When did this game “click” with you?

[Tr3m0r]

This isn’t a troll post. I got this game after getting into Sifu based on the parry system. I recently got into Elden Ring this year and fell in love with that. Between Sifu and Elden Ring being my favorite games of the year and up there in my goat category, sekiro would be right at home but it isn’t. I can’t put my finger on it.

I put a few hours into it and just put it down and went to Elden Ring and continued with Sifu. After 250 hours in ER and 70 in Sifu I felt like I needed a new game. I very early in the game having just beat the chained ogre. I didn’t know how to trick it into a situation to one shot one of its health bars so I felt good just beating it straight up. But then it went right into another mini boss with a big mob area which was frustrating I just skipped it and then got killed by the giant white snake. I only have two of 4 pellets required to start leveling and thought maybe I should just start over as there may be some beads I missed that could make this area a bit better? I haven’t turned to watching any videos as I typically don’t for any games I play but am tempted just because I don’t know what isn’t clicking. Would love some feedback tips or advice outside of continuing to git gud. Thanks.

Edit: Perhaps I figured out my issue. I just used travel for the first time to venture back and talked to the physician to I gave 3 gourds to which gives me more health and I finally equipped the weapon art. Perhaps this will allow me to make more sufficient progress lol. smh.

[VisciousFishes]

I have played Sifu but not to completion. I have played this to completion - once! It took me hours and hours to get it. (like, not joke, about 440 hours and I am only just playing NG+ recently). I had my butt kicked for hundreds of hours and then spent a few hundred hours completing the game. I can't even remember at this point why I put this down but I played other games in the meantime.

Parts of the game clicked with me. Parrying, some of the shinobi tools. Others didn't. The unforgiving death mechanic put me off. I really wanted it to click with me at first and I can't even remember why I put this down. I did complete Death Stranding in the mean time and this year, a few months back, I returned to this game with a completely different perspective.

What I found was this time around the game became more of a meditation. The familiar parts of the game I played before were much easier. And I played well past the point where I put the game down last time. This time I approached it with a different mindset. I found where I needed to push, where I needed to play from a defensive position. I learned to slow down and wait for openings.

If you have the bell from the old lady in the house, (you get to meet her before the gate where you meet the first grenade launching samurai,) then go to the sculptor. This will open up more for you to do. I am being vague as I want to avoid spoilers. Although I do want to you try something else in the game.

The snake is tough, can be tough. If you can't do that yet, do what I said above. Invest in Mikiri Counter on your skill tree. Spend time with Hanbei the Undying and practice your combat.

There's a YouTube channel with boss guides called "The Fighting Cowboy" who has "Git Gud Guides" on bosses should you need strategies or advice on that side of things. He helped me out.

The game talks about "posture" as a mechanic but it is more than that. You need to stop watching Sekiro as you play and look carefully at the literal posture- position of both the body and sword - of the enemies you are facing; so you are certain when that danger kanji comes up, you know whether to jump/dodge/counter.

And speaking of the danger Kanji - don't hit your dodge or jump as the Kanji pops up. There is a window of time between the danger kanji popping up and the attack animation starting. Learn this gap in time. This is the time to be neutral on controls, ready to react with the right input. If you try to jump a thrust of a spear it will track you and take you out in mid air. This is why I say wait, asses, react.

[Tr3m0r]

Originally posted by VisciousFishes:

I have played Sifu but not to completion. I have played this to completion - once! It took me hours and hours to get it. (like, not joke, about 440 hours and I am only just playing NG+ recently). I had my butt kicked for hundreds of hours and then spent a few hundred hours completing the game. I can't even remember at this point why I put this down but I played other games in the meantime.

Parts of the game clicked with me. Parrying, some of the shinobi tools. Others didn't. The unforgiving death mechanic put me off. I really wanted it to click with me at first and I can't even remember why I put this down. I did complete Death Stranding in the mean time and this year, a few months back, I returned to this game with a completely different perspective.

What I found was this time around the game became more of a meditation. The familiar parts of the game I played before were much easier. And I played well past the point where I put the game down last time. This time I approached it with a different mindset. I found where I needed to push, where I needed to play from a defensive position. I learned to slow down and wait for openings.

If you have the bell from the old lady in the house, (you get to meet her before the gate where you meet the first grenade launching samurai,) then go to the sculptor. This will open up more for you to do. I am being vague as I want to avoid spoilers. Although I do want to you try something else in the game.

The snake is tough, can be tough. If you can't do that yet, do what I said above. Invest in Mikiri Counter on your skill tree. Spend time with Hanbei the Undying and practice your combat.

There's a YouTube channel with boss guides called "The Fighting Cowboy" who has "Git Gud Guides" on bosses should you need strategies or advice on that side of things. He helped me out.

The game talks about "posture" as a mechanic but it is more than that. You need to stop watching Sekiro as you play and look carefully at the literal posture- position of both the body and sword - of the enemies you are facing; so you are certain when that danger kanji comes up, you know whether to jump/dodge/counter.

And speaking of the danger Kanji - don't hit your dodge or jump as the Kanji pops up. There is a window of time between the danger kanji popping up and the attack animation starting. Learn this gap in time. This is the time to be neutral on controls, ready to react with the right input. If you try to jump a thrust of a spear it will track you and take you out in mid air. This is why I say wait, asses, react.

