Is Sekiro's combat really that good?

[Sammy Samusu]

I had fun with Sekiro (beat it a couple days ago) and I think its combat system is good, but not without huge flaws.

Let's see, how many of you actually used all those combat arts and their upgrades? Combat arts are pretty much useless and sometimes they actually get in the way if you misclick a button in the middle of a combo or block/deflect. I honestly left my combat arts slot empty for most of the game.

Like many, I watched some boss tutorials on Youtube and combat arts were never used or recommended to overcome the challenge, they killed all bosses using regular attacks, and I did the same. That kinda pissed me off cause it was basically a "git gud" situation.

For example, I had trouble with the final boss so I tried to make things easier by using combat arts and tools, but those only left me open for deathblows. As soon as I dropped all special moves/tools, and started to focus on deflecting and using regular sword attacks, I improved drastically and defeated the final boss easily. How come? In any other game, specials would be there to make things easier. That's what they are there for!

So yeah, I feel like the basic works really well in Sekiro, but they tried to add special stuff to it and ultimately failed to create a diverse combat system. If you are not encouraged to use all the arsenal you have, eventually the game will get boring and repetitive.

In my opinion, Horizon has a much better combat system. In that game you really have to try different strategies and use all kinds of tools against different enemies. In Sekiro you dodge, deflect and do regular sword swings throughout the game.

Thoughts?

 

[PintSizedSlasher]

It's good, but not Nioh good.

 

[Deleted member 4067]

Combat arts useless huh

Ichimonji and double are necessary

 

[BigJeffery]

Yeah, my only major complaint with the game is that other than Jumanji and Firecrackers and a few very niche cases, there's very little incentive to do more than just attack and parry enemies. I'd much rather have seen less prosthetics that are all way more powerful.

 

[Kalentan]

It's good, but not Nioh good.

Click to shrink...

Perfect and to the point.

 

[V3rt1go]

Am I the only one that hates those homing attacks (when the enemies even change direction mid-air only to get you) that make the game harder?

 

[ckareset]

Having more options for combat doesnt necessarily make it better. In order to compensate developers are forced to make the enemies simpler because there are so many options/builds for people to use. It's why I dont care for skill trees in games

 

[xICHIGOx]

Ni-Oh is on another level as a game in almost every way.

 

[Pillock]

Define 'that good'

 

[Deleted member 2834]

Yeah, I liked it but it's not on, say, Nioh's level. I think I enjoyed Bloodborne's combat a little bit more too. But hell no@ Horizon's being better. The ranged combat was good, but the melee combat was thoroughly unenjoyable.

 

[Zukkoyaki]

It's good but it's really only great during particular fights like with sword-carrying bosses. It quickly becomes an exhilarating almost dance when everything comes together.

 

[Doc Kelso]

It's great until it becomes easy. At which point it can become very annoying.

 

[XenodudeX]

Combat arts useless huh

Ichimonji and double are necessary

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As someone who beat the game with using them alot, no they aren't. Most of the time trying to use any tools or arts either gets blocked or straight up gets me killed. Too much starting lag.

 

[Deleted member 45414]

It's fucking amazing, haven't tried anything as exhilarating, DMC5 feels boring by comparison. (I know DMC is all about style, not life or death fights)

 

[Ehoavash]

I only use the firecracker tbh

All the other stuff is too slow for me to use in hetic moments :l

 

[Sammy Samusu]

I have to try Nioh.

 

[Deleted member 21858]

Combat was great. Parrying was super satisfying. The prosthetics are more for specific situations that even streamers are just discovering now (like you can pull off the worm from the Ape´s head on his second phase by using the spear, and that does a lot of posture damage). Not a fan of the combat arts as well and wish they were some kind of "ultimate" that you could do only after some time during combat, be it by damaging your opponent or some other way.

Also Horizon was okay but Horizon´s gameplay is way, way worse than Sekiro, combat included.

 

[Siggy]

It's good, but not Nioh good.

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Nailed it.

 

[jviggy43]

Yes, its fucking amazing. I agree the combat arts and skills are largely not very good but the combat doesn't need them to be as good as it is.

