Speed Philippines – July 2019

PROS

intuitive

swordplay mechanics

and reactive combat

system

vibrant character

development and

delightful dialogue

old-school level

of challenge with

rewarding duels

Shinobi Prosthetic

adds lots of tactical

opportunities

CONS

narrative suffers

from slow buildup

and subpar flow

iffy stealth

gameplay with hit-or-

miss mechanics

not everyone may

enjoy the old-school

level of challenge

manual in-game

camera can be a

pain against multiple

enemies

JULY 2019 61

SPEED SAYS

Sekiro is a challenging action title, with intuitive swordplay mechanics and fluid character mobility

that combine for a masterfully rewarding combat experience. Admittedly the experience can become

exceptionally jarring against stronger and bigger enemies, but if you put in the time and patience then you’ll

most likely find much incentive to push on through. Stealth-wise it’s a bit subpar as is the overall story,

which isn’t the most memorable there is. You will be enchanted, though, by its supporting cast. If you don’t

mind its old-school stubbornness and hard-headed difficulty, then the challenging swordplay of Sekiro:

Shadows Die Twice might just be worth your time.

melancholic musings of the Sculptor

to the conversations and outbursts of

the game’s various enemy troops and

commanders—adding a much-needed

vibrancy to its dour atmosphere.

Eye of the tiger

But where Sekiro truly shines is in

its combat. Compared to the heavy-

footed stances and weighted swings

of Bloodborne (another FromSoftware

title), the movements of Wolf are swift

and agile with emphasis on footwork

and lateral dodges. Simplifying matters

further is that Wolf only uses a single

main weapon, the katana Kusabimaru,

which helps funnel your focus on just a

single weapon style.

Even so, it’s quite deep in practice:
basic combat requires overpowering
an opponent’s’ posture through aggressive attacks, while
others require timed blocks or deflects to parry blows and
perform counters. Consequently, Sekiro’s combat mechanics
emphasize observation and response when engaging enemies
and is quite intensive in practice.

Further compounding the reactive combat are stronger
enemies whose skill sets include perilous attacks. The
attacks require a corresponding counter—deflect for thrusts,
jump for sweeps, and dodge for grabs—and often make for
slow clashes. But when you consider the high risk/reward
mechanics of being aggressive, you’ll often find yourself
pushing Wolf to his limits.

The hard way
It’s during combat where the balance between hardiness and
doability come into question. I’ve found myself dying dozens
of times against a single mid-boss, mostly due to little
mistakes here and there. But after much trial (and even more

error), I finally beat that mid-boss and it was satisfying

to the core.

I’d compare it to old-school 8-bit action games like Ninja

Gaiden or Double Dragon, where the controls are easy to

grasp and the combat system even more so; but getting

through a level unscathed or beating a boss without

using up a life requires a stern combination of mastery,

skill, and luck.

Second chances

To be fair, Sekiro does its best to throw players a

modern-age bone. Your Shinobi Prosthetic, an artificial

arm capable of augmentation and enhancements,

serves as a tactical option in combat. For example,

using the Flame Vent augmentation after dousing

an enemy in oil is a quick method of whittling away

their life without directly getting up in their face. The

Prosthetic is also primed for stealth and evasion, with

an always-available grappling hook great for quick

retreats or escape maneuvers.

Sekiro even throws in the equivalent of an extra life

by letting you revive once, which you can replenish by

resting at a Sculptor Idol. You don’t want to die too often,

though, as you’ll suffer increasing penalties over time.

You can’t see me

Speaking of stealth, Sekiro does a decent job of it

but is sorely lacking compared to other similar titles.

Detection is highly sensitive, even when totally hidden.

I wasn’t expecting the game to be as exaggerated as

an Assassin’s Creed title when it comes to hiding my

presence, but there is a lack of confidence to be had

when enemies can still somehow spot you hiding while

fully crouched in a grassy field. I do appreciate the

attempt at realism, though: enemies that look up can

totally see you on the roof, for example. Stealth kills,

though, seem to have a hit or miss quality to them in

terms of alarming other enemies.