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[Strider7]

Hesitation is defeat!
Enjoy. This is the GOAT of all GOATS.

 

[Kabelly]

It's weird to me people can be averse to parry style gameplay but are okay with mashing the dodge button. In Souls games you still need to time your dodges or else the enemies will mess you up. Guess the difference is you can't be cheesy and do tiny amounts of chip damage and run away in Sekiro. You need to stay on top of the bosses or else the posture will continue to go down.

 

[Stafford]

I bought this game at launch and never should have done that. Instead of some research, I decided to buy it and expecting a game similar to Tenchu. This isn't that at all. I got demolished a few times, took a break and never went back.

If there is one thing I hate about some games it's boss battles with phases. So if you die in the second phase of the battle, you gotta do it all over again. I heard Sekiro has one boss where there's FOUR phases. Breh, at that point I'm done, I can't cope with that kind of stress and annoyances anymore. That kind of shit just pisses me off. Keep a fucking boss at one phase please, ffs.

 

[Guilty_AI]

It's weird to me people can be averse to parry style gameplay but are okay with mashing the dodge button. In Souls games you still need to time your dodges or else the enemies will mess you up. Guess the difference is you can't be cheesy and do tiny amounts of chip damage and run away in Sekiro. You need to stay on top of the bosses or else the posture will continue to go down.

I'd say the problem isn't the style itself but rather that the game does a really poor job in communicating that's how you're supposed to play it.

Heck, the very first thing you do is a stealth segment, common tactic of chipping away health also works with most common enemies. Way to teach me how to play yourself game.

 

[Buggy Loop]

I bought this game at launch and never should have done that. Instead of some research, I decided to buy it and expecting a game similar to Tenchu. This isn't that at all. I got demolished a few times, took a break and never went back.

If there is one thing I hate about some games it's boss battles with phases. So if you die in the second phase of the battle, you gotta do it all over again. I heard Sekiro has one boss where there's FOUR phases. Breh, at that point I'm done, I can't cope with that kind of stress and annoyances anymore. That kind of shit just pisses me off. Keep a fucking boss at one phase please, ffs.

Final boss literally has the boss that blocked so many players, Genichiro, as an appetizer before the real final boss shows up with 3 phases.

At that point, killing Genichiro, which was a huge wall that peoples were hitting themselves over, without losing any health is typically the best chances you have to go through Isshin.

It's brilliant. It's pure skill progression.

 

[Danjin44]

I LOVE this game soooo much, I have become fan of Masaru Yamamura thanks to Sekiro and AC VI.

 

[TheGodfather07]

Yeah like others have said, you will get your ass kicked trying to be too defensive. Being aggressive is how your supposed to play and the only way you'll get better at the game.

 

[Alebrije]

Sekiro.....the new one , right?

 

[Arsic]

I bought this game at launch and never should have done that. Instead of some research, I decided to buy it and expecting a game similar to Tenchu. This isn't that at all. I got demolished a few times, took a break and never went back.

If there is one thing I hate about some games it's boss battles with phases. So if you die in the second phase of the battle, you gotta do it all over again. I heard Sekiro has one boss where there's FOUR phases. Breh, at that point I'm done, I can't cope with that kind of stress and annoyances anymore. That kind of shit just pisses me off. Keep a fucking boss at one phase please, ffs.

Anus gaped. - Victor Von Sekiro

 

[Sentenza]

This game has the best final boss I've ever experienced in 30 years of gaming, on a mechanical level.
Some of you may not agree and in that case I simply won't care about your opinion about games.

It's literally a check of all the skills you learned across the entire game, with a nice spectacle and while it may feel brutal to the point of unfairness at first, when you get the hang of it he can actually be dispatched rather quickly (as " you will melt each one of his four phases in seconds").

More in general, the combat is From Software at its peak (even if I'm discovering right now Armoured Core VI which is another heavy hitter in that sense) and I was a bit crestfallen when I realized that Ellen Ring didn't have an option or weapon to play "Sekiro style" at the time.

 

[GigaBowser]

one of the best you must perry my friend

 

[Danjin44]

This game has the best final boss I've ever experienced in 30 years of gaming, on a mechanical level.
Some of you may not agree and in that case I simply won't care about your opinion about games.

