Sekiro™: Shadows Die Twice - GOTY Edition

your experience with Sekiro will go like this : - Install the game - Die Again and Again - Get frustrated and Angry - Uninstall. - Reinstall later, thinking “maybe this time…will be different”

[h1]Sekiro: A category of its own[/h1] When I first started this game, I really wasn't feeling it. Having played many other games with heavy parry mechanics, I just didn't understand why every enemy kept blocking my attacks, and waiting to parry every enemy for counterattacks felt very tedious. It also didn't help that just about every section of the map was packed with enemies that would swarm me as soon as one got alerted to my presence. I didn't find the game "hard" per se; I beat every one of the early bosses I encountered on the first try, but I found the overall gameplay very tedious. I was about to call it quits, until I beat a certain [spoiler]Genichiro[/spoiler] boss, that I finally understood the game and its core combat mechanic: posture. See, what got me confused is that Sekiro kept getting described as a "parry game". And while parrying is somewhat of an important mechanic in this game, Sekiro should be more accurately described as an "aggression game". This is because that unlike other parry focused games out there, Sekiro isn't really about the patient dance of parrying and counterattacking. Really, it's more about hacking away at enemies and consistently applying pressure due to the posture mechanic. Because guess what, it doesn't matter if your enemies block your attacks; your goal for 95% of encounters is to overwhelm your enemies with enough attacks to allow you to land that insta-kill deathblow. And it is AMAZING how much you can get away with by simply tapping the attack button. Oh no, you opponent is about to hit you with an unblockable attack? Well, just thwack them in the face with your sword and they get interrupted (disclaimer: does not work every time). It was pretty funny realising that instead of waiting for enemies to attack, I could simply continuously attack, parry counterattacks every 2-3 hits, and then just keep repeating the same process. Also, dodging was often times a lot more efficient than parrying, because several bosses would straight up not finish their combo if you dodged to get behind them. This is most obvious with the much hated [spoiler]Demon of Hatred[/spoiler] boss, which is trivialised by merely getting behind him, and jumping every now and then. The second most important thing that I learned the hard way, was just how much [b]stealth[/b] is important in this game. Sekiro absolutely SUCKS at dealing with more than one enemy at a time; it doesn't even matter what sort of grunt you're dealing with- face more than one enemy at a time and you end up dying very quickly. So once I actually started playing like a ninja- crouching and luring away enemies for backstabs, exploring the world became a lot more tolerable and even enjoyable. [h1]TL;DR[/h1] Can take awhile to get used to, but once the posture mechanic "clicks", along with adopting a stealth approach to exploration, Sekiro can become a very satisfying experience. [b]9/10[/b] ([i]-1 for the camera boss[/i])

After 100 hours of playing this game, I think it's time to say goodbye to it for a while. Even though I had some pretty bad moments with this game, there were also some really legendary moments. I can't say I regret playing this game, I loved every moment I spent playing it. To be honest, it's a special game for me, one of the few games that really impressed me. The story is human. Any ending you complete, it feels like it's the one that should really happen, whether it's the worst or the best, it humanizes the aspect of the game in some way, and you somehow find yourself in their story, at least that's how it was for me. I feel like Dark Souls, although it was an extraordinary franchise, couldn't compare to this game, for me Sekiro embodies the peak of From Software games, not only as a mechanism, but also as a story and conclusion overall. Should there be a sequel? It would be great, but they should finish the story completely in the next game, and they should think of such a story, so well structured, that it would not be said that "We didn't need that" and that it would ruin everything that the first game was. 2/4 endings to this game draw a conclusion to the story, and the other 2 could be a potential next game, if the developers chose to follow the narrative thread of those 2, or one of them. This game is the only one I've played and know that forces you to learn it, in such a way that you don't run away from enemies, or avoid them, the only way is to confront them. In any case, it was an unforgettable experience, with things that, if interpreted more deeply, can also help you in real life.

Hesitation is defeat. This really encapsulates this game's whole theme: you must trust yourself, persevere through the many challenges, and the game will reward you with a unique type of satisfaction. There is so much gold hidden in this game, if only you will climb the mountain to reach it.

