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Let us get the visuals and the story out of the way. Sekiro may not be the most beautiful game, but the visuals are pretty damn stunning, and the dark atmosphere of this game is only enhanced by the amazing graphics and lighting. The enemy design is fantastic, as is the animation work. My favorite boss has to be the True Corrupted Monk due to the grim beauty of her design and animations. Her cackling laugh, boss theme, and scenic stage add to her expertly crafted boss battle. However, there are many more just as enjoyable boss battles.

As for the story, it is rather simple, at least initially. It is the Sengoku period. Wolf, a master shinobi, has just lost both his foster father and his young master Kuro. It is up to Wolf to redeem himself and make use of his new Shinobi Prosthetic arm to take back Kuro from the Ashina clan. Little does he know that Genichiro Ashina, the next in line as clan leader, seeks to use Kuro's blood as a source of immortality. This is only the tip of the iceberg for the story. Also, this is a post-Dark Souls FromSoftware game. Expect deep, deep hidden lore... Or watch VaatiVidya.

Unlike Dark Souls though, stamina is not a mechanic to worry about. Instead, we have a new mechanic called "Posture." Posture and Deflect make up the crux of Sekiro's combat. First, Posture builds up whenever you are attacked, whether you blocked or not. It also builds up whenever your attacks are blocked. If your Posture is maxed out, you will lose your footing, making you receive major damage if you get attacked right after. Luckily you can evade roll and avoid damage entirely if you are fast enough. Enemies also have a Posture meter. However, enemies with maxed out Posture will be open to a Death Blow, which is essentially a slick finishing move. Deflect is the second main combat mechanic and is essential to build enemy Posture. To Deflect, you must time your block with an enemy or boss's attack(s). It is crucial to learn Deflect timing because many enemies and bosses have attacks where they swing at you multiple times. This is Sekiro's main challenge: timing Deflects and building enemy Posture. Once you learn the mechanics behind Deflect and Posture, what is left is the simple matter of learning enemy and boss patterns. However, this is easier said than done, as Sekiro's bosses are extremely difficult. And yet, if you are able to overcome such seemingly insurmountable odds, you will come out feeling like a Deflect god... or you will just breathe a sigh of relief that the game is finally over. Either way, I think you will be satisfied.

There are other mechanics to ease the difficulty of this game. Resurrection, both a story and gameplay element, allows you to get back up on your feet at half health after your health had just reached zero. Be careful though, as this mechanic is very limited, so it does not make the game significantly easier. Also, just like in Dark Souls games, there are a bevy of items you can use to ease the difficulty further. Consider using items if you are having trouble.

If there is any flaw that this game has, it is probably the camera. This is an issue that is evident in all the Soulsborne games for some reason. If your back is against a wall for too long or if something like a pillar blocks the lock-on reticle, the lock-on will unlock, potentially leading to some frustrating deaths. Thankfully this doesn't happen too often.

Other than combat, you are greatly incentivized to explore the world of Sekiro, where you are able to come across useful items such as health-boosting items and even extra Shinobi Prosthetic tools. Thanks to Wolf's infinite stamina, high mobility, and ability to jump (eat your heart out Dark Souls), exploration hardly becomes a chore.

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Sekiro is one of the greatest action-adventure games ever made. The story and lore are great, the visuals fit the world’s atmosphere perfectly, exploration is highly rewarding, and combat provides a unique kind of challenge unfound in other action games. Challenge is in my opinion one of the most rewarding aspects of a video game, and Sekiro delivers it in spades. This is a game where the saying “Failure is your best teacher” rings true. Learning is essential to success in Sekiro. You will die a lot to Sekiro’s many bosses, but once you learn those bosses well enough, you will achieve a satisfaction like no other. This game is not for the faint of heart. This is not for those who dislike difficult games. This is not even a game for those looking to create builds like in Dark Souls or Nioh. Sekiro was made for gamers seeking pure challenge. If you are that kind of gamer, please look no further. You won’t regret it.