It's literally a check of all the skills you learned across the entire game, with a nice spectacle and while it may feel brutal to the point of unfairness at first, when you get the hang of it he can actually be dispatched rather quickly (as " you will melt each one of his four phases in seconds").

More in general, the combat is From Software at its peak (even if I'm discovering right now Armoured Core VI which is another heavy hitter in that sense) and I was a bit crestfallen when I realized that Ellen Ring didn't have an option or weapon to play "Sekiro style" at the time.

Masaru Yamamura was lead designer behind Sekiro and he was director behind Armored Core VI. I love the way his does combat in his games.

 

[NinjaMouse]

Sekiro is the first From game I got all achievements in and led to me going back and 100%-ing more of them. I absolutely love that game.

 

[Kabelly]

I'd say the problem isn't the style itself but rather that the game does a really poor job in communicating that's how you're supposed to play it.

Heck, the very first thing you do is a stealth segment, common tactic of chipping away health also works with most common enemies. Way to teach me how to play yourself game.

There's multiple tutorial boxes the appear at the very start of the game AFTER that stealth section once you actually get your sword. You also have the undead dummy they give you in the Temple you can use.

 

[Guilty_AI]

There's multiple tutorial boxes the appear at the very start of the game AFTER that stealth section once you actually get your sword. You also have the undead dummy they give you in the Temple you can use.

Teaching control and mechanics isn't the same as teaching you how to play it. The game also teaches you about stealth, yet it'll randomly rip away that mechanic when it feels like and render it useless.

The general impression Sekiro gave me was that they had one certain vision for the game but changed it midway through development when they didn't know how to make everything work well together.

 

[Stafford]

Final boss literally has the boss that blocked so many players, Genichiro, as an appetizer before the real final boss shows up with 3 phases.

At that point, killing Genichiro, which was a huge wall that peoples were hitting themselves over, without losing any health is typically the best chances you have to go through Isshin.

It's brilliant. It's pure skill progression.

I'm sure it is, it's just not for me.

 

[Bernardougf]

 

The final boss makes malenia in Elden Ring look like a tutorial boss at best.

This game will gape your anus at the end.

Yep but have you beaten him in the last gauntlet? Inner ginochiro, father and ishin ... kkkk that is awsome!

Here is my playthrough of the last two bosses of the gauntlet... Ishin father gave me more trouble... I almost died a few times. Ishin after you catch hus drift is easier to cheese. Father is more erratic And unpredictable

 

[Bartski]

 

Yep but have you beaten him in the last gauntlet? Inner ginochiro, father and ishin ... kkkk that is awsome!

Here is my playthrough of the last two bosses of the gauntlet... Ishin father gave me more trouble... I almost died a few times. Ishin after you catch hus drift is easier to cheese. Father is more erratic And unpredictable

I have mine captured as well but my mug
is there on webcam so I’m not posting that. Good times!

 

[TerribleAtThisGame]

Deleted the game at the end boss again. Game is great but by the time I reach the end, I'm not in the mood anymore to learn yet another moveset absolutely perfectly for some boring cutscene.

Never had this issue in other From games but Isshin is a step too far for me and I don't even care to learn this lol.

Also, I'm gud just fine and can typically drop Gen without a healing item but the decision to have to do him ever. fucking. time again kills this fight for me from the get-go. It's boring and stands in the way of me learning the moveset I may otherwise be compelled to learn. This has been From's obsession with endless phases in boss fights has been souring me on their design big tine in Elden Ring as well.

 

[Bernardougf]

Deleted the game at the end boss again. Game is great but by the time I reach the end, I'm not in the mood anymore to learn yet another moveset absolutely perfectly for some boring cutscene.

Never had this issue in other From games but Isshin is a step too far for me and I don't even care to learn this lol.

Also, I'm gud just fine and can typically drop Gen without a healing item but the decision to have to do him ever. fucking. time again kills this fight for me from the get-go. It's boring and stands in the way of me learning the moveset I may otherwise be compelled to learn. This has been From's obsession with endless phases in boss fights has been souring me on their design big tine in Elden Ring as well.

He can be very frustrating the first times because he hits too hard... but once you learn his pattern he is easier then The Owl ... his movesets are much more simpler and he has very on the face tales about what he is going to do..

