Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice

FromSoftware has always been excellent with art direction and level design, but "Sekiro" is the first time they managed to pair the beautiful visuals up with a gameplay that is not just challenging but also fun and rewarding. The parrying works for once, and the posture system gives a whole new depth to the fights. We also have an extended set of sub-weapons that can be used to design different strategies and create new combos. It takes a while to get used to the combat system, but it gets a little better once you get familiar with the gadgets and confident with your parrying and reflexes. Buffs can help, but they rarely make up for the player's lack of skills.

The only problem is that the learning curve is steep and relentless, especially with the main bosses. Each boss has an entirely different moveset that needs to be learned and practiced from scratch. In other words, you are doomed to get defeated dozens of times and practice different strategies for hours, all to kill a single boss. It's a game for people who are willing to waste most of their free time into it. I usually get bored fast and give up with this kind of stuff, but somehow "Sekiro" managed to keep my motivation high. Maybe it's because battles are quick and enjoyable regardless of their outcome. The last couple of bosses might have been the only ones that really brought me close to destroying the disc.

It's a pity that there are no "normal" difficulty settings, as a slightly lower level of challenge would make this a much more accessible and well-received game. It definitely has the potential to set a new standard for action games.

On a side note, the stealth dynamics are a bit too primitive for an eighth-generation game. It's all about backstab deathblows, and the enemies are also deaf to the point that they don't even notice people dying a meter away or things being dropped around them. I won't complain as the game is already too difficult, but I was expecting more depth in that sense as we are supposed to impersonate a shinobi.