New Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice trailer full of stylish combat

From Software's new hack-and-slash survival game Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice gets fresh gameplay footage at Tokyo Game Show 2018.

"Take my blood and live again..."

In many ways Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice uses the familiar Dark Souls formula: it has hulking bosses, dodge mechanics, and strong emphasis on timing and reaction skills. But it's also quite new and sets it apart from From Software's magnum opus trilogy, especially with its combat. This time around combat is much more fluid, and the one-armed Wolf has a more feline and adept grace not typically found in other Soulsborne games. The latest TGS 2018 trailer is another pure example of this refinement.

The game, which actually started off as Tenchu and morphed into something bigger, is faster and more stylish than its predecessors. The Wolf is nimble and agile in everything he does, from swinging up to rooftops with a grappling hook to slicing foes with devastating combos. The game honestly reminds me of a hybrid of Nioh's suave combat with Dark Souls-style imagery and Bloodborne's eeriness.

The trailer also shows off a look at some bosses, including a hulking monstrosity straight out of From Software's deliciously weird imagination, and some ultrafast horrors straight out of Japanese folklore.

Even though I know it'll be hard as nails, I honestly can't wait to play this game and think it could be a new instant classic.

Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice releases on March 22, 2019 on PS4, Xbox One and PC.

In Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice you are the "one-armed wolf", a disgraced and disfigured warrior rescued from the brink of death. Bound to protect a young lord who is the descendant of an ancient bloodline, you become the target of many vicious enemies, including the dangerous Ashina clan. When the young lord is captured, nothing will stop you on a perilous quest to regain your honor, not even death itself.

Explore late 1500s Sengoku Japan, a brutal period of constant life and death conflict, as you come face to face with larger than life foes in a dark and twisted world. Unleash an arsenal of deadly prosthetic tools and powerful ninja abilities while you blend stealth, vertical traversal, and visceral head to head combat in a bloody confrontation.

Take Revenge. Restore your honor. Kill Ingeniously.