<s>
It	O
was	O
released	O
for	O
PlayStation	B-Operating_System
4	I-Operating_System
,	O
Windows	O
,	O
and	O
Xbox	B-Device
One	I-Device
in	O
March	O
2019	O
,	O
and	O
for	O
Stadia	B-Application
in	O
October	O
2020	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
game	O
follows	O
a	O
shinobi	B-Application
known	O
as	O
Wolf	O
,	O
who	O
attempts	O
to	O
take	O
revenge	O
on	O
a	O
samurai	B-Application
clan	O
that	O
imprisoned	O
him	O
and	O
kidnapped	O
his	O
lord	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
It	O
takes	O
place	O
in	O
a	O
fictionalized	O
Japan	O
during	O
the	O
Sengoku	B-Application
period	O
and	O
makes	O
strong	O
references	O
to	O
Buddhist	O
mythology	O
and	O
philosophy	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Lead	O
director	O
Hidetaka	O
Miyazaki	O
wanted	O
to	O
create	O
a	O
new	O
intellectual	O
property	O
(	O
IP	O
)	O
that	O
marked	O
a	O
departure	O
from	O
their	O
Dark	B-Application
Souls	I-Application
series	O
,	O
looking	O
at	O
games	O
such	O
as	O
Tenchu	B-Application
for	O
inspiration	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Sekiro	B-Application
was	O
praised	O
by	O
critics	O
,	O
who	O
complimented	O
its	O
gameplay	O
and	O
setting	O
,	O
and	O
compared	O
it	O
to	O
Dark	B-Application
Souls	I-Application
,	O
although	O
opinions	O
on	O
its	O
difficulty	O
were	O
mixed	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Sekiro	B-Application
:	I-Application
Shadows	I-Application
Die	I-Application
Twice	I-Application
is	O
an	O
action-adventure	O
game	O
played	O
from	O
a	O
third-person	O
view	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Compared	O
to	O
FromSoftware	O
's	O
Dark	B-Application
Souls	I-Application
series	O
,	O
the	O
game	O
features	O
fewer	O
role-playing	O
elements	O
,	O
lacks	O
character	O
creation	O
and	O
the	O
ability	O
to	O
level	O
up	O
a	O
variety	O
of	O
stats	O
,	O
and	O
has	O
no	O
multiplayer	O
elements	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Rather	O
than	O
attacking	O
to	O
whittle	O
an	O
enemy	O
's	O
health	O
points	O
,	O
combat	O
in	O
Sekiro	B-Application
revolves	O
around	O
using	O
a	O
katana	B-Operating_System
to	O
attack	O
their	O
posture	O
and	O
balance	O
instead	O
,	O
eventually	O
leading	O
to	O
an	O
opening	O
that	O
allows	O
for	O
a	O
single	O
killing	O
blow	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
In	O
addition	O
,	O
the	O
player	O
character	O
can	O
use	O
various	O
tools	O
to	O
assist	O
with	O
combat	O
and	O
exploration	O
,	O
such	O
as	O
a	O
grappling	B-Application
hook	I-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
Following	O
the	O
Sengoku	B-Application
period	O
,	O
Isshin	O
Ashina	O
seized	O
control	O
of	O
the	O
land	O
of	O
Ashina	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
During	O
this	O
time	O
,	O
a	O
nameless	O
orphan	O
is	O
adopted	O
by	O
the	O
wandering	O
shinobi	B-Application
known	O
as	O
Owl	O
,	O
who	O
names	O
the	O
boy	O
Wolf	O
and	O
trains	O
him	O
in	O
the	O
ways	O
of	O
the	O
shinobi	B-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
Wolf	O
,	O
now	O
a	O
full-fledged	O
shinobi	B-Application
and	O
Kuro	O
's	O
bodyguard	O
,	O
fights	O
Genichiro	O
but	O
loses	O
both	O
Kuro	O
and	O
his	O
left	O
arm	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
