Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice succeeds in its incredibly visceral combat and stealth all while being set in an engaging game world. However, its linear character growth options and repetitive combat begin to dull the experience after you get over the initial hump.

Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice has FromSoftware's typical brutal difficulty, but honestly that's beside the point. What matters is the thoughtful, precision-based combat, smart use of stealth, and a skill tree that's trimmed of fat. This game shows what you can do with game design if you dispense with the extraneous and focus on strong core mechanics. It's a punishing, rewarding, and beautiful experience.