Dear Gamer, Just Because You Paid for Sekiro Doesn't Mean You Get to See the Ending

Khayl writes: The thing about Sekiro, and about FromSoftwares's games in general, is that they ask much more from you than just your $60. They ask for your time and your patience, for your frustration and your dedication.

[Blu3_Berry]

It's a Fromsoftware title. You must except it to be difficult and it's like the author said, it's not for everyone. The developers want you to play the game the way they want you to play it and I'm glad for that. Not every game should be easily accessible.

[zachyBROosevelt]

Pokemon core games dont have difficulty level, people love those games. Shame on all these plebeians

[Sono421]

It's funny that you bring up pokemon, because in terms of difficulty it is on the polar opposite end of the spectrum.

[The7Reaper]

This. Even though I suck at their games I respect the hell out of FromSoftware for actually wanting their players to learn and master their games instead of breezing through them like an unkillable tank.

[Imalwaysright]

So you respect them because they respect you?

[DaCajun]

This dead horse is getting beaten and beaten over and over on all these sites trying to champion why having an easy mode should be. People even comparing it to paintings in the art world. Saying you think those should be only shared by certain people. WTF, this game is not excluding anyone, you can buy it, you can try to play it but some will finish it before others. It might take you 1 week or it might take you 1 year. If you chose to not even try because it takes you to long or for whatever other reason that is your choice but no one is excluding you from it. You have the same access to this game but it might take longer that others.

Back to the art world I absolutely dislike Picaso's art and I could care lees to see it. Does that make it bad art? Should it be change so I would enjoy looking at it and have the same enjoyment that others get from it? Ummm no, that is just silly why should their art change to please me. If I don't like it I don't go to look at it.

I don't get this thing where everyone needs everything to be just for them and made just for them.

Most games like God of War or devil may cry and even the Souls game probably take me 3 to 4 times longer than most who finish it and sometimes I don't even finish them like 90% of the people crying on here. Most of the ones crying are probably the ones if you look at their games played I would bet only finish less than 25% of their games because they get bored easily and move on to another. Yes put in an easy mode in FromSoftwares game because they will just get bored and probably never finish the game anyway then just move on so I can stop having to see these annoying articles everyday.

[LordoftheCritics]

I think these games are made for people who want to build virtual credit.

Some of us make money, build houses, build a body, etc while some like to slay a boss 5 hrs in and claim they memorized every move and tactic for it.

I wish the virtual gain would translate into real life somehow. Like substantially translate into real life, not the whole games improve hand eye and brain etc etc by 0.1%

[MWH]

Some simply like to have fun playing a challenging game the way they used to make them back in the days.

[smashman98]

Lol virtual credit? You sound pretty salty dude. It's just a game.

[DaCajun]

I make good money, I'm a war veteran, I've owned multiple house and cars, I exercise daily(run an average 6 min per mile/5:20 on a good day), and I play video games when I have time. I don't seem to have such issues prioritizing my time or adjusting to a game I like and want to play. I love FromSoftware's visions for their games. I'm in my late 40's and I still have an ok KDR on most FPS 1.5 -2.0 and have an expert marksmenship rating like my real life ARMY Qualifications. I'm always about the challenge IRL, virtual, or anything and everything I take on.

Try adapting to overcome your obstacles in life instead of whining "It's to hard I need the standards lowered". There are literally thousands upon thousands of hand holding games out there for you to play. Stop whining about the 1% you can't.

[Imalwaysright]

And you think that this is one of those games? I beat Wings of Wor when I was a kid... in hyper difficulty. Compared to that, Sekiro is child's play so you damn well better give me some virtual credit boi. But seriously it took me months to achieve it and yes it was an extremely frustrating but also rewarding experience. Some of us actually like when games challenge us and if these games aren't for you just don't play them.

[The Wood]

Super ghouls and ghost for me

I'm also awaiting my credit

[SpinalRemains138]

They're made for players who dont want their hand held. That's all. People who like to read books,watch a film without looking at their phone. Adults.