However	O
,	O
being	O
immortal	O
,	O
Wolf	O
survives	O
and	O
is	O
found	O
by	O
a	O
retired	O
shinobi	B-Application
known	O
as	O
the	O
Sculptor	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Wolf	O
's	O
quest	O
leads	O
him	O
to	O
cross	O
paths	O
with	O
Isshin	O
,	O
who	O
gives	O
him	O
a	O
new	O
name	O
:	O
Sekiro	B-Application
,	O
the	O
"	O
one-armed	O
wolf	O
"	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
After	O
collecting	O
all	O
the	O
components	O
for	O
the	O
ritual	O
,	O
Sekiro	B-Application
is	O
confronted	O
by	O
Owl	O
,	O
who	O
is	O
revealed	O
to	O
be	O
the	O
assailant	O
who	O
backstabbed	O
Sekiro	B-Application
at	O
the	O
Hirata	O
estate	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Owl	O
reveals	O
he	O
also	O
seeks	O
the	O
Dragon	O
Heritage	O
and	O
orders	O
Sekiro	B-Application
to	O
renounce	O
his	O
loyalty	O
to	O
Kuro	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
If	O
Sekiro	B-Application
sides	O
with	O
Owl	O
,	O
he	O
is	O
forced	O
to	O
fight	O
and	O
kill	O
Isshin	O
's	O
doctor	O
,	O
Emma	O
,	O
and	O
Isshin	O
himself	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Corrupted	O
by	O
bloodlust	O
,	O
Sekiro	B-Application
betrays	O
and	O
murders	O
Owl	O
as	O
Kuro	O
watches	O
in	O
horror	O
,	O
resulting	O
in	O
the	O
"	O
Shura	O
"	O
ending	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
If	O
Kuro	O
is	O
chosen	O
,	O
Sekiro	B-Application
fights	O
and	O
kills	O
Owl	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Sekiro	B-Application
then	O
enters	O
the	O
Divine	O
Realm	O
to	O
collect	O
the	O
final	O
material	O
for	O
the	O
ritual	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Upon	O
returning	O
to	O
Ashina	O
,	O
Sekiro	B-Application
discovers	O
Isshin	O
has	O
succumbed	O
to	O
his	O
illness	O
and	O
that	O
the	O
castle	O
is	O
under	O
attack	O
by	O
the	O
Interior	O
Ministry	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Sekiro	B-Application
eventually	O
finds	O
Kuro	O
under	O
attack	O
by	O
Genichiro	O
,	O
whom	O
he	O
defeats	O
again	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Isshin	O
honors	O
his	O
grandson	O
's	O
wish	O
and	O
fights	O
Sekiro	B-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
Afterward	O
,	O
like	O
the	O
Sculptor	O
before	O
him	O
,	O
Sekiro	B-Application
retires	O
as	O
a	O
shinobi	B-Application
and	O
spends	O
the	O
remainder	O
of	O
his	O
days	O
carving	O
Buddha	O
Statues	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Working	O
with	O
Emma	O
to	O
find	O
an	O
alternative	O
way	O
of	O
severing	O
immortality	O
results	O
in	O
the	O
Purification	O
ending	O
,	O
where	O
Sekiro	B-Application
sacrifices	O
himself	O
instead	O
of	O
Kuro	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Kuro	O
's	O
body	O
dies	O
,	O
but	O
his	O
spirit	O
lives	O
on	O
inside	O
the	O
Divine	O
Child	O
,	O
who	O
goes	O
on	O
a	O
journey	O
with	O
Sekiro	B-Application
to	O
return	O
the	O
Dragon	O
Heritage	O
to	O
its	O
original	O
place	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Development	O
of	O
Sekiro	B-Application
began	O
in	O
late	O
2015	O
following	O
the	O
completion	O
of	O
Bloodborne	B-Application
downloadable	B-Protocol
content	I-Protocol
,	O
The	O
Old	O
