Sekiro

[Jinsai]

So, I’m not too far in but I’m loving it. I love the new ideas and the pacing of the combat. I was worried that the setting and feel would remind me too much of Nioh (which isn’t a terrible thing) but thankfully this has its own thing fully realized, and it’s beautiful. I feel genuinely lucky to be diving into this without expectations. It feels instantly classic

[Kodiak33]

Yeah everything about it is top class. It is definitely a "souls game" though because of the reused assets. Combat is different, and it's taking me awhile to get used to it. It's going to be very very hard to surpass Bloodborne because I loved the asthetic and the gothic-horror, but I'm happy so far.

This video helped me a ton with the combat...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0slDH-jK2LI

[Space Suicide]

I only managed to play till the boss you get your hand scriptedly cut off by last night before I had to go to bed. It’s so smooth and I actually managed to reach the gate boss before the bridge without a single hit to me. The combat changes and the deathblow system is pretty cool. I can’t wait to play more of it this weekend! I barely even played but am loving it already.

[Kodiak33]

I'm stuck on the shinobi hunter...

[Space Suicide]

LOL I'm sucking now. I'm at the Chained Orge mini boss now. Gonna power through him sometime. :p

[Piko]

About a couple hours into it. I'm so trash at these games. Everyone's sick. Might restart.

[thelastdisciple]

This game looks really cool, at first i thought it was something else i was waiting for but that was called Ghost of Tsushima and i think the combat in that one prob won't have the depth or learning curve that this one sounds like it has? anyways it looks badass!

[Space Suicide]

About a couple hours into it. I'm so trash at these games. Everyone's sick. Might restart.

The old woman with the bell at the Ashina Outskirts and the Sculptor have Dragonrot on my game. However I took a sample from the woman and they both can be cured. However I learned if I get hit enough and die I'm just gonna choose to die die to prevent this from happening as often. I decided after the Chained Ogre to only resurrect during mini-boss and named boss conflicts. Trash mob enemies aren't worth resurrecting for aside from being close to a new shrine after a long trek in my opinion.

Also, on that topic I made that Ogre my bitch after I got the flame vent prosthetic attachment. Onwards!

[Kodiak33]

Nice. I finally beat the Shinobi hunter. One skill that's super helpful is the 15% health gain on deathblow.

[Wretchedest]

I find the finnickiness and opacity of the stealth and combat so much more frustrating than any souls games. I'm still trying to see if I can come to really like it but right now it's just unpleasant. I'm on Jozou, he's my first boss, I don't think I've seen the ogre yet

[Piko]

The old woman with the bell at the Ashina Outskirts and the Sculptor have Dragonrot on my game. However I took a sample from the woman and they both can be cured. However I learned if I get hit enough and die I'm just gonna choose to die die to prevent this from happening as often. I decided after the Chained Ogre to only resurrect during mini-boss and named boss conflicts. Trash mob enemies aren't worth resurrecting for aside from being close to a new shrine after a long trek in my opinion.

Also, on that topic I made that Ogre my bitch after I got the flame vent prosthetic attachment. Onwards!So it's just resurrect that affects rot?

[Space Suicide]

So it's just resurrect that affects rot?

Yes. Don't abuse it, I learned that sometimes I should just let it go if I failed or got cheap shotted. This Dragonrot crap is the safe check for the resurrection system not being abused I guess. You can buy the cure in stores after you do the quest for the cure initially but it has a finite in stock number (similar to Humanity in the Dark Souls series).

[Jinsai]

Yeah... I'm going to restart due to the whole dragon rot thing...

This is one hard, unforgiving game.

[Piko]

Yeah, I'm starting over too. I screwed up with the rot cure. Used it on myself..

[Space Suicide]

I find the finnickiness and opacity of the stealth and combat so much more frustrating than any souls games. I'm still trying to see if I can come to really like it but right now it's just unpleasant. I'm on Jozou, he's my first boss, I don't think I've seen the ogre yet

Its like the first Dark Souls where you can go where ever whenever. No set path really. I’ve ping ponged between Hiarata Estate (memory) and Ashina Outskirts.

[Haysey_Draws]

So i've had a good 15 hours in this...it is GREAT, BUT i have a feeling i might not ever finish it, not fully anyway.

The battle system is fantasic, as is the stealth, and i find myself stealthing my way round most of the areas...but this is screwing me on bosses as most you can't stealth (some you can to take an easy health bar from them but still need to fight the other bar) but the meat of the game is the parry...and i fucking suck at it! Getting the timing is so precise on bosses it's just hell for me to get right (the spare guy at the beginning area you revisit, wolverine and the guy you chopped off your arm when you re-fight have me utterly stuck!)
The great thing with Souls and Bloodborne was if you weren't good with the parry you didn't need to use them, you could make a build to play to your strength...you can't in this, you HAVE to get good with the parry...and i'm really struggling! I do love the game, but i might end up getting to a point where i physically can't proceed, and i've seen some of the latter bosses :eek:

Also i'm worried about re-playability, the Souls games had great replay value with all the different weapons, but i don't know if this will have that? I'm certainly not feeling like i want to replay it right now (some of these bosses i never want to see again lol) Still a nice change of pace from the other souls games, and something different.

[Jinsai]

Holy shit this game is harrrrrrd

[Kodiak33]

Where are you guys at? I'm at Lady Butterfly and the snake/sliff area

[Haysey_Draws]

Where are you guys at? I'm at Lady Butterfly and the snake/sliff area

...i'm nowhere near that! I'm stuck at the first major boss (the first guy with 3 health bars!)

[Kodiak33]

...i'm nowhere near that! I'm stuck at the first major boss (the first guy with 3 health bars!)

Corrupted Monk?

[Haysey_Draws]

Corrupted Monk?

...er Genichiro, Way of Tomoe. I can just about get through the first 2 phases and then he gets out his lightning phase and i'm just...fucked

[Kodiak33]

I think that's pretty far along...

[Haysey_Draws]

Really? It's the first time you face him for real (not the time at the beginning of the game)...have i gone down a harder route too early?!

