Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice, developed by FromSoftware, is an action-adventure game set in 16th century Japan. The game’s unique combat system revolves around the “posture” mechanic, which measures a character’s vulnerability to a deathblow. The game’s variety of combat tools, from shurikens to grappling hooks, allows players to mix up their offense and defense against highly aggressive enemies. Though notoriously difficult, Sekiro’s learning curve feels fair and rewarding as players progress and learn new combat techniques and strategies to face tougher enemies and multi-phase boss fights. The game’s sprawling world also encourages exploration and provides valuable insights into its lore.

Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice – A Masterclass in Challenging Combat

Introduction

Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice is a 2019 action-adventure game developed by FromSoftware, the creators of the acclaimed Dark Souls and Bloodborne series. The game takes place in 16th century Sengoku Japan and follows the story of a shinobi named Wolf, who is tasked with rescuing his young lord and seeking revenge against those who betrayed him.

What sets Sekiro apart from FromSoftware’s previous games is its unique combat system that emphasizes precision, timing, and strategy. In this article, we’ll explore the various aspects of Sekiro’s challenging combat and why it’s a masterclass in game design.

Combat Mechanics

Sekiro’s combat is centered around a mechanic called posture. Posture is a measure of how much punishment a character can take before they become vulnerable to a deathblow, which is an instant kill move. By attacking and deflecting enemy attacks, players can fill up an enemy’s posture. Once an enemy’s posture is full, they become vulnerable to a deathblow, allowing players to quickly dispatch them.

However, enemies aren’t pushovers and will push back just as hard. Sekiro’s enemies are highly aggressive and will attack relentlessly, making it difficult to fill up their posture gauge. This is where the game’s variety of combat tools comes into play. From shurikens to prosthetic tools like the grappling hook and flame vent, players have a range of options to mix up their offense and defense.

Learning Curve

Sekiro’s combat is notoriously difficult, even for veterans of FromSoftware’s previous games. However, the game’s learning curve is designed in a way that makes the difficulty feel fair and rewarding. At the beginning of the game, players will likely struggle with basic enemies like foot soldiers and dogs. However, as they progress and face tougher enemies like samurai and beasts, they’ll gradually learn new combat techniques and strategies that will help them overcome those challenges.

This gradual learning curve also applies to boss fights, which are some of the most memorable and challenging in any video game. Bosses in Sekiro are often multi-phase battles, with different attacks and vulnerabilities in each phase. Players must quickly adapt to these changes and use everything they’ve learned up to that point to defeat the boss. While the difficulty of these fights can be frustrating, the feeling of finally overcoming a tough boss is incredibly satisfying.

Exploration and Discovery

While combat is the main focus of Sekiro, the game also features a sprawling world filled with secrets and hidden pathways to discover. The game’s levels are designed in a way that encourages exploration and rewards players for finding hidden paths and items.

In addition to secret paths, the game also features NPCs that players can speak to and learn more about the game’s story and world. These conversations can provide valuable hints and clues about how to progress, as well as insights into the game’s lore.

Conclusion

Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice is a masterclass in challenging combat and game design. From its unique posture mechanic to its gradually increasing difficulty curve, the game provides an intense and satisfying experience for players who are willing to put in the effort to master it. With its incredible boss fights and sprawling world, Sekiro is a must-play game for anyone who loves action-adventure games.