'Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice' Is a Different Type of From Software Offering; Fundamental Elements Have Been Changed
Upcoming game 'was not designed as an evolution' of the so-called Soulsborne series, according to director Hidetaka Miyazaki
After months of rampant speculation from fans, the developers at From Software finally provided an answer to the question of what new game they were working on. Apparently, when the developers teased that "shadows die twice" back in December, they weren't speaking in some sort of code. It turns out that they were already hinting at the name of their new game, which is known fully as "Sekiro: Shadows Twice."
Because it is a From Software game, many fans immediately began to assume that this new IP would be yet another punishing RPG that will cause them to fling their controllers against the wall, while also rewarding them for getting better and investing time.
Some similarities are expected to be shared by this new title and From Software's older offerings, but the developers have also indicated that significant differences will exist between "Sekiro" and their "Soulsborne" games.
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The biggest difference is that this upcoming game will not be an RPG, according to a recent report from PC Gamer.
From Software's Yasuhiro Kitao has said that it is an action adventure game.
That distinction is important.
In RPGs, players can typically level up and more often than not, there's some kind of progression system included that will allow players to customize the characters they control. In action adventure titles, the character the player controls is usually not highly customizable.
Instead of stats improving and levels increasing, progression will be conveyed in a different way in "Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice."
As players go deeper into this game, they will eventually acquire new items that essentially work as attachments for the unnamed protagonist's missing arm. Presumably, as players get further into the game, they will have more items to use and additional gameplay styles to try out.
It's going to be interesting to see how the no leveling system factors into the game's difficulty. Players won't be able to grind their way to victory anymore, so they will likely have to come up with the correct strategies to defeat some of the stronger foes in the game.
For From Software fans wondering why "Sekiro" is such a major departure from the "Soulsborne" titles previously made by the studio, it seems like this new game is their attempt to branch out into new territory.
Speaking recently to Gamespot, director Hidetaka Miyazaki said that the upcoming game "was not designed as an evolution of Soulsborne," adding that it was built from scratch and is an "entirely new concept."
That said, players should not go in expecting to just run through the game, as Miyazaki has already said that they "want to keep the challenge."
In the game, players will explore the late 1500s version of Sengoku, Japan, and along the way, they can expect to encounter all kinds of different enemies. Players will need to utilize different tools to succeed in battle, including the element of surprise.
An exact release date has yet to be announced for "Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice," but From Software fans can expect to see it released for the PC, PS4 and Xbox One sometime next year.
