed that Sekiro would be another game with the same formula.
However, the developers didn’t replicate what made them big and famous. They made a bold game, dismantling the foundations of the previous games and rebuilding them into something greater. Indeed, it is great, for it was renowned as the best game of that year.
Despite the recognition, later years proved that Sekiro is often overlooked and brushed aside by people who are unable to grasp its true beauty and the reason it is one of the best FromSoftware titles ever released.
But what makes this game the “odd one” among them? What tweaks have they done to the formula that make people afraid to step into the game? How much can “change” divide an audience of a video game sub-genre?
The Courage to Strip Everything Away
FromSoftware deserves praise for designing a game that does not pull punches, or in this game’s case, slashes. Their games are known for zero hand-holding mechanics and teach the gameplay the hard way. Somehow, they made it more inaccessible for casuals. They removed the co-op features that the previous games had. Farming for XP and game currencies is not efficient.
No alternative strategies, such as spamming blocks with a shield, shooting arrows, or firing magic projectiles. You don’t have to build your character, but your stats do not go that high. No alternative routes to go if things go rough. All you got is your blade, Kusabimaru, and your own resolve.
Cruelty is why the previous games are hard. Sekiro is hard for players to push beyond their limits. Dark Souls loves to troll players. Sekiro teaches the player to become better, and somehow, that is more difficult than being trolled.
The Posture System: Combat Reimagined
As previously mentioned, Sekiro is different, but it is special. What makes it special is, of course, its combat. Instead of chipping enemies’ HP as every video game has established, Sekiro introduces the posture system.
It's quite simple in theory. Players and enemies have posture. Both can deplete posture by attacking and perfecting deflections. Completely deplete the enemy’s posture, and you will be able to perform a deathblow that can instantly kill the enemy regardless of their actual HP. In short, attack, deflect, deathblow, then win.
Why is it so hard, though? Just like the previous games, spamming attacks are impractical. You have to carefully pick your openings to attack and retaliate. Deflecting is the meat and bones of the game. It's what makes the game easy, hard, and different at the same time. Unlike Dark Souls, you can’t wield a shield to block.
Wolf has to deflect attacks with his blade to deliver posture damage to enemies. Additionally, deflecting the exact moment right before an attack hits you will result in a perfect deflection, which enables Wolf to receive no damage to both HP and posture from the attack he just deflected perfectly, and can often offer plenty of openings to attack the enemy.
Enemies as well can counter with their own deflections and attacks, so players have to weave deflections and attacks smoothly to best their opponents. This is what makes the game so special and satisfying. Every combat feels like a dance and a conversation. There is a rhythmic back and forth between the player and the enemies, demanding each individual with careful decision-making during fights.
If Bloodborne demands aggression, Sekiro demands it more, and when you slightly pull down that aggression, you will definitely lose. The game will bury that into you. You will be hearing the sound of clashing blades even after playing because it is the game's identity and the indication that you are performing what the game has taught you.
Why It Remains Underrated
Frankly, Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice does not get enough credit. A lot of players bounce off after some difficult skill checks. As previously stated, the mechanics are simple in theory, but in practice is definitely difficult to grasp. Players may get some lucky wins here and there, but the game demands consistency and mastery of technique.
Credits won’t show up because of pure luck. It requires time and patience, which, for some gamers, are commodities that are difficult to manage. For some FromSoftware fans, the difference in the game mechanics from Dark Souls and Bloodborne feels off. Changes in playstyle when bouncing from one game to another can put off even the most solid fans of the developers.
People say that games are hard because they are flawed, and games should be easy to pick up. In FromSoftware’s case, especially Sekiro, its difficulty is very intentional; in fact, it is the entire point. Your character does not get stronger with levels or stats, but he grows stronger as you improve as a player. It's the game’s challenge and at the same time its reward as it provides the satisfaction of beating not with an overpowered build or cheesy strategy but with your own ability.
Half a decade on, Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice is FromSoftware’s riskiest gamble. It requires precision, provides a challenge, and offers no alternatives for getting better. Despite players finding it difficult, it stayed true to itself and did not care, even though many players dropped it.
The game does not hesitate to give you the hardest fights you’ll encounter as a gamer, but once you execute all of them, you will attain the reward of satisfaction that you beat the game not by playing a character that is already strong, but a character that grows as you master the mechanics of the game. Perhaps, the reward itself is also underrated.
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