[Kodiak33]

I'm pretty sure yes. I have not seen that dude yet lol

I've been reading some to help me along, and I haven't seen that dude as in the beginning besides the VERY beginning like you had said. Maybe I'm wrong...

[Haysey_Draws]

Well...OK, i wonder what area i missed? I don't think i have the key to fight lady butterfly yet, OK i have gone WAAAAAY to far ahead somehow :eek:

[Kodiak33]

Well...OK, i wonder what area i missed? I don't think i have the key to fight lady butterfly yet, OK i have gone WAAAAAY to far ahead somehow :eek:

After reading, you are on the right track I think...and I progressed in the harder direction. You get the key in Hirada Estates. Do you remember the first burning area there? After the bridge? There is a character there on the right side that gives the key to you...your "father".

[Haysey_Draws]

After reading, you are on the right track I think...and I progressed in the harder direction. You get the key in Hirada Estates. Do you remember the first burning area there? After the bridge? There is a character there on the right side that gives the key to you...your "father".

...oh fuck me, i just looked into a quick walkthough, i somehow managed to find a skip that avoids that whole area and got me right to the end of the hirada estates. Basically at the bridge i saw a hut on the left side on the other side of the cliff, tried to jump it...missed and panicked hooked through some back end where i was at the shrine before where the big dude with the curved sword was. After i beat him and i couldn't open the door i continued through the whole monk area, past the guy on horseback and the bull and continued up the roof tops to where i'm currently stuck!...there are powerups and health bonuses i have completely missed! No wonder i'm stuck!

[Jinsai]

...i'm nowhere near that! I'm stuck at the first major boss (the first guy with 3 health bars!)

Wait... so you're saying I haven't even made it to the first boss yet?

Dude...

[Haysey_Draws]

Wait... so you're saying I haven't even made it to the first boss yet?

Dude...

OK not really. Having spoken on here and doing some digging it looks like i've skipped at least 1 major boss lady butterfly so there's a reason i'm having such a massive problem lol. And i only say first major boss as it;s the first boss (i've fought) that i've had a real problem with (mini bosses aside)

There's a very real chance you've fought some actual bosses i haven't yet!

[Kodiak33]

Wait... so you're saying I haven't even made it to the first boss yet?

Dude...

Where are you at?

[Jinsai]

Where are you at?

I've beaten Juzou the Drunk and the Caged Ogre, and I guess I'm about to head on over to say hello to this butterfly person.

I've read online that some of those minor bosses I've beaten can be taken down easier w/ stealth pinging before engaging, but I did it in the straight forward way... and oh my god, I never thought I'd be on the verge of rage quitting this game this early.

[Kodiak33]

I've beaten Juzou the Drunk and the Caged Ogre, and I guess I'm about to head on over to say hello to this butterfly person.

I've read online that some of those minor bosses I've beaten can be taken down easier w/ stealth pinging before engaging, but I did it in the straight forward way... and oh my god, I never thought I'd be on the verge of rage quitting this game this early.

Some of them yeah. Not sure about the Ogre but the other you mentioned for sure.

[Kodiak33]

There's a way to cheese Lady Butterfly that I am absolutely going to use. I don't have time to waste hours on one boss

[Space Suicide]

So i've had a good 15 hours in this...it is GREAT, BUT i have a feeling i might not ever finish it, not fully anyway.

The battle system is fantasic, as is the stealth, and i find myself stealthing my way round most of the areas...but this is screwing me on bosses as most you can't stealth (some you can to take an easy health bar from them but still need to fight the other bar) but the meat of the game is the parry...and i fucking suck at it! Getting the timing is so precise on bosses it's just hell for me to get right (the spare guy at the beginning area you revisit, wolverine and the guy you chopped off your arm when you re-fight have me utterly stuck!)
The great thing with Souls and Bloodborne was if you weren't good with the parry you didn't need to use them, you could make a build to play to your strength...you can't in this, you HAVE to get good with the parry...and i'm really struggling! I do love the game, but i might end up getting to a point where i physically can't proceed, and i've seen some of the latter bosses :eek:

Also i'm worried about re-playability, the Souls games had great replay value with all the different weapons, but i don't know if this will have that? I'm certainly not feeling like i want to replay it right now (some of these bosses i never want to see again lol) Still a nice change of pace from the other souls games, and something different.

I love this game but I suck at it. I managed to get to the Shinobi Hunter mini boss (which eventually will lead to Lady Butterfly) at the Hirata Estate. I could also start the descent past the Great Serpent. Not sure which route I wanna go.

As for your words on the gameplay, I was atrocious on Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance (basically only able to beat the game on easy with parry assist) with the parry so it’s no different on this game.

I’ll get as far in Sekiro as I can though!

[Haysey_Draws]

Hey everyone, if your having trouble with the game (like me) this video has some FANTASTIC tips, like honestly there's some stuff here i would never have known about (like the jumping towards enemy after they use a special attack to do extra posture damage!)


https://youtu.be/zT35HWy_qvQ

[Space Suicide]

That’ll come in handy along with me farming 5 skill points to to buy the skill to regain vitality after death blows. I farmed the area before the Chained Ogre. It took like 25 minutes only.

[Kodiak33]

That’ll come in handy along with me farming 5 skill points to to buy the skill to regain vitality after death blows. I farmed the area before the Chained Ogre. It took like 25 minutes only.

That skill is incredibly helpful. As is the Nightjar skill for Lady Butterfly...I cheesed the fuck out of her and beat her fairly easily. Didn't feel bad about it either :D

[Haysey_Draws]

OK so i'm no longer trying to beat this boss i can't beat, using the tips in the video and on here i've cheesed Shikibu Toshikatsu Yamauchi because fuck that guy! Beat Long-arm Centipede Giraffe fairly easily and went and absolutely destroyed Lady Butterfly first try!?! Also i've been going back through some areas with the bell on just to get more items...now onward.

[Rdm]

I got this game as a Christmas gift from a family member from GameStop, Collectors edition, and I still haven’t received the game. LOL..... So frustrated. It’s coming tomorrow, no big deal I’ll continue to ignore the videos.....

Edit: just got here as I was typing this. Wow!

