How is the exploration in this game?

[Stogiewise]

For example, I know it can't be compared to Elden Ring's exploration but how does it compare to the dark souls games? Are there hidden bosses around?

Edit: I already finished the game and it has quite decent exploration in my opinion

[Xmerwynd]

It is limited and a linear passage. I bought it based upon comments in the ER discussions. I bought it on sale. Had I know that it was a map-less linear game, I would have passed. I am not a true fan of souls like games, the game play is challenging, bosses need to be "killed" twice b 4 they actually die. If you are looking for a ER experience in this game , then you will surely be disappointed.

[Stogiewise]

Originally posted by Xmerwynd:

It is limited and a linear passage. I bought it based upon comments in the ER discussions. I bought it on sale. Had I know that it was a map-less linear game, I would have passed. I am not a true fan of souls like games, the game play is challenging, bosses need to be "killed" twice b 4 they actually die. If you are looking for a ER experience in this game , then you will surely be disappointed.

Damn that's a shame. Thank you very much!

[Shreddy]

Yeah it’s not really fair to compare it to Elden ring or Darksouls since those games don’t have grappling hooks they simply can’t compete with the verticality and exploration that Sekiro offers.

[Clail]

It's got plenty of exploration opportunities. Ultimately you are navigating a series of linear maps, but there's lots of nooks, crannies, alternate paths, and out of sight secrets to find.

[meeneemoos]

Originally posted by Honey Locust Thorn Tree:

At the beginning, the game is pretty linear. Once you beat the blazing bull boss, the game opens up a bit. There are multiple paths you can take that will lead you to a boss to fight, 3 are optional. Yes, there are hidden bosses. The Headless near Goubu boss is optional. Infact, all Headless encounters are optional and hidden. There's one at the bottom of a lake behind Ashina castle, which you can't fight yet because you need to progress in the game to get the underwater swimming latent ability.

The game might not be open world, but at least it matters. Most of Elden Ring's world is devoid of anything meaningful to do. Besides the castle, the erdtree avatar, and the one walking building bell ringing thing, there's not really much to do in weeping pennisula.

gotta agree with this. even in the early stage you can choose to explore hirata or ashina. then after blazing bull you can further explore 3 areas (4 if you include sunken valley). of course this is not comparable to elden ring since this is not open world. but exploration in sekiro is quite good for me.

[Stogiewise]

Originally posted by I am Minimus, Blade of Minimus:

Originally posted by Honey Locust Thorn Tree:

At the beginning, the game is pretty linear. Once you beat the blazing bull boss, the game opens up a bit. There are multiple paths you can take that will lead you to a boss to fight, 3 are optional. Yes, there are hidden bosses. The Headless near Goubu boss is optional. Infact, all Headless encounters are optional and hidden. There's one at the bottom of a lake behind Ashina castle, which you can't fight yet because you need to progress in the game to get the underwater swimming latent ability.

The game might not be open world, but at least it matters. Most of Elden Ring's world is devoid of anything meaningful to do. Besides the castle, the erdtree avatar, and the one walking building bell ringing thing, there's not really much to do in weeping pennisula.

gotta agree with this. even in the early stage you can choose to explore hirata or ashina. then after blazing bull you can further explore 3 areas (4 if you include sunken valley). of course this is not comparable to elden ring since this is not open world. but exploration in sekiro is quite good for me.

Yeah I used Elden Ring as an example but for example I'm playing DS3 and there are random hidden paths that lead to a whole different world with different bosses and stuff. This is more of a linear experience then right? Also is this better than Nioh 2?

[MyCabbages]

Originally posted by Stogiewise:

Yeah I used Elden Ring as an example but for example I'm playing DS3 and there are random hidden paths that lead to a whole different world with different bosses and stuff. This is more of a linear experience then right? Also is this better than Nioh 2?

DS3 is infamously more linear than it's predecessors, and Sekiro is about on par with it as far as exploration goes, though it gives you more choice about what order you tackle things in compared to DS3's fairly corridor-like progression. There's even secret bosses that only appear if you head to areas in a certain order or revisit earlier sections of the world.

