5 reasons to play Sekiro Shadows Die Twice in 2024

Sekiro Shadows Die Twice is an experience like no other, and it is widely regarded as one of the best souls-like games out there. Right from the start, players will notice how different this game is to other FromSoftware titles. Despite being released almost five years ago, Sekiro is still one of the best games out there. It has aged exceptionally well, and its replayability plays a huge role.

Today, we'll discuss five reasons you should play Sekiro Shadows Die Twice in 2024.

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Here are five reasons to play Sekiro Shadows Die Twice in 2024

1) Excellent Combat

Sekiro Shadows Die Twice features some of the best combat in video games (Image via FromSoftware)

Sekiro's combat is different from all other souls-like titles out there. You play as Wolf, who is only equipped with a katana. What's beautiful about the lack of weapon choice is that, by focusing on just the Katana, FromSoftware has refined this weapon to perfection. Swinging the Katana feels crisp, and timing a parry to perfection is extremely satisfying.

Every enemy (and also the player character) has two bars in combat; one is the standard HP bar, which will deplete if you take attacks in combat, and the other is your posture bar. The latter depletes when you mistime parries or block too often. If you break an enemy's posture, you can execute them using a Deathblow; this is also true for boss fights.

The addition of the Posture Bar encourages you to master parry timings, and once you properly grasp this mechanic, a world of possibilities opens up within the game. You can even kill your opponents by standing in one place and deflecting their attacks to deplete their Posture bar, which is also a very satisfactory experience.

The fast-paced Katana action is a welcome departure from the slow and sluggish waiting game of Dark Souls and Elden Ring. Moreover, you are equipped with a Shinobi Prosthetic, which can be fitted with tools of all kinds. All the different tools give you access to new attacks. Depending on your playstyle, you can experiment with this Shinobi Prosthetic to find a tool that fits your gameplay.

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2) Boss fights

Boss battles are amazing in Sekiro Shadows Die Twice (Image via FromSoftware)

The boss fights in Sekiro Shadows Die Twice are tough, and you need to master the game's combat mechanics if you wish to dominate these battles.

You have Genichiro, who is a master of the sword and uses the Immortal blade to deliver a lot of unblockable attacks. There's Gyoubu Masataka Oniwa, who rides his horse into battle and constantly tries to pummel you with a spear. Then there is the Headless Ape, who will make you question your skills.

The bosses don't feel generic and have a lot of personality. Moreover, the presentation of this game's boss fights is splendidly done. From Lady Butterfly in Hirata Estate to Isshin Ishina at the end of the game, Sekiro Shadows Die Twice will force you to change your strategy and "get good" as you take on its various bosses.

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3) Sengoku-era Japan is a mesmerizing setting

Sekiro is mesmerizing (Image via FromSoftware)

FromSoftware never disappoints with their excellent worlds. Like Elden Ring has the Lands Between, Sekiro has Japan. The game will take you through beautiful castles, poisonous pits, fantastic valleys, and horrid caves, some of which also have giant snakes nesting inside. The art style is exceptionally well done, and the environments always have a story to tell.

The broken statues in the Sunken Valley, Hirata Estate on fire, and a war-torn Ashina castle are some of the most beautiful locations in video games. FromSoftware has truly done a masterful job at making this fictionalized depiction of Japan feel full of life.

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4) Replayability

Sekiro Shadows Die Twice offers a ton of replayability (Image via FromSoftware)

Sekiro Shadows Die Twice is infinitely replayable. Its relatively short campaign can be finished within 20-30 hours, depending on how you play. Your second playthrough can be done in New Game Plus, where you retain all the skills and abilities unlocked during your first run. What is also worth mentioning is that the bosses will gain access to new moves and combos during each playthrough.

The fast-paced combat never gets old, but you do keep getting better, which also makes it more enjoyable. Moreover, you can try tons of different builds using the various tools on your Shinobi Prosthetic. Wolf can be a Lazulite-axe-wielding acrobat or a fire-cracker spamming slasher; it all comes down to how you want him to play.

Last but not least, Sekiro Shadows Die Twice has four different endings. That alone means you can enjoy this game's excellent combat and movement mechanics four different times with four separate endings.

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5) Fluid Movement

Sekiro's grappling hook is fun to use (Image via FromSoftware)

Sekiro's movement is the first thing that sets it apart from other FromSoftware games. In their other titles, your character is sluggish and moves at an average speed at best. However, Wolf moves around at a fast pace. While the speed is good, it's not the only thing that makes this game's movement amazing.

You are also equipped with a grappling hook, which can be used to access a ton of places, but you will also find yourself using it just for the fun of it. The best thing about these movement mechanics is that players have a lot of freedom. You can often grapple from branch to branch to skip annoying enemies and jump straight to a boss battle. Moreover, Sekiro's excellent movement also makes you want to explore new locations.

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Sekiro deserves a sequel in 2024, but it doesn't look like a second game is in the works. Hopefully, FromSoftware will revisit the title in the future to give it the sequel that it deserves.