Deal | Devilishly difficult RPG with over 230,000 positive reviews gets 50% discount on Steam

Despite bearing a Souls-like tag, Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice has very little in common with the original Souls games, or even other Souls-likes for that matter. Other games let you pick a character class, weapon, magic, and plan a build around it. That's great for player choice and replayability, but Sekiro strips all that away.

In Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice, all you get is one sword that will be your only weapon throughout your run. While you can supplement with a vast arsenal of battle aids like a flamethrower, axe, and even a mini-teleportation device, most of your damage will be dealt with your trusty Katana. A grappling hook unlocks new degrees of mobility that are required to navigate the game's vast landscape.

There has been a lot of discourse about the game's difficulty over the years. Combat in Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice heavily relies on one mechanic: parrying, or as the game calls it, deflecting. Holding down the block button will only get you so far, and spamming it can often do more harm than good. But once you get the timing right, it just clicks, and before long, you start to 'get' Sekiro. And like any other FromSoftware game, you'll need to play through it a couple of times to witness all endings.

The key to unlocking Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice is to treat it like a rhythm game and not an action RPG. Deflecting an attack has a unique audio cue, and that can be used to identify attack patterns. That said, some foes, like Genichiro Ashina will absolutely push you to your limits. Contrary to what the title says, you will die more than twice here. A subsequent update added the ability to replay previously conquered boss battles, so feel free to take all that pent-up rage out on a boss who tormented you for hours.

Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice has been discounted by 50% on Steam, bringing its price down to $30. That might seem high for a six-year-old game, but that's about as low as it gets. It's great for those who enjoy a good challenge; less so for anyone seeking a laid-back experience.

Disclaimer: Notebookcheck is not responsible for price changes carried out by retailers. The discounted price or deal mentioned in this item was available at the time of writing and may be subject to time restrictions and/or limited unit availability.