Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice Previews Thread [See Staff Posts]

Masagiwa · Mar 4, 2019

I thought I create this thread for the upcoming new previews on Wednesday. I will try to keep up with everything and put relevant videos and impressions in the OP. Please feel free to discuss anything or link relevant information.

I understand that some people want to go in completely blind on the game but this thread may contain SPOILERS so you have been warned.

Previews

VOD || Youtube Video No Commentary Link

VOD

Dualshockers

That said, despite those setbacks, it's hard to deny that Sekiro(so far) is shaping up to be yet another excellent title that bears FromSoftware's signature marks. While I clearly have a lot of work to do to measure up to the demands that Sekiro seems like it has from players, from what I played, I am more than willing to sit, learn, and listen.

https://www.dualshockers.com/sekiro-shadows-die-twice-preview-ps4-xb1-pc/

Gamespot

What's interesting is the way Sekiro is using ideas similar to what fans are familiar with to create fresh experiences--whether it's combining the assassination opportunities of stealth that even work on some bosses, with more aggressive combat; or thinking about ways to both use and avoid death. Sekiro's different spin on From Software's formula creates a new, interesting relationship with video game death for players, while continuing to be just as crushing as fans expect.

https://www.gamespot.com/articles/sekiro-shadows-die-twice-might-have-from-softwares/1100-6465371/

Polygon

Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice feels straightforward and streamlined in other ways. It has an easy-to-digest story of a hero seeking revenge and protecting his divine lord. There's also a bit of a time-travel twist; at one point, I prayed to a buddha statue that sent Sekiro a few years to the past, where he seemed confused about his time and place in the world. The enemies I fought are not the gory beasts of Dark Souls and Bloodborne, but samurai, monks, mounted soldiers, yokai, and giants. But there are also unexpected things to contend with, like huge roosters that keep watch over buildings and a gargantuan, pure white serpent. And as is FromSoftware tradition, there are mysterious characters to talk to, who will offer cryptic hints about the world and its supernatural elements.

https://www.polygon.com/2019/3/6/18253125/sekiro-shadows-die-twice-preview-impressions

VG247

It feels as though there's plenty here to excite and interest even the most seasoned Souls veteran, and the unabashedly Japanese setting (complete with Japanese voice work) means there's a significantly different flavor, too. In other ways it's very familiar. You meet your weapon and health upgrading NPCs early on, and boy – these are the Souls tropes. The game seems to know it and own it, however.

It says a lot about the FromSoftware formula that despite all these differences Sekiro still very much feels cut from the same cloth as most of their other games over the last decade. Because of that I imagine it'll struggle to convert those who bounced off Souls previously – but if you're hungering for a new title in that vein and are sick of hoping and praying for a Bloodborne 2 or Dark Souls 4, Sekiro definitely looks like it'll scratch that itch.

https://www.vg247.com/2019/03/06/sekiro-shadows-die-twice-hands-on/

Eurogamer

Sekiro is full of interesting ideas, including how it deals with player death, and how the sickness, known as Dragon's Rot, spreads throughout the world each time you die. If you're even mildly interested in From Software's next title, give the video a watch.

https://www.eurogamer.net/articles/2019-03-06-we-played-the-first-few-hours-of-sekiro-shadows-die-twice-heres-everything-we-found-out

PCGamer

But in the week since I played Sekiro, that's the memory I keep returning to. From Software loves to pull the rug out from under us: Stumbling into those high-level skeletons behind Firelink, or gaining enough Insight to see Yharnam for what it really is. The studio has a way of making worlds that are dense with strange, one-of-a-kind ideas. There's no doubt in my mind that the early game showdown with the samurai is just the tip of the iceberg. Sekiro's number one priority is to surprise you. In other words, it's a From game.

https://www.pcgamer.com/sekiros-brutal-difficulty-demands-you-relearn-how-to-play-a-souls-game/

Gamesradar

I've only experienced a fraction of what Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice has to offer, but I'm excited - albeit in a oh god I think I'm going to snap a controller kind of way. There are hints at a greater, potentially time travelling, narrative within the general shinobi and master dialogue, and with even more weird, wonderful and probably terrifyingly powerful things on the horizon, it should be quite the adventure.

