This game is basically a 10/10 for me, especially after unlocking the boss gauntlet mode. Once you get over the learning curve (and it is a steep one), you're rewarded with some of the most satisfying combat I've experienced in a video game. It's extremely fast paced, and the parry/structure system forces you to stay aggressive when when defending hits. The offhand weapons provide much needed variety in a streamlined version of a souls game, where you can't have 700 unique builds like normal, even if some get relegated to extremely niche uses.

I briefly mentioned the boss gauntlets being my favorite mode, and it's because the bosses are where the game shine (except for like 2). Extremely challenging yet rewarding to overcome, unique timings and mechanics, etc. Fuck the Ape Duo and the Demon of Hatred though, those fights are hard for all the wrong reasons.

My actual one gripe with the game comes with the hoards of enemies you sometimes have to clear out to get to a miniboss. Sekiro really isn't build for those one v many situations, and stealth is encouraged to compensate, which is fine. It stops being fine when you're being roadblocked by one of these minibosses and keep having to clear their grunts out stealthily over and over and over just to attempt the fight again. It just feels like you waste your time even more than similar situations in normal souls games. But again, the 1v1 fights in this game are peak