This game is my first title from FromSoft that I properly played through to the end. It was a very enjoyable experience, and the core gameplay loop of breaking the enemies' posture was unique and engaging. Some enemies gave me a lot of struggle at first, such as the Guardian Ape due to not really being able to break their posture as easily, and mostly just whittling down their health, but overall I think I got through the game without too much difficulty. Was a very fun experience, and I enjoyed it much more than what I've experienced so far when playing Elden Ring.

My sole complaint is that this game can be grindy at times, and bosses dont give you that much exp, so getting more skill points/upgrade mats can be somewhat tedious. There are no other complaints. It is near perfect besides.

Sekiro is in my opinion the best Fromsoft game. Please, give this game a chance. You will not regret it. Let's start with combat. This game has the best and most satisfying combat of any game I have ever played, yet it is very very challenging. Once you master it and start perfectly parrying every boss attack, you just feel like a God (Godess). I really love how intuitive and reactive it is. In this game, you only got 1 weapon, which is a major shift from other Fromsoft games such as Elden Ring and Dark Souls. I prefer this, since the bossfights are much more about skill rather than finding the most op build (You can of course abuse weapon arts such as Mortal Blade and Prosthetic tools for some bosses if you prefer the game to be easier). I personally played all Souls games and Elden Ring and bosses took me like 2 attempts on average. In Sekiro, some bosses even took me over 30 tries (Saint Sword Isshin, Father Owl at Hirata Estate). The Japanese setting is awesome. Locations are well desighned and moving between certain parts of them with grappling hook also feels really really good. Bosses are also very well made, from giant monkey to shinobi master I enjoyed all of them. My favorite has to be Saint Sword Isshin, he took me very long to learn, but on my NG+1 playthrough I 1st tried him and on NG+2 I no-hit him, which made me feel really awesome <3. This game has 4 endings, all of them are fairly easy to get and all of them offer an unique experience. From achievement huntresses perspective, achievements in this game are also very easy, just play the game as intended and go for all endings and you will probably unlock all of them. Only a bit grindy achievement is to get every skill, but I was easily able to farm them in about 3 hours combined on NG+4. Once again, please give this game a shot. Easiest 10/10 of my life, without a doubt in my head.

Reviewing (mostly) every game (or DLC) in my library, part 204: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️☆☆☆ (7/10) [i]Sekiro[/i] is one of those games I respect more than I enjoy. It's beautifully crafted, deeply original, and fiercely committed to its own identity. But at the same time, it’s punishingly rigid and often feels like it's testing your reflexes and muscle memory more than your strategy or creativity. Coming from [i]Dark Souls,[/i] I expected a challenge, but this was a whole different beast. It's also a game that draws a hard line in the sand. If you’re not ready to master parrying under pressure, you’re out. For some, that’s exhilarating. For others, myself included—it’s exhausting. Fun? Sometimes. Impressive? Absolutely. But built for me? Sadly, no. ⚔️ [b]Pros:[/b] [list] [*] Gorgeous setting and art direction. The world of Ashina is breathtaking. Snowy mountains, abandoned temples, and burning castles, all brought to life with FromSoftware’s signature visual flair. The game’s color palette, lighting, and environmental storytelling are top-notch. It feels like a proper myth come to life. [*] A refreshing take on the Souls formula. [i]Sekiro[/i] isn't just [i]Dark Souls[/i] with a katana. It's faster, more vertical, and more aggressive. Stealth, grappling hooks, and parrying-based combat give the game a distinct flavor. It’s a bold reinvention rather than a remix. [*] You can replay bosses at any time. A great feature added in the GOTY edition: you can relive boss fights via the Sculptor’s Idol. Perfect for practice, re-experiencing your favorite battles, or testing how far you’ve come. [*] Tight, focused story with a defined protagonist. You play as Wolf—a shinobi on a mission—not a blank slate. It gives the game stronger narrative clarity than most Souls titles. The world still has FromSoftware’s signature cryptic lore, but there’s more emotional grounding here, especially with the Father/Kuro arc. [*] Combat feels incredible—if you can master it. When you get it, the swordplay is some of the most exhilarating in gaming. Trading parries, breaking posture, and finishing enemies with a clean deathblow is stylish and satisfying. [/list] 🥷 [b]Cons:[/b] [list] [*] Absolutely not for everyone. This is one of the most demanding action games out there. If parrying doesn’t come naturally to you (it definitely doesn’t for me), you're in for a frustrating time. There’s little room to brute force your way through, and the margin for error is razor-thin. It’s relentless. [*] Minimal build variety. In [i]Dark Souls,[/i] you can spec for magic, shields, tank armor, or speed. In [i]Sekiro,[/i] it’s parry or perish. There's no real RPG flexibility—you either learn the timing, or you hit a wall. For players used to adapting builds, this can feel creatively suffocating. [*] Bosses can be real gatekeepers. Mister Ape Boss (a.k.a. Guardian Ape) broke me. And I know I’m not alone. Some bosses feel like pure reaction tests, and if you haven’t internalized the parry system, it’s just going to be pain. [*] Punishes experimentation. Unlike other FromSoft titles, [i]Sekiro[/i] rarely rewards trying weird things or improvising. Many bosses have one right way to beat them, and until you do it that way, the game keeps slapping your fingers. That kind of inflexibility kills the fun for players who love experimenting. [*] Very little breathing room. Between tight combat and sparse checkpoints, [i]Sekiro[/i] can feel suffocating. There's stealth and exploration, sure—but the pressure never really lets up. [*] The fanbase doesn’t help. Let’s be real: [i]Sekiro fans [/i]can be... intense. While plenty are supportive and chill, there’s a loud corner of the community that treats frustration with this game as a personal failing. They’ll say stuff like, “Just learn to parry, it’s not that hard,” or “You’re not supposed to brute force it, that’s the point,” which might be true—but also deeply unhelpful when you're 30 deaths deep and barely learning phase one. [/list]