No idea why having to get good at the base combat and not getting to lean on cheap gimmicks like a move or tool is a bad thing. Getting good isn't a slight against the combat. Its weird that you seem to be critical of a game not giving you an easy out rather than learn the actual encounter. Learning these encounters and engaging with the core mechanics is precisely why its so good. Now with that said I would love for the sequel or dlc to include a better number of abilities and tools but not to the extent you seem to want where it trivializes encounters.

 

[Ferrio]

Still haven't beaten it, but liking it a lot. I use combat arts/prosthetics frequently. Even if you don't use them, the vanilla combat system is great. I could have gone through the whole game with just deflect and been happy. I can't see how you think Horizon's combat is better, especially considering the human combat in that game is some of the worst I've encountered in any game.

 

[Baliis]

Better than other Souls imo, but not as intricate as Nioh's

 

[Yerffej]

Thoughts?

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I dunno but I do know this gif made me actually laugh.

 

[BigJeffery]

As someone who beat the game with using them alot, no they aren't. Most of the time trying to use any tools or arts either gets blocked or straight up gets me killed. Too much starting lag.

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Ichimonji isn't necessary, but it does make some fights a bit faster and easier. The first boss of the Shura ending can be beaten literally just by repeating parry->Ichimonji.

IMO they're all way too low impact. If they're going to cost ammo to use, they should be impressive. Why does Mortal Draw barely do more damage than a regular attack?

 

[Elyian]

I find that the tools and combat arts are very situational(with a few excep), but the tools given to you are for sure useful, and make some otherwise hard enemies much more manageable. I don't think this means the games mechanics are bad, or that some of these abilities were thrown in just for flash, it's just that you aren't incentivised to use one or two combat arts/tools for every situation, and I feel that actually speaks to it's great balance.

 

[Trace]

It's good, but not Nioh good.

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First post gets it right.

 

[cowbanana]

I like Nioh a lot more from a combat perspective, like a lot more. Sekiro is good, but I don't feel like playing it again.

 

[ActWan]

I beat the game 3 times without using prosthetics/combat arts (basically missing a ton of the combat systems), and I think it's one of the best and most addicting combat ever.
Hell I might even beat it again on NG+3 soon...I just can't stop doing perfect deflects, mikiri, it's so goddamn addicting! Hell even fighting

Spoiler: Endgame boss

Demon of Hatred which is basically a Souls boss and I didn't see a reason to use deflect once against him

, is so fun!
It's kinda like a rhythm game in parts too, and I love rhythm games.

 

[BossAttack]

It's fun, but I agree that combat arts are useless as are most prosthetics. Also, the timing window fr parries and Mikiri counters is really generous. Easiest "Souls" game, by far.

 

[rodrigolfp]

It's good, but not Jedi Academy single saber good.

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ftfy.

 

[Dphex]

In my opinion, Horizon has a much better combat system. In that game you really have to try different strategies and use all kinds of tools against different enemies. In Sekiro you dodge, deflect and do regular sword swings throughout the game.

Click to shrink...

Horizon is in no way comparable, the melee was awful in that game and the rest was just shooting the bow with an occasional jump for slow motion.

 

[PlanetSmasher]

Nioh's core mechanics and flexibility just work better for me. Sekiro is great if you just want a game that's all about clashing swords, but as far as raw core combat mechanics go, Nioh is pretty much unparalleled within the genre. And I say this as someone who still prefers Bloodborne over both games.

 

[Sgt. Demblant]

Yeah I liked it but it didn't wow me that much honestly.
For me the combat peaked with the third main boss fight.

Spoiler: boss name

Genichiro.

Overall, I'd say I quite enjoyed the gameplay of Sekiro but I don't know that the trade-off of all the various Souls play styles was entirely worth it.
I do want them to double down on it in a sequel though. Sekiro is a game full of potential. I don't think that potential was entirely realized but one might have said the same thing about Demon's Souls once.

