Sekiro is all the encounter design and worldbuilding that makes From's other games (Dark Souls, Bloodborne) memorable, combined with a fast, fluid combat design that makes you feel every bit the master ninja.

For those who like From's world-building, the hallmarks are all there - interconnected areas, shortcuts to unlock, secrets and tucked-away gems. NPCs in the world have their own cryptic stories to unravel as the main narrative progresses. While Sekiro does have you returning to previously-cleared environments, as the story unfolds you will face new challenges. This isn't Dark Souls, where you arrive long after the world has stagnated - Ashina is filled with powerful people and agendas, a powderkeg ready to explode.

Sekiro evolves the combat of previous From games by making the player vastly more mobile. Dodge, block and parry (here, Deflect) are all there, but Wolf can also sprint and jump without limit, in addition to a grappling hook via his Shinobi Prosthetic arm. The stamina management mechanic is gone; instead, both player and enemies take Posture damage if they fail to Deflect an incoming attack, rewarding both aggressive offense and precise defense.

One caveat for the Souls fan: if you like the RPG element, you won't find it here. Rather than weapon/armor proficiency, you instead choose skills to learn and Prosthetic equipment to upgrade. It's a well-designed system, but not as far-reaching (or as dense) as Dark Souls' attributes page.

For the hundreds-of-hours player, Sekiro offers both New Game Plus and two (stacking) difficulty amplifiers as well as a New Game+ option. With four endings and a recently released Randomizer mod, there are plenty of excuses to come back for more challenge.