I’ve been playing this game off and on, starting over since it came out. I was a hardcore Bloodborne player, but also played a lot of elden ring and ds3. Sekiro never clicked, I thought it was slick and the action felt incredible but I just couldn’t get past the beginning. Finally I’ve broken through and am having a blast, and its all thanks to Armored Core 6. Thanks Armored Core 6 (I will not elaborate).
Yeah, most FromSoft games just feel intentionally clunky to me. Like the difficulty is artificial, purely because your character’s limbs seem to be full of birdshot. It always feels like the character is directly resisting my controls and fighting against me.
But Sekiro did away with all of that. The character feels snappy. He’s not weighed down. I never felt like I lost a fight because of an animation lock, or because my character was simply too sluggish. Every time I lost, I knew it was because I wasn’t fast enough as a player. And honestly, I prefer that. If I’m going to lose against a boss, I don’t want it to be due to some forced windup animation taking too long.
Definitely the best combat From has ever created in a game. I think the worlds of Dark Souls and Bloodborne are more interesting to me but Sekiro gives good universe too.
The effects are the reason I haven't been able to get through the whole game. They literally happen so much and block so much of the action, I eventually can't see what the fuck the enemy is doing to properly block, dodge or attack because of all the sparks and flashes. 😩
Having played all of them, I don’t get how armored core helped but ok that’s neat. Sekiro is a little different than the other From Software games, mostly because it’s a rhythm game in disguise. Deflect almost everything, and if you do it enough you’ll sail through fights hearing that deflect go dinkdinkdink dink dink, , DINK! I was always a dodge roller in Dark Souls, so I really resisted using deflect, but it’s a must for Sekiro. If you feel like you must dodge try holding the dodge button to sprint away instead - I found the little hop the dodge button does is often not enough. If they have an unblock-able move try jumping over it, that usually works too. This was not useful in Dark Souls so it took me way too long to use that.
I think the problem with Sekiros dodge roll is that it is way shorter with 18 frames at 60 fps for the forward step and 12 frames for the sideways and backstep. If I remembered correctly dark souls has around 30 so a lot more gracious.
I personally step dodge only attacks which knock you back to easily deal alot of health damage
The AC 6 part was a joke, but it was the last From game I spent serious time with. As a Bloodborne player I wanted to evade everything, like I knew I was supposed to deflect but I just couldn't get it under my fingers. Mikiri counters and those low jump attacks were just lost on me, but this time it works.
Maybe ac6 did play a part because its so fast paced and intense. I don't think I played it that way initially, but by the time I had the platinum and was doing PvP the action was extremely intense and technical. So maybe
Those mikiri counters are clutch. I think of all the upgrade skills to buy those were the most important for me. Definitely a major change of pace after Bloodbourne. I found Sekiro much more difficult, but if you can get through the other From games you can definitely do this. Good luck!
I’m in the same boat as you were with Sekiro, might actually try AC and see if it helps. I did learn parrying recently playing Thymesia and Lies of P though, might help hopefully
Sekiro is possibly my favorite game of all time, and for sure my favorite From Software game. I can't even describe how much I love this game.
The feeling you get when you finally beat a boss that initially seemed literally impossible (looking at you Sword Saint Isshin) is incomparable. Just the biggest dopamine rush ever.
And it's like riding a bike. Once you get it, that muscle memory stays. I went a year or so without playing it, and within 5 or 10 minutes I was right back where I was.
Truly a gaming masterpiece. Enjoy it. Also, if you find yourself getting stuck on a boss and you find yourself getting into a loop of doing the wrong thing over and over, try giving it a rest for a bit and come back with fresh eyes.
I was struggling on the final boss for hours until I rage quit and went to bed. Tried again next morning and literally beat him on my second try.
Sekiro is so much fun once it clicks. Honestly it took me all the way until >!Sword Saint Ishin!< but suddenly I went all flow state on him, and beasted through the game for all the other endings afterwards.
I don't know if I've experienced the "click" yet but I'm progressing which is more than I could say for.previous playthroughs. I used to get stuck right in the beginning at the drunk, or with the spear shinobi hunter in the memory. I had gotten past them on one play through after a great deal of trial, but no further. I'm at Genichiro now, haven't beat him but I've only fought him once and I need spirit things.
Juzou the Drunkard is a brutal fight! I rushed Hirata Estate my first playthrough and got stuck there for a long time.
IMO spirit emblems are cool but ultimately a waste of time--they're a lot of fun to play with in the open areas, but for ~a boss~ most bosses, it's faster to just learn the fight than spend time farming tokens to try to grind it out with prosthetics.
You may know this already, but a slightly hidden mechanic is that the parry window is a while .5 seconds if you hold the parry button down--if you just tap it you only get a couple frames, but if you hold it, you will find the window far more forgiving.
I'm not there yet. I want to be, it seems like a really cool game. Gotta give it another try I guess.
I've played Ds1-3 and Elden Ring for far too many hours, and beat them all many times. Not one to really parry, so that's probably why I'm having a hard time.
I'm sure there's some videos out there that could help? I haven't looked yet, but will try that before giving Sekiro another go.
Sekiro is a lot more lenient on its parrying than Souls is. Whenever you see an attack incoming just mash the hell out of the block button for 1-2 seconds, more often than not you'll get the parry. It's the only Fromsoft game that allows that without punishing it.
For some later bosses you'll have to actually get their timing down but that'll carry you far enough through the game for you to get your feet under you.
Playing Sekiro is how I broke the left and right bumpers in my Steam Controller for the first time. Now I’m using the back paddles because those bumpers are wat too flimsy.