Sekiro

[estragon]

I was worried that a NG+ might be punishing, but I'm finding it pretty fair. I think it will simplify doing runs for all the endings if the scaling doesn't start to ramp up a lot of subsequent cycles, because there's a huge advantage to starting with prosthetics upgraded, especially the ones that are basically an Off button for certain enemy types. You really can just "I would prefer not to" your way against apparitions or big groups of animals. My goal this time is to do everything else possible before reaching Genichiro, since I pretty much just did Hirata and then critical pathed it to Genichiro the first time.

Knowing the structure of the game as well as general geography and where the fast travel statues are, you can really blow through it when you're not incentivized anymore to search every nook and cranny and fight every mini-boss to find all the gourd seeds and prayer beads. Also, it turns out, you can do a lot before having to reach Genichiro. Seems like maybe basically the only thing Genichiro locks off is two bossfights before what I would consider to be the endgame (Fountainhead).

 

[air_show]

Yeah I balked at doing four NG+ runs to get everything initially but when I realized how much you can blaze through the game on said subsequent runs it ended up being really fun and rewarding.

 

[Paul le Fou]

I definitely did NG+ runs to get all the endings and found the scaling just fine all throughout; your skill at the game continues to go up too, which helps balance out the things that don't continue to scale up.

 

[estragon]

Finishing up playthroughs for each ending, I agree that the scaling seems to generally be fairly moderate at least until that point. On the final cycle, I could sense it starting to nudge up to a point where there might be more regular one- or two-shot kills, but it never quite gets there during the cycles to see all the ways the narrative can play out. In general, the strongest moves or combos to get hit by might say take away like 50-60% of your health on a NG, and nudge up to like 80-90% or something on NG+3, which in practice isn't that different since in either case your response is to chug a health refill or another big mistake will kill you. Generally, the advantage of effectively infinite spirit emblems to use tools and moves and starting with most and eventually all tools and moves unlocked and awareness of when to use them tilts things more in your favor than the minor enemy damage and health scaling tilts things against you. Also, whatever diminishing returns there are on increased damage dealt to enemies, they don't seem particularly noticeable at that point.

The scaling was just enough them to force me to learn the bosses I got really sloppy wins on the first time, though. The first Guardian Ape in particular was a real challenge on the first NG+. For me at least I find the first phase of Guardian Ape be to a lot tougher than Demon of Hatred, who become pretty rote eventually. Guardian Ape stayed hard until the 4th and final cycle, when I had the upgraded Mortal Blade move, which pretty much just turns that first phase off, and by that point I'd at least learned the 2nd phase because there's that other boss fight that's two life bars of phase 2.

I've done everything now except the boss rushes with rewards that don't interest me, and I thought I might be sick of the game by then but honestly even this much play left me wanting more, in a good way. At the same time, I'm not sure if I actually want a sequel because I like this so much as a self-contained project. I hope from From continues to find time for one-offs like this in the future.

 

[Paul le Fou]

I've done everything now except the boss rushes with rewards that don't interest me, and I thought I might be sick of the game by then but honestly even this much play left me wanting more, in a good way. At the same time, I'm not sure if I actually want a sequel because I like this so much as a self-contained project. I hope from From continues to find time for one-offs like this in the future.

I do love it as a contained thing, but I would absolutely be there day 1 for just "More Sekiro," even if it's a whole new world setting but plays similarly (as Bloodborne is to the Dark Souls).

 

[Ludendorkk]

The setting/plot feels complete but this combat style needs to get another game. NEEDS.

 

[Paul le Fou]

Agreed. Hands-down my favorite swordfighting combat (or any combat?) in any game I've ever played.

 

[estragon]

Yeah I think the ideal path forward is definitely another game iterating on these mechanics, but with a mostly disconnected narrative.

That being said, if they do just make Sekiro: Journey to the West or Seki-[whatever animal suffix fits the next one-armed ninja to take up the Sekijo and Sekiro lineage] instead, I'm there.

 

[balder the brave]

Yeah I think the ideal path forward is definitely another game iterating on these mechanics, but with a mostly disconnected narrative.

That being said, if they do just make Sekiro: Journey to the West or Seki-[whatever animal suffix fits the next one-armed ninja to take up the Sekijo and Sekiro lineage] instead, I'm there.

Pirate Sekiro. Rapiers, sabers, and pistols. Grappling hook to swinging on ship masts within exaggeratedly huge pirate ships, and between two ships at sea.

NPCs show up on your ship and you develop cannons, taller masts and bigger sails.

Exploring Robinson Crusoe style islands. Fighting skeletons and sea monsters. You can walk under water and fight on the ocean floor and hook onto reefs and sunken wreckage.