Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice took the internet by storm once it was released. From Software released the game on the 22nd of March, and since then, it just keeps getting bigger and bigger. A souls-like game, created by one of the best company in the genre, Sekiro strives to deliver an experience similar to others in the same category, but with some small twists. Whether it’s on PlayStation 4, Xbox One or PC, see what are some of major the differences that make Sekiro such a great game.
Fewer RPG elements but more action
Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice is a combination between the action, adventure, and souls-like genres. Unlike other games developed by From Software (namely the Dark Souls trilogy and Bloodborne), Sekiro has been stripped of almost all the RPG elements. There are no levels, but the XP you gain by killing enemies. The way you use the XP is not by growing status, but by customizing the way that you play. You purchase new abilities and perks that allow you to choose from different playstyles, whether it is stealth (yes, there is stealth in Sekiro) or full-on face-to-face combat.
The items in the games will also differ. You will always have your katana equipped, but you can choose from the secondary items you want. There are tons of temporary items you can get to upgrade your attack power, health and others both temporarily or permanently. You can also use these items to uncover new skill trees, where you can further learn new abilities.
Your prosthetic arm will be one of the most useful tools in the game. This is where you can equip other weapons to give you an advantage in a fight. Ranging from hidden shurikens to finger whistles, you’ll be able to combine the abilities with your katana to create your own experience. This will take your enemies by surprise and it will be the way you become more powerful in the game.
No Online Experience But Better Boss Fights
Unlike the other games from From Software, where multiplayer did play a role in the story, Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice will not feature any online functionalities. The emphasis will be more on the story and on the
Combat will also be different. It will retain some of the more challenging aspects from the previous games but will have a different focus. Enemies will have their own styles of play, bosses will have special attacks that you’ll have to get used to. There are very different boss fights: one where you fight a mounted enemy. Another one that can attack you with flowers. And giant monsters lurking in the waters. So you need to be careful how you build your character, to fit and be able to fight some of these monsters.
Talking about fighting, the game also has a lot of new useful features to get around the world and defeat enemies. One of the main differences between Sekiro and Bloodborne is the fact that enemies in Sekiro now have posture. Posture will determine who will be able to deal large amounts of damage first. Every time you strike your enemy’s guard, you lower his posture. When the guard is lowered, you can either kill him or deal a lot of damage. And that goes both ways. You can get your posture lowered as well. So you have to make sure you use your skills to block as well as evade and counter moves from enemies.
Stealth in Sekiro
Another interesting feature added to Sekiro is stealth. Stealth allows you to sneak up on enemies and deal damage or instantly kill them. And that goes for bosses too. You can tip-toe until you reach them and deal just enough damage to win you the fight. With abilities to enhance your stealth and to surprise your enemies, it’s a nice addition. Especially because the game is hard. So hard, in fact, that people are talking about adding an easy mode to it. Which is, fair enough, an argument that has been given to the Dark Souls trilogy, but still.
Your grappling hook will be probably one of the most fun elements in the game (besides the feeling of mastering a game that actually is wonderful and challenging). You will be able to reach new heights (literally) with the new mechanic and explore the world in a new way. You’ll be able to jump on buildings and enemies and execute new combos. Maybe not like in the Assassin’s Creed kind of way, but it still looks fun and different.
The jumping mechanic is also a different turn from the older games. You will now need to counter some of the NPC moves by jumping. A small but nice touch.
Death, but not death
This is also another aspect that Sekiro differentiates itself from other souls-like games. Death works in a similar way to the other games: you die and come back at the nearest Sculptors Idol (the bonfires of Sekiro). But there’s a twist. You can also resurrect yourself on the spot. This is done to surprise your enemies or o simply continue the fight. There is a limited number of times you can resurrect on the spot, so use them carefully.
When you permanently die (when you go to the Sculptors Idol), you lose half of your money and experience permanently. There is a small chance that you can keep them if you have Unseen Aid, but don’t count on it. To add salt to the wound, every time you die, you can receive a Rot Essence.
Dragonrot and Quests
Whenever you die, there is a chance to inflict Dragonrot (a kind of disease) to the enemy. That makes him sick and makes you unable to continue the quest in which he is involved. If you receive Rot Essence, that means that one random enemy (it can also be an undiscovered one), has been inflicted with Dragonrot.
When you have a Rot Essence in your inventory, your Unseen Aid lowers (by half for the first item – from 30% to 15%, and then by 2% for every other Rot Essence). If you have lower Unseen Aid, you will have a smaller chance to keep your XP and money. But there’s a way to counter this. Finding a Recovery Charm will allow you to cure all Dragonrot from the world. Again, a very nice touch to the world of Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice.
All in all, the game has made quite an impact. It has been in the top 15 most viewed games on Twitch all this time, and it is still going well. And, yes, you can argue that it has been just recently released, but for a single-player game to constantly be so high in the Twitch list it’s quite impressive.
As always, check out our other content on GadgetGang.com. Please comment and tell me what do you think about Sekiro and what would you like to know more about.