Hands on: Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice review

Set against a background that balances brutality and beauty, Sekiro is set to be one of this year's must-have titles.There’s a formula we’ve come to expect from FromSoftware titles, we’ve seen it time and time again with each addition to the legendary Souls series and the gothic masterpiece that was Bloodborne.It’s a formula which the studio has seen little need to alter, flawlessly gliding from the inky, medieval kingdom of Lordran to the twisted streets of Yharnam, as each entry  bottles our primal, masochistic passion for pain in a fever dream setting, while leaving us begging for one more run. So when it was announced at E3 2017 that the studio would launch a new IP set in feudal Japan, fans’ eyebrows were understandably raised.Almost two years later, we finally got to sit down with Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice and found that FromSoftware and Activision’s latest offering adds some extra strength, and a lot of culture, to the formula we thought we knew so well...Image credit: FromSoftware/ActivisionSekiro: Shadows Die Twice follows the journey of a Shinobi during Japan’s war-ravaged Sengoku period. Sculptor’s statues, which serve as save and rest points, allow you to fast travel back to the sculptor quickly as well as between the statues you have already prayed at - however, much like the Souls series, resting will cause some defeated enemies to return.If you wish to test these new abilities, then it’s beneficial to pay a visit to the unkillable samurai who resides in the temple - imagine Mortal Kombat’s Raiden has crawled his way out of the grave. It feels like you worked for the kill.Image credit: FromSoftware/ActivisionHowever, not all Sekiro’s combat has to be so full-on. These skill points are also used to upgrade stealth-based Shinobi Arts and combat-heavy Ashina Arts, honing your combat style with techniques such as Ninjitsu and Ichimonji and creating new ways to use current weapons. Becoming a master of each option is key to success.Image credit: FromSoftware/ActivisionUnlike the Souls series and Bloodborne, Sekiro is not an RPG. Image credit: FromSoftware/ActivisionThe period in which Sekiro takes place is one which sees the world on the brink of ruin, years of non-stop war may have devastated the Ashina territory but the wounded beauty of Ancient Japan still shines though.