Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice evokes a particular kind of hype in me. As a long time fan of From Software, and an unapologetic fanboy of the Soulsborne games, I feel it. Deep within my soul, I just want a game to beat the hell out of me. Sekiro looks like it will do the job quite nicely. Feast your eyes on the beauty that is the new launch trailer.
That’s a lot of monsters. And stabbing. And both those things in various exciting combinations. While Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice is a departure from the setting of Dark Souls or Bloodborne, the same spirit seems to possess it. Punishing gameplay remains, but there is a new focus on agility, and using stealth to set up your encounters.
The One-armed Wolf
In Sekiro, you play as the One-armed Wolf, a warrior who lost his arm in battle. Chosen by strange forces to be able to avoid death’s eternal grasp, you are on a mission to save your master from monsters. It is that missing arm that really interests me. The Wolf’s lost arm has been replaced by a facsimile, built from wood, bone, and metal. It can be an axe, or throw daggers, or shoot fire. You can even use it as a grapple, to rapidly traverse terrain.
Combat is also different from what you are used to from From Software. Fighting in Sekiro is rooted in rapidly attacking, and deflecting, your enemy, seeking to break down their guard until you can deliver a killing blow. There are also no other weapons in the game; your sword will always be your sword. This has helped From Software to focus on the tiny details of their combat system. Without the need to worry about different weapon types, or builds, they could focus on how all encounters in the game felt with one character. Hopefully, the game is all the better for it.
Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice will be available on PC, PS4 and Xbox One on March 22.