still have plenty of tricks up your
sleeve, though, in the form of secret
devices built into your prosthetic arm.
The fold-out axe’s heavy blows can
crack through shields with ease, while
the shuriken-thrower allows you to
take out enemies at range. You can
even deploy a flamethrower, especially
effective against fire-averse foes.
You’re free to switch between any
of these tools freely in combat, giving
you a wealth of tactical options. But
with all of them drawing on a shared
and limited ammo source – yes, even
swinging the axe burns through it –
you’ll have to choose your moments
very carefully.Palette cleanser
It’s not just mechanical changes that
make Sekiro stand out, though – the
world is strikingly different, too. Not
only is it based in real history rather
than grim fantasy (specifically the
late 16th century, during Japan’s
Sengoku period), but its more varied
colour palette conveys a less dark,
bleak tone than we’re used to with
FromSoftware. With its autumnal
trees, crisp, white snow and grand
architecture, there’s a striking, warm
beauty to Sekiro’s setting, a far cry
from the bleak, crumbling tragedies
we’re used to.
And it’s not just for show, either.
With your prosthetic arm also housing
a handy grappling hook, the levels
are designed with verticality in mind.
Those trees and sweeping rooftops
are potential perches to launch onto,
allowing you to observe the lay of the
land at a moment’s notice.
That means the days of creeping
down blind corridors, ever nervous
of a brutal ambush, are gone. Now
you’re the ambusher, able to scope
out enemy forces and choose your
approach before they even realise
you’re there.
Robust stealth mechanics allow you
to sneak across roofs and through
long grass to pick off foes one by one.
The idea isn’t to try and get past a
whole area without being seen, but
to gain as much of an advantage
as possible before a fight inevitably
breaks out. And you’ll need the edge,
because there’s one thing that hasn’t
changed: battles are as precise,
demanding and smash-your-controller
difficult as ever. QThe shadow Sekiro really needs to
worry about is the one cast by its
beloved older brothers, Dark Souls
and Bloodborne. Given FromSoftware’s
recent history, comparisons are
inevitable – but the truth is, it’s a very
different beast.
Combat, especially, strikes a totally
new tone. Where Dark Souls favoured
careful advances and the safety
of a heavy shield, and Bloodborne
emphasised agile dodging and
aggressive attacks, Sekiro emulates
the hot-and-cold rhythm of a
cinematic samurai katana duel.
As you and your foe circle each
other, parries are your main form of
defence. Time them well, and not only
will you deflect the blow, but you’ll
also fill up a chunk of your enemy’s
Posture meter. Time them badly, and
though you’ll avoid damage, it’s you
who’ll take a knock to your Posture.
Fill up your opponent’s meter, and
they’re left susceptible to a critical
blow – in other words, two feet of cold
steel through their sternum. But, of
course, if you wield your blade poorly,
the same can happen to you.
That’s another philosophical shift- this time around, you’ll be using
that iconic katana for the whole
game, rather than having the option
to switch between different weapon
types as you please. You’ll definitely
You can use your grappling hook on larger enemies to fling yourself towards them
Sekiro:
Shadows
Die Twice
The Dark Souls creator’s whole
new approach has us hooked
Robin Valentine
PUBLISHER ACTIVISION DEVELOPER FROMSOFTWARE
ETA 22 MARCHKILLER
SKILLS
Instead of putting
your experience
points into stats, in
Sekiro you’ll be
spending it in skill
trees. As you invest in
each, you’ll unlock
passive bonuses,
such as increased
healing from items,
and active abilities
that take the form of
new moves and
attacks in combat.
Experience points are
earned separately
from currency and
aren’t lost on death,
meaning you don’t
need to make ‘corpse
runs’ to recover your
resources. You’ll also
gain crafting materials
from fallen enemies
that allow you to
upgrade your
prosthetic weapons.
“This time around, you’ll
be using that iconic katana
for the whole game”
028 THE OFFICIAL XBOX MAGAZINE
PREVIEW