The Japanese game developing studio FromSoftware has garnered quite a reputation for making some of the most brutal and satisfying role-playing experiences of all time. FromSoftware has continued to evolve its Soulsborne formula over the years though never to the extent it did with its most recent hit - Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice.
The studio is currently hard at work on making, what is its most anticipated game of all time, Elden Ring, and while it's still a few months away from releasing, veteran FromSoftware fans could utilize this time period to replay older FS titles. While Elden Ring is a natural evolution of Dark Souls, and many would presumably dive into those games or Bloodborne first to prepare for Elden Ring, Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice is a much better option for several reasons.
Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice - A Perfect Entry Point to FromSoftware Games
Elden Ring's release date announcement alongside stunning gameplay reveal after almost two years of silence might have caught the eye of several players unacquainted with FromSoftware titles. A plausible explanation for that is the fact that FromSoftware games weren't widely popular outside of Japan until Dark Souls was released in 2011.
While not every FromSoftware game since Demon's Souls is directly connected, many still might consider that or Dark Souls to be an ideal entry point, but in reality, Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice is a much better option. The core pillar of FromSoftware games is its gameplay. Although brutal and challenging, Souls games are seldom easy. They do have a steep learning curve, but the top-notch responsive combat makes sure that the player's death comes as their own fault.
Every new FromSoftware game since Demon's Souls has strengthened this very core pillar, thus providing a more accurate and polished combat experience on top of an intelligent and more responsive enemy AI. In this aspect, the original Demon's Souls and Dark Souls feel dated compared to Sekiro with buggy AI and clunky combat that robs them off from being a true testament to what a modern Souls experience should be.
In contrast, Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice excels flawlessly in this department. Sekiro features one of the most ferocious combat ever in a video game. Its core gameplay principle of "sword clashing" offers a relentless and utterly satisfying rhythmic combat experience that is now arguably the standard for modern action games. The fast-paced responsive combat of Sekiro is the accumulation of FromSoftware's years-long experiences in making these games and is a stark reflection of what the studio truly excels at.
Sekiro's self-contained nature is also why it stands out among other Souls and Soulslike games, making it a drop-in and drop-out experience for many. Dark Souls 3 also offers a rich and replayable combat experience, but its extensive lore connects to past Dark Souls games makes it less accessible to newcomers.
It also helps that Sekiro tells a relatively straightforward story compared to Dark Souls or Bloodborne. FromSoftware excels at cryptic environmental storytelling that occurs through ambiguous cutscenes, item descriptions, and NPC interactions. The vague storytelling can be offputting and overwhelming for many, even veterans. Sekiro's lore is stretched out in a similar way, but it also has a plotline that progresses linearly, giving players a sense of what's happening in the game. Elden Ring will be the opposite of Sekiro, but it could learn a lot from its narrative endeavors.
Sekiro is also the most widely available modern FromSoftware game. It's available on PC, PS4, Stadia, and Xbox One, whereas the PS5 and Xbox Series X/S users can play Sekiro via backward compatibility at a buttery smooth 60 FPS. The 2020 remake of Demon's Souls on PS5 certainly bypasses the visual and technical limitations of the original, but since it uses the original's source code, the enemy and boss AI remains more of the same. The ongoing scarcity of next-gen consoles doesn't help either, making this visually enhanced experience even less accessible to newcomers and veterans alike. Bloodborne, like Demon's Souls and Sekiro, is a stand-alone experience though its hauntingly beautiful Lovecraftian universe is bogged down by the limitations of an eight-year-old console.
Perhaps the most notable reason why Sekiro is a perfect entry point for newcomers and an ideal getaway for veteran fans before Elden Ring arrives is that it's an action-adventure game rather than an RPG. FromSoftware RPGs are some of the most intricate role-playing experiences, and players can often find themselves overwhelmed with a multitude of gameplay elements and attributes. In contrast, Sekiro is a bit simpler to get into if not simple enough to master.
Appreciating FromSoftware through Sekiro
FromSoftware has come a long way since it first launched King Field's back in 1994. While most of its games have retained the basic outline, they still feel vastly different from one another. FromSoftware isn't afraid to take bold decisions - whether it comes to partnering with a new publisher or establish a brand new universe - and has consistently delivered critically acclaimed games in the last decade. Despite the constant yearning for Bloodborne 2, the studio seems adamant in making new unique experiences built upon the foundation of its custom-made genre.
Sekiro is the fruition of such a philosophy and a prime example of a successful new IP that despite its similarities to the Souls series, manages to surprise and shock veteran fans in more ways than one. In an age where AAA developers are more skeptical about making a new single-player IP, FromSoftware decides to make Elden Ring when it could have easily made Dark Souls 4 or Bloodborne 2 to cater to its fans.
Elden Ring will be more similar to Dark Souls than Sekiro, but playing or replaying Sekiro is a good way to understand and appreciate FromSoftware's willingness to make new IPs. Sadly this means that fans may not get a direct sequel to Sekiro, which gives more of a reason to play through it right now before the souls' community crumbles to the overarching hype of the studio's yet another new IP.
Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice is now available on PC, PS4, Stadia, Xbox One.