1 person found this review helpful
Recommended
0.0 hrs last two weeks / 150.7 hrs on record (79.9 hrs at review time)
Posted: 15 Jan, 2023 @ 8:32am
Updated: 30 Jun, 2024 @ 1:11am

Sekiro is a stealth-action game with lots of combat verbs. There's even a jump button.

Sekiro is NOT a "Soulsborne" game. At least in the traditional sense. The stamina bar is gone and the RPG mechanics have been ripped out! No, you can't just upgrade your weapon!

This is a game about deflecting attacks and attacking aggressively. While you CAN dodge, and even jump, these are mostly reserved to move-counters against specific "perilous" attacks AKA attacks that cannot otherwise be deflected.

Sekiro is more "Legend of Zelda" in its progression. You gain more attack power and health by overcoming bosses (and mini-bosses), and sometimes from looting hard to find chests or buying upgrades from vendors. Limited power-ups means everyone is more or less on the same power curve throughout the game.

Sekiro is also hard. Very hard in point of fact. Having played "soulsborne" games does not actually help you here. At all. It emphasizes being aggressive and deflecting attacks to build up posture, which is this games quasi-reverse stamina bar. Good news is enemies (including bosses) also have this same posture bar, when filled, opens them up to a deathblow which removes their entire health bar. Many bosses are optimally eliminated via posture damage instead of regular HP damage.

I beat the game but often rage quit several bosses and mini-bosses more than I would have liked. Getting stuck for hours on end even. Especially in the early game. Your mileage may vary.

I am glad I played it but I am also glad it is over and I am done with it.

P.S. Except I went back and started NG+.
P.P.S. And even continued to NG++++.
P.P.P.S. My third eye is open. I am now counted among the know. I cannot die twice. (unless I am goofing off)
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