https://www.gamesradar.com/uk/sekiro-shadows-die-twice-preview-if-you-dont-like-parrying-in-dark-souls-i-have-bad-news-for-you/

IGN

Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice may have the DNA of a Soulsborne game, but if there was one thing that became clear to me after spending three hours with it, it's that Sekiro is entirely its own beast. Sure, it's a difficult yet rewarding action-RPG with a sprawling world full of darkness and mystery around every corner. But it's the mechanics that set Sekiro (out March 22 on PC, PS4, and Xbox One) apart from the Souls series and Bloodborne that have me the most excited.

https://nordic.ign.com/xbox-one-gam...die-twice-final-hands-on-preview-not-just-a-s

PCGamesn

Two hours is barely the blink of an eye for Sekiro, especially when it's your first time playing. There's much to decipher, plenty to learn, and a thousand deaths to endure during the process. But what I do know is that Sekiro feels wonderful. It captures the essence of the samurai code in its combat and liberates traditional Dark Souls level design with its more freeflow, vertical movement.

As FromSoftware promised, this is a very different game to its previous works, but it maintains many of the hallmarks that make them special. It feels like the right mix, providing more surprises than Bloodborne did, but still clearly building on that common foundation many players have come

https://www.pcgamesn.com/sekiro-shadows-die-twice/sekiro-combat-stealth

Gamereactor.se (Swedish)

With less than three weeks left to launch, I am now sure the Souls fans will enjoy exploring Wolf's history in Sengoku's Japan, which has been so beautifully incorporated into the adventure. The challenges are tough and tough, but also rewarding, just as you would expect from the genre. The big question is whether those of us who think the genre is a bit tough sometimes, will experience the game as being too difficult, relentless and frightening to fully enjoy it. The answer to that is of course highly individual, but fortunately we do not have to wait longer than March 22 to get the message.

https://www.gamereactor.se/forhandstittar/718273/Sekiro+Shadows+Die+Twice/

Multiplayer.it (Italian) Google translated

The questions on the game are still endless, and it was not enough an hour to dissect the complex and extensive world of Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice, but finally tried a new build has allowed us to touch the enormous potential of the new action from From Software, and to eviscerate his progression system a bit. This is a challenging game, very different from the Souls and perhaps even more brutal than them, because faster, devoid of their development RPG and cooperative multiplayer. the charm of the Japanese software house titles, however, is still all there, and we can not wait to dive into this alternative version of the Sengoku era, to discover all that has to offer.

https://multiplayer.it/articoli/sekiro-shadows-die-twice-provata-nuova-build.html

4Gamer (Japanese)
https://www.4gamer.net/games/422/G042247/20190306028/

Famitsu (Japanese)
https://www.famitsu.com/news/201903/07172898.html

Skill tree video by Long Island Joe
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L9U0A21JykI

Dualshockers
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mJcrt0Vp_1M

Gamespot
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IWwGgOK7oDM

Arekkz Gaming
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q1eLb9QW6FI

Inside Playstation
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WPpE0Zh0ZcI

GameOver.gr
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UL_Cb84y-oM

GhostRobo
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2q37D97Av6c

Criken2
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DkmmlJD92P4

Multiplayer.it
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pPlKkocgvIc

Gamesradar
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l50Y2IyAsv4

TerraMantis
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SWIgpuVA2-U

PCgamesn
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f9MO1yoo5Tk

IGN
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R_TWcFP3aQI

JorRaptor
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LrN5AgFZiXk

PolygonGuides
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iNtjhtmG5eM

Eurogamer
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RYfhAk8qmSY

Alaska
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9e-hAkAEg2U

The Completionist
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9MiXCA0L5mI

Regarding frame rate on consoles

Update: Seperate thread for DF video regarding performance on PS4 Pro found here
https://www.resetera.com/threads/digitalfoundry-sekiro-shadows-die-twice-ps4-pro-first-look.104364/

Deleted member 42105 · Mar 4, 2019

GIVE IT TO ME NOW
I WANT IT RIGHT NOOOOOOW

DriftingSpirit · Mar 4, 2019

SEKIRO HYPE!!!!!

Rodjer · Mar 4, 2019

DMC V reviews and Sekiro previews on Wednesday!

