Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice

FromSoftware’s hack-and-slash hit proves itself an even more brutally tough customer than Dark Souls. Yet despite being furiously tough, the masterfully balanced Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice never feels overly unfair. Encouraging controlled bouts of aggression, this is a game that rewards seriously steely nerves. And how about those boss fights? Demanding expert parrying and unblinking attacks, even the most skilled shinobi can end up getting downed by a monstrous ape and its poisonous poo. Don’t ask. Yet master Sekiro’s sharp, responsive combat and toppling its hardest enemies offers cathartic highs that are tough to top.