Sekiro™: i died more than twice

When I first got the game, I liked it. Then I met the first mini-boss and died a lot. I got better. Watched quite a few walk-throughs and tips videos. I hated everything about it. The I-frames, the enemy fight timings, the death mechanics, the Ogre...oh! that damnable, stinking ogre! I never hated a character more until I had to fight Lady Butterfly. Then about 20 hours in, I just got it. I understood. Then I was able to appreciate the landscapes, the quests, and the story line. I got my platinum in about 43 hours. I've played through about 38 times, conquered all DLC gauntlets, and still love playing it. I can now do a full run through in about 10 hours if I play all the side quests and kill all there is to kill. Still hate the Headless though. 1007 hours and still love it. I probably can't play anything else that From Software has now, but that is okay. I'll still give the Souls series a try at some point. Looking forward to Elden Ring.

The title is a lie, you die more than twice.

Died more than twice

You don't lose when you die, you lose when you quit.

The title is a lie, you die more than twice.

I was bored, and saw that this game won game of the year, so I bought it.

After playing this game for two and a half hours, dying repeatedly to the game's first mini-boss, I contacted steam and demanded a refund for a game I simply couldn't play.

...but I couldn't get it out of my head.

I got the game again for Christmas, and after finally killing that first mini-boss, I couldn't get over how I felt. I kept going, perfecting the fighting style until I reached the game's first real boss. It knocked me down again. I fought that boss over and over again until the swordplay became a lethal kind of dance. I felt invincible. After the first boss, I went onto the next one, and the next, until I completed the game's first ending. Then I played it all again, exploring the abilities, fighting styles, and story arcs that I hadn't tried before. I reached the game's truly final boss and killed it in one try because the game had trained me to fight so well. It was by far the most rewarding experience any video game has ever given me. After over 150 hours, I earned every single achievement.

From someone who refunded this game the first day they played it, from someone who would have never been remotely interested in Japanese culture otherwise, let me tell you that Sekiro is one of a kind. Not only is the combat an art-form in and of itself, but the story is moving and the characters compelling.

If you buy Sekiro, don't get frustrated when you hit a wall. Don't look up cheese strategies or try to savescum the game. Get back up, watch a walkthrough or two if you really need to, and vault over that wall like a f***ing shinobi. You won't regret it.

I can say with confidence that I died More than twice

the only game where I can beat an ancient dragon god on my first try, and yet some middle aged dude in his bath robe can make me regret being born. 10/10

The title is a lie, you die more than twice.