After directing titles such as Dark Souls , Demon's Souls and Bloodborne it seems that Hidetaka Miyazaki is one of those creatives who transform everything they play into gold. For this reason, the industry pauses for a moment every time Miyazaki reveals that he has been working on a new project together with FromSoftware, a studio he has managed since 2014.

Before the official launch of The Game Awards 2017, FromSoftware shared a strange video in which we saw a kind of mechanism made of bone before the screen went black and the legend "Shadows Die Twice" appeared. Throughout the first half of 2018 the community wondered what the hell that had been. Was it the confirmation of Bloodborne 2 ? Was Tenchu's resurrection on the way? Something completely new?

In the end, in the conference of Microsoft in E3 2018 we discovered in which the last theory was the successful one. Through an exciting advance, FromSoftware revealed that he is working on a new adventure called Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice and that the project is coming true thanks to a collaboration with Activision.

In this important video game event, Gaming News 24 had the opportunity to chat with Hidetaka Miyazaki about Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice . Everything that we have seen makes us think that it is a game clearly inspired by past works of FromSoftware, so we ask what will it do to refresh the formula of the Soulsborne?

IT'S NOT AN RPG

For starters, Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice moves away from the Souls saga by not being an RPG, but an action and adventure game. That is, this time you will not create an avatar, but you will control a mysterious character - until now known as The Ninja - and you will follow its history in feudal Japan.

An important point is that in Sekiro: Shadows Dice Twice you must say goodbye to the character builds or at least in the way they appear in other Soulsborne, as Miyazaki confirmed that the gender change will also shake the character progression system. Although we do not know how it will work, it seems that in it you will not necessarily assign "values ​​or parameters to certain statistics".

One of the most acclaimed elements of the Soulsborne from FromSoftware is its level design that presents several interconnected zones. According to Miyazaki, you should expect an evolution of this in Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice because the skills of the ninja allowed the design team to create scenarios with greater verticality.

"Something that we feel has been an evolution of the Souls series is the way exploration is related to the ninja protagonist. We are talking about three-dimensional maps with a vertical design. Something we have done in Dark Souls and Bloodborne are these spaces in 3 dimensions with a lot of verticality. This is something that you can traverse freely as a ninja character with additions like the jump command and the retractable hook. We believe that what will most excite the fans is the pleasure of exploring the world. It's something we've done in past games and we've seen in the Soulsborne, but now especially with Sekiro You can explore these mysterious worlds and this process of discovery will bring excitement and happiness [to the fans]. "Miyazaki mentioned in the interview with Gaming news 24.

In addition to impacting on the way you interact with the world, the core elements of Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice will deliver a different combat experience. The mobility offered by the ninja will allow you to reach several areas to take a look at the battlefield and decide from where to attack. In addition, Miyazaki promises to be deeper by letting you decide if you prefer to eliminate your enemies with stealth or attack directly.

"Another aspect that we feel will evolve will be combat. This is related to the exploration and the fact that the character is a ninja. We can use the jump to add more mobility and intensity to each battle. This way you can reposition yourself to get from a different angle (...) There are a variety of approaches in every combat situation. You can use stealth to eliminate some enemies from the shadows, you can go up to a point of advantage, see the battlefield before attacking. You can use the prosthetic tools to overcome and confuse your opponents and find their weak point. There are many ways to face each battle and we feel that it will not only make the user feel cunning, but also able to overcome these challenges, "said Miyazaki.

Now, the arm of the ninja will work as its retractable hook and also as different weapons that will allow you to fight with something more than a catana. In Sekiro's trailer we saw that it can be used as a sword, shield or ax. According to Miyazaki, each weapon will represent an advantage depending on the type of enemies you face. For example, the ninja can use an ax that is very powerful, even to break wooden shields and other defense objects; however, with it the attacks become slow. In this way, it is only advisable to use it against enemies whose actions have long update times.

