Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice (FromSoftware)

[Frederick Stanley]

Genichiro Ashina

 

[Tw1ster]

I made it to Genichiro last night and called it a night. Anyone have any advice for me?

 

[S E P H]

So this game looks really interesting, but as someone who returned Bloodborne due to the combat should I avoid this game?

 

[Frederick Stanley]

So this game looks really interesting, but as someone who returned Bloodborne due to the combat should I avoid this game?

The combat system is complety different from Bloodborne. It's still a tough challenge though.

 

[sabresfan129103]

So this game looks really interesting, but as someone who returned Bloodborne due to the combat should I avoid this game?

I love it, but the game is ridiculously difficult. Did you play any of the Dark Souls games? It's way harder than Dark Souls IMO. I enjoy the challenge of the FROM games, so I was getting this no matter what, but there is definitely some similarities throughout all their games.

 

[Papa Francouz]

I made it to Genichiro last night and called it a night. Anyone have any advice for me?

Stay close to him so he can’t use his bow. Keep peppering him with regular hits to take down his health/increase his posture damage. Jump straight up when he does his undodgable spin and use a Mikiri counter when he does the undodgable thrust. Basically keep guarding and deflect his attacks once you figure out his patterns. His posture goes way up after each Mikiri counter and each attack deflection. His posture increases pretty quickly, so prioritize killing him via posture instead of taking down his health.

Spoiler

Do the same things during his second phase, except this time you want to space yourself a little further away from him due to his lightning attacks. Jump when he shoots the big lightning arrow. When he goes for a huge lightning strike with his sword, run away and attack him after his attack.

That’s about all I’ve got. He broadcasts his moves pretty transparently, so once you know what his moves are you shouldn’t have too much of a problem.

 

[GlassesJacketShirt]

I made it to Genichiro last night and called it a night. Anyone have any advice for me?

I think the main strategy with Genichiro is the same as Lady Butterfly: be aggressive. Don't let him recoup his stance. Strike at him at every opportunity, and when you do get ready to exchange sword blows (attack, parry, attack, parry).

To start every fight, Genichiro goes towards you and takes out his bow. Block it, then get ready for his immediate follow up after he rolls towards you. Immediately attack him after to begin a sword dance.

Genichiro has a few multi hit combos of note. There's usually a wind up tell when he's about to do this (usually pulls his sword behind him), so just worry about deflecting en mass with parries. Nets you good progress on his stance bar.

One move I love to exploit involves a Mikiri counter. He leaps up in the air and hits you from up top with his sword, then whilst grounded he charges up a stab that can offer an easy Mikiri. Follow that up with a free hit, then add in a few more slashes that should be blocked. Prepare for counter hits following those slashes. Put it together and you get a neat boost towards breaking his stance in a short amount of time. Note: Sometimes he mixes this up by spinning instead of charging, jump to avoid the attack instead. Jump on him after to add even more stance damage.

Second part of the fight is trickier. Simply move around Genichiro if he gets his lightning bow ready, and jump in mid air when you're about to be hit by lightning (press the attack button before hitting the ground to send it his way). Otherwise, keep the aggression as that minimizes his chances of using those killer moves. Keep forcing him to trade blows as that's a great way to build up his stance break, his melee attacks are mostly identical to his first round.

So this game looks really interesting, but as someone who returned Bloodborne due to the combat should I avoid this game?

Combat is very different in focus, but difficulty is the same. Every fight feels intense here.

 

[Common Sense]

Getting destroyed by the endgame boss. Going through the game without getting good at the Mikiri counter turned out to be a bad idea.

 

[syz]

Most of what Genichiro does is manageable but he has strings that he can end with either a sweep or a thrust, so learning the difference between those is pretty important. IIRC there's a sword flash on his right if he sweeps, on his left if he thrusts.

TBH this game is a fighting game in disguise. Parrying reduces block stun just like parrying/instant blocking in fighting games. Thrusts are overheads. Sweeps are lows. Grabs are... grabs. You spend most fights punishing whiffed attacks or by parrying to gain advantage.

 

[Tw1ster]

Stay close to him so he can’t use his bow. Keep peppering him with regular hits to take down his health/increase his posture damage. Jump straight up when he does his undodgable spin and use a Mikiri counter when he does the undodgable thrust. Basically keep guarding and deflect his attacks once you figure out his patterns. His posture goes way up after each Mikiri counter and each attack deflection. His posture increases pretty quickly, so prioritize killing him via posture instead of taking down his health.

Spoiler

Do the same things during his second phase, except this time you want to space yourself a little further away from him due to his lightning attacks. Jump when he shoots the big lightning arrow. When he goes for a huge lightning strike with his sword, run away and attack him after his attack.

