Gaming Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice (PC, PS4, Xbox One)

izzydiggler

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I think I’ve finally got to grips with it. Have left Genechiro for another day but got to both Temple Grounds and Sunken Valley without too much trouble and taken down 4 mini-bosses this evening.
 

izzydiggler

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The fight against the second drunkard really shows the learning curve in this game. I did Hirata at the beginning just trying to dodge his slashed in complete panic. Now I just calmly deflect and counter him to death. Gotta say, the game gets more enjoyable as you go along.
You’re further than I but I’ve found the same thing. It’s annoying that it takes seemingly endless mikiri counters, dodges and attacks against a mini-boss to take them down, yet some can take you out in a single move but when you do, you feel like such a badass and it’s becoming more common.
 

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So having got to Genechiro and a blue housecoat wearing mini boss twat that one-shots me & had my arse well and truly kicked a few times I had a bit of a backtrack to get some cash & xp and I discover I completely missed 2 mini bosses back in the area where your opening tutorial is.

Not only that but a whole new underground area with a terrifying glowing orb summoning boss.

Love the way From Software manage to sneakily hide things, or at least give you a constant sense of discovery if you look in every nook and cranny.

Now I'm unsure about which path to follow, go underground, try to beat Genechiro or try down by another area where I got attacked by some crazy monkeys.
 

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So having got to Genechiro and a blue housecoat wearing mini boss twat that one-shots me & had my arse well and truly kicked a few times I had a bit of a backtrack to get some cash & xp and I discover I completely missed 2 mini bosses back in the area where your opening tutorial is.

Not only that but a whole new underground area with a terrifying glowing orb summoning boss.

Love the way From Software manage to sneakily hide things, or at least give you a constant sense of discovery if you look in every nook and cranny.

Now I'm unsure about which path to follow, go underground, try to beat Genechiro or try down by another area where I got attacked by some crazy monkeys.
You probably are best served going for Genechiro. It's a proper training fight that one and sets you up for the rest. I did everything else around it first, including other bosses, but I wish I faced him first now :lol:

The glowing orb boss, is that the headless thing in a cave? If so, it's beatable but I think you need something else you haven't got yet to take the terror down.
 

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You probably are best served going for Genechiro. It's a proper training fight that one and sets you up for the rest. I did everything else around it first, including other bosses, but I wish I faced him first now :lol:

The glowing orb boss, is that the headless thing in a cave? If so, it's beatable but I think you need something else you haven't got yet to take the terror down.
Nah the headless dude got me long ago and I've never been back since :lol: this other guy is down the back of the pit you first wake up in called the Abandoned Dungeon there's a bit you grapple up to then head down In to a pretty scary cave, it actually reminded me alot of the underground level in Nioh. Can't remember his name but I 'noped' right out of there similar to the Headless and didn't return.

Is it divine confetti you need to beat him? I have about 5 of them.
 

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Nah the headless dude got me long ago and I've never been back since :lol: this other guy is down the back of the pit you first wake up in called the Abandoned Dungeon there's a bit you grapple up to then head down In to a pretty scary cave, it actually reminded me alot of the underground level in Nioh. Can't remember his name but I 'noped' right out of there similar to the Headless and didn't return.

Is it divine confetti you need to beat him? I have about 5 of them.
Ahhh yeah, he's like the headless, not much harder if at all really. (That's not to say they both aren't tough at first of course). Yeah divine confetti, which you can farm in the castle, and something else (who's name escapes me right now) which reduces terror build up.

Btw if you run past the headless to the back, you can find the bell that makes the game harder but gives you way more item drops. Great for farming.
 

bosnian_red

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Just started playing... Getting fecked by the chained ogre. Feels a million times harder then any of the souls/bloodborne games!
 

syrian_scholes

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This game is way harder than Bloodborne, I can't get past the general after the chained asshole.
 

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Beat the Guardian Ape. Biggest moment of satisfaction so far for me.

Folding Monkey's were interesting, if not annoying. Have to admit I had to google

The invisible one
 

izzydiggler

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I’m avoiding fighting Genichiro cause I know it’ll be hours of frustration and learning move sets, although I’m getting to a point where I’ll have to. Made it through the Senpou Temple area but am blocked until I do and also got to the Sunken Valley and Ashina Depths, so might try and progress there first.

