The 11 Hardest 'Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice' Bosses

Nightmarish in his unrelenting and never-ending onslaught, Isshin, The Sword Saint is widely regarded as not only one of the hardest bosses in Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice, but of the entire Soulsborne franchise, and for damn good reason. A horrifying culmination of every boss Wolf has seen throughout the game, players will need to overcome this ludicrous 4-phase fight consisting of the widest array of attacks and counters the game has to offer, all while being attacked at the swiftest and most aggressive pace in the entire game. This battle is not for the weak of heart, and for those who fail, the climb back up to the top of the mountain is daunting, but for those brave few who can win, the reward is arguably the sweetest of the entire franchise. 

One does not simply defeat the Demon of Hatred, they merely survive him. Many bosses in Sekiro are designed to teach players new methods of combat and mechanics that can and will help them win battles every time, but this couldn't be further from the truth with the Demon. The battle against the Demon of Hatred forces players to throw everything they have learned throughout the game out the window; gone are methods of deflecting, blocking suddenly stacks posture at a breakneck speed and reduces players' ability to counter, and players are given a minuscule margin of error throughout the fight with countless attacks that will one-shot Wolf if they land. To many, it feels there is no mastering the Demon of Hatred, just survival against him. 

A phenomenal appetizer to who would eventually go on to be a final boss, the battle against Isshin Ashina oftentimes gets overlooked by his masterful counterpart, but this fight is one for the ages. This 2-phased fight radically varies from section to section. Beginning at his first phase as a very powerful yet graceful foe, Isshin offers a wide array of combos that all begin with the same first blow, keeping players on their toes as to what could come next. Throw in three unblockable attacks and his use of the Ichimonji and suddenly this battle seems fraught with danger. Then, his second phase is unleashed, and all hell breaks loose. Lashing out a massive slew of brand-new fire attacks that all have one-shot potential, it takes timing and dedication to master this battle.

Widely acclaimed as the turning point from stereotypical Soulsborne gameplay into something uniquely its own, the battle against Genichiro Ashina is what makes Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice, Sekiro. One of the first battles players partake in, and a recurring one at that, players are forced to not only learn Genichiro's attacks but also shift from typical Dark Souls attack and run/dodge mechanics to a more deflecting and parrying playstyle. Even while players learn these techniques, however, Genichiro's laundry list of attacks and counters on top of his masochistic bow and arrow attacks keep this fight fresh and daunting.

Erratic patterns matched with an ungodly level of speed and aggression make the Guardian Ape a daunting foe, however, when this is paired with a complete overhaul of the gameplay mechanics, suddenly this beast of burden becomes too much for even the most veteran Soulsborne player to handle. While Sekiro has rewarded players for flexing and metering aggression, the Guardian Ape forces players to keep a distance, dodge, and play with a much more passive approach. This drastic change of strategy on top of the incredibly hard deflecting mechanics against his flying fists and insane reach on grapple attacks causes the utmost frustration. This 2-phased blitz of battle is unique in its radical difference compared to the rest of Sekiro.

While he may be classified as simply a mini-boss, Seven Ashina Spears-Shume Masaji Oniwa is arguably one of the most difficult fights Sekiro has to offer. Having to be nearly flawless to even stand a chance, players will have to endure a maddeningly erratic onslaught of slams, thrusts, and sweeps against Oniwa and his spear that has ungodly levels of reach. On top of his excessive range, Oniwa is devastatingly powerful, often defeating enemies with two successful hits. Parrying and deflecting are keys to surviving this brutal attack, but with such erratic movements and the inability to get too close, players will simply have to get good if they want to stand any chance against this horrifying foe.