People who beat games, not watch them on Twitch.

[roadkillers]

Haha, comment of the year.

[RabbitFly]

None of the soulslike games are difficult like that though. People that haven't really delved into them seem to think these games are hard just to be hard and requires incredible amounts of patience and hand to eye coordination. A thought that seems to be further pushed because the people that love the games often tell people to "get good" when questioned on the subject.

The thing is that these games, while utilizing difficulty in a different way, really aren't that hard. It is all about making the players familiar, learning how to adapt to the enemies and the environment.

The game sure does punish you for making bad decisions, but once you get familiar with any place or enemy, they usually become extremely easy to handle. And there is not really a lot of hand eye coordination required.

I mean the soulslike combat is often described as slow and methodical for a reason. In a lot of ways this is a game for people that are patient, not people that have superhuman reflexes.

[Sono421]

We found someone who can't beat the game..

[Mroc13]

@LordoftheCritics I agree. Skipping this game. Had enough after Bloodborne. Life's too short for me to spend my hard earned cash to be frustrated. I enjoyed the hell out of DMC5 on normal mode though. Might even try the harder difficulties

[Born2Game83]

Then why are non COD players always bitching about COD?????? why even get mad at them making COD every year. It's for the fans right. So why the hell should anyone be offended in anyway.

[DaCajun]

People shouldn't be upset. Same type of people complaining here is the same type that complain about COD. People like that are not happy about anything which sadly is most people these days. I'm just as guilty in the past as anyone else. We get caught up in the stupid things like this instead of just finding something we enjoy and doing it and ignore everything else. I try lots of games out and some I don't end up liking. If it's because the game is buggy, broken, or just blatantly unfinished I'm rightfully upset I spent money on it. If it's not interesting or boring but not broken or buggy then that is on me because my taste in entertainment is mine not everyone else. Other people could be enjoying it, who am I to want it changed? I just move on and find something that is more my taste in games.

[TheProfessional]

So there should be an entire genre of games that are inacessible and not fun for a huge portion of gamers and the only reason they shouldn't add an easy mode for the people who want it is because gamers who like patting themselves on the back and acting elitist want to write articles like this.

[nobodyspecial]

I'm bad at racing games, should developers put 'Always finish in 1st place' mode in their games?

[Greg2801]

Lmao

[zachyBROosevelt]

Hahahaha wrecked. Sorry Professional, that's too good of a point to argue.

[krauley]

if From makes a racing game your screwed lol

[Srhalo]

I don't even care about this topic, but plenty of racing games have had difficulty settings...

[smashman98]

It's funny but exactly.

[gam3r_4_lif3]

Most decent racer let you set the difficulty to your skill level making the games accessible to all

[CaptainOmega]

No. But they can add handicaps to make it easier for you to drive. No one is asking for 1 shot kill in Seikiro

[InKnight7s]

It called Forza Horizon "rewind"

[Wolffenblitz]

How is it being elitist?

[BlackTar187]

it's elitist to think you should always get what you want just cause you want it.

[Dragonscale]

Another word would be entitled.

[cartoonx1]

well tbh you can just use some trainer if you want to play singleplayer. imeant there is nothing wrong doing this, these days i dont have time job/life so i do trainers to make it faster.

[Vegamyster]

It's about letting devs make the games that they want, not what the vocal minority wants, Fromsoftware's games have sold extremely well despite there difficultly because it's a part of the experience. The Souls games/Sekiro would not be nearly as satisfying if you could just run through them or they held your hand, it's no different than old Megaman games or other genre's like RTS ect, they won't appeal to everyone but they don't have too.

[EdMcGlone]

yes.

[Servbot41]

The best part about the game being too difficult is that used prices will be low since people will be selling it since they can't win. That's great for gamers who's income is too low to afford new game prices, so more people will get to experience it.

[gam3r_4_lif3]

Not great for gamers who dont have much money who spent it on this and wont be able to finish it.

