The Guardian Ape from Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice is a perfect example of why FromSoftware remains the definitive developer for its particular type of design. As is the case with the combat of any Soulslike title, the quality of gameplay is often dictated more by the enemies themselves than the different ways that players can choose to fight them.
In the case of the Guardian Ape specifically, this fight comes at a perfect moment in Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice to act as the midpoint hurdle and prime players for the impressive spectacles to come. More importantly, it takes the upfront narrative style of the game and integrates it perfectly with mechanics in a way that most titles struggle to accomplish as effectively.
How the Guardian Ape Uses Space and Sekiro's Camera
It's no secret that one of the toughest enemies to face off in any FromSoftware title is the game's camera due to all the ways that it can be obstructed. While some players have resorted to altering the camera in Elden Ring or Dark Souls to get a better view of their surroundings, this was never necessary for Sekiro. Bosses like the Guardian Ape who stood high above the player were built into areas that could actually fit them properly, giving the camera room to pull back and display the entire enemy.
This retreated camera allows for the Guardian Ape to use wild swings with its arms and legs, without ever feeling like an attack was coming out of nowhere. Even with its gargantuan size, this boss is still able to perfectly telegraph its attacks in a way that makes it possible for skilled players to beat Sekiro's boss without getting hit. For many bosses this sized, it would usually require a certain amount of RNG, or picking up on obscure cues to know exactly when the perfect frame to dodge or parry might be.
In the case of the Guardian Ape, the biggest benefit that the boss gets from the open layout of the arena is that even casual FromSoftware player can jump into the fight and start immediately learning tells. That doesn't mean this is an easy fight, but it is one that can be learned through observation rather than requiring a strategy guide to piece the encounter together. Then there is the typical FromSoftware boss second phase that Guardian Ape gets as surprise after what most players would have assumed to be an impressive kill.
Sekiro's Second Phase Twist Elevates Guardian Ape in Combat and Lore
The second phase of the Guardian Ape comes into play in one of the most impressive moments FromSoftware has scripted. When the player first delivers a finishing blow on the boss, the fight ends with an epic animation that involves using a katana sticking out of the boss' neck to decapitate it. The "Shinobi Execution" text displayed on screen is ultimately a fake-out, as the boss picks its head off the ground and wields the giant katana as its own weapon.
This is impressive for visual and gameplay reasons, but also as an extension of how immortality is treated within the lore of Sekiro. Seeing the Guardian Ape stand back up and continue fighting, even after having its head cleaved off, hammers home exactly what immortality the Fountainhead Palace's centipedes offer. Worst of all is the way that during this second phase, the Guardian Ape almost appears to be pulled by invisible strings rather than moving with the more natural motion it had before being decapitated.
Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice is available now for PC, PS4, and Xbox One.
