FromSoftware games are usually known for their brutal difficulty that levels up the player through experience, knowledge, and learning how to overcome the mechanics present in each fight. While Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice may be stepping away from the gameplay loop espoused by the Soulsborne games (fight, die, return to corpse), it will still challenge players to learn complicated combat. You’ll be dying a lot more than twice when it comes to mastering this game and getting through even the simplest of fights.
Sekiro is a surprising new property to come from developer FromSoftware partnering with Activision for publishing. That teaser image we got last year wasn’t actually Bloodborne 2, as many thought. It was a close up of the Shinobi prosthetic, the multi-tool our hero has in place of his missing arm. Set in late 1500s Japan–or at least a world inspired by that time period–Sekiro is a brutal and dark game set against the soft beauty of old Japan. The titular lead character is a ninja who has been defeated, lost his arm, and is searching for his kidnapped master, known only as “The Young Lord” at this time. This mysterious quest puts Sekiro on a collision course with an evil force called the Rival. Sekiro’s goal is simply to save the Young Lord and get revenge for his missing arm. Missing an arm isn’t all as bad as it sounds, however, as the Shinobi prosthetic is full of useful tricks and tools to help him move forward.

One o...