Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice Is The Hardest FromSoft Game To Date

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Obaid Ur Rehman

At HI Digital I test and write about different hardware configurations to show other PC users what they can expect from their build. My end goal is to educate the masses to make the right decision when they are looking for new PC parts to buy

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Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice, 2019’s Game of the Year, is still relevant due to its replayability. The game has sold over 10 million copies to date, and it seems an anime based on the title is in development.

Delivering an exceptional combat system, this FromSoftware release wastes no time in pushing players toward an arduous journey with overwhelming foes and numerous challenges.

This also makes it a popular choice in the debate about the most difficult FromSoftware game. As someone who has tried all recent games from the studio, I think Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice is the hardest FromSoftware game by far.

Why it matters: FromSoftware is known for making some of the hardest games in the industry. However, even among these titles, Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice stands out as the hardest.

Patience And Growth Are Key To Victory

In the beginning, I didn’t find the game that hard. Most of the regular enemies failed to put up much of a fight, and mini-bosses like the Chained Ogre, while tricky, were far from the roadblock I had expected.

The first boss, Gyoubu Oniwa, was also fairly easy by FromSoftware’s standards. However, Lady Butterfly hinted at what was to come. While I didn’t have a hard time with her, it was clear that the game had just begun at that point.

As expected, Genichiro Ashina was a cut above anything Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice had thrown at me till then. For me, fighting this boss was fun, but it was also endless torture for hours upon hours.

With fewer telegraphed attacks, fast combos, and mixups, the game quickly began to overwhelm me during this boss. However, Genichiro Ashina is just one of the many challenges awaiting players in this game.

Unlike Dark Souls, players do not have access to an easy way out in this title. Where players could rely on sorceries or optimized builds in past games, Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice is more focused on personal growth and skill with a limited arsenal.

Bosses like Owl Father and Isshin Ashina also test players and require a nearly flawless run to be defeated. Since this combat system has a much lower margin of error than past FromSoftware combat systems, I haven’t found any of the studio’s past games to be nearly as hard.

Still, this difficulty is part of the reason millions enjoyed Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice in 2019, myself included.

The satisfaction of mastering a challenge makes replays of the game incredibly gratifying, with the roles being reversed in some instances as players completely dominate what was once an unbeatable obstacle.

While no FromSoftware game is easy, Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice highlights why this studio has developed a reputation of relentless difficulty, one that often drives away millions from its titles.

Obaid Ur Rehman

[How-To Guides Expert]

Laiba, our tech guru at HI Digital, simplifies and crafts How-To Guides with a Google IT Support Certificate. Beyond tech, she captures the city’s aesthetics through her lens. Join her journey where tech meets creativity!

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