After defeating the fascinating yet disturbing Magaraa Naotaka, it's time for another of the human bosses of Nioh 2, Azai Nagamasa.
Azai Nagamasa: appearance and origins
Azai Nagamasa introduces himself as a human, which mutates upon merging with his Guardian Spirit. Historically, was a military man and leader of the Azai clan, governing as such the northern part in the province of Omi. He was one of Oda Nobunaga's allies, starting from 1564, and one of his enemies from 1570 to 1573, the year of his definitive defeat.
Main attacks
Azai Nagamasa uses a katana as a weapon and is immediately very quick in movement and exceptionally agile. His attacks, however, are relatively predictable and, like any self-respecting soulslike, even in Nioh 2 the key is to make mistakes and learn from your mistakes (and, why not, countless deaths). Let's analyze his moves below. The first we would like to explain is thejump attack: Azai Nagamasa jumps into the air and lands on the player, causing him damage; you can both parry the blow and avoid it by running in a circle, in order to get around the enemy and have a good time window to attack him from behind. Another of the moves used by the enemy is spawning puddles of water on the ground, three exactly, which will explode after a short time; stay away from them and attack him if you are close to him, otherwise stay defensive. When you are away from him, Azai Nagamasa will try to harm you by throwing feathers at you, attack to be avoided by parrying. When in the Dark Realm it will perform two all new moves: an attack performed in flight and one performed by moving quickly towards the player. Both must be avoided with the Explosive Counterattack. Countering the in-flight attack requires timing training, but it is an effective tactic to avoid being hit and indeed damage your enemy. Also pay attention to his thrusts: they are very fast and can reach you in every area of the battlefield, so staying away from them is a counterproductive tactic.
Tips for attack and various vulnerabilities
Azai Nagamasa has no particular elemental vulnerabilities, however it is still a good help in addition to this type of buff to your weapon. The enemy is agile and fast and a good strategy requires you to be close to him by running in circles and around him to attack after he is done with his combos. Do not be greedy: you would not be able to hit him too many times and you would find yourself helpless and at the mercy of his blows. When he enters the Dark Realm you will need to use Explosive Counterattacks, which, as mentioned earlier, will require some practice to learn the timing (in the case of the airborne attack you will have to use this move before the boss lands). Absolutely do not attack him when he is using his wings to defend himself, as you will only lose ki and be exposed to an eventual offensive from Azai Nagamasa. Aim for his back as much as possible and be patient.
final Thoughts
Azai Nagamasa is an annoying enemy: swift, agile and deadly. He has very few weaknesses and the most effective tactic against him is to have patience, attacking him with a few hits and only when he has finished his combos. Don't be enticed, learn to read its movements, and the enemy in question will fall under your blows.
Difficulty: 3/5
Appearance: 4/5
Thematic inspiration: 3/5
Overall rating: 3,5 / 5
► Nioh 2 is an Action-RPG type game developed by Team Ninja and published by Koei Tecmo for PlayStation 4, the video game was released on 13/03/2020
