Summary
WithElden Ring, FromSoftware managed to build a massive, open-world game around the core gameplay pillars ofDark Souls, and the studio could do something similar withSekiro: Shadows Die Twice.Sekiro’s unique flavor of gameplaywas missing inElden Ring, and with no direct sequel to the shinobi action-adventure title on the horizon, a sprawling spiritual successor would be a great way to make use of its white-knuckle combat foundations.
FromSoftware had previously branched off from its coreDark Soulsfranchise withBloodbornein 2015, but that IP offered gameplay that was quite similar to what players had seen before, albeit with a far heavier emphasis on aggressive, offensive combat. This wasn’t quite the case withSekiroas, while many of the familiarSoulstrappings could be found in FromSoftware’s 2019 opus, the combat system was radically different.
Sekiro’s Gameplay Deserves a Spiritual Successor Like Elden Ring
Sekirosheds build variety in favor of a linear yet deep combat framework that forces players to master a particular approach to fights, one that revolves around deflection, aggression, and creative use of various Shinobi tools. This visceral and methodical gameplay is sadly absent inElden Ring, which offers combat that is much closer toDark SoulsandBloodborne, but that doesn’t mean it can’t, or shouldn’t, return.
Elden Ringis disconnected fromDark Soulslore, ostensibly taking place in a different universe (contrary to many fan theories). Rather, it takes the basic ideas ofDark Souls—dark fantasy premise, conventional RPG build crafting, stat- and XP-based progression—and sets it in an open world, offering an experience that is considerably less restrictive, with more room to grow. This general idea, massively expanding on a successful gameplay premise, is what the studio should do withSekiro.
What Sekiro By Way of Elden Ring Could Look Like
There are several core features ofElden Ringthat could work withSekirogameplay, including an open world.Sekirois far more focused on combat than exploration, but it also has a foundation for a strong traversal system with features like a grappling hook, no stamina, and wall jumping all being ripe for expansion and application in a well-designed open world. By contrast,Elden Ringonly offers walking and horseback options, which are not nearly as interesting or engaging.
Sekiro laid the groundwork for some ofElden Ring’s movement mechanics, as it is the first Soulslike by FromSoftware to include abilities like jumping and crouching.
Moreover, the combat ofSekirowould be given room to breathe in a bigger, more ambitious game.Elden Ringplayers can technically be ninjas, but the endlessly rewarding posture system ofSekiro, its deflection mechanics, and how these core combat tools synergize with things like Shinobi Arts and the Shinobi Prosthetic, have no equal. Placing these gameplay staples in anElden Ring-style experience, with hundreds of challenging bosses to face off against, gear to discover, and stunning, lore-appropriate locations to explore, could make for an amazingly polished, dizzyingly vast game.
Such a game would be a challenging endeavor, and maybe mixing the tight, focused combat ofSekirowith thescale and ambition ofElden Ringis too much to ask for. However, it’s certainly worth wondering how FromSoftware might reincorporate the most important gameplay elements of its shinobi action-adventure title as they are simply too good to be left untouched. Looking purely at combat and traversal, there’s an argument to be made thatSekiro: Shadows Die Twicehas the best gameplay of any FromSoftware title, so while giving it theElden Ringtreatment would be tough, it might be what it deserves.
Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice
WHERE TO PLAY
Carve your own clever path to vengeance in the critically acclaimed adventure from developer FromSoftware, creators of the Dark Souls series.In Sekiro™: Shadows Die Twice you are the ‘one-armed wolf’, a disgraced and disfigured warrior rescued from the brink of death. Bound to protect a young lord who is the descendant of an ancient bloodline, you become the target of many vicious enemies, including the dangerous Ashina clan. When the young lord is captured, nothing will stop you on a perilous quest to regain your honor, not even death itself.Explore late 1500s Sengoku Japan, a brutal period of constant life and death conflict, as you come face to face with larger than life foes in a dark and twisted world. Unleash an arsenal of deadly prosthetic tools and powerful ninja abilities while you blend stealth, vertical traversal, and visceral head to head combat in a bloody confrontation. Take Revenge. Restore Your Honor. Kill Ingeniously.
