Viotics
Log Status
Completed
Playing
Backlog
Wishlist
Rating
Time Played
65h 0m
Days in Journal
2 days
Last played
May 19, 2023
First played
May 10, 2023
Platforms Played
This review contains spoilers
Sekiro was the first Fromsoft game I ever played. I picked it up and got the Platinum for it in May of 2023, after having bought it and tried it around Christmas time in 2019 or 2020, where I got my ass kicked and couldn't find my way to Ashina Castle. I am very glad I picked this for my first completed Fromsoft game, and had a great time with it.
Story: 7.5/10. Super complicated! You'll have to play over the game a few times and watch some videos to really understand and appreciate the background, concepts, and characters from this game. Although for Fromsoft, I was pleasantly surprised. The rejuvenating waters and immortality kept me hooked from the first fight with Genichiro! I love how each of the four endings are all quite different and require separate criteria that would be easy to miss if you didn't look up a guide.
Characters: 8/10. All relatively unique and with their own personality, the small cast bounces off each other quite well and gives interesting insight to the world of Sekiro.
Combat: 10/10. The best combat I have ever had the pleasure of experiencing in a game. The mastery of the blade is so difficult and yet so rewarding once you "get" it. The most shocking thing I found was that after beating the game and going to replay it, the bosses were much easier. This is a knowledge based game, and you feel like a boss once you've mastered the controls. The Shinobi Prosthetic and items added an extra layer of depth to the combat that made certain fights much easier if you knew the tactics (ie. Headless and Divine Confetti were an essential pair).
Gameplay / Content: 7.5/10. There isn't much to it; you go to places and kill different things. But the wide variety of bosses and enemies makes it enjoyable and constantly fresh. As well, the numerous unmarked quests are each rewarding and interesting in their own ways; I found myself actually wanting to explore, which is something that many open world games struggle to entice me with.
World: 9/10. The world of Ashina is so diverse! Each region was easily identifiable, and I actually quite enjoyed the exclusion of a minimap (or world map in general, asides from the antique map). It was one of the few games that blew me away with its many diverse locations; Senpou Temple, Ashina Depths, Mibu Village, and Fountainhead Palace were my favorites, and each were so interesting to explore.
Traversal: 7/10. The limited fast travel was great; it enabled me to get into the general vicinity of an area and then pinpoint from there. The Shinobi Prosthetic kept movement interesting with the grapple hook, and swimming was actually enjoyable for a change!
Problems: Some of the more soulslike bosses were just patience exercises. Demon of Hatred and the Brazen/Blazing Bull specifically required you to play like a bit of a coward to avoid their unblockables. Thankfully there weren't too many of these bosses, and the awesome blade duels were in abundance.
Favorite Part: Beating Sword Saint Isshin.
Least Favorite Part: Grinding XP for 2 Hours to get the platinum.
Story: 7.5/10. Super complicated! You'll have to play over the game a few times and watch some videos to really understand and appreciate the background, concepts, and characters from this game. Although for Fromsoft, I was pleasantly surprised. The rejuvenating waters and immortality kept me hooked from the first fight with Genichiro! I love how each of the four endings are all quite different and require separate criteria that would be easy to miss if you didn't look up a guide.
Characters: 8/10. All relatively unique and with their own personality, the small cast bounces off each other quite well and gives interesting insight to the world of Sekiro.
Combat: 10/10. The best combat I have ever had the pleasure of experiencing in a game. The mastery of the blade is so difficult and yet so rewarding once you "get" it. The most shocking thing I found was that after beating the game and going to replay it, the bosses were much easier. This is a knowledge based game, and you feel like a boss once you've mastered the controls. The Shinobi Prosthetic and items added an extra layer of depth to the combat that made certain fights much easier if you knew the tactics (ie. Headless and Divine Confetti were an essential pair).
Gameplay / Content: 7.5/10. There isn't much to it; you go to places and kill different things. But the wide variety of bosses and enemies makes it enjoyable and constantly fresh. As well, the numerous unmarked quests are each rewarding and interesting in their own ways; I found myself actually wanting to explore, which is something that many open world games struggle to entice me with.
World: 9/10. The world of Ashina is so diverse! Each region was easily identifiable, and I actually quite enjoyed the exclusion of a minimap (or world map in general, asides from the antique map). It was one of the few games that blew me away with its many diverse locations; Senpou Temple, Ashina Depths, Mibu Village, and Fountainhead Palace were my favorites, and each were so interesting to explore.
Traversal: 7/10. The limited fast travel was great; it enabled me to get into the general vicinity of an area and then pinpoint from there. The Shinobi Prosthetic kept movement interesting with the grapple hook, and swimming was actually enjoyable for a change!
Problems: Some of the more soulslike bosses were just patience exercises. Demon of Hatred and the Brazen/Blazing Bull specifically required you to play like a bit of a coward to avoid their unblockables. Thankfully there weren't too many of these bosses, and the awesome blade duels were in abundance.
Favorite Part: Beating Sword Saint Isshin.
Least Favorite Part: Grinding XP for 2 Hours to get the platinum.