[Snookies12]

These games are about persistence. Just because you can't beat something, doesn't mean you should give up on it. If people feel like it's "impossible" they're just unwilling to keep trying. It's not that they CAN'T beat the game, it's that they're giving up on beating it. I'm pretty sure just about everyone can beat any of the Souls games. It's not the developer's fault if you lose your patience. Especially given that these games are specifically designed with difficulty in mind from the start. They shouldn't change their creation just for people that don't understand the idea behind the game in the first place.

[BlackTar187]

Now we should award people for not putting in the effort to make informed buying decisions?

How far we've fallen

[Servbot41]

Well its not like you had like over a decade of knowledge of how Fromsoft's other games were difficulty wise. Oh, wait... you did. And you could still sell it now and probably get half your money back if its too hard for you.

[antz1104]

When you say "won't be able to finish it" you mean "won't finish it because it's hard and I don't want to put in the effort to get better because I didn't research the game i was buying".

[AK91]

Dear game journalist, just because you can't play video games don't use gamers as an excuse for your lack of gaming skill and understand that not all (if any) games are tailor made for you.

[Nacho_Z]

Well said.

[MWH]

Some are just too stubborn. again, it seem you do not understand From Software games. Try and play Spelunky, maybe it'll help you begin to understand the way this genre is meant to be.

I know you like the overall feel of the game and you are itching to fully explore it but that's the way games of this genre are, uncompromising and challenging.

You have two options; accept the challenge or look for forgiving experiences elsewhere.

[JokerBoy422]

Growing up on the NES and SEGA was the same. You HAD to "git gud" just to beat the first couple levels. Seeing the ending of games didnt happen a whole lot until the PS1 and N64 era.

[Servbot41]

A lot of older titles on the NES were arcade ports or from developers who made arcade games; you weren't meant to "win", you were meant to pump quarters in until you run out of money. Sekiro is designed to be beaten, its just hard.

[sampsonon]

well i guess the don't like money.

[MWH]

they are generating plenty of it, it's the main reason why they keep making them.

[sampsonon]

but they would sell much more if they had a less difficult setting.
simple

[Hungryalpaca]

Yet their games sell millions.

[BlackTar187]

because that's all that matters right? Some people just enjoy doing what makes them happy and don't care about selling out the vision for more money.

They make a product and they make enough money off of it to keep the company open and making games, maybe they don't want to sell themselves out for your money

“Money is a terrible master but an excellent servant.”

[sampsonon]

sell themselves out? it a video game. lol
why do people give a crap if others play the game at a lower setting?
it's not an online game. no one is going for a high score. you wouldn't even be effected.
when the game starts an option window pops up and gives you the choice to play hard, which is what the standard is, or less difficult setting. it doesn't mean it won't be challenging.

almost every game has a difficulty setting and no one cares.

oh well, their loss.

by the way them not making large money for these games show in the quality of the games.
too bad.

[mopground]

imagine making millions and also staying true to your vision. Probably worth more than the extra cash

[sampsonon]

imagine having a great vision for your game and only 0.01% of gamers play it.

[BlackTar187]

You obviously don't know what you're saying, video games are art and yes a dev could consider making changes to their vision to appease whiny entitled people a sell out.

Almost every game has a difficult setting and no one cares and this one doesn't and you shouldn't care.

Games are of immense quality so i don't see the problem.

[sampsonon]

after reading your comment i wouldn't be using the words "whiny or entitled" if i were you.

i can play the game as is by the way. I'm talking about people that don't live their lives playing games day in and day out. people that see the game and buy it because they like the "art" and then look for a setting, that will still be hard, that doesn't make them turn away from all From Software games n the future.
I'm talking about a simple option that would allow for 3 more million in sales so more people can enjoy the games they make like i do.

you like the game because of its difficulty. but we all have different skills so a medium setting is easy for us but can be difficult, but playable for others. meaning, for some people a medium setting in a game is the same equivalent as someone that only plays on hard.

more revenue means more resources, which in turn means more money for development of the games.
the games are great, but they still have that AA feel. nothing wrong with that, but bringing one of their games to a AAA standard with the same gameplay, and yes, a setting that allows others the chance to enjoy the game as well would be great for all gamers.