Hey really appreciate this well thought out response. You may have been typing when I edited my first post as I went back to the beginning and gave her 3 health gords and got the first weapon art in the game. I really was playing pretty handicapped up to this point even though it's early on. I am gonna go back and get the bell you are mentioning as I missed this as well. I think the game will be much more in line with what I was hoping for now that it doesn't SEEM to be overly oppressive with such little health.

Your description of the posture system seems to be very in line with Sifu in that regard in that you can break posture/structure without necessarily dealing damage. The Kanji I am assuming is the red character that is brightly illuminated prior the incoming attack? I have caught on that is a window and your description of it being a neutral time is really well put. Thanks again!

[Renna]

Originally posted by Tr3m0r:

Originally posted by VisciousFishes:

I have played Sifu but not to completion. I have played this to completion - once! It took me hours and hours to get it. (like, not joke, about 440 hours and I am only just playing NG+ recently). I had my butt kicked for hundreds of hours and then spent a few hundred hours completing the game. I can't even remember at this point why I put this down but I played other games in the meantime.

Parts of the game clicked with me. Parrying, some of the shinobi tools. Others didn't. The unforgiving death mechanic put me off. I really wanted it to click with me at first and I can't even remember why I put this down. I did complete Death Stranding in the mean time and this year, a few months back, I returned to this game with a completely different perspective.

What I found was this time around the game became more of a meditation. The familiar parts of the game I played before were much easier. And I played well past the point where I put the game down last time. This time I approached it with a different mindset. I found where I needed to push, where I needed to play from a defensive position. I learned to slow down and wait for openings.

If you have the bell from the old lady in the house, (you get to meet her before the gate where you meet the first grenade launching samurai,) then go to the sculptor. This will open up more for you to do. I am being vague as I want to avoid spoilers. Although I do want to you try something else in the game.

The snake is tough, can be tough. If you can't do that yet, do what I said above. Invest in Mikiri Counter on your skill tree. Spend time with Hanbei the Undying and practice your combat.

There's a YouTube channel with boss guides called "The Fighting Cowboy" who has "Git Gud Guides" on bosses should you need strategies or advice on that side of things. He helped me out.

The game talks about "posture" as a mechanic but it is more than that. You need to stop watching Sekiro as you play and look carefully at the literal posture- position of both the body and sword - of the enemies you are facing; so you are certain when that danger kanji comes up, you know whether to jump/dodge/counter.

And speaking of the danger Kanji - don't hit your dodge or jump as the Kanji pops up. There is a window of time between the danger kanji popping up and the attack animation starting. Learn this gap in time. This is the time to be neutral on controls, ready to react with the right input. If you try to jump a thrust of a spear it will track you and take you out in mid air. This is why I say wait, asses, react.

Hey really appreciate this well thought out response. You may have been typing when I edited my first post as I went back to the beginning and gave her 3 health gords and got the first weapon art in the game. I really was playing pretty handicapped up to this point even though it's early on. I am gonna go back and get the bell you are mentioning as I missed this as well. I think the game will be much more in line with what I was hoping for now that it doesn't SEEM to be overly oppressive with such little health.

Your description of the posture system seems to be very in line with Sifu in that regard in that you can break posture/structure without necessarily dealing damage. The Kanji I am assuming is the red character that is brightly illuminated prior the incoming attack? I have caught on that is a window and your description of it being a neutral time is really well put. Thanks again!

Actually no in sekiro enemies are specifically made to remain idle so their posture regaining if you won't attack them
Also as long as your perfect parry your posture never will break

[VisciousFishes]

Originally posted by Tr3m0r:

Hey really appreciate this well thought out response. You may have been typing when I edited my first post as I went back to the beginning and gave her 3 health gords and got the first weapon art in the game. I really was playing pretty handicapped up to this point even though it's early on. I am gonna go back and get the bell you are mentioning as I missed this as well. I think the game will be much more in line with what I was hoping for now that it doesn't SEEM to be overly oppressive with such little health.

Your description of the posture system seems to be very in line with Sifu in that regard in that you can break posture/structure without necessarily dealing damage. The Kanji I am assuming is the red character that is brightly illuminated prior the incoming attack? I have caught on that is a window and your description of it being a neutral time is really well put. Thanks again!

It was six in the morning as I finished typing and proofing the wall of text I left you. I will start from the bottom. So yes, missed your edits. Nice work on getting your health up to 3 or 4 drinks.

Kanji is just the name of Japanese text characters. Right, red Kanji appears, warning you. Then the Kanji disappears, then the enemy attacks. That's pretty much the cycle. The gap allows you to react carefully but accurately. Use Hanbei's Thrust Attack and Mikiri Counter tutorials to help you. Shonobi Eyes skill will give you better timing gap.

Originally posted by Renna:

Actually no in sekiro enemies are specifically made to remain idle so their posture regaining if you won't attack them
Also as long as your perfect parry your posture never will break

This tip about posture (as a secondary "health bar") is actually something that makes this game fair. Why I will never call it cheap. Both the player AND NPC's are subject to this. It rewards perfect deflects/parries.

Vitality and posture being linked is applied to both player AND bosses and mobs. The lower the vitality the easier the posture is to break and slower to recover. Certain mini bosses and mobs will also use something (probably a sweet) to instantly recover half their posture. You'll recognise them using it. Learn to deflect from a neutral position AND from a guard position.

So, you have Whirlwind Strike? Nice, can be good for crowd control. Not my favourite art though.

Another tip that many won't give: the game buffers your inputs like Tekken does, only in a different way. Hesitation means defeat but you can easily rush to your own death. Learn to control both space and time.