15 best video games coming in 2019: Kingdom Hearts 3 and more
By Matt Becker
4. Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice
Developer: FromSoftware
Publisher: Activision
Platform(s): PS4, Xbox One, PC
Release Date: March 22, 2019
Not much gets us more excited than a FromSoftware game, and their upcoming title Sekiro: Shadows: Die Twice is no exception. The reveal trailer shown at E3 2018 shows FromSoftware’s new game will let players control a katana-wielding, prosthetic-wearing ninja in a reimagined feudal Japan. The playable character, Sekiro, was left for dead by samurai after severing his arm, but he awakens with a prosthetic installed by a mysterious sculptor. Thus begins his quest for revenge.
What gets us most excited about Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice is how it modifies FromSoftware’s typical gameplay formula made popular in Bloodborne and the Dark Souls series. Besides the notable change of scenery and color palettes, the game changes quite a few elements Souls fans have grown accustomed to. This time around, there are actually very limited role-playing elements in the game: there are no classes, limited new weapons, no traditional RPG stats, and no character creation.
Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice also brings with it a modified combat system, including a stealth combat option and additional tools like a grappling hook to use in both fighting and exploration. Dying has an interesting little twist too, as there is a new system in place where you can resurrect as soon as you have died. The game is also completely single player, so don’t expect to stealthily drop into someone else’s session to fight them.
One thing that doesn’t seem to have changed is that FromSoftware signature difficulty. Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice looks as hard as ever, and its boss battles look about as insane and eccentric as one would expect. The graphics and art style are bloody amazing, and the game’s locale and story are definitely an interesting and appealing change of pace.
There is still a lot we don’t know yet about FromSoftware’s Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice, but we hope the release date of March 22, 2019 holds strong so we can get our ninja on.