"MY TOY!"
I'm still chuckling at the fact that you are calling me a whiner. when it's people like you that are acting like a child sitting in a room full of toys crying because your mother hands a toy to another child.

it's just a game and neither you or anyone else would know or care if someone clicked on a button that said "setting for casuals". if it would make you all feel better they can have a different trophy list for the loser casuals that most likely wouldn't even care if they wore the "you suck" badge.

From Software meeting . "we are setting out to make games that the least amount of people will play".

they are only one failure away from closing the studio.

[artsaber]

@sampsonon - You will never be able to reach Rage Nerds with logic. I too am enjoying the “world” of Sekiro @ it’s current setting. But, I can see someone else wanting to play in a less stressful manner. People with careers and playing other games like Division 2, Days Gone (coming up) won’t have time to dedicate a complete discipline and expert level mastery solely for Sekiro with so much else to do.

It makes no sense how an OFFLINE game, where you have no clue on which setting someone else is using hurts the next anonymous gamer. These people come off to me as miserable losers. I think I do fairly well in the game, I got through the Shinobi Killer, Purple Ninja, and the Chained Ogre all in one run without even Dying & Resurrecting Once. So this whole notion that people who find no harm in an Easier setting is somehow terrible at the game is False, Ignorant, & Foolish.

I recognize that people have lives, and part of my limited success was part skill, part luck. These Rage Nerds never admit their luck in these games is the only thing that got them past 2 or 3 bosses to begin with. I wonder how many would put down their controllers if FromSoft patched out all Healing Gourds and Pellets, and the only way to advance was not to Die at All - you could still rest, but no Gourds or Pellets. These same assholes would be asking FromSoft to put them back because the game is too hard - the proper response to them should be “Git Gud”. The truth is often downvoted - I don’t care about that, it is a pleasure.

Besides, someone has already SpeedRun this game in under an hour. So all should break away from the illusion that they are special @ Sekiro, because just like me, they are not. Easy mode changes nothing for the individual who does not use it. What, are many afraid they would secretly choose “Easy” or “Normal” when no one is looking & then lie about it? Guess what, no one is looking already - who cares?

[remixx116]

@art

Bro you call people rage nerds and assholes (which alone makes you sound like a childish elitist asshole) without understanding the reasoning behind why they defend the game the way they do.

Some of your assumptions about these people, which are semi baseless by the way, are just fucking stupid and saying people only advance due to luck and such is ignorant.

From soft made these games like this so they can attract people like the ones defending this games perceived difficulty. They designed these games for these people and they aren't hurting anyone by not including people like Samson and other easy beggers in the formula.

People are defend in the devs passion and design decisions which is perfectly fine, claiming to raise the difficulty even higher to expose the "rage nerds" to get some weirdo ass satisfaction is just as bad as you perceive everyone else to be.

I personally don't care if they do put in a casual difficulty, what I do care about is that this is what devs want to do and people should stop beating down their door to appease them instead of going else where to get their fill.

The devs are uncompromising which at times is pretty cool

[BlackTar187]

Your responses are pretty stupid.

[remixx116]

Lol Sam boy you sound stupid, "you claim they are missing out on sales, would sell millions more and they are one failure from closing the studio (dumb shit like that) all because of the difficulty of their games yet you can tell you aren't a fan because that same difficulty is what made them famous and brought in those millions of sales in the first place.

[dragonopt1]

You know what you're getting into when you buy the game, it's suppose to be hard and challenging. Are we going to start putting labels on front of games now with a difficulty scale......

[smashman98]

If it will shut people up I'm all for it

[smashman98]

I mean the author is mostly right. You can put in the work and git gud. Or you can watch the ending on YouTube but with that you don't the satisfaction of having completed and conquered the game.

[Hungryalpaca]

Seriously. I had trouble with 3 bosses. As I was listening to a podcast about these people complaining (them covering the articles not the podcast complaining) I managed to beat all 3 of them in one run.