[Wretchedest]

I beat Yamauichi second attempt, poison clocks half his health bar and then you run away and proc it again

[Space Suicide]

I FINALLY BEAT THAT SHINOBI HUNTER EINSHIN OF MISEN. That son of a bitch was pissing me off to no end. Ugh!

[Kodiak33]

https://www.reddit.com/r/Sekiro/comments/b5ua85/prayer_lady_gives_you_stuff_if_you_pray_who/

[Kodiak33]

A good, although short, interview with Miyazaki.

https://www.frontlinejp.net/2019/03/27/sekiro-shadows-die-twice-director-miyazaki-discusses-his-vision-and-how-it-was-conceived-part-1-2/

[Jinsai]

That skill is incredibly helpful. As is the Nightjar skill for Lady Butterfly...I cheesed the fuck out of her and beat her fairly easily. Didn't feel bad about it either :D

I was so close to just using this skill, but I got stubborn and needed to do it normally. I was actually screaming "DIE!!!!!!!!" at my screen when I finally got that deathblow against her. I am pretty sure that's the most worked up I've ever gotten w/ a game, and I've now watched the replay of the fight several times... It's like watching a choreographed action movie. Insane.

[Rdm]

Hey everyone, if your having trouble with the game (like me) this video has some FANTASTIC tips, like honestly there's some stuff here i would never have known about (like the jumping towards enemy after they use a special attack to do extra posture damage!)


https://youtu.be/zT35HWy_qvQ

Thanks for posting this, I love this guy he always has the best Fromsoft videos. I’m having such a hard time with the block, my first thought is to dodge .

[Kodiak33]

I was so close to just using this skill, but I got stubborn and needed to do it normally. I was actually screaming "DIE!!!!!!!!" at my screen when I finally got that deathblow against her. I am pretty sure that's the most worked up I've ever gotten w/ a game, and I've now watched the replay of the fight several times... It's like watching a choreographed action movie. Insane.

I've never contorted my body more during a play-through like I have for this stupid game...you have to focus hard.

So, Jinsai, do you like this or Bloodborne better? I still prefer Bloodborne because of the aesthetic...

[Space Suicide]

Bloodborne is superior. I hope they eventually make a second Bloodborne game.

Part of me fantasizes that they’ll release an Xbox One version so I can replay on that console but I know that’d never happen.

[Kodiak33]

Bloodborne is superior. I hope they eventually make a second Bloodborne game.

Part of me fantasizes that they’ll release an Xbox One version so I can replay on that console but I know that’d never happen.

God I wish that was on PC...it would be incredible.

[loopcloses]

This game rules. Bloodborne is one of my all-time favorites and it's hard to say how it stacks up, but a worthy successor in every since of the word. Legit maybe the best melee combat I've ever played.

The game is so branching I have a hard time knowing which way is the "right" one--I've hit a seeming dead end after killing the Giraffe Centipede man, there's the big terror guy in the area right before you drop in the bottomless hole, and then down there I've arrived at a fellow simply named "Headless" who I don't have the tools to beat yet. Additionally, every guide for a lot of the bosses I've fought have made mention of a firecracker tool which I apparently totally missed. Love you, Miyazaki. ��

[Kodiak33]

This game rules. Bloodborne is one of my all-time favorites and it's hard to say how it stacks up, but a worthy successor in every since of the word. Legit maybe the best melee combat I've ever played.

The game is so branching I have a hard time knowing which way is the "right" one--I've hit a seeming dead end after killing the Giraffe Centipede man, there's the big terror guy in the area right before you drop in the bottomless hole, and then down there I've arrived at a fellow simply named "Headless" who I don't have the tools to beat yet. Additionally, every guide for a lot of the bosses I've fought have made mention of a firecracker tool which I apparently totally missed. Love you, Miyazaki. ��

That prosthetic is by the "Outskirts Wall - Gate Path Sculptor’s Idol" area. Close to where you fought the first general. It's kind of a pain to find it if you're not looking...

[Haysey_Draws]

The one thing going against this game is replay ability. Souls and Bloodborne had so much replay value thanks to the different endings, different builds and different weapons (i lost count of how many Bloodborne playthroughs i did) all this has are the 4 endings and...i'll be honest i'll probably just go for the one, i have no desire to re-fight some of these bosses. It's a great feeling when you do beat them, but there isn't much variety to go back and fight them again, especially if you had a difficult time beating them the one time.
It's a great game, and i'm glad FromSoft tried something different, but it's still just not quite Bloodborne levels of perfection.

[Kodiak33]

The one thing going against this game is replay ability. Souls and Bloodborne had so much replay value thanks to the different endings, different builds and different weapons (i lost count of how many Bloodborne playthroughs i did) all this has are the 4 endings and...i'll be honest i'll probably just go for the one, i have no desire to re-fight some of these bosses. It's a great feeling when you do beat them, but there isn't much variety to go back and fight them again, especially if you had a difficult time beating them the one time.
It's a great game, and i'm glad FromSoft tried something different, but it's still just not quite Bloodborne levels of perfection.

I agree. I think I'll have zero desire to go through this again.

[Jinsai]

The idea of playing this into NG+ feels stressful...

I love the game, but it's intimidating and not something you play to unwind. And comparing to Bloodborne isn't fair... BB is my favorite game of all time. the only real criticism I have for Sekiro is that some of the areas may feel a bit repetitive, and that (and I can't believe I'm saying this) I actually feel it's just a little bit too difficult. I'm progressing fine, and I like a challenge, but some of this is really pushing it.

But Bloodborne is beyond perfect.

Though, regarding different endings for replay factor, this game does apparently have trophies for different endings. I haven't really looked into it, but it's there.

[Haysey_Draws]

Oh i totally agree, i only compared to BB as it is still a Souls game (and my fav game ever) so it's going to happen. And the reply factor is my only criticism of the game, the rest is fantasic (if a little more difficult) but once i'm done with one ending i'll just youtube the others, i'll be honest i'm not all that bothered about the story anyway, just the trip getting to the end...and i am NOT fighting Genichiro Ashina EVER AGAIN!

