Sekiro feels like a game that was made for me. It's fucking awesome and I loved every second of it... Although I did get incredibly frustrated with a boss or two (Guardian Ape + Wife comes to mind).
I was getting a little burnt out on Souls titles before Sekiro (I've played all of them). In terms of gameplay, Bloodborne was a breath of fresh air and Sekiro kicked things up to 11. However, the similarities that Sekiro shares with the Souls titles are very superficial. It really doesn't make sense to compare them because they aim to accomplish different things with their gameplay. For the sake of the argument though, I'll be making a couple of comparisons in my post.
Sekiro is an action/rhythm game through and through. A lot of the RPG mechanics and build variety from the Souls titles were stripped away to hone in on Sekiro's hyper-focused gameplay. With that in mind, playing with different prosthetic tool loadouts + combat arts + ninjutsu actually does give you something similar to the build variety; making strategic, deliberate use of your arsenal of weapons allows you to build unique combos that flow seamlessly with the combat. Basically, build variety has been replaced with combo building. You could argue that just focusing on deflections + buffs is the most efficient way to kill an enemy, but making combat look stylish is a large part of what makes Sekiro so fun.
This quote really speaks to me. My first build in any Souls title is purely dexterity focused. You'll be hard-pressed to find me wielding anything other than an Uchigatana. The typical slow, methodical gameplay of most builds (tanks, magic, etc.) in Souls titles was never my cup of tea. Because of my consistent adoption of dex + bleed builds, transitioning into Bloodborne felt very natural, considering that the game is focused on aggression, visceral attacks, exploiting the rally system, and well-timed step-dodges. Parrying is also a favorite mechanic of mine in Souls titles (and its ridiculously OP if you can pull it off consistently). With Sekiro, making the mental adjustment of swapping out the timing of i-frames of dodge-rolls for clicking the deflect/block button was fucking genius. Sekiro literally combined two of my most used gameplay mechanics (well-times dodge-rolls and parrying) into one (deflection). I'll also add that the sound effect for the deathblow is so damn satisfying to hear.
Bosses are also a highlight of Sekiro. Many of my favorite bosses of all time are just in this game (Sword Saint Isshin, True Monk, Owl (Father)). The combat of Sekiro has a large impact on the boss design and flow of the clashing blades along with well-timed dodges feels amazing. In Soulsborne titles, it feels like you chip at a boss' health bar and dodge roll your way to victory; in Sekiro, it feels like you've really bested your opponent once you've beat them. There is a large emphasis on putting constant pressure on your opponent's posture bar or crippling posture recovery. You can end most fights within a minute or two if you really know what you're doing... even if more than half of the opponent's health bar remains. My one nitpick with bosses is that they are re-used pretty heavily.
The stealth mechanics are okay and are really only there to help you pick off a crowd so that you focus on one-on-one combat without being overwhelmed. I had hoped that more emphasis would be placed on stealth, but you can't have everything I guess. I will say that usage of stealth can help quite a bit with mini-bosses.
I really like the OST for Sekiro. There were fewer tracks than Soulsborne titles for sure, but it was nice to hear something other than the bombastic orchestras + choirs from the Souls series for a change. Don't get me wrong - I love Soulsborne music, but the notably different tones and instruments that Sekiro brought to the table are very much appreciated. Here are couple of tracks that I really enjoy:
The length of the game was also perfect for a quick playthroughs. Sure, the first playthrough is longest because you're still learning the movesets of enemies. The second playthrough, however, is like an insane power-trip as you blow through enemies that gave you so much trouble the first time around. It's quite amazing being able to witness firsthand how much you've grown as a player. For subsequent playthroughs, I like restricting myself to certain prosthetic tool loadouts, combat arts, and going charmless + demon bell if I'm really feeling up to the challenge.
The level design and the addition of the grappling hook makes traversal a blast. I miss the labyrinthian layouts of the Souls series, but flying through levels almost like a platformer is pretty fun. While the environmental storytelling and attention to detail is still there, the world is less interesting to explore than Soulsborne titles. Truth be told, I felt like world-building was lot more restricted this time around for FromSoftware considering that they had to work with preestablished mythology and history. With Soulsborne titles, Miyazaki had complete creative freedom to craft his world and add in interesting lore, narratives, etc. This aspect makes me very excited for Elden Ring.
Lastly, if you dedicate enough time to mastering the combat system in Sekiro then things can look fucking incredible: