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RTTP: Sekiro - Finally time to git gud at this

SCB3

Member
So I'm back to this fucking game, I have played and beaten every single Souls, and Soulslike out there aside from Nioh 2 and Wo Long, but this one, oh this one is the one that gives me the most trouble and I need a place to vent. Coming off a 2nd run of Elden Ring (of which I did legit with no summons or OP builds)

Straight away let me say, its a good game, still looks fantastic and the setting is amazingly well done, I prefer this Japan style to say GoT or Rise of the Ronin(which I still need to play at some point), however this being s FromSoft game, it of course is full of bullshit along the way. When I got through this originally I did give myself god mode just to say the ending, so its time for an actual legit playthrough

Let me preface this with, I'm bad at this game, the lack of a shield and the emphasis on parries/block fucks me over, when I play Souls games I usually dodge and Sekiro really does not like that style of gameplay at all. I'm an hour back in and the chained Ogre has killed me so many times I got Dragonrot and 30% Unseen Aid, what the fuck is with FromSoft punishing players that are dying a lot, Demons Souls was horrundus for this, anyway, beat the Ogre and got past the Giant Snake eventually, even found a headless, fuck fighting that for now

I have forgotten a lot of this game so thats a nice outcome
 

rm082e

Member
I've bounced off it 3 times. I feel guilty about it, but yeah - it's a real head scratcher. I feel like I need to go back and try again.
 

SlimySnake

Flashless at the Golden Globes
Spam L1 or parry. The game is super easy if you simply just spam it at all time. Even if your block meter builds up, and you get stunned, you get back up right away. The parry window is very large and you will not be

The ogre fight is the hardest but thats probably because you are dodging and shit. Dont. just press L1. Parry everything and look for mikiri counter prompts. The game is super easy.

You are still early on and will get to Genichiro. That is the boss fight that helps you understand the combat but it comes a bit too late in the game.

DO NOT DODGE. There are like two bosses that have attacks you will have to dodge but even they can be blocked by the umbrella. Just spam L1 and mikiri counter. Thats the entire game. its piss easy.

EDIT: Forgot to mention this but DO NOT BACKDOWN. Go in. Close the distance immediately. Be a man and attack attack attack. There is no stamina bar. You are not supposed to play passively. Charge your fucking enemy and take him out. Do not give him any respite. This is a YOLO game. Rush in.
 
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TintoConCasera

I bought a sex doll, but I keep it inflated 100% of the time and use it like a regular wife
Lovely game, one of their finest works.

Make sure to learn the Mikiri Counter as soon as you can, and take the combat a a short of rhythm game.

I swear, the *CLANK* noise when you parry is so good, it's even soothing.
 
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Guilty_AI

Member
I liked it, but i honestly didn't find it to be this super incredible amazing game everyone keeps clamoring it is. Game gives you different tools for different playstyles only to force you onto a very specific one. FromSoft hitbox issues also strike at full force here given the way enemies behave.
 

SCB3

Member
Lovely game, one of their finest works.

Make sure to learn the Mikiri Counter as soon as you can, and take the combat a a short of rhythm game.

I swear, the *CLANK* noise when you parry is so good, it's even soothing.
I need to remember how to get that,

Spam L1 or parry. The game is super easy if you simply just spam it at all time. Even if your block meter builds up, and you get stunned, you get back up right away. The parry window is very large and you will not be

The ogre fight is the hardest but thats probably because you are dodging and shit. Dont. just press L1. Parry everything and look for mikiri counter prompts. The game is super easy.

You are still early on and will get to Genichiro. That is the boss fight that helps you understand the combat but it comes a bit too late in the game.

DO NOT DODGE. There are like two bosses that have attacks you will have to dodge but even they can be blocked by the umbrella. Just spam L1 and mikiri counter. Thats the entire game. its piss easy.

EDIT: Forgot to mention this but DO NOT BACKDOWN. Go in. Close the distance immediately. Be a man and attack attack attack. There is no stamina bar. You are not supposed to play passively. Charge your fucking enemy and take him out. Do not give him any respite. This is a YOLO game. Rush in.

Yea thats pretty much what I am doing like a slower paced Souls game, in fact its something I struggled with in Bloodborne as well
 

SlimySnake

Flashless at the Golden Globes
I need to remember how to get that,



Yea thats pretty much what I am doing like a slower paced Souls game, in fact its something I struggled with in Bloodborne as well
BB was the first souls game that clicked with me for this reason. They were like no shield for you. Insanely aggressive enemies and if you want to heal, go and attack the fucker. I was like wtf is this shit and loved it because i simply spammed dodge and attacked. And beat almost all the first few bosses on the first try or two. Cleric Beast, Father G, Amelia and Bloodleeting Beast all done on the first try iirc. All by playing this it like GOW instead of a slow paced methodical souls game.

Sekiro was different early on because it didnt click with me until Genichiro but once that was done, i flew through the game and beat the final boss on the third try by not playing slow and methodically. My friends were stuck on it for 6 hours so i was dreading it but they never learned the game and were trying to dodge instead of parrying whereas i just parried and mikiri countered my way through an easy painless victory.

you can get the mikiri counter from the flashback level. just playthrough it and an enemy will unlock it. you dont have to beat the whole level.
 
Great game.

Honestly, replaying it at 60 FPS, and my new TV has an auto low latency setting - it's way easier by comparison.
However, goddamn that final boss all the same... you're essentially just forced to play perfect or get rekt.
 
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NeoIkaruGAF

Gold Member
I had dropped the game at the final boss, 5 years ago.
I returned to it last month to clear this unfinished business. I spent a mad week on this game, ending up getting all achievements, which requires seeing all the endings and doing some grinding to get all the skills (wholly unnecessary, believe me).

Once it clicks, it's a fantastic game. After Sekiro, it's hard to return to the roll roll roll gameplay of Souls. Parrying and pressing the enemy is just much more fun, and coming fresh off Sekiro I'm able to enjoy my current playthrough of Lies of P that much more. New Game+ is also much, much easier than I feared. The first playthrough is definitely the hardest, especially in the beginning - that chained Ogre is one of the most frustrating things in the entire game, with its nonsense hitboxes and the terrain making everything harder than it should be. I also don't really care about the giant ape, it draws on for so long in NG and the second phase is boring.

What I love in Sekiro is that when you get good, you are dictating the fight's rhythm, not the boss. When you learn the patterns you can absolutely own a boss, especially Genichiro - which is great, given how easily he can trash you in the first fight.
Sure, there's some BS stuff like in all From games, but all in all, Sekiro is an honest game. Sooo much better and fairer than that troll's festival that is Elden Ring.

Also, the game is simply beautiful even without all the bells and whistles of current gen. When you see Sekiro, you know we don't need RT and all that stuff.
 

TintoConCasera

I bought a sex doll, but I keep it inflated 100% of the time and use it like a regular wife
New Game+ is also much, much easier
Have you tried a charmless run while also ringing the bell at the Mt. Kongo?

I haven't, wondering how that is because last time I replayed the game it sure felt quite easier than the first time.
 

NeoIkaruGAF

Gold Member
you can get the mikiri counter from the flashback level. just playthrough it and an enemy will unlock it. you dont have to beat the whole level.
Nah man, you're remembering it wrong. The mikiri counter must be unlocked from the skill tree, it's not given to you after defeating an enemy. It's just that the flashback level conveniently throws a certain enemy at you that's a perfect tutorial for the move, but it's not granted you'll have unlocked it by then.

The mikiri is great. Cool as hell, and with the most ridiculously generous window of any FromSoft parry. It's crazy how far you can suck an enemy into it - but then again, some enemy attacks have equally ridiculous reach, so the move is doubly awesome.

I spent a whole damn night on the final boss. I got to the point I could do the first phase without even really trying. It's the penultimate phase that it's a pain if you don't press the bastard all the damn time.
 

SlimySnake

Flashless at the Golden Globes
I had dropped the game at the final boss, 5 years ago.
I returned to it last month to clear this unfinished business. I spent a mad week on this game, ending up getting all achievements, which requires seeing all the endings and doing some grinding to get all the skills (wholly unnecessary, believe me).

Once it clicks, it's a fantastic game. After Sekiro, it's hard to return to the roll roll roll gameplay of Souls. Parrying and pressing the enemy is just much more fun, and coming fresh off Sekiro I'm able to enjoy my current playthrough of Lies of P that much more. New Game+ is also much, much easier than I feared. The first playthrough is definitely the hardest, especially in the beginning - that chained Ogre is one of the most frustrating things in the entire game, with its nonsense hitboxes and the terrain making everything harder than it should be. I also don't really care about the giant ape, it draws on for so long in NG and the second phase is boring.