Fucking nice

Neoxon · Mar 4, 2019

Sekiro previews & DMC5 reviews on the same day. Wednesday is gonna be nuts.

Deleted member 25606 · Mar 4, 2019

That's a pretty early embargo lift, must be pretty confident. In Miyazaki we trust.

Blackleg-sanji1 · Mar 4, 2019

Neoxon said:
Sekiro previews & DMC5 reviews on the same day. Wednesday is gonna be nuts.

Days gone too

Wamb0wneD · Mar 4, 2019

LETS GO

Codosbuya · Mar 4, 2019

Give me already that good Tenchu stuff From. Its been a lot since Wrath of Heaven.

Izanagi89 · Mar 4, 2019

Neoxon said:
Sekiro previews & DMC5 reviews on the same day. Wednesday is gonna be nuts.

Don't forget Left Alive...........
.....
.....
:p

Gero · Mar 4, 2019

not going to watch anything but i cant wait for the game

Wolf of Yharnam · Mar 4, 2019

I have a few questions about the game. I didn't follow all of the reveals so I'm still a bit spoiler free about some stuff.

1. Will there be a hub world like in Bloodborne and Dark Souls 3? Or is it all connected like in Dark Souls 1 with the Firelink Shrine?
2. Can we change the look of Sekiro with new costumes, colors or even armor?
3. I take it there's only one weapon confirmed, the samurai sword of Sekiro right?

Masagiwa · Mar 4, 2019

Prince of Yharnam said:
I have a few questions about the game. I didn't follow all of the reveals so I'm still a bit spoiler free about some stuff.

1. Will there be a hub world like in Bloodborne and Dark Souls 3? Or is it all connected like in Dark Souls 1 with the Firelink Shrine?
2. Can we change the look of Sekiro with new costumes, colors or even armor?
3. I take it there's only one weapon confirmed, the samurai sword of Sekiro right?

1. Yes there is a hub area where you can teleport but the overall level design should reflect DS1 is what they've told us.
2. No
3. The katana is your main weapon but Sekiro wields a second sword on his back called "Fushigiri" that he uses to execute bosses in the footage we've seen. The sword is connected to the lore so they haven't talked about it too much.

Innuendo84 · Mar 4, 2019

Prince of Yharnam said:
1. Will there be a hub world like in Bloodborne and Dark Souls 3? Or is it all connected like in Dark Souls 1 with the Firelink Shrine?
2. Can we change the look of Sekiro with new costumes, colors or even armor?
3. I take it there's only one weapon confirmed, the samurai sword of Sekiro right?

This is based on the info we have now.

1. There is a hub.
2. No
3.One weapon

Wolf of Yharnam · Mar 4, 2019

Masagiwa said:
1. Yes there is a hub area where you can teleport but the overall level design should reflect DS1 is what they've told us.
2. No
3. The katana is your main weapon but Sekiro wields a second sword on his back called "Fushigiri" that he uses to execute bosses in the footage we've seen. The sword is connected to the lore so they haven't talked about it too much.

Innuendo84 said:
This is based on the info we have now.

1. There is a hub.
2. No
3.One weapon

Thanks. I love the hubs, so that's great. There being no visual customization coming from Soulsborne will be a bit disappointing, but I can deal with that. Maybe we'll get more weapons throughout the game and they just didn't want to reveal that surprise. I'm hopeful

Soriku · Mar 4, 2019

Prince of Yharnam said:
Thanks. I love the hubs, so that's great. There being no visual customization coming from Soulsborne will be a bit disappointing, but I can deal with that. Maybe we'll get more weapons throughout the game and they just didn't want to reveal that surprise. I'm hopeful

There are different weapon options/attacks with the prosthetic arm.

MeltedDreams · Mar 4, 2019

Hype! I'm glad Elajjaz had a chance to stream the old demo other day. It did much better job than other players showing the available mechanics.

Masagiwa · Mar 4, 2019

Prince of Yharnam said:
Thanks. I love the hubs, so that's great. There being no visual customization coming from Soulsborne will be a bit disappointing, but I can deal with that. Maybe we'll get more weapons throughout the game and they just didn't want to reveal that surprise. I'm hopeful

The variation in combat should come from the different prosthetics since they have synergy with the katana. All different proshetics we've seen so far has a special animation (move-set) when combined with the katana in combat.

galv · Mar 4, 2019

The embargo lifting so early means that there's going to be a large amount of people spreading idiotic spoilers, filling the internet and social media. God damn it.