 

[Aurongel]

Deathblows, parrying (of this style) and posture are systems I'd love to see in other games. It represents the best singles combat From has ever done, even mob type enemies are fun to take down because of how satisfying the parry mechanics are and the fact that deathblows are equal parts stylish and useful (I Frames).

 

[Acorn]

Combat arts are only good for cheese. Nightjar cheese to victory (in like 2 fights)

 

[Deleted member 437]

Wow, never knew there was so much Nioh love in here.

 

[Daniel Westlake]

I mean the combat arts and prosthetics aren't like literally necessary but the only way I could I could see someone thinking they aren't useful is if you didn't try them or you're just absolutely terrible at using them.

 

[Pikachu]

I'm kinda bored of having to block every single hit. The clanging noise gets tired.

 

[Jeremy]

Am I the only one that hates those homing attacks (when the enemies even change direction mid-air only to get you) that make the game harder?

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Definitely.

Enemy attacks tracking you was terrible in the Souls games and it's terrible here.

 

[Kyuur]

I used whirlwind to duck under one of Lady Butterfly's attacks and hit her at the same time.

Complex also is not the same as good. Hollow Knight had simple combat that people enjoyed as well.

 

[DomsPlaying]

"Combat arts are pretty much useless"

"In my opinion, Horizon has a much better combat system."

Edited:

Are we even playing the same game? Switching up combat arts *and prosthetics* depending on the type of enemy you're fighting is absolutely essential. Especially once you start unlocking upgrades. Going into a fight with an apparition? Bring my lilac umbrella. A beast? Firecrackers! A shield? My trusty axe.

In fact, I'd argue it's very close to Horizon in its practical application. Matching strength on weakness makes a huge difference.

 

[roflwaffles]

Ni-Oh is on another level as a game in almost every way.

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Nioh has better combat but is literally worse every other way.

 

[Anustart]

The game is good but not great. The combat is passable but nothing special.

 

[Memento]

It's good, but not Nioh good.

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Well Nioh is like the game with the best combat out there so...

 

[Oaklight]

I platinumed the game recently and experienced everything the game has to offer, so yes I would say that the combat is phenomenal. It is very difficult at first but once you learn the fundamentals of the game such as deflecting, blocking, optimizing your posture, and constantly applying pressure to your opponent when possible, then the game just "clicks" and becomes extremely satisfying.

I can basically speedrun the game now with little effort and I'm sure everyone else could too if they push themselves to get past the initial barrier of understanding the mechanics and when to use them properly.

 

[PlanetSmasher]

Nioh has better combat but is literally worse every other way.

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I don't know about that. Nioh has some boss fights that I would say are pretty equivalent in quality to some of Sekiro's best. Nobunaga (when you fight the version that isn't fucking around with you) is like Genichiro on crack. What a great fight.

 

[SaberX85]

For me, above bloodborne but below nioh

 

[DreamSurf]

I found by the end of the game I was getting super bored of the combat. Souls games always had simplistic combat design but it worked because of build variety and bosses allowing a variety of strategies. In sekiro every fight was exactly the same, walk in, learn the attacks, parry dodge attack, repeat. It was super fun for the first 2/3s but by the end it was just the same shit every single time. Skills were pointless and the prosthetic tools were useless. Bloodbornes combat was way more satisfying.

 

[Jeremy]

Nioh has better combat but is literally worse every other way.

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I pretty much agree with this...

The stamina management in Nioh, in particular, was more interesting than the poise mechanics in Sekiro.

I beat Sekiro and almost every boss it was too easy to just run around and replenish poise. It was almost never interesting during a battle.

 

[LiK]

It's good but Combat Arts and Prosthetic Tools are neutered and quite limited. Not a fan that you can't quickly switch Combat Arts on the fly and you're limited to how often you can use the Tools with the limited amount of Spirit Emblems. It also takes a while to upgrade all the Tools. I made it to final boss and I still enjoyed the combat but there's not enough flexibility you can mess with.

 

[Jamesways]

It's no For Honor, that's for sure.
Greatest weapon fighting system in games.

Yeah I said it.

I am enjoying Sekiro though, I like the fresh perspective on typical Souls combat.