[h1]This is simply one of the greatest games ever made. Nothing I say can do this game justice. However, I will try my best to detail my experience with the wonderful 2019 GOTY winner [b][i]Sekiro[/i][/b].[/h1] --- Let us get the visuals and the story out of the way. [i]Sekiro[/i] may not be the most beautiful game, but the visuals are pretty damn stunning, and the dark atmosphere of this game is only enhanced by the amazing graphics and lighting. The enemy design is fantastic, as is the animation work. My favorite boss has to be the True Corrupted Monk due to the grim beauty of her design and animations. Her cackling laugh, boss theme, and scenic stage add to her expertly crafted boss battle. However, there are many more just as enjoyable boss battles. As for the story, it is rather simple, at least initially. It is the Sengoku period. Wolf, a master shinobi, has just lost both his foster father and his young master Kuro. It is up to Wolf to redeem himself and make use of his new Shinobi Prosthetic arm to take back Kuro from the Ashina clan. Little does he know that Genichiro Ashina, the next in line as clan leader, seeks to use Kuro's blood as a source of immortality. This is only the tip of the iceberg for the story. Also, this is a post-[i]Dark Souls[/i] FromSoftware game. Expect deep, deep hidden lore... Or watch VaatiVidya. Unlike [i]Dark Souls[/i] though, stamina is not a mechanic to worry about. Instead, we have a new mechanic called "Posture." Posture and Deflect make up the crux of [i]Sekiro[/i]'s combat. First, Posture builds up whenever you are attacked, whether you blocked or not. It also builds up whenever your attacks are blocked. If your Posture is maxed out, you will lose your footing, making you receive major damage if you get attacked right after. Luckily you can evade roll and avoid damage entirely if you are fast enough. Enemies also have a Posture meter. However, enemies with maxed out Posture will be open to a Death Blow, which is essentially a slick finishing move. Deflect is the second main combat mechanic and is essential to build enemy Posture. To Deflect, you must time your block with an enemy or boss's attack(s). It is crucial to learn Deflect timing because many enemies and bosses have attacks where they swing at you multiple times. This is [i]Sekiro[/i]'s main challenge: timing Deflects and building enemy Posture. Once you learn the mechanics behind Deflect and Posture, what is left is the simple matter of learning enemy and boss patterns. However, this is easier said than done, as [i]Sekiro[/i]'s bosses are extremely difficult. And yet, if you are able to overcome such seemingly insurmountable odds, you will come out feeling like a Deflect god... or you will just breathe a sigh of relief that the game is finally over. Either way, I think you will be satisfied. There are other mechanics to ease the difficulty of this game. Resurrection, both a story and gameplay element, allows you to get back up on your feet at half health after your health had just reached zero. Be careful though, as this mechanic is very limited, so it does not make the game significantly easier. Also, just like in [i]Dark Souls[/i] games, there are a bevy of items you can use to ease the difficulty further. Consider using items if you are having trouble. If there is any flaw that this game has, it is probably the camera. This is an issue that is evident in all the Soulsborne games for some reason. If your back is against a wall for too long or if something like a pillar blocks the lock-on reticle, the lock-on will unlock, potentially leading to some frustrating deaths. Thankfully this doesn't happen too often. Other than combat, you are greatly incentivized to explore the world of [i]Sekiro[/i], where you are able to come across useful items such as health-boosting items and even extra Shinobi Prosthetic tools. Thanks to Wolf's infinite stamina, high mobility, and ability to jump (eat your heart out Dark Souls), exploration hardly becomes a chore. --- [b][i]Sekiro[/i] is one of the greatest action-adventure games ever made. The story and lore are great, the visuals fit the world’s atmosphere perfectly, exploration is highly rewarding, and combat provides a unique kind of challenge unfound in other action games. Challenge is in my opinion one of the most rewarding aspects of a video game, and [i]Sekiro[/i] delivers it in spades. This is a game where the saying “Failure is your best teacher” rings true. Learning is essential to success in [i]Sekiro[/i]. You will die a lot to [i]Sekiro[/i]’s many bosses, but once you learn those bosses well enough, you will achieve a satisfaction like no other. This game is not for the faint of heart. This is not for those who dislike difficult games. This is not even a game for those looking to create builds like in [i]Dark Souls[/i] or [i]Nioh[/i]. [i]Sekiro[/i] was made for gamers seeking pure challenge. If you are that kind of gamer, please look no further. You won’t regret it.[/b] [h1]Score: [b]10/10[/b][/h1]