Dispatch ginochiro easily with the mortal blade

Ishin first phase has basically two movies when he walks from the side he is going straight at you use the mikiri counter ...when he concentrates with the sword behind go to his back and punish him

Ishin second phase make him chase you and jump once he jumps go straight to him and make he miss you... pay attention to use the mikiri counter when he jumps away from you... use the purple shild to defend from his concentrated attacks and absorb the energy so you can give back to him.

Is a very hard fight .. but once you beat him once I guarantee you will beat him every time.

 

[Jibran#one]

After this thread tried the game again
In about 2 days reached corrupted monk in mibu village , got stuck for a few hours yesterday on the double ape bullshit but just got through it .
When it clicks the game is a masterclass.
Hope to finally beat the final boss this time

 

[SCB3]

So time for an update, I've been a bit busy for a few days but had some time, I managed to get to and beat Gyobu (the Commander on the horse) first time! Took all my healing of course and I seem to be missing some Prostetics as I only have the Shurikens, however this allowed me to get the Skill tree and more importantly, Mirkiri Counter! Tried out the timing on the dummy and I think I've got it down a bit, we'll see in combat - I'm still playing like other souls games and forgetting that Stamina isn't a thing here

Speaking of, I'm a bit more powerful now and leaning to be more aggressive on anything but bigger troll enemies where I can't block the hammer and the dodge still puts me in range, annoying as fuck, I did however get to the next boss - The Blazing Bull - and after a good 15 attempts, I can't even get it down to half health... Its gonna take time

 

[Randall365]

It’s quite mathmatic - every enemy attack has a perfect response - to the point where in the final battle, you have to select the perfect response to every attack for about 15 minutes in a row, with room for maybe 3 or 4 errors. Great feeling when you nail it tbf and then new game plus is an absolute breeze - you feel like a real ninja.

 

[Chuck Berry]

one of the best you must perry my friend

 

[Mr Branding]

At it again on steam deck after nearly finishing it on release on ps4. Absolutely my favourite From game by far, love the combat.

Genichiro was my bane but his defeat is one of my most memorable gaming moments. The bosses that followed were nowhere near as hard for me, or I simply ‘got it’.

 

[Danjin44]

At it again on steam deck after nearly finishing it on release on ps4. Absolutely my favourite From game by far, love the combat.

Genichiro was my bane but his defeat is one of my most memorable gaming moments. The bosses that followed were nowhere near as hard for me, or I simply ‘got it’.

Genichiro is basically skill check boss similar to Matador in Nocturne.

 

[Jibran#one]

So after 5 years me and ishin meet again spent 3 hours trying to kill him and then gave up for the day.
Absolutely bullshit final boss. We march on tomorrow.
4 phases for this type of game is ridiculous

 

[SeriousCrayon]

So after 5 years me and ishin meet again spent 3 hours trying to kill him and then gave up for the day.
Absolutely bullshit final boss. We march on tomorrow.
4 phases for this type of game is ridiculous

I did the same earlier this year. Started the game fresh and committed to beating it this time. I fought him probably 200 times before I beat him. Man what a great game.

 

[kubricks]

So after 5 years me and ishin meet again spent 3 hours trying to kill him and then gave up for the day.
Absolutely bullshit final boss. We march on tomorrow.
4 phases for this type of game is ridiculous

Well think of it this way.
By end game Genichiro is not much of a threat, he is but another foot soldier.
As for Isshin there is only 2 phases really, the last phase is easier than 2nd phase where you can do lightning reversal. Two reversal and he is almost done.
Don't give up!

 

[_Idea_of_Evil_]

I did however get to the next boss - The Blazing Bull - and after a good 15 attempts, I can't even get it down to half health... Its gonna take time

Use the firecracker to stun it and land your combos. When the bull recovers avoid and parry as best you can until you can land another firecracker stun. Rinse and repeat.

 

[SCB3]

Use the firecracker to stun it and land your combos. When the bull recovers avoid and parry as best you can until you can land another firecracker stun. Rinse and repeat.

Theres actually 2 easier ways, run around it constantly and hit its back or run away and let it charge at you and block it, it keeps locked to the same charge attack so easy to time the block.