THE BRUTALITY OF FEUDAL JAPAN

In his most recent projects Miyazaki had been influenced by European architecture and aesthetics, and now he decided it was time to return to his Japanese roots and play a game about ninjas. That is why in Sekiro you will get away from the great churches and lovecraftian beings to transport you to feudal Japan, specifically to the Sengoku period.

The Sengoku period is a stage in the history of Japan that took place between 1467 and 1568. It is one of the bloodiest and most violent periods in the history of that region since long civil wars were fought, such as the Guerranin War - and there were political intrigues and military interventions.

"This feudal aspect allowed us to take Japanese traditions and myths and apply them to visual elements and game design"

The brutality of the Sengoku era made it easier for Miyazaki to choose him over others in which there were also ninjas:

"The reason we chose the Sengoku period over Edo is that it was an era full of war and bloody battles, and this was with the type of game focused on combat and ninjas we wanted to do ".

However, Miyazaki also confessed that the choice of the period was also related to the possibilities it offers visually and the contrast that can be created between its desolation and the beautiful landscapes that have prepared for Sekiro .

"Another reason to choose it was because Edo is usually considered a period of early modern era, while Sengoku is more of medieval Japan. So this feudal aspect allowed us to take Japanese traditions and myths and apply them to visual elements and game design.

To be specific, we decided that Sekiro would be carried out in the last years of the Sengoku period, near the end of the 1500s, since it was an era that was coming to an end and it was not only because of the type [of game] that We wanted to do, but also gave us a contrast between these beautiful environments and a feeling of desolation, "he said.

BE MORE ACCESSIBLE, BUT KEEPING ESSENCE

The Soulsborne and most of the titles directed by Miyazaki are characterized by being very difficult, so much so that the point has arrived at which mentioning it has become a cliché. But will it be the same with Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice ? Miyazaki said no when he revealed that it is designed for all types of players.

"We want more users to be able to enjoy it, so we prepare the different Shinobi prostheses and the different strategies we use in various ways in these situations. So once the user experiences and discovers all this and how it works, it will have a sense of accomplishment. We hope that this allows more people to enjoy the central design for which we strive, "he said.

Of course, there are things that never change and Miyazaki seeks that the feeling of conquest after overcoming a challenge makes the players love Sekiro . In fact, he confessed that those who face him directly will have to overcome more difficult challenges than those of his previous games: "We feel that the hardcore player who loves the titles of FromSoftware must face it directly. You should not find hidden ways or experiment. It will be an exciting and intense experience for those who will go blade to blade against the enemy. It will be even more difficult than previous games for those who face it in this way. "

Now, the accessibility of Sekiro will not only be seen in its combat, but also in its history. According to Miyazaki, the story of Sekiro will be easier to understand than that of Dark Souls or Bloodborne thanks to his narrative. This means that the hidden details will remain, so you will be rewarded if you decide to explore and study the lore in depth.

"Basing the game and the story on this character allows us to focus the narrative on him and on the characters he gets involved with. So we feel that the story, at least at the beginning, will be easier to understand. Although the core of the story and the key characters are easier to understand, our narrative philosophy has not changed, so we will ask the user to explore the world, find this fragmented story and assemble it by itself to find the secret meaning "

A NEW PROPOSAL FOR THE SOULSBORNE FANS

From what Miyazaki told us, Sekiro's trailer : Shadows Die Twice seems to be very honest in showing us exactly what you should expect from him: a game full of action, intensity and with the seal of mind behind Dark Souls .

Undoubtedly, the little more than 25 minutes we were with Miyazaki were not enough to know in depth everything he prepared for Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice. However, the above may be the best for you to really get into it and let yourself be surprised by its dark world, attractive combat and hidden details. In addition, it became clear to us that Miyazaki did not settle for making Sekiro a Dark Souls in feudal Japan, but instead seeks to deliver an experience that explores the limits of the genre.

Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice is in development for Xbox One, PlayStation 4 and PC and is expected to debut before 2019. Are you excited for this new proposal?

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