The game is all practice and patience.

[Hungryalpaca]

I remember when people asked devs to not dumb games down for the masses. Now it seems the script has flipped. Make em as casual as possible. Ffs.

[Miacosa]

If you have given up and don't care to play legit and have the game on PC just get a trainer/ mod for it and enjoy how you want to play.

[gamer7804]

Sure you can. If you can't finish it just watch the scenes on YouTube...

[Smokehouse]

Who is that even addressed to? What is this a response to? Dear gamer? Sony just released a return policy. People can watch the end on YouTube. This isn’t an issue.

[Lexreborn2]

I’m still torn between beating the secret boss and the final boss. I don’t know if I beat the final boss do I have to work back up to the secret boss. I’m to nervous to just make that commitment.

[BADDOG]

Hahaha it's fun to see people get angry about how hard is the game . The game not hard it's just not made for you

[DafunkyRebel]

What are you a communist?

[Sirk7x]

Some people didn't grow up playing Castlevania, Contra or Mega Man X and it shows xD

[TheEnigma313]

don't forget ghouls and ghosts

[SpinalRemains138]

Earn it by playing or watch online.

The experience IS the difficulty setting. Why should the developer dilute their product?

[DVAcme]

Wow, the bitching over the game's difficulty just goes beyond the pale now. Here's the thing: in FromSoftware games, difficulty is a SELLING point. Some games you play cause they're beautiful to look at, some you play for the epic story, others you play for the community experience. FromSoftware games you play cause they're hard like frozen dinosaur shit. It's their thing. But they're not impossible, and the vast majority of the games' fans are able to beat them. I've never met a single fan of the Soulsborne series who hasn't beat every game. Some may have more difficulty than others, but all of them manage it eventually, through patience and persistence, and feel proud of doing so.

Pride. That's the reason people play FromSoftware games. No series offers the immense sense of accomplishment as this series. When you finally cross a particularly tough area to get to that distant bonfire, or when you finally beat that one boss that makes you throw fits, the feeling you get at finally accomplishing a goal is unbeaten by any other gaming franchise. People who keep bitching again and again about the games' difficulty don't realize this game was NOT made for them or they're in denial about it. Battle royale games are not made for me, but you don't see me bitching and moaning about how they should be something they're not, I simply don't play them. And if you're not able to appreciate a FromSoftware game's difficulty, then this game was simply not meant for you, and instead of bitching about nerfing the game, should simply not play them.

[Silly gameAr]

Must be weird that you have to earn an ending in a game now in days, and not just pay for it.

[nondescriptcitizen]

Attack of the Chinese

[DillyDilly]

They don't gotta pay for it as its likely on Youtube now

[jwillj2k4]

I actually disagree with this. Things are different today for since I have a wife/kids. I have other daily responsibilities that take higher priority than gaming. I don’t have time to play the game but I support you so give me access to the cut scenes and ending.

[BlackTar187]

So buy it and watch them online.

[jwillj2k4]

I don’t respect stupid. Stay out of my threads.

[BlackTar187]

Stupid is what you said and i quote "i don't have time to game but i support you so give me access to cut scenes and ending" support them and watch those on YouTube. Sorry if you think you should get access to something they want you to earn.

I don't respect lazy and entitled.

[jwillj2k4]

Guess I’m responding to stupid..

If I don’t have time to play the game what makes you think I have time to WATCH someone play the game.. I would be playing it myself lmfao.. and no, I think giving them 60-80 dollars supports them more than watching some video.

[Sophisticated_Chap]

The last couple of generations of people are almost totally wrecked. I wish we knew when the madness will stop. Where I live in Canada, elementary schools no longer give out letter grades to students. instead, the idea is not how well you do, but how you got there....

You don't need to perform well against other students, you just learn at your own speed. I can't wait to see what it's going to be like for business owners when these kids get out into the workforce, and realize that everything they learned was a lie. Kids getting mad because a game is too hard, is just another symptom of the breakdown in the education system, and the brainwashing that kids receive on social media.