Mestermű. optimalizáltság nem az erőssége de a játékmenet és a hangulat kárpótol mindenért.

This game has runbacks that are far too long for how quickly a boss can burst you down. This is a skill issue, however the game seems to punish you for trying to learn and overcome that skill issue.

10/10 loved the story,mechanics,combat Every single boss fight in this game is fun. Not spoiling too much but the final boss fight is like icing on the cake for this game, it has everything the game teaches you throughout and FORCES you to use and YOU WILL DIE until you learn. and yea you will die WAYYY more than "TWICE"

beaten this game so many times. one of my favorites. satisfying in every aspect of a video game. go for it please

This. Game. Is. Too. Hard. No, seriously. I grinded the last Boss like about 70 - 80 tries, the 3rd-to-last was about 100 tries. I don't know exactly, so this is only an estimation. At some time, it simply stops being fun and you are reminded of Battletoads in Battlemaniacs. It feels like pure sadism. I cried when I beat the final boss. Maybe I'll never play ths again. Apart from this, it's great.

Sekiro has the most rewarding and satisfying combat I've played in the souls-like genre. It's definitely the hardest souls-like, just because you can't use summons, cheese or tank your way through a bossfight like in ds, its pure skill. overall great game

First ever From Software game. The visuals are absolutely stunning, progression is challenging but manageable, and the gratification of being a boss after throwing yourself against a wall for 20 minutes straight to learn the move sets is unmatched.

You don’t play Sekiro. You survive it. My controller now has PTSD. I see the red kanji symbol in my dreams. I hear “SHINOBI!” every time I try to relax. 10/10. I press L1 like it's my religion.

most fun combat system OAT, very unique, beautiful aesthetic. 8/10

One of the most funniest Souls games ever made. Some say it's hard but I found it to be easy when I played it. Maybe Patience and Parrying is just my style?

[h1]The Song within the Blade[/h1] Sekiro was in my backlog for so long, and I was honestly scared to start it because of its reputation for difficulty. I’m not a Souls player — just a casual gamer who plays a bit of everything — but wow, this experience did not disappoint. It challenged me, pushed me, but never felt unfair. By the end, I wasn’t just surviving; I was flowing like a god with a sword. To walk through Sekiro is to step into the beauty and mysticism of Feudal Japan and esoteric Buddhism. The landscapes are poems — haunting waterfalls, serene temples, crumbling castles — each echoing the decay and divinity of the land. From the quiet beasts to the somber humans, everything feels like it belongs, part of a myth slowly unraveling. It’s not just a game world — it’s a spiritual ruin, and an honor to traverse. I like seeing all the main endings when I connect with a story, and here, that means replaying the whole game due to the route-locking system. Missing a specific boss fight I’d looked forward to hurt a little. But despite that, the combat is something truly special. It’s not just swordplay — it’s a rhythm game in disguise. Every boss has their own tempo, and the only way to win is to drown them out with your own. Once it clicked, it felt like I was playing music with my blade. Sincerely the most finely-tuned combat I’ve ever experienced.