[Kodiak33]

This game physically hurts lol

[Rdm]

First boss down. I died literally like 10-15 times, maybe more. Love this game so far

[Haysey_Draws]

And....i'm done. I've hit my limit, after 9 hours (with brakes) i finally beat Genichiro Ashina (when he gets the 3rd phase with lighting) and it all but destroyed my enjoyment of playing. I had gone to other areas and fought other bosses to break up the game so when i had finally beat him i knew where to go (the headless ape) and...i just wasn't enjoying it anymore. I had a few attempts at the ape before i realised i wasn't playing for fun or entertainment, but just because i wanted to get it beat and move on to another game. I haven't felt like that with any other Souls game, Sekiro plays a VERY specific way and it's just not how i play. It's a good game, a great game in fact, and i'm glad FromSoft tried something different...but it's not for me, i'm not going to force myself into playing something i'm just not enjoying anymore.

Good luck to the rest of you, hope you are enjoying it more than i did. Kick that apes arse for me.

[Space Suicide]

I'm not sure I'll ever beat it myself but I'll go as far as I can. I really wish the Dragonrot thing wasn't in this game, it makes your failures more of a pain in the ass.

I got to Gyobou Oniwa. Killed him on my third try! Bitch!

Made short work of the Blazing Bull also. Onwards!

[Space Suicide]

I love this guy's videos. I've watched all his Dark Souls and Bloodborne lists.

Spoilers obviously, if you care.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wkq0vxTHeT4


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vFUxSb2mmsg

[Kodiak33]

This game is becoming tedious AF. I don't know if I can finish this without a trainer...

[Jinsai]

I love this game, but it's such an intimidating venture to pick it up. Sometimes I play games cuz I wanna relax, and this isn't relaxing. This feels like something you have to train and practice for, and be on your top game.

And then I go on fucking social media, and people are telling me to "git gud you casual bitch fuck," and I'm trying to tell them "uh, I'm ok with the difficulty, I'm just saying this shouldn't be the baseline difficulty, even though I like playing games on hard so it's what I'd pick..."

and then they jump in and say shit like "Ok, bitch some more you casual bitch."

Are the people who like these games.... really insecure and stupid?

[Space Suicide]

I’ve come to terms I most likely won’t finish this due to my own physical and skill limitation as I’ll get as far as I can until then.

Great game but my main issue is no customization and a very, very staunch way the game dictates you to play. There’s no leniency in skill or execution for playing this. You HAVE to play and parry like they want to succeed. It’s limiting, especially when you know you’ll never get better.

People like to strong arm and bash others online for game skills. It’s like a badge of honor and I’m not sure why. I mean don’t get me wrong, I shit talk and berate others on games but I don’t go overboard with it or personally attack them or harass to the ends of the earth. I beat Bloodborne and Dark Souls II and III with a friend almost entirely in co-op. Just as brilliant as solo but even more fun and casual with a friend. I don’t care if that’s “casual” because some people still wouldn’t finish it.

[Kodiak33]

I love this game, but it's such an intimidating venture to pick it up. Sometimes I play games cuz I wanna relax, and this isn't relaxing. This feels like something you have to train and practice for, and be on your top game.

And then I go on fucking social media, and people are telling me to "git gud you casual bitch fuck," and I'm trying to tell them "uh, I'm ok with the difficulty, I'm just saying this shouldn't be the baseline difficulty, even though I like playing games on hard so it's what I'd pick..."

and then they jump in and say shit like "Ok, bitch some more you casual bitch."

Are the people who like these games.... really insecure and stupid?

Some people don't have 6 hours per boss to "git gud"...those people apparently do.

[Rdm]

I’m having such a hard time Genichiro’s third lighting phase. I have literally never died so many times in fromsoft game. Ludwig seems like a walk in the park compared to this fight. I’m not going to give up but it has crossed my mind.

[Kodiak33]

It is by far the hardest From game. You have to be perfect to beat some of these guys, they hit way too hard. Unfortunately it gets worse from there. I had to use a trainer near the last third of the game, I didn't have the patience.

[Jinsai]

I’m having such a hard time Genichiro’s third lighting phase. I have literally never died so many times in fromsoft game. Ludwig seems like a walk in the park compared to this fight. I’m not going to give up but it has crossed my mind.

Yeah... I'm so fucked by this... I keep trying to motivate myself to get beaten down by him again. It's rough.

If you beat the guy in the apartment below him and read the wall scroll, you can jump/reverse his lightning move in the third phase

[Kodiak33]

Always watch Youtube videos of others if you get stuck...no reason to waste your time dying over and over if you don't have to.

[Jinsai]

I can feel that I'm going to get through Genichiro on the next fight
But... I watched a video of my friend fighting some giant beast monster in the end game, and I'm just... not going to think about it.

I don't like to be that guy, but this game is too fucking hard dammit. I wish I had my reflexes from 20 years ago. How am I supposed to get super stoned and enjoy this shit? ;)

[Kodiak33]

How am I supposed to get super stoned and enjoy this shit? ;)

You can't lol

[Rdm]

Yeah... I'm so fucked by this... I keep trying to motivate myself to get beaten down by him again. It's rough.

If you beat the guy in the apartment below him and read the wall scroll, you can jump/reverse his lightning move in the third phase

I finally beat him! In the third phase I just circled left while while constantly hitting dodge, And I got most my damage by the reverse lighting shot. Although I did get shot multiple times by the bow and some of his combos but I defeated him, for now at least. It only took 6 gourd seeds and 3 days of my life.

[Kodiak33]

Other things that may help, you can almost always block or parry except for grabs and danger (kanji) moves. Like all of the people who have a ton of their hands have said, it's a rhythm game...which I don't find much fun to be honest.

[loopcloses]

I've got a pretty solid rhythm for it at this point, though the game is still incredibly difficult, it's more a matter of nailing the execution that's the hard part after getting a strategy down. It took me like an hour and a half to beat the Owl who is unforgiving as hell but his moveset isn't too hard to pin down once you've got parrying figured out. Same goes for the Corrupted Monk I'm currently stuck on--toy get a feel of what to look for, I.E. how fast their posture damage adds up vs their HP, which moves to punish and which to defend, etc.

