Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice - From Software and Hidetaka Miyazaki's new game for PS4, XBone, PC

I got to Lady Butterfly and got in the mood for revisiting Dark Souls. So now I'm stuck on her, the Bull and Ornstein & Smough all at the same time!

Haha, I think a lot should open up once you get past those walls.

I managed to first-try the ape couple, aka Sekiro's version of O&S. Same strats basically, run away (unlocked, with the camera pointed behind you), and attack the more aggressive one when you can!

Thanks to a guide, I'm actually trying a different ending this time, the Purification one. I thought I had already broken it somehow and was about to kill the giant divine lightning dragon, but it turns out I just needed to eavesdrop on my crew a bunch.

The alternate Hirata Estate is no joke, just got to Owl pt. 2 after beating the ninja who keeps summoning dogs and Juzuo and friends pt. 2.

This game is so damn good, and I know I'm still missing a bunch of things (like once again not bothering with most of the Headless/undead minibosses).

Does anyone listen to the Bonfireside Chat podcast? I think it's excellent for listening to people discuss the lore of these games.

That said, I was surprised just how cold they were on Sekiro, and especially the reasons they give for not really loving it, many of which could easily be ascribed to Dark Souls anyway.

Strangely, they also dislike DS3 while stanning hard for DS2, neither of which I've played through much, but I understand goes against popular consensus

I haven't but I hate those opinions. Tbh I don't really care much about the lore though, I just let the vibe wash over me and I mostly care about the action/mechanics/pvp etc.

DS3 = best pvp, it's insane to think about the amount of time I spent on it, wish it was still more active

DS2 = I just can't, I'm glad it has its fans but it just doesn't feel good to me (mostly due to the art/animation/mechanics and timing of everything)

DS1 = best world design and atmosphere, always up for a comfort replay

Sekiro = best single-player game maybe?

Bloodborne = amazing game, love it and have fond memories of the main game + dlc + pvp, but for some reason I've never been able to get through a second playthrough. I usually stall out early on for some reason (maybe because I'm impatient and don't want to farm blood vials?).

And Elden Ring is just kind of the summation of everything, although I haven't felt compelled to go back to the pvp in the last few months.

PvP is something I've barely touched in any of these games.

In Elden Ring it seems to take forever for me to get summoned, even at the coliseums, and I think I've won, like, one match in all my time.

I have no idea how covenants work in Dark Souls either. Is it worth looking into while I'm playing the main story, or more of a post-completion thing? No idea what they are or how they work really.

I tried to get pure white tendency for Demon's Souls but that first NPC you're meant to save got himself killed. I might go back and check out black tendency but it sounds tough and the game is already tough enough!

With Elden Ring I really loved getting deep into the lore. It's so rich and well fleshed-out, and you can watch endless YouTubes about it.

Lore for Demon's Souls felt more obfuscated. I played the whole thing through and I'm still not sure what was happening or why I was doing it or what the various NPCs' motives were, despite watching a good few vids.

Dark Souls, Bloodborne - no clue. Any time I try and read or watch some lore stuff they seem to be talking about later-game events I haven't reached yet. So it feels a bit like it's the kind of thing you play through once, then read up about, then play again with a much better knowledge of what's happening.

The Daddy Owl fight is now my favorite, although it definitely took a few hours to get comfortable with. So great to be able to go back and play a new-to-me boss.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mbFmPCqR4YQ

And with that I think I'm done for this run, at least for awhile. Not particularly interested in learning the Demon of Hatred and Isshin fights again, and I'm still recovering from some tendonitis and this game is making it flare up (so much left hand action with the deflecting).

Just started this and it is sooo much my jam. Don't know why it took me so long. I'm on record as a huge Tenchu stan and this does feel like a worthy successor though I would have liked a bit more stealth. But I won't be greedy. I love anticipating the bosses. I love having to redo little sections and just becoming amazing at them. I love the Japanese. The stances, and how you break break them, reminds me of Bushido Blade. HIGH PRAISE. I even love how the menus etc are sort of nasty and PC-like. It is incredibly responsive. I guess that's.. I dunno frame rate or something, but it's also a decision they made for your guy to be quick.

My only real complaint? The fan on my PS4 sounds like a goddamn AIR CONDITIONER when I'm playing this, even with HDR off. Any tips?? Kinda ruins the atmos

Some people recommend opening it up and cleaning out the dust, but I don't recall my PS4 being that loud when I played this game, or any game, for that matter. I had a Slim.

Huh maybe I'll try that! I also have a slim