Hunters	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
It	O
was	O
directed	O
by	O
Hidetaka	O
Miyazaki	O
,	O
who	O
had	O
previously	O
worked	O
on	O
the	O
Dark	B-Application
Souls	I-Application
series	O
and	O
Bloodborne	B-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
Sekiro	B-Application
draws	O
inspiration	O
from	O
the	O
Tenchu	B-Application
series	O
of	O
stealth-action	O
games	O
partially	O
developed	O
and	O
published	O
by	O
FromSoftware	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
team	O
initially	O
considered	O
developing	O
the	O
game	O
as	O
a	O
sequel	O
to	O
Tenchu	B-Application
;	O
however	O
,	O
it	O
quickly	O
outgrew	O
the	O
concept	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Despite	O
the	O
game	O
taking	O
place	O
during	O
the	O
Sengoku	B-Application
period	O
of	O
real-world	O
Japanese	O
history	O
,	O
no	O
historical	O
people	O
or	O
locations	O
are	O
featured	O
in	O
the	O
game	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
game	O
was	O
revealed	O
via	O
a	O
teaser	O
trailer	O
at	O
The	O
Game	O
Awards	O
2017	O
in	O
December	O
,	O
showing	O
the	O
tagline	O
"	O
Shadows	B-Application
Die	I-Application
Twice	I-Application
"	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
game	O
's	O
full	O
title	O
was	O
revealed	O
to	O
be	O
Sekiro	B-Application
:	I-Application
Shadows	I-Application
Die	I-Application
Twice	I-Application
during	O
Microsoft	O
's	O
press	O
conference	O
at	O
E3	O
2018	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Sekiro	B-Application
soundtrack	O
was	O
composed	O
by	O
Yuka	O
Kitamura	O
,	O
with	O
some	O
contributions	O
from	O
Noriyuki	O
Asakura	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
game	O
was	O
released	O
for	O
PlayStation	B-Operating_System
4	I-Operating_System
,	O
Windows	O
,	O
and	O
Xbox	B-Device
One	I-Device
on	O
22	O
March	O
2019	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
A	O
port	O
for	O
Stadia	B-Application
was	O
released	O
in	O
late	O
2020	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
subtitle	O
"	O
Shadows	B-Application
Die	I-Application
Twice	I-Application
"	O
was	O
initially	O
meant	O
to	O
be	O
used	O
as	O
a	O
slogan	O
for	O
the	O
teaser	O
trailer	O
until	O
Activision	O
requested	O
it	O
be	O
kept	O
for	O
the	O
final	O
name	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
According	O
to	O
review	B-Application
aggregator	I-Application
Metacritic	O
,	O
Sekiro	B-Application
received	O
"	O
universal	O
acclaim	O
"	O
for	O
the	B-Operating_System
PlayStation	I-Operating_System
4	I-Operating_System
and	O
Xbox	B-Device
One	I-Device
versions	O
and	O
"	O
generally	O
favorable	O
"	O
reviews	O
for	O
the	O
Windows	O
version	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
In	O
a	O
review	O
for	O
Destructoid	O
,	O
Chris	O
Carter	O
described	O
open	O
combat	O
as	O
"	O
akin	O
to	O
a	O
waltz	O
"	O
and	O
praised	O
the	O
variety	O
of	O
ways	O
the	O
combat	O
could	O
be	O
approached	O
,	O
writing	O
that	O
players	O
had	O
more	O
choices	O
than	O
in	O
Dark	B-Application
Souls	I-Application
or	O
Bloodborne	B-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
Brandin	O
Tyrell	O
from	O
IGN	O
praised	O
the	O
game	O
's	O
focus	O
on	O
"	O
split-second	O
swordsmanship	O
"	O
,	O
and	O
