Sekiro Was Preparing Us For Shadow Of The Erdtree This Entire Time

Summary

Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree is as much a spiritual successor to Dark Souls as is it Sekiro.
Every boss is lightning fast and demands precision and mastery unlike any other, something that harkens back to FromSoftware's 2019 Game of the Year winner.
It even borrows the Prayer Bead system and deflection mechanic, weaving together the past two games meticulously

After 168澳洲幸运5开奖﷽网:Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree&r𒐪squo;s relentless gauntlet of some of the toughest bosses we’ve ever faced in a FromSoftware game, I went back to the world of Sekiro. I must hate myself, because Sekiro is the only Soulsborne I&rsꦓquo;ve never c🧜licked with.

Being bottlenecked into using one weapon and a specific, tailored playstyle meant learning its combat was a narrow path with no room for experimenta☂tion. In past FromSoft outings, I could change my build and feel reinvigorated, able to go back to the fight after hours of crushing defeat with newfound momentum.

Five years later, I’m reintr𝕴oducing myself to Sekiro and I finally get it. Its deflection-driven swordplay is some of the most satisfying combat I’ve seen in an action game, and mastering that system is rewarding in a way no other FromSoftware game has managed to replicate. Even though I’m slamming my head against the impenetrable wall that is its final boss, after hours upon hours of stubborn determination, I can’t put it down because I want nothing more than to learn each pattern to perfection.

I wish I had come to terms with Sekiro before Shadow of the Erdtree, because so much of FromSoftware’s first Game of the Year winner paves the way for 168澳洲幸运5开奖网:its definitive expansion. Elden Ring and Sekiro were developed simultaneously, so there’s not much connective tissue between the two. In Elden Ring, you can feel the history of 168澳洲幸运5开奖网:Dark Souls, 168澳洲幸运5开奖网:Bloodborne, and 168澳洲幸运5开奖网:Demon’s Souls permeating throughout the entire adventure, but the only connection to Sekiro is t🧸he dedicated jump button.

Shadow of the Erdtree on the other hand weaves Elden Ring and Sekiro together beautifully. It has some of the fastest and most unforgiving bosses FromSoftware has developed, pulling you to the edge of your seat, just like in 2019. Rellana, Messmer, and Conso𒈔rt Radahn have far more in common with the likes of Owl, Isshin, and Lady Butterfly than the more soulslike bruisers commonly found in the base game.

🦂168澳洲幸运5开奖网:The Scadutree Fragment leveling system is almost identical to the Prayer Beads, pushing you to get stronger not by farming XP from enemies but by exploring and fightꦑing tooth and nail with some of the hardest optional boss fights. Many Soulsborne fans who went into the expansion hoping that they could power through with maxed-out gear and a high level were ou🌃traged to find that, like Sekiro, it simply wouldn’t work. Each fight punishes you for every single misstep, and so you must practice and truly engross yourself in each movement they make, learning their every tick.

Sekiro: Killing An Enemy Type With A Stealth Kill Animation

Sekiro and Shadow of the Erdtree want you to engage with each fight like it’s a meticulous dance routine, emphasizing patience and finesse, rather than brute force. To that end, there’s even a new Crystal Tear that you can add to your Flask of Wondrous Physick which 168澳洲幸运5开奖网:allows you to deflect - just like in Sekiro.

Dubbed the Deflecting Hardtear, it’s found very early on in your adventure across the realm of shadow and makes some of the most notorious bosses a lot easier. It’s clear that FromSoftware wanted us to approach this DLC like it was Sekiro, dodging and perfectly blocking each attack while carefully waiting for an opening, never being too g﷽reedy at the risk of being punished for our hubris.

Shadow of the Erdtree is a whistle-stop tour through the greatest hits in FromSoftware’s library, paying homage to every game that led us here. But nothin⭕g prepares you for it like a few days toughing it out in Sekiro, mastering its swordplay and the rhythm of its progression, the achievements you make with each step in the story are what embolden you, rather than the scraps of currency you hoard.

So many of us went in expecting another spiritual successor to Dark Souls,ꦇ but Shadow of the Erdtree is as much a continuation of Sekiro. Unlike Souls, simply pushing through the game isn’t enough to make it easier and to grow stronger, you have to truly master the systems in play.

That’s why I never clicked with Sekiro, because I went in with the mentality that if I just stuck with it and pushed through the most arduous fights, my character would inevitably grow stronger and make every﷽thing easier. But that’s not how Sekiro, nor Shadow of the Erdtree, works༺. You have to overcome those hurdles and master each individual fight, learning every single enemy’s unique patterns and weaknesses, or you’ll never make a dent.