Why You Should Play Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice

Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice is an action adventure game developed by From Software. It continues From Software’s tradition of making challenging but rewarding games.

Playing a From Software game feels like playing your life on the hardest difficulty setting. It is hard, unforgiving and you face heavy punishment for every mistake you make. With every release, people on social media pick sides and argue whether these games should have an easy mode. (FYI: From Software games do not have a difficulty setting. The difficulty setting is extreme for every player this is to ensure that everyone is on the same playing field) I am not writing whether their games should have an easy mode (the debate is endless. Trust me; there is no right answer that will satisfy both sides.) but saying why you should play Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice.

Before I say any further; I have to disclose my experience in playing their game. I have only played From Soft’s 2019 masterpiece and GOTY Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice and have clocked more than 30 hours playing it. Because of some technical issues, I could not finish the game. With this out of the gate; let’s start.

That’s Life

As we grow up, our lives become challenging and laborious. Every mistake committed has far-reaching consequences. People expect you to figure out things on your own and do it properly. Failure is not an option if one fails; the repercussions faced are grievous. There are times when we are so close to achieving our targets and yet so far. You cannot run away every time. Quitting is not an option you have to rise from the ashes of your failures to complete your arduous task.Now imagine all this rolled into a video game and the result you get is the vision of the acclaimed game director Hidetaka Miyazaki.

The game lays heavy emphasis on sword based combat. It not only expects you to master the basics but react to a wide range of enemy attack patterns at a blink of an eye.

Teaching Life Lessons From The Gameplay

Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice embodies every From Software’s principle to the core. The game is not only brutal but also unfair at times. Sekiro forces you to learn the bitter truth about adult life. Every time you see a game over screen, you end up losing half of your earnings and experience. Are you dying a lot in the game? Too bad, start mastering the combat system (BTW it is one of the best out there) Cannot defeat a boss? Scour the entire net to find ways to beat it. Are you stuck in an area? All the best, as sooner or later you have to come back to it to progress further.

The game has a steep learning curve. Once you master it, it’s a joy to play the game (The game still won’t become easy)

I know you must be thinking why I am suggesting you to play a game that punishes instead of giving a good time. Honestly, the game breaks you mentally.

The game throws everything at you to break your will. It expects you rise up to these new and unexpected challenges and conquer them.

There will be times where you want to quit and throw your controller but the truth is you feel triumph when you have scaled such adversities. There is no feeling in the world which will ever come close to it.

You will see this screen a lot while playing the game, trust me.

Should I Stay Or Should I Go Now ?

It teaches you about the hardships of life and provides you with a sense of accomplishment that only a few games can provide. I am not saying that you should finish the game (if you do then you are a legend) It is ultimately the journey that matters, not the destination. Play the game for a few hours there is a good chance that you might learn a thing or two about life.