What I love in Sekiro is that when you get good, you are dictating the fight's rhythm, not the boss. When you learn the patterns you can absolutely own a boss, especially Genichiro - which is great, given how easily he can trash you in the first fight.
Sure, there's some BS stuff like in all From games, but all in all, Sekiro is an honest game. Sooo much better and fairer than that troll's festival that is Elden Ring.

Also, the game is simply beautiful even without all the bells and whistles of current gen. When you see Sekiro, you know we don't need RT and all that stuff.
So much this. It feels like you are the boss. I remember posting some boss takedown videos back in the day titled Spoiler Meets the Final Boss because thats how i felt by the end of the game. i felt overpowered and not because of stupid WRPG style stat grinding but because the combat mastery made me feel confident and competent.
 

Buggy Loop

Member
Had that experience last year


I got gud

Beat the game and all toughest optional bosses

Isshin is /chef kiss

My only advice : Do not look for cheese strategies. You learn nothing with those. Sekiro makes you learn something about the game every boss / encounters. You absolutely need to master it to even have a chance against Isshin.

My #1 From software game after beating it.
 

Bernardougf

Member
Best souls games together with bloodbourne!

Bloodbourne overall is better but Sekiro gave me more reasons to keep coming back .

And that last gauntlet ooooof stuff of nightmares and dosent give you shit! Just the self knowledge that you beat the hardest achievement of any souls game... just priceless souls moments
 
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WitchHunter

Banned
Because you are afraid. Sekiro has some very frightening and challenging bosses. They get under your skin, and that's good. You need to do breathe exercises and conquer your fear and master the art of fighting plus timing. ER is a walk in the park compared to Sekiro.
 
Still one of my favorite Souls game among DS1.
I've started it when it came out and just didn't get the combat. Never watched any videos about it (as always) and one night I had a dream about...parrying...Seriously my mind somehow came to one last thing that I haven't tried and that was it! What a beautiful game with just 2 button combat that looks like good old ninja movies. Amazing game! I imagine open world Sekiro will be game for me.
 

Antwix

Member
I should've played this game back when it came out. I didn't buy/play it until I think 2 years ago when I was waiting for Elden Ring to come out. While I always liked the setting, the gameplay didn't look like I would have a good time cuz I suck at parrying in dark souls. Long story short, it's my favorite of the fromsoft games. When the gameplay clicks, it really clicks.
 

Naked Lunch

Member
Most have a similar story with this game - people give up on it only to return and finally learn it.
Once you get it - you get it. You realize it truly is the best action rpg out there.

The combat is just so engaging - in comparison to anything ever released in the genre.
The challenge makes everything so worth your time - and feels so rewarding.

A masterclass of game design.

I finished Sekiro right before Elden Ring released - and ER just felt too easy in comparison - ive yet to give ER a fair shake (and have barely played it) because of this.
 
I struggle at first but when I reached Genichiro the combat just clicked for me and the game became super addictive.
Hard Times Struggle GIF by The Ops Authority | Natalie Gingrich
 

kikkis

Member
My top 3 games ever made. Only thing that would make it better if you didn't need guide to find gourd seeds and other upgrade materials.
 

kingsamj

Banned
Have you tried a charmless run while also ringing the bell at the Mt. Kongo?

I haven't, wondering how that is because last time I replayed the game it sure felt quite easier than the first time.
It's not too bad. If you've beaten the game once, you've probably already "clicked" with the combat and the game is likely much easier from that point on vs the first playthrough. Playing again charmless + with the bell takes the difficulty back up to roughly where it was on your first playthrough. Though of course you'll still have your basic understanding of the game, so the added difficulty is just that you now need to be more precise with parries to avoid taking damage.

Sekiro was the hardest souls game for me on my first playthrough, bar none. It was absolutely brutal. But on my second and subsequent playthroughs it was easier than any other souls game's second playthrough. Once you get it, you get it, and it's not as intimidating. I love the game. It's the only From game I've platinumed.
 

gtabro

Member
“Rate to the party”? Making fun of the Japanese, huh? Cancel him reee

(I’m only kidding, don’t jump at me, also Sekiro is an S-tier game so hf dude)
 

TexMex

Member
I’m in the same boat.

I have the platinum for Demons Souls, Dark Souls 1 and 3, Bloodborne and Elden Ring (and Lies of P). I just can’t get this to save my life. I’m terrible at it.
 

