What Is This Bull$h!t?

Let me preface my next statement by saying, I die in video games. I die all the time. And I ain't too proud to do it over and over and over again until I get it right, but I have NEVER died so much as I have playing SEKIRO: SHADOWS DIE TWICE. That in and of itself is a gross understatement; with me playing it should be called SHADOWS DIE A HUNDRED TIMES. Hell, I might reach a thousand before I'm through this game.

But that's okay. I've made my piece with it...or so I thought. And then I met the Blazing Bull. Never have I been so close to chucking my PS4 out the window and reacquainting myself with knitting. And yes, I knit a darn fine pair of socks, thank you very much.

That I struggled with this mini-boss is no surprise. I've had to resort to YouTube videos more for this game than any other. There are some fantastic folks helping out those of us who aren't controller-gods or goddesses as the case may be. And for all the other bosses and mini-bosses, I watched a video, failed once or twice, but then got the technique down and carried on...perhaps not keeping calm, but I did carry on.

But that effing bull. Ohhhhhh, that effing bull. First I tried the technique shown by Tyrranicon https://youtu.be/p9b2El0eJAM which is to deflect the bull's charges to break his posture. Unfortunately, every time I tried I wound up crispy as the burnt french fry at the bottom of the McDonald's bag. Mad respect to Tyrranicon for being able to make that video! Yeah, timing...not my strong suit.

Sooooo, I went back to the drawing board and watched a couple more videos. Polygon Guides helped me the most with their video https://youtu.be/WWNN6yzUqKg that reminded me that 1. Sekiro is a quick little f@#ker so use that speed to chase the bull, not the other way around and 2. That only one end of the bull is actually on fire so best to attack the non-flaming gluteus maximus.

But even with all this wonderful instruction, I would make a wrong dodge or get tangled up with the bull trying to hit him. I kid you not, I died somewhere around TWENTY TIMES trying to kill this stupid bull. Fortunately, all my perseverance (read: sheer stubbornness) paid off and after taking a break to prevent aforementioned chucking of the PS4 out the window into my neighbors tulip garden, I finally killed that mf bull.

I rarely whoop and holler whilst playing. That's more the stuff of my BF and my son, but had my neighbor been working in her tulip garden at the time I vanquished the Blazing Bull, she would have heard a stream of triumphant expletives that I shan't repeat here cuz I'm trying to keep this blog PG-13.

I will admit it's a much bigger thrill to defeat a boss that gives you this much trouble, but at this rate, it'll be Christmas time before I finish this game. Oh well, what else have I got to do anyway?