The Best FromSoftware game for those who prefer a more linear, less grindy game.

The second souls like game that I've played, and coming from Elden Ring I can tell you that it is a completely different experience. Before diving in, I googled a bit to see what others think of it and most people said it is the hardest FromSoft game, so yeah, I was a bit worried, and yeah at first I got completely destroyed. Trying to play it like Elden Ring (aka dodge everything, no deflecting) just doesn't work. Being stuck on the first mini boss for like half an hour sure was something. I will be honest, some of the bosses really frustrated me quite a lot more than in Elden Ring, but that is because I tried to brute force the boss with dodges instead of deflections. Eventually, it all clicked. I'm not going to spoil the game but I will say that the final boss is the best boss that I've ever fought. It was hard, and I was dying so much but it was also so enjoyable. Took me about ~5 hours to beat, which is like 1/7 of my entire playthrough haha. Overall, looking back, amazing game and experience.

Fuck me, fuck this and fuck you especially. If i want an ass beating i'll go to my mom and get if for free.

---{ Graphics }--- ☐ You forget what reality is ☑ Beautiful ☐ Good ☐ Decent ☐ Bad ☐ Don‘t look too long at it ☐ MS-DOS ---{ Gameplay }--- ☑ Very good ☐ Good ☐ It's just gameplay ☐ Mehh ☐ Watch paint dry instead ☐ Just don't ---{ Audio }--- ☐ Eargasm ☑ Very good ☐ Good ☐ Not too bad ☐ Bad ☐ I'm now deaf ---{ Audience }--- ☐ Kids ☑ Teens ☑ Adults ☐ Grandma ---{ PC Requirements }--- ☐ Check if you can run paint ☐ Potato ☐ Decent ☑ Fast ☐ Rich boi ☐ Ask NASA if they have a spare computer ---{ Game Size }--- ☐ Floppy Disk ☐ Old Fashioned ☐ Workable ☑ Big ☐ Will eat 15% of your 1TB hard drive ☐ You will want an entire hard drive to hold it ☐ You will need to invest in a black hole to hold all the data ---{ Difficulty }--- ☐ Just press 'W' ☐ Easy ☐ Easy to learn / Hard to master ☐ Significant brain usage ☐ Difficult ☑ Dark Souls ---{ Grind }--- ☐ Nothing to grind ☐ Only if u care about leaderboards/ranks ☑ Isn't necessary to progress ☐ Average grind level ☐ Too much grind ☐ You'll need a second life for grinding ---{ Story }--- ☐ No Story ☐ Some lore ☐ Average ☐ Good ☑ Lovely ☐ It'll replace your life ---{ Game Time }--- ☐ Long enough for a cup of coffee ☐ Short ☑ Average ☐ Long ☐ To infinity and beyond ---{ Price }--- ☐ It's free! ☑ Worth the price ☐ If it's on sale ☐ If u have some spare money left ☐ Not recommended ☐ You could also just burn your money ---{ Bugs }--- ☑ Never heard of ☐ Minor bugs ☐ Can get annoying ☐ ARK: Survival Evolved ☐ The game itself is a big terrarium for bugs ---{ ? / 10 }--- ☐ 1 ☐ 2 ☐ 3 ☐ 4 ☐ 5 ☐ 6 ☐ 7 ☐ 8 ☐ 9 ☑ 10

forgot didnt review this masterpiece. Miyazaki cooked up like gordon ramsa. favorite fromsoft game for me .

its probably a skill issue on my part but i just dont enjoy the combat and fights, in other souls games, they allow the player to be aggressive, it was more engaging. While in this game, you need to play defensive more than offense, certain bosses just go against what youve practiced, and overall it just feels to annoying to do tedious fights that are ten minutes each, mostly of defending, just to lose and do another attempt.

One of my favorite games of all time with the best fighting system ever created. Highly recommend!

killed my dad, an old man and his grandkid, and a 12 year old, great game

I enjoyed the game so much that I'm afraid I wont be able feel the same way for other games. 10/10 Fuck the fire bull

Sekiro is a very difficult game. Once you get the hang of it its not so bad. It's one of my favorite games. if you like a challenge go for it. Its well worth your while. It's souls like, excellent combat, has a great story and of course challenging.