I need to stop where I am and go find the other ways, I remember I stumbled on a Memory path before I did this part originally and also I'm missing some items like the Firecrackers so need to go find them before I progress

Edit: Oh yea looked at a progression guide and I definitely have missed quite a bit, I'm more impressed that I beat 2 bosses without their weaknesses

 

[NeoIkaruGAF]

The final boss is actually 2 phases after a while, because the first two become entirely predictable after a few retries. Isshin phase 1 can pretty much be cheesed into doing the most convenient attacks most of the times. Isshin phase 2 is the real hurdle, because he hits ridiculously hard and has a couple of long combos that cover an absurdly wide area and can easily break your posture. He will also sometimes blatantly read your inputs when you try to heal, and attack right when you press the heal button. Still honest compared to 90% of ER bosses, though.
Phase 2 is the real challenge. If you can get through it with a few heals left, the final phase is just a matter of not letting your nerves get the best of you.

Anyway, the worst enemies in Sekiro are those where the camera is actively fighting beside the enemy against you. In NG++ and beyond, I could breeze through most bosses, but those fucking ninja warriors were still a challenge. Their flying kicks make the camera go bananas even in reasonably large rooms, and it’s pretty rare that you get to fight one in a large room.

 

[roxya]

I agree with anyone who takes issue with Genichiro being a phase of the final boss. Not difficult to beat but if I made mistakes and used 1-2 gourds, I didn't enjoy having to decide if I should just start over. In contrast, Isshin's phase 1 (once learned) was easy to do without taking damage 99% of the time.

 

[Jibran#one]

Well think of it this way.
By end game Genichiro is not much of a threat, he is but another foot soldier.
As for Isshin there is only 2 phases really, the last phase is easier than 2nd phase where you can do lightning reversal. Two reversal and he is almost done.
Don't give up!

Genichiro is never a problem, sometimes 0 sometimes 1 pot used, 90 percent of the time I choke on ishins 2nd phase.
Went to 3rd phase 2 3 times today still couldn't kill him

 

[SCB3]

I’m starting to see the combat click for me, the Raging Bull fight was a great example of the persistence and I got into the zone a bit after a good 10 attempts and suddenly I no hit it, blocking and using the firecrackers when needed

 

[Soodanim]

This fucking monkey

 

[thief183]

The monkey was way harder than the last boss for me, probably cause I was still learning .

 

[Forth]

I just don't have the motor skills anymore to complete games like this anymore. I wish I did but it all just becomes to frustrating when I miss those parties.

 

[salva]

I dunno man, I've said it in other Sekiro threads... hats off to anyone (pretty much everyone) that loves this game but I just can't...
Thought I would love it as a big Tenchu fan, but something about Sekiro is just not fucking fun for me (did not git gud). I think the actual fighting gameplay loop of just bashing the shit out of parry or using jedi master level reflexes was irritating. Marry that with such a depressing art style/lore. Me playing:

Just makes me mourn for a new Tenchu
Good luck bro

 

[Aion002]

This thread made me replay Sekiro. Last time I played was 4 years ago or something on the ps4, I got the plat and I stopped playing it... So I started a new save on the ps5 and I defeated Lady Butterfly, Masanobu and Genichiro without dying, I was like:

Then I got to the Guardian Ape and...

I tried 5 times and got to the second phase once... I will try again tomorrow.

For anyone struggling, don't give up, eventually you will gitgud, this game is worth it.

 

[Soodanim]

This thread made me replay Sekiro. Last time I played was 4 years ago or something on the ps4, I got the plat and I stopped playing it... So I started a new save on the ps5 and I defeated Lady Butterfly, Masanobu and Genichiro without dying, I was like:

Then I got to the Guardian Ape and...

I tried 5 times and got to the second phase once... I will try again tomorrow.

For anyone struggling, don't give up, eventually you will gitgud, this game is worth it.

I'm RTTPing after a year or so off and tried to do that with some enemies in areas I've already cleared like I can do in other Souls games. I got my arse handed to me. This game might share DNA with the rest but it's really a different species entirely - one that constantly keeps my on my toes.

