From Software has released a new trailer for their upcoming game, Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice. The trailer is a gameplay overview that goes into 4 different parts of the game: story, the shinobi prosthetic, combat, and progression. Each part shares new details about the game such as how combat works, the different forms that the shinobi prosthetic can take, and how the resurrection system works.
Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice puts you in the role of the Wolf, a shinobi who was taken in by a character known as The Owl as a child. He eventually gets assigned to be the bodyguard of The Divine Heir.
The Divine Heir is the descendant of a mysterious bloodline and becomes the target of a rival clan. The Wolf duels a member from the rival clan and loses, having his arm chopped off. The Divine Heir gets abducted, and thus the story is all about getting him back.
The biggest gameplay mechanic that caught everyone’s attention when the game was first announced was the shinobi prosthetic which can take on different forms. You can traverse the environment with the grappling hook, break shields with the loaded axe, bring enemies closer with the loaded spear, set enemies on fire with the flame vent, stun enemies with shuriken and firecrackers, and deflect heavy attacks with the loaded umbrella.
The combat in Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice is similar to From Software’s other games in that it is heavily focused on strategy and tactics. Every enemy will provide a different challenge and the same tactics you’ll use to defeat one won’t work on the other. The main gameplay mechanic of the combat system revolves around deflections. Deflections will break down an enemy’s posture, and once their posture is broken, they will be open for a critical hit called the shinobi deathblow.
The resurrection ability in the game is limited. Once it is used, The Wolf will be vulnerable. If you die during this time, you will lose valuable resources and it may lead to other, more personal consequences. You can regain the ability to resurrect again if you perform a shinobi death blow or rest at idols scattered throughout the world.
New skills will be unlocked throughout the game as you progress; some will help you fight while others will help you defend. There will also be new tools and upgrades for the shinobi prosthetic as well.
Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice releases on the PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and PC on March 22, 2019.