It’s been a few years since FromSoftware surprised the world withSekiro: Shadows Die Twice. Published by Activision, seemingly as part of an attemptedTenchurevival,Sekiro: Shadows Die Twicestood out from the rest of FromSoftware’s modern titles. Players took control of Wolf, who primarily fought with his sword and Shinobi Prosthetic arm instead of a variety of equipment. There were different techniques and Prosthetic Tools to pick up for these weapons, but the customization that definedDark SoulsorArmored Corewas gone.
Furthermore, major elements of stealth and traversal were worked into regular gameplay. Both eventually gave way to FromSoftware’s typical tough combat, which had a much stronger emphasis on defense than normal, but they were present.Elden Ringowes itsjump button and stealth crouch toSekiro’s experiments, but that sells short just how prominent these were in their home game. Indeed,Sekirooffers freedom of movement that no other recent FromSoftware game has seen, and it would be a shame for its high mobility and player-empowering grappling hook to be a one-and-done deal.
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Grappling Is An Integral Part of Sekiro’s Appeal
As a baseline,Sekiro’s total lack of a stamina system separates it from the rest of the Soulslike genre. Even certainFromSoftware titles predatingDemon’s Soulshad mechanics encouraging players to space out their attacks so that their character could swing at full strength.Armored Corealso got into that with its energy management, but no such thing is inSekiro. Players could sprint, swing, and jump to their heart’s content, with combat primarily caring about how well they timed their parries and if their response to particular attacks was correct. Even things like enemy stomping and wall jumps were included to emphasize just how mobile Wolf was.
With all of that in place, moving pastSekiro’s prologue introduces the Shinobi Prosthetic, which is the true star of the show. Wolf’s new arm contains a grappling hook, used to traverse the mountainous land of Ashina. Thelevel design impact ofElden Ring’s jumpswere far-reaching enough, butSekirosports verticality usually reserved for rare platforming challenges inArmored Coregames. With the press of a button, Wolf can soar across most environments, sneak up on or escape from troublesome enemies, or even take advantage of special openings in certain boss fights. The grappling hook has a transformative effect onSekiro’s gameplay, and it’s too fun to be confined to a single title.
Other FromSoftware Games Should Learn From Sekiro’s Traversal
At some point, another FromSoftware project should take note ofSekiro’s unique movement abilities.Armored Core’s revival is a start, butSekiroemploys specific fluid methods of traversal that are better expressed by a human character. That goes double for the grappling hook, which could pushFromSoftware’s giant, interconnected level designto even greater heights. Moments akin to oldZeldagames where grappling points can be permanently opened would add to the available shortcuts and allow players to blaze a path through any area.
There is room in FromSoftware’s game rotation for an especially mobile title, and the same can be said for the game industry as a whole.Sekirocame about in an era where the experimental movement of older action gameslikeNinja Gaiden’s organic wall-runninghad mostly fallen away, and recapturing some of their spirit helped it stand out. With FromSoftware consistently pushing itself to innovate on its prior games' mechanics, it seems inevitable thatSekiro’s traversal will crop up again, and it has the potential to make another game feel exhilarating in novel ways.
Sekiro: Shadows Die Twiceis available now on PC, PS4, and Xbox One.