Also, the ninjitsu ability the screen monkeys unlock is amazing. Utter chaos.

I do have doubts about the replayability of the game--I'm sure I'll do an NG+ run, but the RPG side just doesn't appear to be there to encourage doing different builds and play styles. Which is fine--it's still a masterwork of a game, that's just one thing the Soulsborne titles have over it. If I do get tired of it I'm planning on grabbing DS1 remastered and going through that for the first time (it's the only title in the series I haven't played) and from there maybe taking another swing at DS2 and Demon's.

[Space Suicide]

Playing this makes me want to get Dark Souls Remastered badly.

[Kodiak33]

Playing this makes me want to get Dark Souls Remastered badly.

It's honestly not that much of an improvement (if you've played the PC version). Not sure about the vanilla ones. I'm thinking of doing a Bloodborne (including the best DLC ever) run through or a DS3 run through (since I never played the DLC).

[Space Suicide]

It's honestly not that much of an improvement (if you've played the PC version). Not sure about the vanilla ones. I'm thinking of doing a Bloodborne (including the best DLC ever) run through or a DS3 run through (since I never played the DLC).

I want dedicated servers for PvP for jolly co-op with no frame rate issues and 60fps. I killed Quelaag on the 360 version and never got any farther.

[Kodiak33]

I want dedicated servers for PvP for jolly co-op with no frame rate issues and 60fps. I killed Quelaag on the 360 version and never got any farther.

Well worth it then!

[Jinsai]

If I have to see one more try-hard asshole bragging about how this game is easy online... If this game is easy, what the fuck is actually difficult?

Anyway, I just beat Genichiro and the monkeys... made it to the ape, then he went headless... I need a break.

[Wretchedest]

Yeah... I've been taking lots of breaks. I'm right with you Jinsai, this takes the usual souls difficulty and adds an extreme layer of technical ability and a lot of grinding if you fail too much. Bloodborne and Dark Souls 3 were relatively relaxing actually. And I'm on a few days break after getting to the next boss after the ape. I haven't tried much. But it is a bit stressful. I think one factor is that this game has a lot more bosses and they're a lot more challenging. There isn't much time cruising through levels or retreading, almost every beat of this game is being stuck on an insane boss. And it's like Dance Dance Revolution except every song is 10-20 minutes in unusual time signatures and you have to memorize the off beats. The best option a lot of the time is to just rapidly spam the block button, which is kind of bad design that not only can you do that, but the game is so opaque that it's the best option most of the time.

You also get punished for losing in a variety of ways. The dragonrot being the most lenient, but the supply of spirit emblems becomes really dry eventually and there cost increases over time.... So it always feels like you're stuck on something.

Gebichiro took me three days, but when I finally had him, I really had him. The true difficulty there was the third phase, which you have to play aggressively and move around a lot more. I figured out that in the first phase you can always mikiri his red attack and in the second you can always jump on him when he does his red. In both phases he has one you dodge away from. With bosses like him it's ok or even beneficial to deflect their longest strings until it breaks your posture, because they pause, like after his seven string. Their posture damage builds up, but when yours breaks it actually resets instantly.

The great ape. Just get used to the first phase. See if you can get to the point where you take it down without potions and with as few firecrackers as possible. The first phase isn't that bad, just run the whole time and get used to when he shows his openings. Those openings become more frequent as the health bar goes down. Two or three times he does a stagger where he staggers again if you manage two blows. His best opening is when he lies on his back and thrashes, go to his head an count the thrashes, on the fourth one close in for around three strikes.

The second phase seems really crazy because he moves so strangle but he actually only has like 5 attacks. He's mostly coming at you with a low sword, just jump over it. It's a bit tricky because you have to be precise, once he's in a sword patter you need to stay exactly behind him to avoid the wide swings. There's a four beat swing and a one off swing. The one off is where you get your attacks in. Get used to 2 or three swings and then always run off because he's going to do the Terri scream, and then wait to jump over his attacks again until your comfortable with your positioning in the arena. When he's doing the scream, if you're at a safe distance just nail the fuck out of him with kunai or shuriken.

He has one attack in this phase where he stands all the way up. With his sword straight in the air. If you deflect that he falls on top of you and you get a ton of free hits.

[Jinsai]

The best option a lot of the time is to just rapidly spam the block button, which is kind of bad design that not only can you do that, but the game is so opaque that it's the best option most of the time.

Yeah, though apparently there is a punishment mechanic in here that if you flap the block button before what would have been a perfectly timed 'deflect,' it negates it to varying degrees, depending on how much you were slapping the block... so it's a balance there I guess...

this is like learning a musical instrument that nobody wants to hear you play...

[Wretchedest]

I don't know if I I've felt punished for spam blocking

Btw the ape, I forgot to mention he almost always follows that scream attack with his most vulnerable sword strike

[Kodiak33]

I could not agree with your comments more.

[Kodiak33]

I don't know if I I've felt punished for spam blocking

Btw the ape, I forgot to mention he almost always follows that scream attack with his most vulnerable sword strike

You can also use the upgraded fan on his terror scream. One thing I absolutely HATE in From games is their basically one-shot status effect kills (Terror, Frenzy, etc.)

[Kodiak33]

Pretty good quick review IMO. It repeats what issues I have with the game.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oLNObt3o6DU

[Rdm]

I got the puppeteer ninjusu upgrade yesterday and holy shit that is so awesome.

[Kodiak33]

Here's my From rank (if anyone cares).

Bloodborne > DS1 = DS3 > Sekiro > DS2

[Jinsai]

Here's my From rank (if anyone cares).

Bloodborne > DS1 = DS3 > Sekiro > DS2

From where I'm at right now, I don't think I can fairly rank Sekiro. I've decided to take my play through really slow here... I'm taking a break whenever I get frustrated. I'm too old for that self punishment.

Still, I'd put Demon's Souls after DS3, but otherwise your list feels exactly like where I'm at.

[Space Suicide]

Man, people really hate Dark Souls II. Why the hate? It was my first game to the Souls series (after Bloodborne) and where I fell in love with it.