although	O
"	O
to	O
any	O
Souls	O
veteran	O
,	O
Sekiro	B-Application
timing-based	O
lock-on	O
combat	O
of	O
strikes	O
and	O
slashes	O
is	O
familiar	O
"	O
,	O
the	O
game	O
's	O
"	O
sense	O
of	O
safety	O
"	O
caused	O
the	O
combat	O
to	O
feel	O
"	O
refreshing	O
and	O
new	O
"	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
In	O
a	O
review	O
for	O
the	O
website	O
GameSpot	O
,	O
Tamoor	O
Hussain	O
wrote	O
that	O
the	O
game	O
"	O
rewrites	O
the	O
rules	O
of	O
engagement	O
"	O
,	O
stating	O
that	O
,	O
while	O
previous	O
FromSoftware	O
games	O
demanded	O
quick	O
decision-making	O
,	O
Sekiro	B-Application
"	O
pushes	O
these	O
demands	O
further	O
"	O
than	O
ever	O
before	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Particular	O
emphasis	O
was	O
given	O
to	O
the	O
player	O
's	O
increased	O
verticality	O
due	O
to	O
the	O
addition	O
of	O
the	O
grappling	B-Application
hook	I-Application
and	O
a	O
dedicated	O
jump	O
button	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Tyrell	O
wrote	O
that	O
the	O
grappling	B-Application
hook	I-Application
"	O
sends	O
ripples	O
throughout	O
the	O
gameplay	O
"	O
,	O
writing	O
that	O
"	O
where	O
all	O
previous	O
Soulsborne	O
characters	O
felt	O
rooted	O
firmly	O
to	O
the	O
ground	O
as	O
they	O
trudged	O
down	O
hallways	O
and	O
slowly	O
climbed	O
ladders	O
,	O
Sekiro	B-Application
level	O
design	O
has	O
permission	O
to	O
be	O
much	O
more	O
vertical	O
"	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Senior	O
wrote	O
that	O
the	O
game	O
used	O
"	O
large	O
but	O
separate	O
zones	O
rather	O
than	O
a	O
huge	O
connected	O
world	O
"	O
but	O
praised	O
the	O
"	O
many	O
secrets	O
hidden	O
just	O
off	O
the	O
critical	O
path	O
,	O
often	O
reached	O
with	O
the	O
excellent	O
grappling	B-Application
hook	I-Application
,	O
which	O
lets	O
you	O
vault	O
between	O
tree	O
branches	O
and	O
rooftops	O
"	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
On	O
release	O
day	O
,	O
Sekiro	B-Application
drew	O
over	O
108,000	O
concurrent	O
players	O
on	O
Steam	B-Application
,	O
the	O
highest	O
for	O
a	O
new	O
game	O
launched	O
during	O
JanuaryMarch	O
2019	O
and	O
the	O
third	O
highest	O
of	O
any	O
Japanese	O
game	O
in	O
the	O
platform	O
's	O
history	O
,	O
behind	O
only	O
Monster	B-Application
Hunter	I-Application
:	I-Application
World	I-Application
and	O
Dark	B-Application
Souls	I-Application
III	I-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
Later	O
in	O
March	O
,	O
it	O
had	O
reached	O
over	O
125,000	O
concurrent	O
players	O
on	O
Steam	B-Application
,	O
making	O
it	O
one	O
of	O
the	O
most	O
played	O
games	O
on	O
the	O
platform	O
at	O
the	O
time	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
In	O
its	O
debut	O
week	O
,	O
Sekiro	B-Application
topped	O
the	O
UK	O
and	O
EMEAA	O
(	O
Europe	O
,	O
Middle	O
East	O
,	O
Africa	O
,	O
Asia	O
)	O
charts	O
,	O
surpassing	O
Tom	B-Application
Clancy	I-Application
's	I-Application
The	I-Application
Division	I-Application
2	I-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
game	O
won	O
several	O
awards	O
,	O
including	O
Game	O
of	O
the	O
Year	O
at	O
The	O
Game	O
Awards	O
2019	O
,	O
by	O
editors	O
of	O
GameSpot	O
,	O
and	O
by	O
fans	O
in	O
the	O
2019	O
Steam	B-Application
Awards	O
.	O
</s>