Now I need to go on a social media blackout for around 2/3rds of a month.

Jakten · Mar 4, 2019

I didn't realize Sekiro was being published by Activision... seriously reconsidering whether I want to buy this now. That's really disappointing.

Wolf of Yharnam · Mar 4, 2019

Soriku said:
There are different weapon options/attacks with the prosthetic arm.

Masagiwa said:
The variation in combat should come from the different prosthetics since they have synergy with the katana. All different proshetics we've seen so far has a special animation (move-set) when combined with the katana in combat.

That really reminds me of the trick weapons in BB and a bit of the skills in DS3. Hype intensifying.

I'm hopeful this game can surprise me like Bloodborne did. I've never been so invested in a game's lore, characters and world before.

Peradam · Mar 4, 2019

The urge to keep up with the news vs going dark is a difficult one...

Dark_Castle · Mar 4, 2019

Not being to modify how Sekiro look is a bit of a downer. I like the fashion aspects in the Souls game.

kowalski · Mar 4, 2019

Ho boy!

Bersi · Mar 4, 2019

galv said:
The embargo lifting so early means that there's going to be a large amount of people spreading idiotic spoilers, filling the internet and social media. God damn it.

Now I need to go on a social media blackout for around 2/3rds of a month.

The embargo is for a preview event, people don't have access to the full game yet.

taepoppuri · Mar 4, 2019

Jakten said:
I didn't realize Sekiro was being published by Activision... seriously reconsidering whether I want to buy this now. That's really disappointing.

May I ask why? Activision only publishes this game in NA and europe. Thay have no control over the game development.

Rodjer · Mar 4, 2019

Dark_Castle said:
Not being to modify how Sekiro look is a bit of a downer. I like the fashion aspects in the Souls game.

Good thing this is not a Souls game.

SCB360 · Mar 4, 2019

Rodjer said:
Good thing this is not a Souls game.

So why exactly are they inviting Souls streamers then?

Guildenstern · Mar 4, 2019

I guess it's the level of lady butterfly

Deleted member 11038 · Mar 4, 2019

SCB360 said:
So why exactly are they inviting Souls streamers then?

Because it's similar in combat system, even if they removed stamina and rpg stats.

UsoEwin · Mar 4, 2019

SCB360 said:
So why exactly are they inviting Souls streamers then?

...Because those are the people that regularly promote their content and have the biggest fanbases?

Mifec · Mar 4, 2019

Prince of Yharnam said:
I have a few questions about the game. I didn't follow all of the reveals so I'm still a bit spoiler free about some stuff.

1. Will there be a hub world like in Bloodborne and Dark Souls 3? Or is it all connected like in Dark Souls 1 with the Firelink Shrine?
2. Can we change the look of Sekiro with new costumes, colors or even armor?
3. I take it there's only one weapon confirmed, the samurai sword of Sekiro right?

1. Did you play DS2? The hub is like Majula with linear paths leading out of it but then it branches off into an interconnected world like DS1.
2. Nope he has a set look.
3. Yep you only use the normal katana he has and you have the Fushigiri aka the bigger one on his back which translates to Immortal/Undead cutter/slayer. You use it to finish off specific bosses and it was said you'd wield it in more story driven fights, it has the same moveset as your regular blade.

SCB360 said:
So why exactly are they inviting Souls streamers then?

Because they play fromsoft games the most. So it's a good marketing move.

FallenGrace · Mar 4, 2019

Hyped!

Edit: A dull post but true all the same.

SprachBrooks · Mar 4, 2019

Stupid question, but this is confirmed to have no difficulty settings, right?

Wolf of Yharnam · Mar 4, 2019

SCB360 said:
So why exactly are they inviting Souls streamers then?

It still retains the soul of those games

Mifec · Mar 4, 2019

SprachBrooks said:
Stupid question, but this is confirmed to have no difficulty settings, right?

It has a harder new game+ but yeah no actual settings.

Rodjer · Mar 4, 2019

SCB360 said:
So why exactly are they inviting Souls streamers then?