[Jinsai]

Man, people really hate Dark Souls II. Why the hate? It was my first game to the Souls series (after Bloodborne) and where I fell in love with it.

I don't hate it, I just love every other game in the series a lot more, and in some ways it just feels like something integral is missing there, and I can't help but speculate that it was due to Miyazaki working on Bloodborne instead.

It feels like quantity over quality, where stuff feels impressive at first, like it has SO many boss fights... it's just that 100% of them are underwhelming by comparison to any other Souls game's "meh/average" entries. The controls feel floaty, especially the combat. I also felt the world was just convoluted more than compelling.

I'd still take DS2 over almost any Souls-like rip off... well, excepting 2D MetroidvaniaSouls stuff like Hollow Knight (which is just genius), and really Nioh was great, even if it's been kinda smacked down by Sekiro's world.

[DF118]

Lady Butterfly is a fucking scumbag.

[Space Suicide]

Lady Butterfly is a fucking scumbag.

Reading that with your avatar displayed is hilarious.

[Jinsai]

Lady Butterfly is a fucking scumbag.

This is me FINALLY beating her


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-BgmdFc51Hg&feature=youtu.be

It felt nice

EDIT: Holy SHIT!!!! The sort of people on the Sekiro social media pages are fucking insanely toxic.
I just had some dude tell me that he was gonna fuck my wife (while messaging her about how he was going to do it) while he was posting pics of me online calling me fat...

Because I said that I think it'd be a good thing for the game to have a lighter difficulty mode.
These people are so fucking lame.

[Space Suicide]

This is me FINALLY beating her


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-BgmdFc51Hg&feature=youtu.be

It felt nice

EDIT: Holy SHIT!!!! The sort of people on the Sekiro social media pages are fucking insanely toxic.
I just had some dude tell me that he was gonna fuck my wife (while messaging her about how he was going to do it) while he was posting pics of me online calling me fat...

Because I said that I think it'd be a good thing for the game to have a lighter difficulty mode.
These people are so fucking lame.

Obviously the piece of shit won’t do that but the fact he even felt the need to type it is disturbing.

People take games too seriously.

[Kodiak33]

WTF really? That's awful.

https://www.pcgamer.com/i-beat-sekiros-final-boss-with-cheats-and-i-feel-fine/

[Jinsai]

Yeah it wound up with some guy on FB PMing her that he was “sorry she had to settle for such a fat ugly loser” before he went off with jokey rape threats.

I was more disgusted and disturbed than her, she was like “it happens.” Fuck that! This guy apparently runs a spa?

[Space Suicide]

Well back to other bitches....

I finally made it to Lady Butterfly. I expected to die 5748390 times.

Her first phase was easy. I defeated her in my second attempt. I was an aggressive asshole and those shurikens were a godsend to use.

I CAN'T BELIEVE IT!

[Rdm]

Just beat the Guardian Ape and I really enjoyed that boss fight, it reminded me of a dark souls boss, such as you have to dodge and memorize the patterns. This game hasn’t disappointed!

[Wretchedest]

I came I to the Owl kind of angry after a three day break because he's one of those bosses where you get fucked up by the shitty camera and targeting systems a lot, but managed to almost accidentally beat him in about an hour by doing pretty much the exact opposite of what my guide was telling me to do....

And then I manage to cruise through like the next 12 bosses. Now I have 2 left and they're supposedly the 2 hardest bosses in the game ��

[Kodiak33]

I came I to the Owl kind of angry after a three day break because he's one of those bosses where you get fucked up by the shitty camera and targeting systems a lot, but managed to almost accidentally beat him in about an hour by doing pretty much the exact opposite of what my guide was telling me to do....

And then I manage to cruise through like the next 12 bosses. Now I have 2 left and they're supposedly the 2 hardest bosses in the game ��

Lol, it happens

[Wretchedest]

So I just defeated the demon of hatred and I only have one boss left. I think the conversation about an easy mode misses the point.

There wasn't much of an easy mode conversation with past games, because there wasn't as much bullshit in them. You didn't die to some quirk of the game, you died to your own mistakes that was the whole point. Then you learned from them and overcame the challenge

The camera and targeting systems I this game are particularly awful. By default sprint/dodge are mapped to the right thumb so it's difficult to look while moving a lot. Not as much an issue in the other games which are alot slower, and at there fastest center around dodging. If you map sprint/dodge to the left button, sprint and dodge are still locked to the same button so you regularly risk dodging instead of sprinting and you have to hold it down the whole time, vs other games where it's push to sprint so remapping isn't a viable solution.

The camera is kind of a physical ovject that gets fucked up by walls which can really fuck up a fight, especially when the camera gets pushed in a way that removes your targeting lock or changes the direction of your run. To make matters worse a handful of fights actually use this as part of their difficulty, placing you in a narrow hallway that can't handle camera pans. Targetting often suddenly grabs a different wnwmy than you are working on, which can kill you. Again not a problem in the other games.

Terrain design can also be really bad, in a game where you are a ninja that leaps up buildings and bounces across walls you might get caught running against a tree or some fucking bullshit, again not much of an issue in the other games.

All of these are issues in the games four or five harshest fights. The rest of which are actually only moderately difficult or actually have silver bullet type solutions.

Grinding is also a lot more punishing in this game. The ammo economy is pretty tight, so there's a lot of stopping to farm for ammo. And then like 10 of the bosses require an ample amount of divine confetti and pacifying agent. If your supply runs out while attempting them it's farm time all over again and then again the next time you reach one, never mind the annoyance of having to monitor and apply those buffs in addition to engaging the fight.

This game definitely has the best story in the series but from a fundamentals standpoint it can be pretty rough.

[DF118]

Yeah it wound up with some guy on FB PMing her that he was “sorry she had to settle for such a fat ugly loser” before he went off with jokey rape threats.

I was more disgusted and disturbed than her, she was like “it happens.” Fuck that! This guy apparently runs a spa?

FBI TIEM! Like I said on FB.

I’ve resorted to cheesing Lady Butterfly with that nightjar thing and she’s still kicking my ass.



Well back to other bitches....

I finally made it to Lady Butterfly. I expected to die 5748390 times.