Bartski

Gold Member
It's FROMs best take ever on going from helpless to unstoppable by the sheer power of gitgud.

I was so bad at it at first Lady Butterfly took me like 50 tries, and Genichiro beat my ass so hard it took me a whole day and legit almost made me quit. In hindsight, it's one of my favorite gaming boss fights of all time.

I beat NG+ charmless with demon bell and I beat the mortal journey gauntlet (17 bosses in a row without dying). If I can do it - anyone can.
 
39 year old gamer beat all souls games , consider my self a pretty good gamer.
Sekiro broke me the last boss just broke me
Tried it again after 2 years after countless tries deleted the game of my series x and never came back.
All this spam l1 is bullshit
 

Soodanim

Member
So I'm back to this fucking game, I have played and beaten every single Souls, and Soulslike out there aside from Nioh 2 and Wo Long, but this one, oh this one is the one that gives me the most trouble and I need a place to vent. Coming off a 2nd run of Elden Ring (of which I did legit with no summons or OP builds)

Straight away let me say, its a good game, still looks fantastic and the setting is amazingly well done, I prefer this Japan style to say GoT or Rise of the Ronin(which I still need to play at some point), however this being s FromSoft game, it of course is full of bullshit along the way. When I got through this originally I did give myself god mode just to say the ending, so its time for an actual legit playthrough

Let me preface this with, I'm bad at this game, the lack of a shield and the emphasis on parries/block fucks me over, when I play Souls games I usually dodge and Sekiro really does not like that style of gameplay at all. I'm an hour back in and the chained Ogre has killed me so many times I got Dragonrot and 30% Unseen Aid, what the fuck is with FromSoft punishing players that are dying a lot, Demons Souls was horrundus for this, anyway, beat the Ogre and got past the Giant Snake eventually, even found a headless, fuck fighting that for now

I have forgotten a lot of this game so thats a nice outcome
Past the Giant Snake is around where I last played it, too. I didn't make a conscious decision to stop and I was enjoying it, so I should really pick it back up. Problem is I think I'm due to fight a notorious boss and it's been about a year, so I will need to practice a lot before I step in the arena.
 

SCB3

Member
“Rate to the party”? Making fun of the Japanese, huh? Cancel him reee

(I’m only kidding, don’t jump at me, also Sekiro is an S-tier game so hf dude)
RTTP is Return to the party, I've played Sekiro before

Oh and I get the ER difficulty thing, on my second playthrough I beat about 90 bosses, ending on Malenia, only her and strangely Elden Beast gave me any significant amount of trouble
 
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Bernardougf

Member
Most have a similar story with this game - people give up on it only to return and finally learn it.
Once you get it - you get it. You realize it truly is the best action rpg out there.

The combat is just so engaging - in comparison to anything ever released in the genre.
The challenge makes everything so worth your time - and feels so rewarding.

A masterclass of game design.

I finished Sekiro right before Elden Ring released - and ER just felt too easy in comparison - ive yet to give ER a fair shake (and have barely played it) because of this.
ER is Fromsoft take on openworld mainstream games in souls form ... is some times broken and too easy at the same time .... I finished and got the platinum out o respect for Miyazaki but never looked back... there is a reason gamers that never were able to play Souls drools for ER. Including the press.

I just wish that we get more Dark Souls, BB or Sekiro ... if the future is ER ... Meh.
 
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Filben

Member
Superb game.

Though I cheesed a lot of bosses and this one also gave me the toughest time throughout the whole game from all From Software titles. I went first for the shortest ending and then reloaded my backup save game and went for the "normal" or longer ending. At the final endboss I couldn't bear it anymore and uninstalled the game after like 20 tries and was done with the game. After finishing Elden Ring (with cheats, though, since the last 1/4 of the game was pure bullshit with recycled enemies, way too much enemy damage and just a slog to play; before that it was the a near perfect game) I returned to Sekiro's final boss and beat him after two hours of tries.

Seeing and experiencing Sekiro's combat after the slower and somewhat floaty combat of ER was brilliant. The impactful blocking, fast dodges, parries and counters... pure excellence. I also like that NPCs make some sense when they talk.

I wouldn't mind a game like Sekiro that goes just a little bit easier on the difficulty.
 

