September 2026
Difficulty — Action vs Story
Way of the Sword ships two named modes. English storefronts say Action and Story. Japanese materials say 剣戟 (Kengeki, the sword-fight mode) and 活劇 (Katsugeki, the “play the tale” mode with assists). Action is the default for people who play action games. Story is not a joke difficulty so much as a reading-light. Neither is a Soulslike wall. Producer Akihito Kadowaki has already told players who called the demo too easy that later Genma and bosses will not stay that polite.
What each mode is for
Director Satoru Nihei’s line, repeated at Capcom Spotlight and in Nintendo Life’s write-up, is that seasoned action players can live in Action, and players who want the story can switch on Story assists. The demo lets you pick before the first Genma. You can change later in options. Do it between rooms. Changing mid-Ganryu is how muscle memory throws the next parry.
Action is not “hard mode” in the Souls sense. It is the mode the motion-capture swordsmen were aimed at. Story turns on assistance so the plot of Kyoto — Okuni, Dokyo, the gauntlet — is not locked behind Issen frames. If you came from Sekiro and feel insulted by fodder in the first ten minutes, you are in the prologue. Kadowaki’s June answer to “the small Genma die too fast” was: wait for the full game.
Why the demo lied a little
Automaton’s Japanese roundup of that June comment is the useful one: even on 剣戟, the opening Genma do not attack much and fold in a few hits, so players who wanted to practise Issen ended up waiting around for a swing. Sasaki Ganryu is the first enemy who answers back. Daidara, in the August Refuge, is the second. Capcom is using the free file as an on-ramp, then promising bite. Believe the producer only as far as the next boss you have actually seen.
There is no official “easy Issen” toggle. Mods that invent one on PC are not a support path. The intended on-ramp is Deflect Issen — hold guard, attack on the flash — described on the Issen page. Story mode will not press the button for you. It will keep you alive long enough to learn the beat.
What to pick on 4 September
If you cleared Ganryu and Daidara on Action without thinking, stay there. If you needed Story to see the temple, start the campaign on Story and switch up after the first Spirit Mirror, not after a tweet. The how-to-play guide assumes Action examples, same as the rest of this wiki. Basic control type plus Action mode is the layout every Issen clip on this site was recorded against.
Difficulty will not change the plot. It will not add bosses. It will not unlock Deluxe charms. Those arguments belong on editions and story. This page is only the two-position switch.
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Frequently asked questions
Is Action a Soulslike difficulty?
No. Nihei has said this is not a Soulslike. Action is the intended sword game. Story exists for people who want the plot.
Can I change mid-campaign?
Yes, in options. Change between rooms so your thumbs are not mid-string.
Why is the demo easy?
It is the opening hour. Kadowaki said later Genma and bosses will hit harder in the full game.
Does Story disable Issen?
No public note says that. Assists keep you alive; Issen is still an attack on a beat.