Her first phase was easy. I defeated her in my second attempt. I was an aggressive asshole and those shurikens were a godsend to use.

I CAN'T BELIEVE IT!

Can I have your save file pls thanks.

[Wretchedest]

The last fight is absolutely everything horrible about this game put into one encounter. A 4 phase fight where your best option in the last two is to run around until the boss does the one attack that you can punish and just hope you don't bump into a rock or run off a cliff. An attempt can take at least fifteen minutes. Completely boring and tedious

[Jinsai]

The last fight is absolutely everything horrible about this game put into one encounter. A 4 phase fight where your best option in the last two is to run around until the boss does the one attack that you can punish and just hope you don't bump into a rock or run off a cliff. An attempt can take at least fifteen minutes. Completely boring and tedious

A friend of mine just beat it, and he said he had better luck just studying the attack phases and avoiding that pinging attack that takes forever (and isn't entirely safe).

I dunno though, I'm still not there.

[Wretchedest]

Yeah I think I'd rather die in ten minutes than run around for an hour trying to eek it out. I'll try that

[Kodiak33]

From where I'm at right now, I don't think I can fairly rank Sekiro. I've decided to take my play through really slow here... I'm taking a break whenever I get frustrated. I'm too old for that self punishment.

Still, I'd put Demon's Souls after DS3, but otherwise your list feels exactly like where I'm at.

Crap, forgot about Demon's Souls...

Bloodborne > DS1 = DS3 > Sekiro = Demon's Souls > DS2

DS2 isn't bad at all either! I liked it quite a bit. I'm replaying DS3 and Sekiro, so when I get frustrated with one I'm switching to the other...no cheating this time.

[DF118]

I'm not sure I'm enjoying this as much as the Soulsborne games. The focus on parrying and countering seems a little cheap and focused, without allowing much in the way of experimentation. One's timing has to be very specific and I feel like I'm playing less tactically as a result. There's a lot of specific ways do deal with situations that otherwise seem quite insurmountable- breaking shields with the axe, etc. I'm missing the options that the wider range of weapons and abilities allowed for. Because of this, I'm finding myself running past the enemies to get to an objective, and I'd never do that in From's earlier games, as you were incentivized to kill everything. Not so much here.

The world looks great, but the focused on verticality feels a little contrived. Plus I am so sick of being slaughtered, because I'm fighting in an alley and the camera decides to somersault into a corner.

The story seems pedestrian and I really miss the focus on lore. Even Deracine excelled at world building and mystery, and that was a glorified point and click adventure.

I appreciate From are moving in a different direction, but I think a comparison with earlier titles is justified.

[Kodiak33]

Agreed, and I started playing DS3 again and was reminded on how much better (IMO) the atmosphere, artwork, and sound are than Sekiro. You have to play that game a very specific way to beat it...like you had said.

[Wretchedest]

I think it's the worst one, an I cleared every single boss. The ultimate benchmark here is fun, and this game is not fun more often than it is. The engine or gameplay infrastructure or whatever you want to call it for the souls games was transposed into a game that more heavily emphasizes speed, stealth, and timing, and those systems very clearly were not built for those things. The game demands constant precision, but simply isn't built for it.

It's telling that this From game elicits unfavorable to the Arkham Batman games and even Assassin's Creed, all games that have successfully accomplished what sekiro forcefully transposes onto it's predecessors.

For me it comes down to bullshit. Darks Souls 1-3 and Bloodborne have absolutely minimal bullshit. In fact the only thing that comes close is the parry system in Bloodborne, far too finicky and opaque, the Sekiro revolves around it.

Sekiro's combat includes a hateful queing system that forces you to execute attacks previously inputted before executing the movement you are going for now. Which why if you press the attack button three times, and then try to respond to an incoming attack after the second one, you will first begin and complete the third attack before actually executing the intended dodge. The result is an infuriatingly unresponsive fight that makes the player feel out of control


Sekiro has some gorgeous settings and a few inspired encounters, ultimately they are mired by frustrating fundamentals. I was so glad to be done with it.

[Space Suicide]

I made it to the top of Ashina Castle. Every samurai guy in blue kimono sucks to fight.

My problem is this game is centered on 1v1 combat but you constantly have instances where its 2, 3 or even 4 v 1. Those are hard to block and win against with this parry system.

[Jinsai]

I feel the real problem seems to stem with how they subtly ding you for spamming parry, but don't do so at all in instrumental fights that are intended to teach the system. I hate to say it, but at this point, it feels like a great game with a huge oversight nagging at its core.

Is this better than Bloodborne? LOL, hell no.
But this is still a pretty incredible game. Maybe it's unfair to compare anything to Bloodborne... that game is just too good for games.

[Space Suicide]

Hate to say it but I think I'm done with this game. The skill necessary is physically impossible for me to attain even with training. Sucks.

That Jinsuke Saze mini-boss broke me. This isn't fun when you're not good.

[Jinsai]

Hate to say it but I think I'm done with this game. The skill necessary is physically impossible for me to attain even with training. Sucks.

That Jinsuke Saze mini-boss broke me. This isn't fun when you're not good.

You can do it! USE FIREWORKS!

[Space Suicide]

You can do it! USE FIREWORKS!

I watched this trying to attempt it. My game never has him doing the same move set ups when I fight him. I hate this fight since there's no room for error since he's basically a bullshit one hit death if you don't have full health.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j1OvIxZsdxo

Watching this video made me more pissed off than anything. That I struggle and have died over 20+ times and have two characters infested with Dragonrot because of it and it's beaten in 3 parry attempts back to back to back in that video. Shit like that just makes me feel inferior.

I've managed to knock him down to his second life bar using the axe method shared in that video. I'll try your fireworks idea out. Then I'll play and fail at Genichiro and (probably) quit the game anyways.

[Jinsai]

I watched this trying to attempt it. My game never has him doing the same move set ups when I fight him. I hate this fight since there's no room for error since he's basically a bullshit one hit death if you don't have full health.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j1OvIxZsdxo

Watching this video made me more pissed off than anything. That I struggle and have died over 20+ times and have two characters infested with Dragonrot because of it and it's beaten in 3 parry attempts back to back to back in that video. Shit like that just makes me feel inferior.

