Nioh is the latest action game from the masters at Team Ninja/Tecmo Koei and from one of my favourite game producer of all time, Kou Shibushawa. Like the Souls series before it, Nioh is a game that forces you to change how you traditionally play action games and eventually also changes your perspective on how success and enjoyment is defined.
I learned this after getting stabbed, slashed, hammered, and bludgeoned for the nth time. I even fell to my death a few times. But you eventually learn that to enjoy this game you need to change yourself and how you play games. The game was so frustrating, and then i pull off an almost perfect run through one of the early stages, minimal health lost, demon boss defeated, and a few samurai’s headshotted. It was wonderful. It was as if i was back in grade school, getting serious and getting in the zone to beat some really tough games. It felt like being pulled out of retirement by a game that demands brutal mastery, expertise and perfection.
The Good
– Love the character designs, the art style is very good
– Loot system is very addictive, similar to borderlands or diablo
– Action and pacing keeps you on your toes
– Environmental lighting is very good
The Bad
– Difficulty is unforgiving, requires a lot of patience and mastery of weapons, stages and enemies
The Ugly
– Environmental textures seem bleh for the most part
– Some positioning of enemies to surprise you the first time
Parental Advice
I don’t think this is a title suitable for your child due to the violent nature of the game plus its difficulty is also an issue.
In Summary: I highly recommend Nioh for those willing to spend the time and effort to know its systems. If you are a veteran of the Dark Souls /Bloodborne series then you will right at home. This is not a title that a vast number of gamers will finish in a weekend so take your time in mastering this game. Fantastic yet possibly frustrating.