SCB3

Member
I wouldn't mind a game like Sekiro that goes just a little bit easier on the difficulty.
Ever played Star Wars Jedi Survivor? That can be made to be really easy with some satisfying combat, I played it on Grandmaster but watched my Son play it on the easiest and both had a great time

After finishing Elden Ring (with cheats, though, since the last 1/4 of the game was pure bullshit with recycled enemies, way too much enemy damage and just a slog to play; before that it was the a near perfect game
Thats interesting to see, most people think and I agree, that the last 1/3 of the game is fantastic and although it has some weird difficulty spikes, seems fair (though Waterfowl dance can fuck right off)
 
I’m in the same boat.

I have the platinum for Demons Souls, Dark Souls 1 and 3, Bloodborne and Elden Ring (and Lies of P). I just can’t get this to save my life. I’m terrible at it.
This game hates that you playing it like Dark Souls. It will make you feel miserable fearing of any combat. But that's by design - you need to get combat right and it suddenly transforms itself in very very interesting game that never fails to impress. This game wants you to learn how to play by its rules. Elden Ring is mainstream pop for children compared to this.
 

Zuzu

Member
I finished it for the first time the other day. It’s a phenomenal game and tied with Elden Ring as my favourite From game. But it does a lot of things better than Elden Ring - better combat and traversal and I enjoyed the more direct and traditional story-telling with a voiced protagonist over Elden Ring’s indirect storytelling approach. The world and japanese fantasy is wonderful as well.
 
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Funny, I meant to make an RTTP thread myself. Same exact boat. I've played, and struggled fucking hard, to the end boss twice since its release. Never actually fully liked it. I think some of the actual "level" portions with regular grunts are entirely too short and it often feels like an endless brickwall boss rush.

Well I think it finally fully clicked now. Not sure what kind of Matrix shit happened but I've been beating every boss in maybe three to four tries. Corrupted Monk Phase 3 was the only one that truly gave me trouble so far. Most baffling of all, I've truly had fun and enjoyed the game since then.

I think the incredible art direction, atmosphere and sense of place go a LONG way in retaining my interest. The soundtrack is incredibly good also. It fucking bums me out that From has churned out uninspired Souls sequels but won't ever iterate and build on its unique games. Sekiro is really well realized and beautifully executed but man, it absolutely feels like a "what they could do with a sequel..." type of game to me. The prosthetic system especially could be so much more for traversal options and what not.

On another note, Senpou Temple is one of the coolest fucking things From has ever designed and that says a lot.
 

SCB3

Member
Funny, I meant to make an RTTP thread myself. Same exact boat. I've played, and struggled fucking hard, to the end boss twice since its release. Never actually fully liked it. I think some of the actual "level" portions with regular grunts are entirely too short and it often feels like an endless brickwall boss rush.

Well I think it finally fully clicked now. Not sure what kind of Matrix shit happened but I've been beating every boss in maybe three to four tries. Corrupted Monk Phase 3 was the only one that truly gave me trouble so far. Most baffling of all, I've truly had fun and enjoyed the game since then.

I think the incredible art direction, atmosphere and sense of place go a LONG way in retaining my interest. The soundtrack is incredibly good also. It fucking bums me out that From has churned out uninspired Souls sequels but won't ever iterate and build on its unique games. Sekiro is really well realized and beautifully executed but man, it absolutely feels like a "what they could do with a sequel..." type of game to me. The prosthetic system especially could be so much more for traversal options and what not.

On another note, Senpou Temple is one of the coolest fucking things From has ever designed and that says a lot.
in all fairness they don't pump out sequel after sequel, each series is its own thing, though I will die on the hill that ER started as Dark Souls 4 (and shares so much with DS2 it feels like a direct sequel) so I expect a new IP to be somethign a bit different
 

SkylineRKR

Member
You need to go in with a different mindset, evading and just attacking will get you nowhere. Actually go in when enemies start to do combos, while your mind is probably telling you to bail out. Spam L1 instead. The thing you need to learn is when to jump and when to do a dash into them. You win if their posture is broken, which can pretty much only happen if you deflect their attacks.
 

Ogbert

Member
So, the main bit of advice I can give you is that it really, *really* is a rhythm game.

Do not play it like Dark Souls. Basically forget dodge. You’re going to stand in front of every boss and parry everything they throw at you.

Once you start playing like that, the frustration goes. You’ll die quickly, but you’ll learn quickly too.

That said, some of the later bosses are fucking hard lol.
 
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