Any title FromSoftware that avoids the main Dark Souls vein always brings some little gems in terms of gameplay: Bloodborne has in fact completely revolutionized the style of play only by removing the shield (and of course adding some gameplay dynamics). For this reason the expectations for Sekiro are very high: combining Feudal Japan with FromSoftware's classic punitive gameplay, adding that hint of Tenchu nostalgia, seems to be a very working formula on paper. But will it also be so in practice?
Another round, another gameplay
The thing we need to talk about right away is there gameplay differentiation from the classic vein: death takes on different connotations within the game, changing the general dynamics a little. No souls but skill points, while purchases will be made with an in-game currency. With each death you will have the opportunity to revive yourself once (or twice, depending on how much the Kaisei counter): when you finish these "extra lives" you will return to the most recent Sculptor Statuette (the equivalent of the bonfire), losing half your skill points and half your coins. This loss, however, can be avoided based on luck, or rather, on a value of divine benevolence that could, based on the percentage, avoid you some problems. This value will change based on the Evil Dragon, a debuff that in the course of the game will lead you to search for various sick people around the map, in order to find a cure.
Speaking of the combat system, the game defines a new branch of soulslike: le preparations they become vital, especially the detours (timed saves), allowing you to criticize the opponent and conclude the fight with an execution. But you too can end up like this: once the stamina bar is removed, the game will make you load a bar with every parry or hit, finally bringing you to your knees and ready to die. In addition to the katana, capable of making a classic standard attack or something loaded, you can use Wolf's mechanical arm and his abilities, which can be unlocked as you progress through the game. One of the most interesting things is the match shot: in the event that you are unable to parry or avoid, you could block the blow even going towards it with a further attack (but like you, even the enemies can do it). The gameplay is further layered between holds (unstoppable), lunge attacks (which you can avoid by unlocking certain skills) and any bosses with unique attacks. For this reason, in addition to the parade, it becomes important to know how to exploit theto side dodge and jump, two great aids that will join the grapple.
If the grappling hook on the one hand will allow you to go down different paths, perhaps approaching a battlefield in a stealth way, on the other hand it will be useful to escape from the fight when things get difficult: some bosses can in this way be faced more easily (relatively). The game will take you to face some tough minibosses, followed by the real bosses, who acquire further depth thanks to an in-depth narrative system decidedly detached from the previous titles.
Objects return, each with a specific effect, and the flask seen in Dark Souls, as always upgradeable over time. Just the growth of the character differs substantially from other games: the accumulated skill points will allow you to unlock active and passive skills. The former will allow you to carry out devastating attacks, the latter will enrich you with parries, dodges or additional skills. Finally, even the basic values of your protagonist can be increased, accumulating a collectible capable of enhancing them once the 4 pieces are reached.
Another dimension
Leaving the technical side, the first things that stand out are the agility of the game and the verticality of the maps: of the first, you realize the first jump made with Lupo, capable of immediately giving a pinch of greater agility than the Dark Souls. To realize the second one, however, you will have to go a little further in the game, when Sekiro will remove the wheels from the bicycle and make you do as you wish. Precisely this new facet is what struck us most about Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice. While it may seem like a small thing, it adds a new dimension to the game by making it easier to attack from above (and its critics). Of course all this, combined with the Kaisei system, has given the right - as Miyazaki rightly says in an interview - to raise the game difficulty.
The story of Lupo has a big hole: the protagonist - who in this game talks and participates in cinematics - does not remember what led him to fail his task as Shinobi, but thanks to amulets he will be able to relive past events, opening a list of additional missions to do that will lead to discover what happened in his past. Especially in these missions - but also in the standard game - the maps are decidedly more open: the grappling hook inside the mechanical arm will allow you to take advantage of different paths, and sometimes will make you experience fun platform sessions, despite not shining with originality.
In short, the soul of the title is definitely that of Miyazaki, already seen in Demon's Souls, Dark Souls and Bloodborne: yet, as for the latter, Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice is different enough, capable of reshaping ideas that were now starting to become too seen and that needed a refresh. But the thing that appears - in a not too marked way - during the stealth phases and during your journey between the roofs of the houses, is that shadow of Tenchu: you will not see it in game mechanics taken and adapted, and not even in combat. system. It will peep out at every silent kill, at the climb of every building, at every back street you take. This comparison, however, immediately makes it clear how the director did not want to leave total freedom in the travel of the locations, providing well-defined grips that you can use only in specific points.
Basic Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice it is a very difficult game: this however is not mainly given by a game system that will require you to be "only" very good, but will push you to approach enemies and learn their patterns. Once that is done, everything else will be in your hands, literally. Yet this dynamic, already seen previously, acquires greater depth thanks to the vertical dimension, which will help you in critical moments but which could condemn you when you least expect it. Not only FromSoftware he has taken everything he has learned in recent years, but has decided to make Sekiro a far more difficult game, almost as if to challenge the players. You've killed dozens of enemies and fought as a hunter, but can you help your ward? Can you be a shinobi worthy of the name? If so, the challenge is ahead of you, it bears the name of Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice and you absolutely must not miss it.
A white spot
Technically, the game is FromSoftware: for this reason the use of some now famous styles of the software house leaves some textures too grainy and creates a graphic style that is not always well defined. To help, the polygonal models of the characters and enemies are well done, managing together with the dubbing to bring a little more personality to each of them. The sound is done just as well, punctuating each shot with a shrill clang. All in all on PS4 Pro the title shows some hint of slowdown in some precise phases, dropping from the standard 60 fps down to a minimum frame rate of 40, but this will not ruin the gaming experience at all.
