Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice surprised players with an earlier launch

Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice was released earlier than expected.

Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice just launched and it’s already receiving a lot of love from players. On this post, we are going to give you a roundup of how Sekiro is doing so far. The shinobi-themed successor to Bloodborne and Soul series is fawned by critics due to its stealth action and adventure. The game is currently holding a 90% aggregate Meta score and 8.7 user score on Metacritic. Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice was first shown in public during the 2017 Game Awards. Its story takes place in the 16th century during the Sengoku period in Japan. The players play Sekiro, a fallen shinobi who was tasked to protect a young lord. However, a rival clan managed to abduct the young lord and severed Sekiro’s arm in the process. Sekiro eventually recovered, replaced his lost limb, and sets out to rescue the young lord from the hands of his enemies.

Sekiro has a certain flair that reminds of Dark Souls, so if you have played the series in the past, you will feel at home. However, Sekiro is much more advanced when it comes to the execution of ideas. Stealth is a significant factor in the game, and players can use Sekiro’s arm for ambushing enemies from above for example. Players seem to be already thrilled about the difficulty of breaking the opponents’ defense to land Sekiro’s powerful deathblows. The same is about the death mechanics of the game, which allows players to choose between reviving themselves right away or not. It’s also good to see that in Sekiro, every action has an opposite but equal reaction, so if you do choose to revive yourself, it will have bad effects on the game’s narrative. For specific reviews, we’ve rounded up a couple for you:

• Polygon – Dave Tach & Jeffrey Parkin   Note: This review is based on 50+ hours of gameplay. The game also got their Polygon Recommends badge which means its thought-provoking, entertaining, and worth the effort. I have to put in a lot of work and effort to meet Sekiro on its own terms, but what might feel ponderous in a lesser game becomes rewarding in one created with this much care. Sekiro meets me with just as much effort and enthusiasm as I’ve put into it. It lets me know I’m capable and skilled, and that I can figure it out.

• IGN – Brandin Tyrrel   Sekiro evolves From Software’s formula into a stylish stealth-action adventure that, naturally, emphasizes precision and skill in its combat. It walks the line between deliberate and patient stealth and breakneck melee combat against threats both earthly and otherworldly. Its imaginative and flexible tools support a more focused experience that shaves down some of From Software’s overly cryptic sensibilities without losing its air of mystery. Sekiro is an amazing new twist on a familiar set of ideas that can stand on its own alongside its predecessors.

It's still too early to tell but so far, things are looking good for Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice. It’s living up to the hype and the expectation it generated. If you haven’t done it yet, try checking out the game in our comparator to find the best deal online.