Sekiro Is A Masterpiece [A Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice Retrospective]

Sekiro is a masterpiece. In this retrospective video essay, I want to explore the impact of Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice, FromSoftware's brilliant shinobi-themed adventure game. Hot off the heels of their success with the Soulsborne games (Demon's Souls, the Dark Souls trilogy & Bloodborne) FromSoftware released Sekiro in 2019 to a mixed reaction. Sekiro deviated away from the popular Soulsborne formula quite significantly, leaving a few players disappointed and leaving a few media outlets calling for an easy mode. I want to try to justify every single change that Sekiro made to that FromSoft formula by arguing that all changes work exceedingly well and push the Soulsborne style into a fresh, interesting direction.

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Chapters :-
00:00 Introduction
03:38 Combat
11:42 Movement
17:07 Bosses
22:47 Setting & Lore
32:02 What's missing?
36:18 Negatives
38:51 Conclusion

Music Credits :-
All background music is from the Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice soundtrack. In order of appearance:
"Main Menu", "Gyoubu Oniwa", "Sunken Valley", "The Owl", "Senpou Temple, Mt. Kongo", "Fountainhead Palace", "Children of Rejuvenation"

A few pieces of Sekiro footage are from the following channels:

A few pieces of Dark Souls 2 footage are from the following channels:

[JohnnyVector]

Thanks for watching folks. Here are chapters for your convenience :-
00:00 Introduction
03:38 Combat
11:42 Movement
17:07 Bosses
22:47 Setting & Lore
32:02 What's missing?
36:18 Negatives
38:51 Conclusion

[highvoltage]

This game came around the time I ended up in a hospital due to Guillain Barre syndrome, a rare disease that destroys nerves. Once I got out, my hands were still incredibly imprecise, clumsy and felt like they were constantly tingling, all the while I could barely walk with crutches. It made playing video games quite difficult for a while. But if there's something I like, I won't let some physical disability stop me from doing it, so I ended up getting the game and tackling it at my own pace, adjusting and adapting to it despite my issues. Some time later and I've now beaten all of the bosses without taking any damage, including the newer Inner Bosses. Love this game, even if my issues cause my performance to be somewhat inconsistent at it at times.

[literallyjustchickensandwich]

One of the greatest things in this game was the learning curve. I went from, holy shit this is impossible to, I’ve mastered this game, but I’ll still die if I don’t pay attention. This shit was so satisfying.

[GunkGobbler]

Ongbal’s videos show just how beautiful the combat is if properly executed, and using the various skills and shinobi tools together.

[ramanand]

You know what is baffling? That From Software managed to make one of, if not, the best sword fighting game with having no experience in that field, and having a completely different combat approach as their trademark

[thisisfyne]

Sekiro is my favourite FromSoft game so far, and definitely one of the most compelling gaming experience I've ever had. Mastering its mechanics is satisfying like _nothing_ else.
What a beautiful, beautiful monster. 10/10

[robbieclark]

I completely agree that Sekiro has the best combat in any game I've played.

[bryangan]

Sekiro's combat is as realistic as it gets. I train and study and write about boxing and MMA a lot, and if you ever go to the gym and spar someone, the feeling of both intense focus and anxiety is exactly what it is to be doing battle in Sekiro.

And just like in Sekiro, even someone much less skilled than you can bop you in the face if you don't fight/defend properly. And most beginners can still put up a guard to stop your punches, and you have to think about how to attack them, not just blast lots of punches at them and hope they land.

Rhythm is also a super important aspect of striking. Finding a good rhythm for yourself and one that just feels wrong for your opponent puts you in a great spot (like how you constantly bash Genichiro while he tries to jump up to shoot an arrow or circle to the side, or land a spin/thrust without you countering it). Alternatively, 'broken' rhythm is used by more advanced strikers to lull you into a certain rhythm, and then attacking during one of the offbeat moments - exactly why Sword Saint Isshin's spear phase is so tricky, because of the delayed strikes in between all the spinning.

