Sekiro needs an Easy mode & My Personal Struggle

[Jayson]

With regards to the topics on From Software's Sekiro should have an 'Easy mode', before you tell off the other to 'Get Gud' do understand their problems first.

Telling the truth; my health isn't so good as it was before. My awareness is slowly dipping and I've had sudden 'knockouts' where I'll realised I've been sleeping when I know I was actually doing something else earlier. Also due to some painful nerves I've been experiencing for the last two months even my responses took a dip; some of the simplest moves suddenly become a bad struggle that certain games I've given up altogether because they were too hard or have mechanics way too complicated for me to handle; with Devil May Cry 5 and Sekiro to name. I bought those games recently and I found myself in a struggle to catch up and clear the stages. At least DMC5 had an Easy mode (though the struggle is there) but not Sekiro, which is really fucking hard and after dying countless times at a chained giant I soon gave up. Also owing to the fact that I'll never be able to clear DMC5 on the hardest difficulty I went and bought the 'shortcut' to get myself access to Super Characters.

The stress build up from playing those games have affected my physical mentality and well being such that I've stopped playing those games and went back to playing my most played games of 2017: Horizon Zero Dawn (2017 True GOTY). A game that's friendly to the touch and reasonably challenging with no complicated mechanics that even at the hardest (Ultra Hard) difficulty, I was able to blaze through the game with no issues.

That's why I find it insulting when the elitists are telling off other players and the topic writers to 'Get Gud' when they say Sekiro should have an Easy mode. An Easy mode will definitely open up to more players to the series and even break their chains to newer challenges within the game. Already games like Insomniac's Spider-Man and Uncharted 4 have various tools and options to make the game accessible to players without compromising the quality of the game. Both are highly acclaimed games. Both have an Easy difficulty. And they are both award winners too; even Street Fighter and Tekken have toned down the extreme complexity of their fighting mechanics and as a result new talent is born from the fighting game scene.

While I've played Bloodborne (also made by From Software) and Nioh in the past who are both equally difficult, they are both somewhat accessible for me to handle. Nioh on the other hand felt linear but it was a wise move to make it so and the story was what kept me pushing to improve myself to finish it completely and the loot available to earn to make me stronger despite some impossible moments.

Also I've Platinum trophies for both Bloodborne and Nioh. Also on the list is Resident Evil 2 Remake. With a Platinum trophy bagged and powerful Unlimited weapons unlocked.

If you ask me, my answer is yes; SEKIRO NEEDS AND EASY MODE. My health issues were the reason why I've currently given up on the game and while honestly I dun have a healthy lifestyle, I walked home almost every day from work and if I need a soft drink it'll be Coke Zero (without sugar).

Come this August I'll be admitted to hospital for a couple of days for the docs to check up on me to see what's the problem before making any decisions of what help they can do for me. Hopefully my nerve pain goes away soon.

So do have an understanding before you tell off a player to 'Get Gud' if he says games like Dark Souls and Sekiro should have an Easy mode, because they should.

https://www.forbes.com/sites/davidthier ... 475e3e1639

https://screenrant.com/god-of-war-direc ... de-sekiro/

https://www.playstationlifestyle.net/20 ... easy-mode/

https://kotaku.com/an-easy-mode-has-nev ... 1833757865

[arcana75]

If any activity harms health, stop or moderate.

As for easy modes, this conversation isn't new, but it's not a simple or easy thing to just say add an easy mode, it's just like adding a NG+ mode, effort needs to be put in and the game rebalanced. For any dev to do this the effort needs to be justified, eg sales figures. From's Souls games are niche, not as niche as other games, but not CoD, Overwatch, PUBG, Fortnite levels, so patching in an additional mode without new revenue is going to a non-trivial matter.

[Jayson]

If any activity harms health, stop or moderate...

I've stopped already. Otherwise high blood pressure.

[BuTTBR41N]

If any activity harms health, stop or moderate.

As for easy modes, this conversation isn't new, but it's not a simple or easy thing to just say add an easy mode, it's just like adding a NG+ mode, effort needs to be put in and the game rebalanced. For any dev to do this the effort needs to be justified, eg sales figures. From's Souls games are niche, not as niche as other games, but not CoD, Overwatch, PUBG, Fortnite levels, so patching in an additional mode without new revenue is going to a non-trivial matter.

You know what, maybe activision might be thinking of selling easy mode as dlc. Since they sold a dot in cod for a dollar...

For me, it's very simple. Not every game is for everyone. Even though I pride myself in completing and even getting the platinum for some of the more difficult games, if it reach a threshold, I'll still let it go.

[overhype]

I think a few boss need rebalancing. Some of them have very small window in between their combos for you to deal damage. Just a split sec, just when your brain tells you it's your turn to attack, you go in and unfortunately get wrecked. Forces you to gameover 20 times and more to memorise boss attack pattern, figuring out the moment to land 2 to 3 hits. This game forces you to play in one style, parry to build up posture damage and do small health damage over time in order to win. Have to go in and deflect attacks instead of dark souls style dodge and look for opening. There is also a broken boss where you can finish the fight in 30secs by simply using loaded umbrella tool to parry and fill up the whole posture bar. Most of them have 2 bars of hp, you can backstab them and reduce it to 1 bar. Don't you think that 1 bar is going to be no challenge at all in easy mode? I don't mind an easy mode but I don't think it needs one. Take care.