[nibblo]

This is just nerdy elitist gate keeping at it's worst. It doesn't hurt anyone if it has an easy mode, it just means that people can't brag about seeing the ending when another person who isn't as good at the game saw it as well. If this worries anyone then they have got problems.

[HighPlayer28]

What is going on in gaming these days smdh. Gamers whine about the most stupidest bs now it's crazy. I applaud from software for making games that are challenging to the mind like back in the days which every developer should strive to do IMO. I remember playing those hard to beat gameboy Pokemon games and Nin64 Pokemon stadium games which were very hard but once I beat it I felt a sense of great success overcoming those games. These new generation gamers are to entitled spoiled and lazy mentally.

[Last_Boss]

Walgreens carries medicated Tucks for a reason.

[FanboysKiller]

I hate the way people talks about spending after buying the game, they barley touch it and always talk about paying as it's part of the game or as a logical excuse, it's pretty clear trying isn't part of their habbits.

[Cobra951]

I didn't pay for it. From Software has convinced me that they are too elite for me, and don't want my money.

[Gwiz]

It's like nobody remembers Ninja Blade.
Maybe for good reasons but it exists lol.

[Juancho51]

To be perfectly honest, I am a video game Masochist. I intentionally play EVERY SINGLE game I purchase (that has a difficulty setting) to the highest difficulty, because this is how I believe 1. I get my Money's worth, and 2. My exceptional video gaming skills can be truly put to the test and I won't coast through any game.

The only game I actually gave up on in its hardest difficulty was Nier: Automata, I replayed the intro for 8hours on the hardest difficulty (over and over and over) before I lowered the difficulty to just Hard just so I could continue the story. Then when I actually learned how to play, I went back and beat the intro on VERY HARD. (Some vital combat things are not taught in the tutorials, like slamming R2 nonstop)

Anyway I digress. I appreciate FROM Software for sticking to their original product and not tweaking their product for those who just can't handle a difficult game.

Im purchasing this game today.

[froy402]

I haven't even been able to pass the first mini boss general lol, doesn't mean i want them to add an easy mode i just need to practice on my paring and learn how to properly play this type of game. I could easily even just run past him and avoid him all together but i wouldn't do that because if i can't beat him i don't deserve to progress any further. Btw I've beaten all previous soulsborne games, but sekiro is something else and I knew it was going to be difficult and accepted the challenge the moment i purchased it.... we all need to just get gud and stop bichin.

[l33t_haxx0r]

Watch speed runners and tell them it's to hard

[KomaRising]

I totally agree that the design of this game comes down to the challenge it provides and I wouldn't change that. But adding some support for physically disabled gamers would be nice like colorblind options, controller button remapping (on console) and other options to help people of that kind of nature without taking the challenge away.

[ghostrider32]

If you could handle hard games like The Lion King, Mickey Mania, Chakan the Forever Man, Castlevania etc, you can handle Sekiro.

[Enigma_2099]

If you beat the game, you earn the right to see the ending. That's how it's supposed to work. It's difficult, not impossible. While adjustable difficulty would be nice, they're under no obligation to make it any easier. It's just the nature of "Souls" games. There are plenty of games that aren't as hard.

[FernDiggidy]

The difficulty isn't too bad.

[anonymousfan]

It's called youtube lol I don't buy games like these because I suck at them... If I really need to see what they look like there's youtube. I'd rather see how a gamer with better skills plays it than look at my own loading screen all day long cause I'll keep dying :P

[kingeliran]

just use a cheat code..

[bellome]

Modern games are often way too easy, forgiving and user friendly. Young people are not used to hard games.

[3-4-5]

* Gamers these days have no idea what it was like in the NES days.

Most of us in the late 80's / early 90's never got to the end levels of NES games.

You played through the first half the the game over and over.

Then Game Genie released and gave everyone access to playing the game and getting to the final later levels/stages.

If it's too tough don't buy it.

[TheGamez100]

Lol im sure most people never even finish their games anyway. Well according to playstation trophies.