I have kind of a weird history with the Dark Souls series. On one hand I adore these games for being something different. There is something just so satisfying and rewarding about the gameplay. Not to mention the monsters From Software cooks up are second to none. That said, I only have the willpower to dip my toes into these games. They are just too intense for me. The closest I came to finishing one was Dark Souls 2. Now if we’re talking about Souls like games, I defeated Bloodborne thoroughly. The more action, offensive-oriented style spoke to me. It is the perfect evolution of the formula that started out with Demon’s Souls.

So, that being said, I was kind of hoping Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice would have the same sort of appeal to me. While I love the idea of bringing ninjas back into the video game space, it is also a daunting task. It is the hardest From Software game in my opinion, which I will dive into why later on. So the focus of this piece is to try and give new players advice that will help their journeys. That is the obvious part. The second part may serve as a warning. If you were like me and couldn’t get into the Dark Souls games, but loved Bloodborne and think this is going to be like that, well, it is and it isn’t. Even though I’ve decided continuing this game may not be for me, I adore it from a historic point of view if that makes 𒐪sense. Now let’s see where you fall.

25 One Weapon To Rule Them All

I'm not sure if this is a bad thing, or a good thing, but you only get one🌌 weapon in the game. You're bestowed the awesome power of Kusabimaru, your trusty katana. In some ways I like this because I don't have to worry about which weapon is better than the last, but it als✱o gives you less options to work with. This can be frustrating with some of the bosses that have long reaches with pole arms, making you wish you had some sort of lance too.

24 You Can Pause?

One of the biggest mechanics that have stayed with From Software's games since Demon's Souls is that the game is always on. That is to say, you can't pause to get your bearings adjusted. This is because 🤪of the online integration. Since there is no online component to this game, they finally lifted the ban and players can once again breath a sweet sigh of relief, because the game can be paused. You still can't use items from this menu, but it is a small start.

23 Small GB Space

I don't know about you, but my PS4 hard drive has been filling up fast these past couple weeks what with The Division 2, Devil May Cry 5, and not to mention keeping Anthem around and up to date. I assumed Sekiro would be huge too so I frantically tried to clear up some space only to uncover that t൩he game is only about 12GBs. That seems crazy for how big it is in scope, but here we are. I hope that helps someone out there.

22 Cool But Ugly

Ah yes, the trials and tribulations of From Software. Onꦑ one hand, you can always count on them for an experience unlike any other. On the other hand, you can also be assured there is going to be some jank. It's nowhere near as buggy as any of Bethesda's games at launch, but it does share some of that ugliness. At times it can look beautiful, like a modern PS4 title in 2019, and other times it can be a flashback to the mid-2000s.

21 Nauseating Camera

Camera placement and camera movement have never really affected me in video games. I kind of take pride in that fact. That is until I tried Resident Evil VII in VR. Whoa, what a festival of stoma🌊ch queasiness. Anyway, that said I was kind of stunned how nauseating the camera movement made me feel. I got used to it, and adjusting the sensitivity in the options helped, but I write this as a warning. If you too can get sensitive, buckle up.

20 Not Mission Based

From early info and trailers, I kind of thought Sekiro would be a spiritual successor to Tenchu since From Software had a hand in some of those games. They are mission-based, so I was curious if this would be too. That wouldn't be a bad thing if true, but Sekiro is still Metroidvanꦬia like in nature in that the entire world i♕s connected. Well, for the most part. There are some areas you have to warp to in order to get there.

19 You Can Talk!

One of the craziest revelations that hit me early on is that you can talk. If you have never played any of these Souls like games, one of the biggest tropes is that you can't talk. Another core feature is that the story is left to player interpretation. Tha🥀t is to say, they don't spoon-feed you. While there is still some mystery left on players to ponder𒁃, it is a lot more integral to the game than what I had predicted.

18 Deflect And Counter

Sekiro shares more in common with Bloodborne rather than Dark Souls. The reason being is that it is all about being offensive. That doesn't mean this is a Dynasty Warriors style of hack and slash. What I mean is Dark Souls can often feel more plotting in that combat was usually slower what with shield integration. In Sekiro, it's all about deflating attacks and countering, meaning ♓you have to have incredibly fast reflexes in order to master these mechanics.

17 Shadows Die Twice

The biggest reversal for this game, compared to its predecessors is how falling in bat🐲tle works. See, you are sworn to protect Kuro, a young noble and heir to a divine bloodline, who gets taken at the beginning of the game. Because you are his guardian, the power of said blood is bestowed upon you, meaning that when you fall, you can be revived right there 𒁃on the spot. The balance here is that you also get a lot less health up front.

16 Fullmetal Ninja

When Kuro is taken, your arm is sliced off as well. This leads you into your temple hub world where you meet the Sculptor who gives you a prosthetic arm. At first, this is used to swing around via a grappling hook. However, it is more than that. Throughout your journey, you will find ninja tools you can then bring back to the Sculptor (like an axe that can break through shields). You can equip three tools into your prosthetic at a time and switch between them on the fly. Unlike the grappling hook, these cost points to use, though♔.