[arcana75]

Not wrong, truth is no game is for everyone, someone's gonna be unsuitable or a hater for something.

It's interesting to note that Sekiro is bringing up this discussion. When I saw gameplay previews of it I knew it wasn't for me, based on my experience with Bloodborne which already hinted at the direction From wanted to go with parry mechanics. At least BB had options, but with Sekiro and its posture mechanic I knew it was not a game for me.

Same for ultra-hard 2D sidescrolling platformers, and pixel-junk.

[overhype]

If they make it so easy such as boss stand there idle, block and parry less then it becomes another game. You can probably ditch parry and go for hack n slash style. Then another group will complain it being so easy even on the highest difficulty or this game is another clone, nothing special. Also got to factor in Sekiro gets stronger with boss souls, prayer beads, skills and ninja tools upgrades. Those so called elitist probably game over many times more than they would like to admit in order to achieve a no damage run or barely got through the fight. But I do think qa never test enough? That's why some boss fights are really broken either way too easy or super agressive. Can spam same skill for an easy win. Camera also can be shitty at times. Boss get stuck in mid air or debris. And boss's skill like a 3 direction flaming phoenix swarms towards you and gets blocked by a wood beam. I laughed at the last one when I was playing. Thrust attacks that are meant to be countered by mikiri counter are not obvious enough. I was surprised that I can counter Genichiro leap attack with mikiri. Hell it doesn't even look like a thrust attack. Mikiri is also wonky. Sometimes you end up doing a diagonal forward dodge instead of up+o or certain red colored danger sign thrust attacks just can't be countered. Why not make those more obvious?

[arcana75]

Well, if games can get NG+ with extra harder mode which makes them into different games, then the opposite end of the spectrum ought to be valid too. I don't play Sekiro so I really cannot appreciate what is happening inside it but perhaps in Sekiro's case. parry windows can be made bigger or there are now warning icons above the enemies, or maybe less HP or more "souls" allowing the player to overpower bosses earlier, enemy sight distances are reduced so stealth becomes easier and used in more situations, less damage done to the player, etc etc etc. Options are there to make it easier for players yet still retain much of the core mechanics.

[overhype]

I never thought of it that way. But in game already got temporary boosters for increased stealth range, wealth, souls, defense, attack, posture. Boosters which reduce your vitality and greatly boost attack power etc. Warning icons are already there. Jizo statues and bundled jizo statues that can refill your resurrection nodes. There are also early, mid, late game areas for farming skill points and gold, upgrade ninja tools up to one to two tier below the final upgrade as they require end game materials. Either way you have to farm abit if you want to get all skills for plat. If not you will have to advance to ng4 for increased exp rate.

[Jayson]

Would be nice if we can use Skill points to increase attack power instead of memories.

[overhype]

You can do so only after completing the game once

[Jayson]

You can do so only after completing the game once

What's the max limit? Can it hit over 99?

[overhype]

Sorry, took a week break from Sekiro and I forgot. Actually you just need the dancing dragon mask. First fragment from tent merchant near the abandoned dungeon entrance that leads back to the castle, 5000sen. 2nd from hirata estate pot merchant on the right side of the first bridge you see in the starting area of the stage, 7 treasure carp scales. Last fragment from pot merchant in fountainhead palace, can't remember exact location, costs 12 treasure carp scales. Hearsay max is 98, 99 if you keep a memory for the last point. I'm near the end of ng+, 2 more boss to go, attack power 19 without using skill points. The increase in attack power doesn't seem to deplete boss hp any faster. I feel that it's only effective against normal enemies.

[Jayson]

Sorry, took a week break from Sekiro and I forgot. Actually you just need the dancing dragon mask. First fragment from tent merchant near the abandoned dungeon entrance that leads back to the castle, 5000sen. 2nd from hirata estate pot merchant on the right side of the first bridge you see in the starting area of the stage, 7 treasure carp scales. Last fragment from pot merchant in fountainhead palace, can't remember exact location, costs 12 treasure carp scales. Hearsay max is 98, 99 if you keep a memory for the last point. I'm near the end of ng+, 2 more boss to go, attack power 19 without using skill points. The increase in attack power doesn't seem to deplete boss hp any faster. I feel that it's only effective against normal enemies.

Maybe against their posture since the combat is focused on parry timings.

Against my better judgement I went back to play it.

[overhype]

I can't tell whether I'm doing more posture damage to boss. But I'm very sure that my posture bar filled up faster in ng+.

One more trophy to go, still need to farm 40 skill points. Currently I need to earn 40k exp to gain 1 sp. And that requirement will keep on increasing. Best farming spot only gives me 2.1k per run in ng+ and 1k in first playthrough. Very slow