Nioh 2 is it's own thing and fun in it's own way. It's more like a very difficult beat em up where you pick a stage and fight a bunch of monsters. There's almost zero exploration in it if that's what you're looking for.

[SilentSam7]

Originally posted by Stogiewise:

For example, I know it can't be compared to Elden Ring's exploration but how does it compare to the dark souls games? Are there hidden bosses around?

This is not an open world.
This is a return to form akin to DS1, where the levels are interconnected, and you open doors to discover areas and shortcuts. I dont think the level design in this game gets enough appreciation because fast travel between Shrines is unlocked from the start.
In Sekiro the discovery is about figuring how to solve the "puzzle" towards avoiding getting ganked, as well as being creative in coming up with your own strat to explore areas while exploiting enemies.
There are some really cool options as far as engaging enemy encounters. The stealth aspect here is really undersold too in how you can sneek around and draw out enemies in a kind of Metal Gear Lite sort of way. The levels aren't cramped linear alleyways like a lot of DS3.
Its cool to look around and see the areas you've been, and realise you're standing at a spot you noticed previously but didnt realise you could get there, figuring it was backdrop scenery.

I really like how the bosses and mini bosses are melded into the game, rather then the Ol' Fog-wall which after six games is starting to get a bit cliche imho

[Stogiewise]

Originally posted by SilentSam7:

Originally posted by Stogiewise:

For example, I know it can't be compared to Elden Ring's exploration but how does it compare to the dark souls games? Are there hidden bosses around?

This is not an open world.
This is a return to form akin to DS1, where the levels are interconnected, and you open doors to discover areas and shortcuts. I dont think the level design in this game gets enough appreciation because fast travel between Shrines is unlocked from the start.
In Sekiro the discovery is about figuring how to solve the "puzzle" towards avoiding getting ganked, as well as being creative in coming up with your own strat to explore areas while exploiting enemies.
There are some really cool options as far as engaging enemy encounters. The stealth aspect here is really undersold too in how you can sneek around and draw out enemies in a kind of Metal Gear Lite sort of way. The levels aren't cramped linear alleyways like a lot of DS3.
Its cool to look around and see the areas you've been, and realise you're standing at a spot you noticed previously but didnt realise you could get there, figuring it was backdrop scenery.

I really like how the bosses and mini bosses are melded into the game, rather then the Ol' Fog-wall which after six games is starting to get a bit cliche imho

Yeah I ended up buying this and it's hard I had to cheese a few bosses especially that Fire beast boss and now all I need is to beat the last boss but it's hard af lol. Shame Nioh 2 is with areas without exploration though. Is there an alternative for after this game? I only didn't play Dark Souls 2 cause people said the first one is better so I bought it but don't like the mechanics much so are there other good "soul-like" games?

[SilentSam7]

DS one is pretty clunky by now. DS3 is way faster and more fluid.
Exploration is very linear in Souls games except for Elden Ring.

[toughnails]

It's pretty funny to see all the Elden Ring newbies being puzzled that the rest of the genre isn't open world. Elden Ring is pretty much the only open world Souls game.

Well, there's Outward too, but I haven't played it due to poor reviews. And it's more of a survival game from what I've heard, but eh, give it a look.
https://store.steampowered.com/app/794260/Outward_Definitive_Edition/

As for Sekiro, it's exactly like Dark Souls 1, exploration wise. A set of interconnected levels, no map (again, Elden Ring is practically the only one with a map), plenty of hidden bosses and optional areas, you can choose the order in which you take on the bosses (to an extent). But no, no big open fields to run around on.

As for the other Dark Souls games, DS2 is hub based (pretty similar to Demon's Souls), you can pick between multiple paths each taking you to several bosses, but ultimately you have to do all of them. And DS3 is entirely linear with only like 2 forks and 2 optional/hidden areas. DS3's level design was heavily criticized back on release, but it's a fine game otherwise, with probably the best combat mechanics in the series.

[L9 dorothea]

its the most linear game, but still very open

[kat998]

It is similar to DS3