Return to Ashina Castle: The Climax
The return to Ashina Castle marks a pivotal point in Sekiro's journey, bringing back familiar faces and introducing new challenges. The world state changes significantly as you advance, with certain points of no return impacting potential endings. Players will find themselves navigating Ashina Reservoir before reaching the castle itself, where key characters and formidable foes await.
Upon returning, you will pick up the Ornamental Letter. A tutorial for basic game actions, such as jumping (X) and wall jumping (X near a wall), is provided as you enter Ashina Reservoir.
The game features a recurring theme of fighting minibosses multiple times, often with identical or similar counterparts. This allows you to gauge your skill improvement. Examples include:
- Red Eye Ogre: Fought 3 times (the last without red eyes).
- Juzo the Drunkard: Has a twin brother in the Hidden Forest.
- Early game Generals: Return in Ashina Castle in the late game.
- Blazing Bull: Has an identical counterpart in Fountainhead Palace.
- Long-Arm Centipedes: One in Senpou Temple, another in the Gun Fort.
- Great Serpent: "Killed" two times.
- Genichiro Ashina: Fought twice.
Within Ashina Castle, you may encounter specific enemies and characters:
- Blazing Bull: A bull with burning tinder on its horns, found in the gatehouse, capable of ramming and setting foes ablaze.
- General Matsumoto: Found giving a speech on the steps leading to Ashina Castle.
- A master of the Ashina Style: Found in meditation within the Dojo of Ashina Castle, known for striking twice in the same moment.
The original Japanese voice cast reprises their roles, enhancing the experience:
- Wolf (Sekiro): Daisuke Namikawa
- Kuro (The Divine Heir): Miyuki Satou
- Genichiro Ashina: Kenjiro Tsuda
- Sculptor: Jin Urayama
- Emma: Shizuka Ito
- The Owl: Takaya Hashi
- Isshin Ashina: Tetsuo Kanao