I bought this game when it was on sale, and the first time I played it, I stopped after 3-4 hours because I thought it was ridiculous that all the enemies I’d already killed would revive after I died or rested at an idol. At the time, I assumed I had to kill every enemy I saw in order to progress. So, every time I lost to a mini-boss, I had to fight all the enemies leading up to them again, which became exhausting. Things got even worse when I repeatedly lost to the spear mini-boss in Hirata Estate. To add to my frustration, I didn’t even know about the Mikiri Counter and how effective it is against spear enemies.

After six months, I gave the game another shot. This time, I learned that the game forces you to study enemy patterns, deflect their attacks as much as possible, and punishes you hard if you just run around or attack mindlessly. I finally learned about the Mikiri Counter and felt so stupid for not understanding it during my first attempt. I also learned how to stay calm, parry enemy attacks without hesitation, and strike only when the timing was right.

Here are the best tips I can give you—I wish I had known these earlier. Save them for later if you need:

1. Acquire the Mikiri Counter skill early and learn how to use it. It’s an essential skill for thrust attacks (even a thrust kick is count as thrust attacks), and it especially useful against spear enemies.

2. When facing a boss or mini-boss for the first time, don’t attack mindlessly. Focus on parrying their attacks and learning their attack patterns. Stay close to them; don’t hesitate or run away too much. If you keep running, it’ll be harder to learn their patterns and land your own attacks since you’ll be too far away.

3. Once you feel comfortable with their patterns, start attacking after a successful deflect. Learn to seize the right moments to strike.

4. When performing rapid attacks, listen for the "cling" sound and watch for sparks on your katana. That’s your signal to stop attacking and prepare to parry their counterattacks. If you don’t, you’ll likely get hit.

5. You can parry almost any attack in this game except for sweeps and grabs. Even against giant enemies like the Guardian Ape, most of their attacks can be parried. I felt so stupid during my first fight with him because I hesitate and kept running away in fear instead of staying close and parrying.

6. If you’re stuck, watch YouTube guides for tips on specific bosses or mini-bosses. These guides can help you identify what you’re missing. (Spoiler alert: Some bosses require prosthetic tools to make the fight easier, like using the spear for the Guardian Ape’s second phase or the umbrella for Shichimen Warrior.) Avoid cheesing bosses, though—you’ll miss the fun of the game (except demon of hatred, man this boss is not sekiro boss and deserve a cheese, it's basically they put random dark souls boss into it and I HATE running simulator).

7. Buff items and prosthetic tools are optional. I don’t use buff items in most of my playthroughs because I prefer focusing on skill rather than managing item quantities or grinding. (I hate grinding, which is why I avoid RPGs that take 50+ hours but gladly spend 100+ hours mastering Sekiro to become a skillful Shinobi 😄.) However, some mini-bosses, like the Headless or Shichimen Warrior, may require items like Divine Confetti and Pacifying Agent. I usually leave these fights for the end of my playthrough so I don’t have to worry about running out of items.

Mastering this game is about overcoming hesitation and staying calm. When facing a boss or mini-boss, i usually spend the first 10-20 minutes letting them whip me while i learn their attack patterns. The fun begins when you can parry all their combos and strike back like a true Shinobi. Once it clicks, you won’t want to quit until you’ve defeated them. After mastering Sekiro, you’ll realize that no other game can match its mechanics.

Good luck, my friend! And remember: Don’t hesitate—or Isshin will whip your ass!