Posture is also everything in real life striking. Go watch a compilation of KOs in any sport from kickboxing to boxing to MMA. Those highlight reel, one-hit KO shots always happen when the opponent is off balance somehow. His feet are crossed, his weight is extended way too forward or backwards, or he's leaning sideways, or his chin is not above his weight and cannot absorb the shot, etc. Watch how Muhammad Ali circles his opponent and makes them lunge forward and miss and then they're totally of balance, i.e. their posture is broken, then he flurries with a combination of quick strikes to put them down. He isn't a super powerful puncher, but he maintains his posture while breaking yours down.

(Muay Thai is also a great sport to watch to understand posture/balance, it's a constant battle to unbalance the opponent and hit them while they are stumbling).

[noahboyer]

I have been a fan of sekiro since its release and would say I'm quite experienced. I'm so glad to see someone capture the beauty of the game in such an analytical way. On a side note the transition screen between different topics was amazing and such a unquie touch especially with the antique map and msuic.

[Onikame]

Souls, Bloodborne, and Sekiro all have ideas that the combat was designed around. Dark Souls was choice. A true to form punishing, but play as you wish rpg. Bloodborne was more limiting, designed to force people to play aggressively, after seeing how defensively people ended up playing Souls. It was a response to that. The Sekiro, was designed not just to play differently, but to actively punish Souls players for attempting to play it like a Souls game. Nearly every effective technique and method that is effective in Souls games is the worst way to tackle Sekiro. By design.

[cun_]

You know in Sekiro all bosses when they appreciate Sekiro they also appreciate you breaking a 3rd wall of sort. Especially happens when fighting lady butterfly, Great shinobi owl and Isshin.
Those moments are spine chilling my favourite when Isshin says "well done Sekiro" congratulating you for completing the game.

[David_USC]

Best game I've played in a very long time.

[Dattobayo]

I just went back to Sekiro after plat-ing Elden Ring. This game is a true masterpiece. Brutally demanding, punishing, and rewarding. Still need to finish the gauntlets, and I'm dreading the day that I've got no challenges left in this game.

[FancyTophatDude]

It's the most beautiful combat system i can remember. Its dance of blocking, trying to counter and find an in to carefully putting in strike after strike from there, making sure you don't overextend. And the fact that perilous attacks tell you only that they're happening and you have to read the enemies actual striking direction is beautifully diegetic. It's the most any combat system ever felt like a climactic action scene in a samurai movie

[bloody_outlaw]

First time playing it felt like hell .. today i finished my second playthrough of the game and it was a much different experience ..its unbelievable to me that isshin a guy that took me 3 days to beat the first time around.. only took me 2 tries this time.. struggle is what makes these games more enjoyable but unlike the other souls games where if you beat a cool boss quickly you kinda feel disappointed or lucky .. sekiro on the other hand feels totally earned and once you know how to play the game you feel like a master shinobi..i will surely be revisiting the game many times in the future ..mikiri is the most satisfying thing ever ..i will never get tired of it

[GamingMediocrity]

"Barely any of the bosses can be cheesed"...


...


...


"SEKIRO GURU hErE!"

[HidinginPublic]

I overall agree with what you said. I would have liked to see you go further though, and some minor things you mentioned I think I would have a response or be able to expand on. I believe it is a near perfect game. I have beaten it well over 80 times, and feel like I know it inside and out. Almost all of the "criticism" I saw in sensationalists when the game came out are poorly thought through at best, and provably incorrect statements at worse. I'm just happy there is some sort of decently structured video defending it, gives me more peace of mind until I eventually put together my own video on it

[MiguelAlexisArguello]

Probably my favorite of the Fromsoftware games. Bloodborne a close 2nd. Waaay underrated because it deviates so much from the other games. You realize the beauty of the game once you understand the mechanics.

[UnrulyJuli]

Great video. What I find really silly about the dragonrot mechanic is that it actually depends on how much you die, not how often you choose to revive your character. The latter option would have justified you feeling guilty because that is a choice you actually make. Like you sucking some of the life out of all humans around you to preserve your own life.

[nowimpanickin]

Wolf also regains posture faster while holding block and not being attacked, it’s something that isn’t explained at all and you have to pay attention and try it to really notice. :)