That’s about all I’ve got. He broadcasts his moves pretty transparently, so once you know what his moves are you shouldn’t have too much of a problem.

Very helpful. I’ve made it to phase 2 a few times, the parts in the first phase that get me is parrying the jump attack in order to land the Mikiri Counter. I block and stumble and he hits me with the lunge. I’ll give it a better go tomorrow, I was a few hits away from beating him before I got cocky and thought I had a resurrection to use but was wrong and got killed

 

[Papa Francouz]

Very helpful. I’ve made it to phase 2 a few times, the parts in the first phase that get me is parrying the jump attack in order to land the Mikiri Counter. I block and stumble and he hits me with the lunge. I’ll give it a better go tomorrow, I was a few hits away from beating him before I got cocky and thought I had a resurrection to use but was wrong and got killed

Haha, that last part sounds about right. I’ve done that many times myself. Unfortunately for me, patience really is the name of the game for some of these bosses.

 

[Tw1ster]

Finally took him down. Got to the point where I could almost get through the first two death blows with my eyes closed before succumbing to the lightning form. By the time I beat him, I don’t think I took a single hit

 

[GlassesJacketShirt]

Finally took him down. Got to the point where I could almost get through the first two death blows with my eyes closed before succumbing to the lightning form. By the time I beat him, I don’t think I took a single hit

Congrats!

Now go beat Seven Spears. Harder than the first three bosses I find.

 

[Tw1ster]

Congrats!

Now go beat Seven Spears. Harder than the first three bosses I find.

I took him out before Genichiro. Struggled with him too but not quite as hard as Genichiro was for me. Currently going back to have a try at Shichinen Warrior in the dungeon. I know what to do, just need to execute

 

[Suxnet]

I suppose, if you like the colour grey.

I personally think Sekiro has a much better overall look than Dark Souls (to be fair, I'm a bit of a sucker for that feudal Japan look). Nothing can touch Dark Souls' monster designs, though - they are fantastic.

Getting to the top of a castle wall and looking down at where you came from and all the ass you kicked along the way was an unmatched feeling.

 

[GlassesJacketShirt]

I took him out before Genichiro. Struggled with him too but not quite as hard as Genichiro was for me. Currently going back to have a try at Shichinen Warrior in the dungeon. I know what to do, just need to execute

Did you end up getting him? Surprisingly got him on my first attempt, just decided to be aggressive whenever he stood still.

 

[syz]

I beat the game twice before I realized you can mikiri counter those god damn lunging kicks.

 

[Tw1ster]

Did you end up getting him? Surprisingly got him on my first attempt, just decided to be aggressive whenever he stood still.

Just trying to farm some divine confetti before tackling him

Edit: got my confetti and smoked him in about 30 seconds. I felt like I was over levelled against him. Also got through Snake Eyes, the Long Armed Centipede, the armoured knight and The Folding Screen Monkeys. Hoping to get to the Guardian Ape tomorrow

 

[RempireStateBuilding]

Guardian Ape was surprisingly easy for me.

 

[GlassesJacketShirt]

I was literally one hit away from beating the Guardian Ape on my first try. Ended up needing a third try to beat him. Second fight against him and his kin was tough on first go, but pretty good on the second try.

Owl was tougher, timing was all over the place on my first three tries and I didn't even see his second phase. Then I succeeded on my fourth attempt.

Furthermore, the two versions of the Corrupted Monk went down quickly. Surprised at how easy it felt actually.

 

[Frederick Stanley]

O'Rin of Water is one tough bitch.

 

[GlassesJacketShirt]

Finally got the final boss. Took bloody long enough.

 

[sabresfan129103]

I was literally one hit away from beating the Guardian Ape on my first try. Ended up needing a third try to beat him. Second fight against him and his kin was tough on first go, but pretty good on the second try.

Owl was tougher, timing was all over the place on my first three tries and I didn't even see his second phase. Then I succeeded on my fourth attempt.

Furthermore, the two versions of the Corrupted Monk went down quickly. Surprised at how easy it felt actually.

4th attempt? WTF!!! IDK how many attempts it took me, but I've been struggling on him since last week. Was so frustrated, but finally got him down today.

 

[Tonneau]

O'Rin of Water is one tough *****.

She was somehow the toughest enemy in the game for me.

 

[GlassesJacketShirt]

4th attempt? WTF!!! IDK how many attempts it took me, but I've been struggling on him since last week. Was so frustrated, but finally got him down today.

No clue how I did it either. I went from struggling in his first phase to suddenly taking him out.

I didn't get to face his younger self in my playthrough unfortunately, I heard that one is even harder.

For me though, it comes down to the final two bosses. Holy goddamn.