тах-тух қылыштасасың, базар жоқ. Мен үшін Миядзакидің ең үздік туындысы

This game is a truest form of a masterpiece from the amazing combat system to the amount of immersion that this game's world grasps you by the neck from, you will feel immersed. But i'm not gonna lie, if you're looking for a Sengoku era game where it's full of samurai and you get to play a katana wielding badass who slays all of your enemies and also sneak around slicing down the guards who stand in your way, you're gonna hate every decision you made thus far when choosing this game because this game will challenge you every step of the way there and since it's a fromsoftware game they had to make a shinobi game with virtually no stealth, but like any fromsoftware game if you arise to the challenge and face every enemy and power through it all you'll find yourself enjoying a true masterpiece with such a rich world that pulls you in from the great music to the enemies to the amazingly designed boss fights and after like hour 5 you'll really be pulled in.

This might be the best game on the FromSoftware catallogue and that enough tells you this game is a must play

Finished the main story after 44 hours because I was trying to clear every section of the game but I unknowingly ended up with the most anti-climatic ending. If it is your first time playing, I recommend BREAKING THE CODE!!! You'll get it when you are there. This game excels at one thing and is unlike any in other games, COMBAT!!! The combat was so satisfying that it literally improves you as a player! Well worthy of being a GOTY! Combat alone made this game a must play for everyone!!! 100/10

Back when the game initially released I tried to play this game but I couldn't really get into it, I was dark souls pilled and couldn't grasp my head around the whole parrying mechanic being so vital. 6 years later, revisiting this game deciding to finally give it a chance: I've cleared thru probably about 80% of the game so far writing this. Even if you're not good at parrying, 100% give this game a try. It does take a bit getting used to the combat but when you do its a very enjoyable time.

Hell Yes! I think its one of my fav Fromsoft games, and its my first fromsoft game I have played!!!

Favorite souls-like game...really enjoyed learning and mastering the combat

very fun but very challenging also stands well against other souls games (havent beat the game but ill return when i do)

it did not dissapoint, the game is extremely difficult and it forces you to get good in order to go forward, it is beautiful and eventhough i just started my adventire y can confidently say this is a master piece once again from my favourite developer"FROMSOFTWARE"

I NEED MORE THIS GAME HAS LEFT A SEKIRO SHAPED HOLE IN MY HEART THAT NOTHING ELSE CAN FILL ALSO DO NOT LISTEN TO THE HATERS THIS GAME IS COMPLETELY PLAYABLE WITH KBM, JUST A LITTLE HARDER

Finally, after all these hours as playing as shadow, I finally met sekiro who died twice. Truly a masterpiece.

Sekiro's combat is incredibly sharp and rewarding. Every clash feels meaningful, and mastering parries is addicting. Most bosses were tough but fair, except for one angry fire demon.

Amazing game, had one of the best fighting mechanics OAT.

It took me half a day to beat that goddamn Isshin and I'm so happy I did it by myself. This game is hand down the hardest Soul-like game I've ever play. Not recommend for casual gamer or new to this genre at all.

Breath of fresh air after Elden Ring. Polished combat, engaging story, thought-through world that is fun to explore. This is peak FromSoft design.

If you liked games like Tenchu, this is a very fun spiritual successor. If you liked Dark Souls, this will make you a parry god in those games. Truly great game, regardless. Not without its flaws... there are many, sometimes glaring. I would not buy this at full price since they don't update anything, but on sale it is definitely worth it.

The brilliant eastern culture game u should play if u'r interested of that culture.

This is the only Fromsoft game to truly break me. BUT IT BROKE ME DOWN! and it molded me. MOLDED ME INTO NINJA! then I kill every boss... everyone... everything... Good game would get monkey'd again.

This game is the holy grail of fighting games, it really makes you understand combat only through death, and you can litterly use this game as something to teach you patience, thats why i love it. I recommend this game to people that are up for a challenge, both in game physically, and in real life mentaly.

the majority of my time spent on this game was on isshin, every other boss was like 4-5 times at most

This game has very good combat and it's super easy to play but I just suck