With Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice now over two years old at this point fans are waiting for any news regarding Elden Ring, the next release from critically-acclaimed video game developer FromSoftware.
The game kept a lot of the design, feel, and mechanics that make their games special, but integrated them into a refreshing new world full of rich lore and a compelling narrative. Outside of the giant snakes and flaming demons the game also had plenty of regular enemies that challenged players in new and frustrating ways.
10 Exploration Is Rewarded
With Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice feeling both linear and open at times it doesn’t always clearly showcase that players who explore will be rewarded for said exploration. Between optional bosses and hidden loot, the game provides multiple avenues in which the player can feel as if their time spent off the beaten path was worth it. Those who are looking to run through the game once again should take the time to explore and look for hidden areas they weren’t aware they could reach with or without the grappling hook.
9 Hidden Passages Galore
FromSoftware’s games are often compared to classic Metroidvania titles due to the level design concepts they implement. Everything is interconnected and shortcuts are a reward players unlock for completing or overcoming challenges that stood in their path. Some are intentionally obvious and critical to game progression, but the game has another set of passages that are hidden. These passageways don’t always lead to rewards or previously explored areas and can sometimes be a trap in which Sekiro must fight for his life.
8 Hanbei Is The Game’s Tutorial
Hanbei the Undying doesn’t get the credit it deserves as a brilliantly creative way to implement a tutorial system into a game seamlessly. It doesn’t break the immersion of the game and blends in perfectly with the game’s narrative.
Most players see him as an easy way to practice striking down enemies, but the tutorials he provides go a long way in getting the player familiar with the combat intricacies that Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice has to offer. Players can also choose to end his suffering and finally put him to rest, something he yearns for.
7 Falling Has No Consequences
Fall damage is an interesting point of contention among both developers and gamers. Some games have it as a way to instill fear in the player and provide tangible consequences for poorly made decisions by the player. Other games feel it’s unnecessary and only adds an additional layer of unneeded annoyance to the player’s experience with the game. Players running through Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice may have never noticed it, but the game has literally no fall damage, and the player response instantaneously if they happen to fall into a pit of endless despair.
6 Status Effect Combinations
When The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild released in 2017 players were amazed to discover how physics systems worked with one another and resulted in neat status effects for both Link and his weapons. Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice is no different, as by simply waving Sekiro’s sword above fire it will set the weapon ablaze. In addition to dealing added burning damage to its regular display of physical damage to an enemy, it looks cool and will present itself nicely in any photo mode or screenshot shared on the internet or more specifically social media.
5 Stealth Leads To Information
Players who happen to grapple to rooftops in an attempt to land a falling critical strike on an unsuspecting enemy should wait for a second. By listening in to characters talking to one another there’s a good amount of lore that can be learned. It’s amazing what people will discuss when they think no one else is listening. Far too often people are focused on getting things done, but by being patient and leaning into the stealth elements of Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice players can fully dive into the world and its happenings.
4 Precise Hitboxes
Veterans of FromSoftware’s game catalog understand the level of polish and detail the studio puts into their combat. It’s the core reason alongside the environmental story-telling as to why their games exploded in popularity. Any game can be difficult, but few have the level of polish in their systems and hitboxes as FromSoftware does.
Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice displays this in full effect as the hitboxes are incredibly precise and lend themselves to the combat feeling fluid, authentic, and lend to the overall immersion of the experience.
3 The Great Colored Carp
Most players may come across the Great Colored Carp in the Fountainhead Palace and simply think it’s a cool animal in a video game. There’s actually an intricate side quest that results in a trophy/achievement that players can do with the giant fish. It starts with the player feeding the fish in Fountainhead Palace and ends with the player finding the fish’s dead body in the same arena where they fought and defeated the Guardian Ape. Players can then gather an item called the Great White Whisker from its body.
2 Choice-Driven Narrative
Not only did FromSoftware commit to making a more easily digestible narrative with Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice, they wanted the choice-driven narrative to be a little bit more forward-facing. Both the Dark Souls trilogy and Bloodborne are known for having multiple endings, but player choice and how it leads to an ending are clearer in Sekiro than its counterparts. If playing the game again just to see a different ending seems like too much of a commitment, thankfully there are plenty of Youtube videos showcasing how differently things can play out.
1 The Demon Of Hatred
Since the Demon of Hatred is an optional boss in the game and is arguably the game’s toughest boss outside of its final boss, encounter, the revelation surrounding the cursed beast is likely unknown by most people who played the game. The boss is actually the manifestation of all of the hatred internalized by the Sculptor. Yes, the very same man who eases Sekiro into his new purpose. Upon defeating the boss players will hear the voice of the Sculptor thanking Sekiro for putting an end to his hate-filled rampage.
NEXT: Sekiro Shadows Die Twice: Must Know Things For New Players
