Sekiro sticks out in my mind as being both one of the hardest and most rewarding video games I have ever played. It is also one of the most unique games in FromSoftware's catalogue.
Sekiro may have the most satisfying gameplay I have ever experienced in a game. The extroardinary combat, movement dynamics, and level design all combine to make Sekiro endlessly fun to play.
The combat has an unbelievably steep learning curve and can be very frustrating to get the hang of. However, once mastered, it becomes one of the most enjoyable combat systems in gaming. Instead of chipping away at enemy health bars, the combat in Sekiro involves using carefully timed strikes and deflections with your sword to wear down an enemy's "posture" (represented by a "posture bar" at the top of the screen). When the posture of the enemy has been sucessfully broken, the enemy is then left open for a fatal "deathblow" strike. The catch is that enemies can deflect as well and their attacks can also break down your posture which can leave you open for high damaging attacks. In addition, to keep you on your toes the enemies will often mix in "perilous" attacks (represented by a red warning symbol) which are much harder to deflect and often require other movements to avoid such as jumping or dodging. The beauty of this combat system is that it encourages both fast paced aggression and careful defense on the player's part. Enemy posture recovers very quickly so players need to be constantly on the attack in order to be sucessful. However, enemy and especially boss attacks can come at you in the blink of an eye and the margin of error for deflection is incredibly slim. This means that the player needs to be constantly on the attack while at the same time always being ready to deflect at a moments notice. This has the affect of making combat in Sekiro feel akin to a dance, as you rhythmically alternate between attacking and defending.
The players mastery of this phenomenal combat is rigorously put to the test by Sekiro's grueling and exhilirating boss fights. Sekiro's campaign contains numerous bosses and each one is a heart-stopping duel from start to finish. The bosses push the combat system to it's absolute limit. They recover their posture incredibly quickly, attack with lightning speed, and are often capable of killing the player in no more than two hits. Many of these bosses are some of the hardest you will encounter in any game and can take players upwards of several hours to learn. Each boss has it's own unique fighting style and rhythm that the player must know inside out in order to overcome them. However, the euphoric experience of slowly mastering these bosses is something I will never forget.
Sekiro's excellent level design and traversal mechanics are another big reason as to why it is so exciting to play. Just moving from place to place in Sekiro is very engaging thanks to the grappling hook given to the player early in the game as well as the climbing and jumping mechanics. The level design complements this agile playstyle through being much more vertical in nature than FromSoftware's other works. The imposing castles and temples that the player can explore are impressively tall and both the inside of these structures as well as the outside rooftops can be explored. In addition, forested and mountainous levels both contain numerous ledges and hanging tree branches that the player can use their grappling hook or climbing abilities on. This has the added effect of giving the player multiple options when it comes to tackling enemy encounters. By staying in high, out of reach areas, the player can avoid enemies and get a better sense of their surroundings. They can more easily pick and choose which enemies they want to take on, as well as which items they want to go for. Staying in high areas also allows players to preform stealth deathblows that can kill most enemies in a single hit if they are careful not to be seen. Utilizing agile traversal and stealth in this way encourages players to be creative and experiment with how they want to progress through the game. When these mechanics are combined with FromSoftware's stunning interconnected and non linear world design, you get some of the most fun gaming exploration of all time.
The world and level design is also backed by astonishingly detailed art direction rooted in ancient Japanese culture. The dazzling budda shrines, cherry blossoms, and spectacularly large temples are nothing short of visual eye candy.
Overall Sekiro is a hugely challenging but also completely unforgettable experience. It is not for everyone and demands extreme focus, percision, and patience from those who play it. However, those with the determination to stick with it till the end will find a remarkably enthralling adventure well worth the hundreds of gruelling deaths.
Sekiro may have the most satisfying gameplay I have ever experienced in a game. The extroardinary combat, movement dynamics, and level design all combine to make Sekiro endlessly fun to play.
The combat has an unbelievably steep learning curve and can be very frustrating to get the hang of. However, once mastered, it becomes one of the most enjoyable combat systems in gaming. Instead of chipping away at enemy health bars, the combat in Sekiro involves using carefully timed strikes and deflections with your sword to wear down an enemy's "posture" (represented by a "posture bar" at the top of the screen). When the posture of the enemy has been sucessfully broken, the enemy is then left open for a fatal "deathblow" strike. The catch is that enemies can deflect as well and their attacks can also break down your posture which can leave you open for high damaging attacks. In addition, to keep you on your toes the enemies will often mix in "perilous" attacks (represented by a red warning symbol) which are much harder to deflect and often require other movements to avoid such as jumping or dodging. The beauty of this combat system is that it encourages both fast paced aggression and careful defense on the player's part. Enemy posture recovers very quickly so players need to be constantly on the attack in order to be sucessful. However, enemy and especially boss attacks can come at you in the blink of an eye and the margin of error for deflection is incredibly slim. This means that the player needs to be constantly on the attack while at the same time always being ready to deflect at a moments notice. This has the affect of making combat in Sekiro feel akin to a dance, as you rhythmically alternate between attacking and defending.
The players mastery of this phenomenal combat is rigorously put to the test by Sekiro's grueling and exhilirating boss fights. Sekiro's campaign contains numerous bosses and each one is a heart-stopping duel from start to finish. The bosses push the combat system to it's absolute limit. They recover their posture incredibly quickly, attack with lightning speed, and are often capable of killing the player in no more than two hits. Many of these bosses are some of the hardest you will encounter in any game and can take players upwards of several hours to learn. Each boss has it's own unique fighting style and rhythm that the player must know inside out in order to overcome them. However, the euphoric experience of slowly mastering these bosses is something I will never forget.
Sekiro's excellent level design and traversal mechanics are another big reason as to why it is so exciting to play. Just moving from place to place in Sekiro is very engaging thanks to the grappling hook given to the player early in the game as well as the climbing and jumping mechanics. The level design complements this agile playstyle through being much more vertical in nature than FromSoftware's other works. The imposing castles and temples that the player can explore are impressively tall and both the inside of these structures as well as the outside rooftops can be explored. In addition, forested and mountainous levels both contain numerous ledges and hanging tree branches that the player can use their grappling hook or climbing abilities on. This has the added effect of giving the player multiple options when it comes to tackling enemy encounters. By staying in high, out of reach areas, the player can avoid enemies and get a better sense of their surroundings. They can more easily pick and choose which enemies they want to take on, as well as which items they want to go for. Staying in high areas also allows players to preform stealth deathblows that can kill most enemies in a single hit if they are careful not to be seen. Utilizing agile traversal and stealth in this way encourages players to be creative and experiment with how they want to progress through the game. When these mechanics are combined with FromSoftware's stunning interconnected and non linear world design, you get some of the most fun gaming exploration of all time.
The world and level design is also backed by astonishingly detailed art direction rooted in ancient Japanese culture. The dazzling budda shrines, cherry blossoms, and spectacularly large temples are nothing short of visual eye candy.
Overall Sekiro is a hugely challenging but also completely unforgettable experience. It is not for everyone and demands extreme focus, percision, and patience from those who play it. However, those with the determination to stick with it till the end will find a remarkably enthralling adventure well worth the hundreds of gruelling deaths.