I've managed to knock him down to his second life bar using the axe method shared in that video. I'll try your fireworks idea out. Then I'll play and fail at Genichiro and (probably) quit the game anyways.

Fireworks will carry you through that fight, trust me... it's almost like cheating.

And if you beat Lady Butterfly without cheese, you can DEFINITELY beat Genichiro. Don't let people pscyhe you out. Honestly, it threw me off for a bit. You can do it. It's not as unsurmountable as it seems.

[Space Suicide]

I BEAT THE SON OF A BITCH.

I did nothing but side step left over and over. Tedious as shit

[Rdm]

I finally beat the game, and while I loved the game I don’t see myself coming back to it anytime soon. Also, That last fight was ridiculous.


Bloodborne > Dark souls > Dark souls 3 > Sekiro > Demon souls > Dark souls 2

[loopcloses]

I myself beat the game the other night, after probably a week spent stuck on the last two boss fights. The first is basically a Bloodborne fight, the third is an extremely Sekiro fight with four goddamn phases. I figured out the first phase pretty quickly, then the second phase kicked my ass which then led to me learning just how punishing the first phase can be if your execution is lacking. So after mastering it and finally getting the hang of the second, the third phase is one of the hardest in the game and your time getting to learn it is limited as every time you die you have to get through the first two again (ideally taking minimum damage, as it can easily chew through all your heals).

After a miracle run in which I finally whittled the third phase down to a deathblow, I used a Jizo's statue to regain one last resurrect, used a divine grass as I had no remaining heals, and holy hell did I power through and beat that fucker once and for good. It was about as satisfying a victory as I've ever had in a game.

I'm reluctant to put it quite on the level of Bloodborne, but that's not to reduce that it really is a brilliant game. From Software have proven to be total masters of game design and every new game they release with dramatically more polished mechanics is a thrill to experience. I believe the combat in this game will be talked about for a long time.

[Rdm]

Tyrannicon’s rage compilation is pretty hilarious and true to how most of us felt playing the game.

https://youtu.be/TGx5zFKuuPs

[Wretchedest]

Finishing Sekiro compelled me to check out Bloodborne just to see if I was being unfair. And I ended up appreciating Bloodborne so much more. Sekiro helped me understand and beat my two outstanding bosses within a day or two, Laurence and Orphan of Kos. I then proceeded to finish the game and then run all the way through NG++ including discovering and figuring out the entire chalice dungeons grind/situation. And then I ended up platinuming the game, my first platinum ever.

Bloodborne simply makes this game look like trash, it is a significantly deeper and more fun game to play, it is signed ifica tly less frustrating and bullshit Bloodborne is one of the greatest games of all time... Sekiro doesn't hold a candle to it or any of it's siblings in my opinion

[Jinsai]

I can't believe I still haven't beaten this. To the best of my knowledge, there's three bosses left, the Father Owl, the Demon of Hatred, and Isshin... and after trying Owl and seeing what people are saying about these fights.... geeez... I just don't know if it's that I feel intimidated to endure the frustration, or if I just am not feeling this enough to try.

[Kodiak33]

DoH is optional, I wouldn't even try it unless you really wanted to. Isshin was fucking ridiculous in the worst way. The 2nd Father Owl is also optional.

[Space Suicide]

I can't believe I still haven't beaten this. To the best of my knowledge, there's three bosses left, the Father Owl, the Demon of Hatred, and Isshin... and after trying Owl and seeing what people are saying about these fights.... geeez... I just don't know if it's that I feel intimidated to endure the frustration, or if I just am not feeling this enough to try.

I played tonight randomly and lost epically to Genichiro Ashina. I think I'm done with the game. That's my brick wall and I can't say I'm really compelled to return to it after a multi-week hiatus.

[Wretchedest]

There's a bunch of mini bosses around that time too, but they're all pushovers. One of them, the seven swords, is a pair of samurai in a combined space, it's on the way to isshin and is actually avoidable. It can be infuriating but there's a simple trick where you take a stealth potion or whatever and mind control one of them.

Demon of hatred isn't exactly hard, even as he's super weak to a specific piece of gear, but it is long and because of that the opportunity for getting your foot stuck on a rock or hitting a wall or accidentally running off a cliff is amplified especially in that arena.

The Owl himself is actually quite easy because he has one attack that he over telegraph's an if you can play keep away and chip down that attack it's a breeze.

Isshin is just tedious and has the same terrain issues as DoH just not as bad. By the time I did it I came up with a sprinting route and geographical referencesto avoid getting cliffed. Still takes forever.

[Jinsai]

There's a bunch of mini bosses around that time too, but they're all pushovers. One of them, the seven swords, is a pair of samurai in a combined space, it's on the way to isshin and is actually avoidable. It can be infuriating but there's a simple trick where you take a stealth potion or whatever and mind control one of them.

I got through that one.. the best solution I found was to run in, use the silence sugar for stealth, then sneak up and get a lifebar kill on the boss, then to run over and use the blood smoke ninjutsu on the sleeping guy to the left, then, while the two samurai are stunned from the smoke, go up to the backup samurai and puppeteer stab him so he joins you in the fight against the boss. Makes it SUPER easy.


The Owl himself is actually quite easy because he has one attack that he over telegraph's an if you can play keep away and chip down that attack it's a breeze. Which attack is that?

[Wretchedest]

I got through that one.. the best solution I found was to run in, use the silence sugar for stealth, then sneak up and get a lifebar kill on the boss, then to run over and use the blood smoke ninjutsu on the sleeping guy to the left, then, while the two samurai are stunned from the smoke, go up to the backup samurai and puppeteer stab him so he joins you in the fight against the boss. Makes it SUPER easy.

Which attack is that?

It's an attack where he leaps high in the air and flips into a downward slash, which is followed by a pause. You can dodge the slash to the side and get in a cut or two and then bounce

[Kodiak33]

If anyone at least loves the artwork of From games (like I do) the artbook for Sekiro is on sale right now. Releases in October.

https://www.amazon.com/Sekiro-Shadows-Twice-Official-Artworks/dp/1975316304