Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice Review

Combat: The Deflect System

Sekiro's combat is the most mechanically pure in the action genre. Every enemy attack must be read and responded to with one of four options: Deflect, Dodge, Jump, or Mikiri Counter. Deflecting fills the enemy's Posture bar while preserving your own; consistent deflecting is almost always the correct answer. The Mikiri Counter — triggered by pressing down and attacking when an enemy thrusts — is one of the most satisfying moves in gaming when executed correctly. Jumping attacks punish sweep attacks that cannot be deflected.

Boss fights are where Sekiro reaches its peak. Genichiro Ashina teaches deflect fundamentals, Lady Butterfly teaches patience and prosthetic use, Guardian Ape teaches adaptability, and the final bosses demand complete mastery of everything. Each boss has distinct attack chains, tells, and counters. Learning them over dozens of attempts and then executing a clean kill is as satisfying as gaming gets. There are no crutches here — Sekiro forces mastery.

Gameplay and Progression

Wolf moves with shinobi precision. The grappling hook lets you traverse rooftops, tree branches, and cliff faces with a satisfying snap. Stealth lets you reduce enemy counts before fights begin — backstab deathblows eliminate many enemies instantly and can even prime bosses for a quicker kill. The prosthetic tool arm offers situational tools: the Shuriken interrupts flying enemies and Genichiro's lightning attacks; the Umbrella blocks Mist Raven elites; the Spear tears away armored scales.

Progression comes from Skill Points (earned from combat) spent in three trees, and from Prayer Beads and Memory items dropped by bosses. Four Prayer Beads increase your Vitality and Posture; boss Memories increase your Attack Power. There's no level grinding — the game wants you to get better, not stronger.

Story and World

Sekiro's story is FromSoftware's most linear and accessible — told through cutscenes, NPC dialogue, and item lore. Wolf's relationship with Kuro is touching; the Immortality Severance ending feels earned. The world's geography is intricate: Ashina Castle connects to the Serpent-haunted Sunken Valley, which leads to the mountain Senpou Temple, whose monks seek divine dragon blood. Environmental storytelling is excellent throughout.

Graphics and Performance

Sekiro is FromSoftware's most visually striking game — Ashina Castle at sunset, the snow-covered peaks of Fountainhead Palace, and the eerie glow of the Mibu Village are all gorgeous. The PC version supports 60fps and beyond, and runs extremely well on modest hardware. Console versions target 30fps and hold it well.

Verdict

Sekiro is a singular achievement. It demands everything from the player and gives back proportionally. Its combat is the best in the action genre. If you're willing to learn it, there's nothing else like it.

Pros & Cons