PS5/PC Nioh 2

A war-torn realm haunted by evil spirits…

It is the Warring States period in Japan. The year is 1555. Never-ending warfare has transformed the nation into a land of chaos infested by demonic yokai, evil spirits who feed upon their victims.

It is in this setting of relentless mayhem that we meet our protagonist, a rogue mercenary hunting down yokai in the Mino Province. This demon hunter hides a terrible secret: they are a half-breed, the orphan offspring of both human and yokai blood. Unable to find a place amongst mankind, our demon hunter journeys alone.

Calamity strikes one day as our protagonist loses control of their own yokai power while battling against a ferocious fiend. However, the dire situation is remedied by a wandering merchant by the name of Toukichiro who sells strange “Spirit Stones”; magic—imbued artifacts that can help the wielder communicate with yokai spirits. Our demon hunter regains control of their demonic persona.

From there on, the two decide to combine their abilities and set out together to find more of the powerful Spirit Stones, their quest being funded by an influential warlord to track down the artifacts to ensure they’re reserved for proper use.

Their mission is cut short by an attack from someone – or something – also seeking the stones. They escape thanks to the help of a yokai huntswoman named Mumyo, and the three find refuge in the Owari Province, eventually ending up in the service of the great Oda Nobunaga.

But their future plans will be short-lived and they will once more come face to face with diabolical forces who also seek the remaining Spirit Stones. The stage is set for this epic saga of our half-breed yokai hunter- “Hideyoshi”.

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We have three major downloadable content releases planned, with each focusing on a different storyline that pre-dates the events of Nioh 2, promising hours of additional gameplay that will provide plenty of challenge for those thirsting for more.

Similar to the original Nioh, players can expect new weapons, new combat abilities and new characters, with each downloadable content incorporating both multiple main and sub-missions.

The three downloadable content packs are included in Nioh 2’s Season Pass, which forms part of the game’s Digital Deluxe Edition (now available for pre-order). In addition to the main game and downloadable content, you’ll also get premium in-game items such as the Demon Horde armor set and Kodama Netsuke Charm.

For players who purchase the Nioh 2 Special Edition, in addition to the main game and Season Pass, you’ll receive an exclusive SteelBook case and “The Art of Nioh 2” booklet.

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Team Ninja has opted to fine-tune what it already has rather than reinventing the wheel and it's going to be all the better for it. In a time where From Software's Elden Ring has seemingly gone AWOL, Nioh 2 can be the definitive Souls-like experience on PS4 for the year 2020 -- potential it is primed to fulfil as we edge closer to release. With a refined level of difficulty, Yokai skills for those theatrical enough to pull them off, and everything which made the original game great at the helm, this is going to be a PS4 exclusive worthy of your attention.

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Much like its intricate combat, Nioh 2 involves a delicate balancing act – providing more of what its dedicated fans want while attracting newcomers. The crux of this is a twist to the formula.
Nioh purists may worry the new Yokai enhancements could water the combat down but not so, from our experience. Keeping current fans happy while building your audience can be an uphill task but, for Nioh 2, it just might work.

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All in all, Nioh 2 feels like a well-refined Nioh, which is all anyone can ever really ask for in a sequel. It’s definitely gotten a bit deeper, and that’ll keep those who are looking for a variety of gameplay options very happy indeed. Whether or not the whole game shakes out as well remains to be seen, but hey, we’ve only got to wait until March 13th to find out.

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Nioh 2 is a perfect counterbalance to last year’s Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice. From Software’s last game, in some ways, felt like a more stripped back version of the Souls experience – forcing you to rely on your prosthesis and your katana – and it received high praise for simplifying the masocore formula.

Nioh 2 may well go the completely opposite direction – laying stances, weapon types, stamina management, aggression versus defence, Yokai skills, positioning and weapon match-ups with a deft hand – but the result is a masocore game unlike anything we’ve ever played. Deeper and more varied than the original Nioh, and different enough from its peers to really make an impact.

Nioh 2 then, in its own way, charts the evolution of the masocore genre, and makes itself an indispensable purchase in the process.

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eape schrieb:

Bloodborne hatte doch nicht einmal Loot bis auf die Hand voll Waffen mit festen Positionen und Outfits ohne große Gameplayauswirkungen. Mag das System bei den Souls-Games sehr, aber finde zu Nioh gehört auch das Looten von random Kram dazu. Müssen natürlich keine fünf Ausrüstungsgegenstände pro Gegner sein.

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