Are you serious?
Do you think From is going to invite fpsgamer89 to play one of their titles instead of people that play games similiar to Sekiro?

Dark_Castle · Mar 4, 2019

Rodjer said:
Good thing this is not a Souls game.

And? I didn't say it was. I just said I like that Souls games have this aspect, and this was the next game by From Software that are fairly reminiscent to them. It's rare for a mainstream game today that don't allow you to customize your appearance.

Chaos2Frozen · Mar 4, 2019

Rodjer said:
DMC V reviews and Sekiro previews on Wednesday!

Fucking nice

Neoxon said:
Sekiro previews & DMC5 reviews on the same day. Wednesday is gonna be nuts.

This party's getting crazy.

EDIT: oh, this is just a preview... This party's getting lame.

Wolf of Yharnam · Mar 4, 2019

Mifec said:
1. Did you play DS2? The hub is like Majula with linear paths leading out of it but then it branches off into an interconnected world like DS1.

Yo, that's great. I didn't mention DS2 because it's my least favorite game of theirs, but Majula itself with the branching paths was amazing.

Deleted member 18161 · Mar 4, 2019

Neoxon said:
Sekiro previews & DMC5 reviews on the same day. Wednesday is gonna be nuts.

I think both games look great and will score / sell well but I truly hope because they're released around the same time that it doesn't turn into another Horizon / Zelda moment where the fan bases are constantly putting the other game down, you can't go into a thread about one without the other being brought up and people are constantly comparing them.

I'm personally hoping Sekiro is more Bloodborne than Dark Souls as I preferred the more linear experience it offered.

Batatina · Mar 4, 2019

I'm looking forward to this game, but the loss of RPG elements has me properly deflated. I fear that having a very difficult game stripped of its progression elements may prove too frustrating for me. Looking forward to these previews, as I would love to want this game as much as their previous entries.

Kain-Nosgoth · Mar 4, 2019

Hope they'll talk about the PC version and the framerate of the different version in general!

SCB360 · Mar 4, 2019

Prince of Yharnam said:
It still retains the soul of those games

So you could say a Souls-like....

I'll leave now ;)

Wamb0wneD · Mar 4, 2019

Rion said:
I think both games look great and will score / sell well but I truly hope because they're released around the same time that it doesn't turn into another Horizon / Zelda moment where the fan bases are constantly putting the other game down, you can't go into a thread about one without the other being brought up and people are constantly comparing them.

I'm personally hoping Sekiro is more Bloodborne than Dark Souls as I preferred the more linear experience it offered.

Neither DMC nor Sekiro are exclusives, so you won't have to worry that much.

From impressions so far it's more like Bloodborne than Souls so yeah.

Mifec · Mar 4, 2019

Kain-Nosgoth said:
Hope they'll talk about the PC version and the framerate of the different version in general!

PC version runs at a locked 60 even while recording apparently.

Wamb0wneD · Mar 4, 2019

Batatina said:
I'm looking forward to this game, but the loss of RPG elements has me properly deflated. I fear that having a very difficult game stripped of its progression elements may prove too frustrating for me. Looking forward to these previews, as I would love to want this game as much as their previous entries.

There are progression elements, just not tied to stats. You have skilltrees and so on.

MilkBeard · Mar 4, 2019

Shit, I said I wasn't going to look at anything, but I might watch a teeny tiny bit of preview stuff.

Mifec · Mar 4, 2019

Batatina said:
I'm looking forward to this game, but the loss of RPG elements has me properly deflated. I fear that having a very difficult game stripped of its progression elements may prove too frustrating for me. Looking forward to these previews, as I would love to want this game as much as their previous entries.

You can upgrade prosthetics, it has 3 skill trees and you possibly also might be able to upgrade your katana. Just no stat leveling.

FlintSpace · Mar 4, 2019

Seeing the demo I finally purchased Bloodborne. While people will be playing Sekiro in March, i thought i might let my ass get kicked in BB.

Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice Previews Thread [See Staff Posts]

User requested account closure

Self-requested ban.

Spotlighting Black Excellence - Diversity Analyst

User requested account closure

Self-requested ban

Self-requested ban

Self-requested ban

Knights of Favonius World Tour '21

Self-requested ban.

Self-requested ban

Self-requested ban.

Self-requested ban

user requested account closure