On a slightly related note, does anybody enjoy the swamp/poison areas in From’s games? Every single one has these areas and I can’t believe that anyone would think they’re a good idea...just awful. Same with curse/poison/burn etc statuses...just tedious.
 

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I’m avoiding fighting Genichiro cause I know it’ll be hours of frustration and learning move sets, although I’m getting to a point where I’ll have to. Made it through the Senpou Temple area but am blocked until I do and also got to the Sunken Valley and Ashina Depths, so might try and progress there first.

On a slightly related note, does anybody enjoy the swamp/poison areas in From’s games? Every single one has these areas and I can’t believe that anyone would think they’re a good idea...just awful. Same with curse/poison/burn etc statuses...just tedious.
Just fight him, it isn't hard. Madame Butterfly was worse imo (if you don't use cheese tricks that is) and he helps your timing for what's to come.

And no one likes poison areas, but in this at least it's very easy to explore.
 

izzydiggler

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Just fight him, it isn't hard. Madame Butterfly was worse imo (if you don't use cheese tricks that is) and he helps your timing for what's to come.

And no one likes poison areas, but in this at least it's very easy to explore.
I’ve got to a locked door in the Sunken Valley, so that way is blocked too...damn it, I’m going to have to face him.
 

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I’ve got to a locked door in the Sunken Valley, so that way is blocked too...damn it, I’m going to have to face him.
Trust me, it's more about learning to fight yourself than remembering his move set. You can beat his first half without taking a hit or even hitting his flesh, it's a great fight because it's about your skill level and not his.


Beat the Guardian Ape. Biggest moment of satisfaction so far for me.

Folding Monkey's were interesting, if not annoying. Have to admit I had to google

The invisible one
I beat them really easily first try, it wasn't until after I found out it was one of their famously lame puzzle bosses :lol:

I think I just got lucky, though I did sneak around a lot.
 

izzydiggler

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Did Genichiro on my 3rd go...although it was quite hairy at the end down to pellets and forced to resurrect. Exhilarating and has done nothing for my anxiety levels.
 

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I thought Genichro’s third phase was actually the easiest part of the fight. Spent ages trying to get through the first two but only need about 3 tries on the third phase.
 

izzydiggler

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I thought Genichro’s third phase was actually the easiest part of the fight. Spent ages trying to get through the first two but only need about 3 tries on the third phase.
I got to the 3rd stage with using 1 gourd I think but then the cut scene ruined my whole momentum and I started jumping away, rather than dodging and deflecting...which made me keep missing the lightning, so ended up doing it by getting in close and hitting him...only hit him with 2 lightning strikes in the end and not sure how as I lost it. Almost missed the second deathblow prompt too as I was out of my seat celebrating with arms in the air :lol:
 

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I thought Genichro’s third phase was actually the easiest part of the fight. Spent ages trying to get through the first two but only need about 3 tries on the third phase.
Yep, it is. That's because by that point you should be well equipped for it though ;)


Did Genichiro on my 3rd go...although it was quite hairy at the end down to pellets and forced to resurrect. Exhilarating and has done nothing for my anxiety levels.
Nice.

The game isn't anywhere near as hard as people think, in fact it's way more structured than any of the soulsborne games in terms of what it's trying to teach you and when.
 

izzydiggler

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The game isn't anywhere near as hard as people think, in fact it's way more structured than any of the soulsborne games in terms of what it's trying to teach you and when.
Yeah it definitely forces you to learn to play the game as they’ve intended. If it was Dark Souls, I think lots of people would have just summoned it, rather than spend the time learning.

I think it’s harder than Dark Souls for that reason...I do wonder whether unlearning the soulsborne mechanics that has made it much tougher though. Deflecting I can do fairly well but getting stuck in after does not come naturally. I do think the boss poise/health pools are far too high though...seems to take an age to take them down and one slip up can mean death. It’s very punishing. Dark Souls was more about stamina management than dexterity of your hands...it’s much more a game of skill than any of the others IMO.
 

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The game isn't anywhere near as hard as people think, in fact it's way more structured than any of the soulsborne games in terms of what it's trying to teach you and when.
I think I'm just shit at working out how I'm supposed to fight. Like it seems to me you make a few sword attacks then immediately prepare to defend against 1-3 blows. I guess once my reactions/anticipation improve it'll get easier.

