Watch men and monsters do battle in the Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice launch trailer

Some launch trailers make a point of explaining what a game is all about: Setting the time and place, detailed pre-game history and character motivations, and everything else you need to know if you're curious about why exactly you're shooting all these people in the face. Others just get right to the action with explosions for their own sake, which is also perfectly fine.   

The Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice trailer definitely falls into the latter category. The video begins with the titular Sekiro throwing down with a bull that looks like it escaped from a new Serious Sam game, which earns him a solid "attaboy" and a reminder of the importance of the Iron Code. From there, it's a series of whompings inflicted on, and taken from, various villains, including one thorough-looking beatdown that ends in tears—except it doesn't quite stick. More head-choppings ensue. 

To be perfectly fair, From Software did share some insights into Sekiro's history with a story trailer that dropped last month. It's still awfully stabby but relates the basics of how the "starving wolf" was adopted by a ferocious warrior (who for some reason also felt compelled to slash his face open), after which he grew into... something. Foreboding!

Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice comes to PC on March 22. In our most recent hands-on we wrote about how Sekiro demands you relearn how to play a Souls game. There's a dozen minutes of footage in there for good measure.

Andy Chalk

Andy has been gaming on PCs from the very beginning, starting as a youngster with text adventures and primitive action games on a cassette-based TRS80. From there he graduated to the glory days of Sierra Online adventures and Microprose sims, ran a local BBS, learned how to build PCs, and developed a longstanding love of RPGs, immersive sims, and shooters. He began writing videogame news in 2007 for The Escapist and somehow managed to avoid getting fired until 2014, when he joined the storied ranks of PC Gamer. He covers all aspects of the industry, from new game announcements and patch notes to legal disputes, Twitch beefs, esports, and Henry Cavill. Lots of Henry Cavill.