---

I went against what everyone keeps parroting about it being a rhythm game all about deflections yesterday when I got beat a few times by a boss. The parrying was getting me nowhere. So I kept my distance, waited for openings, and got my hits in. Deflecting attacks was purely for getting out of close-range counter-attacks, everything else was good old fashion dodge timing and it actually created far more openings than parries did. By the time I got the execution I didn't even realise I was close. Thank you, Dark Souls.

 

[Rivdoric]

My full respect to the die-hard players playing Sekiro.

I had to rely on cheat to pass multiples bosses, and that's not even mentioning the gauntlets which are the hardest challenge i've ever had the (dis)pleasure to play.

I passed Bloodborne, Dark Souls etc.... but Sekiro, i think this was the hardest game of my life. Was not able to "Git Gud".

So yeah, i bow to you guys who plat this game & finished all gauntlets legitly.

 

[Soodanim]

My full respect to the die-hard players playing Sekiro.

I had to rely on cheat to pass multiples bosses, and that's not even mentioning the gauntlets which are the hardest challenge i've ever had the (dis)pleasure to play.

I passed Bloodborne, Dark Souls etc.... but Sekiro, i think this was the hardest game of my life. Was not able to "Git Gud".

So yeah, i bow to you guys who plat this game & finished all gauntlets legitly.

I put in more hours than I care to admit yesterday and a good chunk of it felt like banging my head against a wall until the wall started to crack.

I burned through all of my pellets (backup health) on Guardian Ape, so I had to git even gudder to beat him. I think on my last attempt I used one of those super rare full heals, something I don't normally do in any game.

I’m starting to see the combat click for me, the Raging Bull fight was a great example of the persistence and I got into the zone a bit after a good 10 attempts and suddenly I no hit it, blocking and using the firecrackers when needed

I remember that being a pain in the arse to beat, and it was more annoying because it didn't look like a boss that should be a pain in the arse to beat. Good man, getting in the zone feels great. So satisfying!

 

[SCB3]

I put in more hours than I care to admit yesterday and a good chunk of it felt like banging my head against a wall until the wall started to crack.

I burned through all of my pellets (backup health) on Guardian Ape, so I had to git even gudder to beat him. I think on my last attempt I used one of those super rare full heals, something I don't normally do in any game.


I remember that being a pain in the arse to beat, and it was more annoying because it didn't look like a boss that should be a pain in the arse to beat. Good man, getting in the zone feels great. So satisfying!

Thanks, the good part is it’s helping me in other games, such as Stellar Blade where the parry windows are much higher

It’s making me want to replay ER parrying a as well instead of two hand dodging lol

 

[Soodanim]

Thanks, the good part is it’s helping me in other games, such as Stellar Blade where the parry windows are much higher

It’s making me want to replay ER parrying a as well instead of two hand dodging lol

That's one build I haven't really done. I started, but never got the timing down and dropped it in favour of other ideas (10 save limit is bad). I might follow your lead and give it another go, although I'm not touching it again until the DLC is out.

 

[Jibran#one]

3 days later I just can't beat ishin...
After 5 years and 3 times playing the entire game I just can't do it .
4 phases is just ridiculous

 

[Danjin44]

It’s making me want to replay ER parrying a as well instead of two hand dodging lol

ER‘s parry is much tougher compare to Sekiro and in ER there more enemies you can’t parry than the ones you can. For example: Mohg is same size as Morgott but you can’t parry Mohg but you can with Morgott.

Its not all that practical to make parry build in ER.

 

[Monkfish877]

Beat Sword Saint Isshin after about 4 hours and over 3 days last week, figured him out and and pretty much semi cheesed his 2nd and especially 3rd phases by just running around him and moving in to get shots in when he let his guard down. May not be the most respectable or honorable way to fight him but who cares, just got sick of him and wanted to desperately finish the game. I stupidly only recorded the last 15 mins of the fight not knowing I was fighting him for close to half an hour.

 

[iHaunter]

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.

I just didn't like it. I tried it twice. Wasn't for me. Beat every other From Soft game 10 times.

 

[Soodanim]

I got gud. Just beat Isshin. Intimidating at first, but it turned into a very fun fight by the time I took him down. Very satisfying. When I looked up how to counter the last phase's special move (it's been years since I last needed to) it actually made it very quick phase.

Now onto NG+ because I want those endings