I've only just started and am fighting the Ogre at the moment, died 10 times in a row already only managing 2 death blows... just feels like I do decently but it only takes a few failed dodges to die twice. Plus I don't know when I'm supposed to jump away, block or just do that sidestep thing. Urgh... It is fecking hard!
 

izzydiggler

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I think I'm just shit at working out how I'm supposed to fight. Like it seems to me you make a few sword attacks then immediately prepare to defend against 1-3 blows. I guess once my reactions/anticipation improve it'll get easier.

I've only just started and am fighting the Ogre at the moment, died 10 times in a row already only managing 2 death blows... just feels like I do decently but it only takes a few failed dodges to die twice. Plus I don't know when I'm supposed to jump away, block or just do that sidestep thing. Urgh... It is fecking hard!
The Ogre is probably the most unfair enemy I’ve faced - the grabs that lock on even when you side step them are so annoying. Plus at the beginning of the game it can kill you instantly.

Game definitely gets easier though. If you look through this thread, I have certainly had some negative thoughts and there are several issues, however it started to click for me and became easier. Easier said than done but when you stop spamming attacks and are calm with deflect and dodge, you start to get into rhythms that take down normal enemies in a few seconds.
 

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Yeah it definitely forces you to learn to play the game as they’ve intended. If it was Dark Souls, I think lots of people would have just summoned it, rather than spend the time learning.

I think it’s harder than Dark Souls for that reason...I do wonder whether unlearning the soulsborne mechanics that has made it much tougher though. Deflecting I can do fairly well but getting stuck in after does not come naturally. I do think the boss poise/health pools are far too high though...seems to take an age to take them down and one slip up can mean death. It’s very punishing. Dark Souls was more about stamina management than dexterity of your hands...it’s much more a game of skill than any of the others IMO.
Nah, it's not harder just because you can't summon because by that logic, you can just cheese every fight very easily using in game mechanics. Plus if you want help, just use the op prosthetics, there's one or two for every boss that makes the fights much easier. Also there's less to learn that in the other games, it's very streamlined.

I mean I do agree that the style of fighting forces you to focus, and I like that. But it's not different to DS1 in that regard, in fact in DS1 there was never a clear path of what to learn and when, this game does spoon feed you that information constantly. The thing people find hard about it is the BB/DS3 method of rolling around everywhere rather than parrying/fighting, and that I understand. But even then, the difficulty is more mob placement and level design (pretty much like DS2), than any real challenge.

That might be because I parried in all the soulsborne games, I don't know, but nothing in this so far has been really hard that isn't a bit cheaty. That's not to say there aren't great and challenging fights in their own right though, I really enjoyed most of the boss/min-boss fights for different reasons.


I think I'm just shit at working out how I'm supposed to fight. Like it seems to me you make a few sword attacks then immediately prepare to defend against 1-3 blows. I guess once my reactions/anticipation improve it'll get easier.

I've only just started and am fighting the Ogre at the moment, died 10 times in a row already only managing 2 death blows... just feels like I do decently but it only takes a few failed dodges to die twice. Plus I don't know when I'm supposed to jump away, block or just do that sidestep thing. Urgh... It is fecking hard!
That's the aim-botting at work. Once you realise with the beast enemies they are just like Bloodborne ones, you can literally walk around most of them, you barely need to even dash. As for the red symbols, there's only 2 attack types in the entire game and each boss only has one attack for each type, it shouldn't take long to notice what they are going to do and avoid/counter it. The ogre is slightly different because the AB, but mostly just walk around him like all the other games and you'll get a few hits in.
 
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Redlambs

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Oh and btw, make use of the button configurations changes!

If you find yourself timing your deflections or attacks wrong (and let's be clear here, the engine is trash at buttons detection at the best of times, it's been an issue since DS1), switch at least one of them to the face buttons. Trust me, it'll be just that little bit more responsive once you adjust ;)
 

Ødegaard

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I think I'm just shit at working out how I'm supposed to fight. Like it seems to me you make a few sword attacks then immediately prepare to defend against 1-3 blows. I guess once my reactions/anticipation improve it'll get easier.

