Now it’s sold 10 million, can we finally get a Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice sequel?

Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice represents a interval of experimentation for From Software program. Eschewing a few of the heavier mechanics of Darkish Souls in favour of one thing altogether extra fast-paced and aggressive, Sekiro is the product of a developer at residence in its personal pores and skin – one which has discovered all the principles purely so it will possibly break them. Once more.

As From Software program celebrates an enormous 10 million gross sales for its esteemed action-RPG, it’s price wanting again on Sekiro to see a recreation that excels at what it units out to do. It’s a recreation that wantonly places distance between From Software program and the style it pioneered, deliberately twisting the mechanics of the ‘Soulslike’ into one thing wholly new. Even at present – with a brand new Armored Core recreation and Elden Ring persevering with to iterate on the FromSoft components – Sekiro acts as the one greatest departure from the developer’s fashionable oeuvre. And just for good causes.

Although that indefatigable Souls DNA permeates virtually each facet of Sekiro being (menu UI, controls, digital camera, levelling programs), the realisation of all of it is extra developed Sekiro’s fight, for instance, feels extra akin to Bloodborne aggressive, parry-centric setup – it’s quick, nasty, and arduous. Excellent for anybody that obtained a style for aggression in Yharnam and by no means stopped desirous about it thereafter.

Dancing about in Sekiro – a razor sharp flurry of completely parries, dodges, and counter-attacks, all landed with some beautiful animations and swordplay prospers – actually brings the ninja fantasy to life. In a narrative that’s really instructed to you, explicitly (moderately than metered out in merchandise information tabs and imprecise environmental cues) and fight that depends on momentum greater than persistence, we’ve by no means actually seen a FromSoft recreation since Sekiro that takes the learnings from the sport ahead.

Sure, Elden Ring is virtually good in each means… however it’s not an evolution of Bloodborne or Sekiro. It’s not a recreation that defies the developer’s personal conventions to do one thing new. It’s very a lot a ‘youngster of Darkish Souls’, so to talk. A follow-up to Sekiro might draw out the themes of the sport even additional, seeing FromSoft actually begin to experiment with cinematic storytelling, with much more momentum-based fight, with a deeper foray into the darker aspect of the Buddhist mythos.

And, you recognize what, there have been 9 complete Tenchu video games ultimately. Sure, they could have suffered from that complete ‘diminishing returns’ development, however nonetheless. Throughout 5 completely different platforms, we obtained to take pleasure in 9 complete Tenchu video games. The explanation and bringing that up? Sekiro has deep roots in Tenchu; the sport was impressed by the part-FromSoft developed collection, in any case. Sekiro started life as a sort-of reboot of Tenchu, too. So if the cult ninja recreation could make it to 9 complete titles, properly, Sekiro can get not less than one other one, proper?