The truth is that Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice isn't really meant to be any easier or harder than Dark Souls. It's just his thing, on the side. From Software has been making hardcore action RPGs for about a decade, so it's no wonder it wants to shake things up every once in a while. It did that to some degree with Bloodborne, and it's arguably one of the studio's best games. However, his most recent effort goes even further; Sekiro is adjacent to Souls, having ditched some of its characteristics while forging a new path. The result is another success for the Japanese studio and one of the best titles of the year.
We could dwell on this game's similarities to its predecessors, but what's much more exciting is what it does differently. Of course, Sekiro has a large, interconnected world to explore, specific points to rest on, and larger-than-life boss fights that will really test your mettle. What you don't get in Souls, however, is the intense, crippling parry-based combat that makes this game so exciting to play. It emphasizes action, swordplay, and trading blows, and it makes for some of the most brutal combat you'll find on PlayStation 4.
You don't have to worry about stamina, but that doesn't mean you can just wave your katana around. To take down your enemies, you'll need to lower their posture bar by parrying attacks consistently before finishing things off with a satisfying hit. Fighting even the simplest of villains will take discipline; timing and controlled strikes will win more encounters than brute force. It's this unique combat system that makes Sekiro special. Mastering the game's blade-to-blade battles is a huge challenge, but we're sure you'll find many more examples of rewarding gameplay.
It's an agile game that encourages you to experiment with the tools provided to you. You're not minimizing your stats here, but you do have access to a suite of useful items, prosthetic tools, and combat arts with which to expand your options. There is no filler content; everything has its uses, and you end up with a game that, while quite large, is surprisingly skinny. Even the resurrection mechanic doesn't feel cheap due to its restricted usage.
We could go on about the game's dark but beautiful world, or its understated history of honor and loyalty, or its incredible array of boss fights. Software's experiment paid off; the studio has made a title that stands side by side with the PS4's best action games, and it does so while confidently exploring new ideas. Flawlessly brutal and refreshingly different, Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice is absolutely one of the best of 2019.
What do you think of Sekiro? Is it one of your favorites this year? Does it improve the formula of souls significantly? Enter comments below.
How we decide our Game of the Year: At the end of November, our editorial team creates a list of Game of the Year nominees based on our own review scores and a number of other factors. After much discussion, we're narrowing down the list of nominees and asking everyone at Tip PS4 Games to vote on their top five favorites using a point-based system. The ten games with the most points at Deadline are our top ten PS4 titles of 2019. We then use that same order when writing about each game.