I've only just started and am fighting the Ogre at the moment, died 10 times in a row already only managing 2 death blows... just feels like I do decently but it only takes a few failed dodges to die twice. Plus I don't know when I'm supposed to jump away, block or just do that sidestep thing. Urgh... It is fecking hard!
Dodging the Ogre is a bad idea as he will usually catch you.
When he charges at you to grab, you can double jump on him for a fair lot of posture-damage, but otherwise you should already start to use block/parry.
There is a lady outside the walls that gives you a bell, which gives you access to the hirata estates. In a bonfire surrounded by guards and dogs the Flame vent is. The ogre easily builds up burn and gives you time to attack him as he staggers on use.

Secondly, get the ogre to attack you (just aggro him from a bit down the stairs) and you'll avoid the spearman. Run away but keep tabs on his movement and you can backstab him for one deathstrike being done.
 

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Yeah don't dodge. Walk around in circles if you are really struggling with timing. You can avoid everything and hit him a few times each miss he does.

Also you can easily aggro the spearman by fighting one of the guys you can eavesdrop on by the way if he's a problem.
 

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Phase 2 of the second guardian ape fight was bullshit. The camera just isn’t designed well enough for that.

Can’t believe how easy I found the ape alone though, especially considering how much I struggled with the first fight.
 

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Ok I got a feel for the Ogre eventually, just going in and out and reacting to his Perilous attacks and actually parrying his other abilities. The next General was pretty easy to duel once I learned to stealthily kill everyone else first.

I found this headless cnut though... obviously some sort of hidden side boss. I have no idea how the feck you're meant to fight this.
 

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Phase 2 of the second guardian ape fight was bullshit. The camera just isn’t designed well enough for that.

Can’t believe how easy I found the ape alone though, especially considering how much I struggled with the first fight.
Agreed.

The technical side of the game really holds it back in a lot of areas and adds to some cheap difficult moments. Though still, cool fight all in all!


Ok I got a feel for the Ogre eventually, just going in and out and reacting to his Perilous attacks and actually parrying his other abilities. The next General was pretty easy to duel once I learned to stealthily kill everyone else first.

I found this headless cnut though... obviously some sort of hidden side boss. I have no idea how the feck you're meant to fight this.
You'll figure it out, forget about him for now.

And yeah as a rule, the beasts (of which Ogre is one) is pretty much the soulsborne formula, stick close to their rear and react to them. Also forget the flame, it's trash, use firecrackers in future if you have them.
 

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Phase 2 of the second guardian ape fight was bullshit. The camera just isn’t designed well enough for that.

Can’t believe how easy I found the ape alone though, especially considering how much I struggled with the first fight.
Firecrackers and take down the non-boss/female one. It dies very fast.
 

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Agreed.

The technical side of the game really holds it back in a lot of areas and adds to some cheap difficult moments. Though still, cool fight all in all!




You'll figure it out, forget about him for now.

And yeah as a rule, the beasts (of which Ogre is one) is pretty much the soulsborne formula, stick close to their rear and react to them. Also forget the flame, it's trash, use firecrackers in future if you have them.
Against the ogre? no.
Just need 2 or 3 runs to put him on fire, making it much easier to get a deathblow on him.
 

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You'll figure it out, forget about him for now.

And yeah as a rule, the beasts (of which Ogre is one) is pretty much the soulsborne formula, stick close to their rear and react to them. Also forget the flame, it's trash, use firecrackers in future if you have them.
Do I need to be stronger to beat him? Or is it just a hard battle skill-wise?
 

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Do I need to be stronger to beat him? Or is it just a hard battle skill-wise?
It's more that you "need" a consumable item, which means you at best have 1-2 tries on him with how many of that consumable you can get up to that point. And you will need an item to remove a debuff you slowly build up which instakills you when it's filled up.
Mind it can be done with a upgraded prosthetic as well, but you won't have that yet either.
 

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Against the ogre? no.
Just need 2 or 3 runs to put him on fire, making it much easier to get a deathblow on him.
In general, it's entirely pointless.

By the time you bother wasting effort to flame him (btw just use oil and one direct flame hit), you can just learn to move aside which will set you up for the main boss and next mini boss after that.

Which is the strength of the game imo, the placement of bosses is about learning to deal woth what's to come.


Do I need to be stronger to beat him? Or is it just a hard battle skill-wise?
You just need a couple of useable items. One you should have as you'd have picked it up before him.

But he's not as hard as he looks tbh, just intimidating :lol:
 

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In general, it's entirely pointless.

By the time you bother wasting effort to flame him (btw just use oil and one direct flame hit), you can just learn to move aside which will set you up for the main boss and next mini boss after that.

Which is the strength of the game imo, the placement of bosses is about learning to deal woth what's to come.




You just need a couple of useable items. One you should have as you'd have picked it up before him.

But he's not as hard as he looks tbh, just intimidating :lol:
Learning what to do includes learning bosses weaknesses on top of their moveset and when to punish it normally in my view.
 

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Learning what to do includes learning bosses weaknesses on top of their moveset and when to punish it normally in my view.
I don't disagree.

The prosthetics are clearly a crutch, an easy mode if you will. That doesn't make it cheap to use them at all, it's all fair game imo. I just like the fact you can do it both ways, but I also think if you are going to use a prosthetic against him it might as well be the one the you can then learn to time with the next few bosses (if not all of them) too, after all it does no damage (until upgraded which definitely renders flame even more pointless) and you can use to enhance your attack patterns if you wish.


On another note, speaking of fire buffs and all that, do you not find it strange they STILL haven't managed to work out a good balance? Once again, burn/poison/terror(bleed :lol:) really don't add much of any new dimension. As is the case with all the games from them!
 

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I don't disagree.

The prosthetics are clearly a crutch, an easy mode if you will. That doesn't make it cheap to use them at all, it's all fair game imo. I just like the fact you can do it both ways, but I also think if you are going to use a prosthetic against him it might as well be the one the you can then learn to time with the next few bosses (if not all of them) too, after all it does no damage (until upgraded which definitely renders flame even more pointless) and you can use to enhance your attack patterns if you wish.


On another note, speaking of fire buffs and all that, do you not find it strange they STILL haven't managed to work out a good balance? Once again, burn/poison/terror(bleed :lol:) really don't add much of any new dimension. As is the case with all the games from them!
Yeah. It's very weird.
I mean, at least they could use poison/bleed for stamina debuff (posture debuff in Sekiro) instead of just having it and burn be practically the same DoT condition.
 

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I’d love to be a fly on the wall in the design meetings.

“Let’s have a boss...and put a lake of poison in the arena...there’s still something missing - I know, how about adding 4 enemies with guns that all can lock on to the player and hit them from miles away...they’ll love that.”

Every time I get into the game, I come across an absolute brain fart of a boss battle that makes we want to smash my controller. It’s like they don’t play test their games.
 

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Just fought Lady Bug for the first, did okay but she is really tough, also kind of felt like I cheesed Jozu.
 

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I’d love to be a fly on the wall in the design meetings.

“Let’s have a boss...and put a lake of poison in the arena...there’s still something missing - I know, how about adding 4 enemies with guns that all can lock on to the player and hit them from miles away...they’ll love that.”

Every time I get into the game, I come across an absolute brain fart of a boss battle that makes we want to smash my controller. It’s like they don’t play test their games.
Yep, I'm guessing it's the same one I commented on earlier on in the thread.

For every genuinely brilliant moment and fight, there's about 20 where you can say it's just cheap. That particular fight isn't even hard and you don't learn anything from it, it's just tedious and should not be there.


Just fought Lady Bug for the first, did okay but she is really tough, also kind of felt like I cheesed Jozu.
She's a great fight, don't follow the urge to cheese, she's doable quite easily when you crack the timings and it will help for future fights.

Jozu is a bit of a fecker tbh, I fought him way too early before realising you could pretty much block anything even from giants, so even I made use of a few of the structures around to help. (Though fecking terrible camera evened the odds for him!)
 

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I’d love to be a fly on the wall in the design meetings.

“Let’s have a boss...and put a lake of poison in the arena...there’s still something missing - I know, how about adding 4 enemies with guns that all can lock on to the player and hit them from miles away...they’ll love that.”

Every time I get into the game, I come across an absolute brain fart of a boss battle that makes we want to smash my controller. It’s like they don’t play test their games.
You only need to take out two of the guys though to have a free run at the boss, and he follows you onto the middle platform so the poison becomes nothing but a minor inconvenience after that.

If anything, I just found the boss difficult in general compared to some of the other mini bosses.