Review for Nioh 2. Game for PlayStation 4, the video game was released on 13/03/2020
The rise of souls-like has now become unstoppable, unstoppable and at times irresistible, a clear sign of a constantly changing videogame market. The various exponents of the genre, with more or less evident fortunes, have clearly contributed to making what was previously to be considered nothing more than a niche sub-genre one of the strengths of the current generation of consoles, destined to end in the best of ways with the arrival of Nioh 2, spiritual sequel to the highly acclaimed Nioh, one of the most popular "small" pearls of the videogame scene in recent years. With the promise of improving without revolutionizing the excellent play formula, with a fundamentally conservative but still proactive second chapter, the expectations of all fans of the saga - but more generally of the souls-like genre - immediately skyrocketed, and with right reasons. After the first contacts with the game, the idea of finding a new little jewel of the genre on your hands has crept with greater conviction into the minds of gamers but also of professionals, with the ever more concrete hope of being able to deal with an even more refined and refined product than its predecessor.
After spending over 75 hours in the company of good old Hide (nickname with which our alter ego is identified in the game) we are ready to give you our judgment. A judgment, if we want it, simple on a numerical level but stratified and complex in the reasons. We still want to give you a little spoiler: we had a lot of fun, even if we had to swear a lot and very often, but it was absolutely worth it. Do you want to know why? Then keep reading our full Nioh 2 review!
History and narration
Net of the numbering, Nioh 2 is not the continuation of the first chapter, at least not as regards the narrative discourse. The new baby of Team Ninja and Koei Tecmo is actually a prequel, since at a chronological level it arises several years before the events of William and his arrival in the Land of the Rising Sun, thus exploring the origins of a war for the long, gory and more layered power than it might seem on the thematic front. After creating our alter-ego, through a more than satisfactory and sufficiently varied character creation editor, the game immediately lets us understand what, shortly thereafter, will await our protagonist, a man (in our case a woman ) in whose soul both a human nature and and above all one coexist yokai.
The deeds of our avatar move in a difficult, brutal and incredibly bloody historical period, a period of conquest and continuous struggles for power. At the dawn of the Sengoku Era, with a country in constant turmoil, our demon hunter will come across the mysterious merchant Tokichiro, who experiences a sort of obsession and adulation towards the mysterious Stones of the Spirit, also known by the name of Amrita. The obsessive search for the latter will lead Tokichiro himself and the protagonist to the court of the Warlords, in the service of Saito Dosan, historical figure of great importance strongly linked to what is in fact one of the main protagonists of the story: Oda Nobunaga. At the service of the bloodthirsty Warlord, the protagonist will begin a journey within a long series of battles that will lead Oda himself to the rise, in an endless sequence of fights to the death, alliances, political fights and, why not , betrayals. Behind the "simple" mask of war, however, there is something else: a Yokai kingdom increasingly poured into the human world is exploited in some way by the forces at stake, thus transforming the riots into real battles beyond the human a conception in which, clearly, to dictate the law are once again the mysterious Stones of the Spirit, whose archaic power directly affects the mind and body of those with whom they come into contact.
The dark influences of these mysterious objects are pouring more and more on the known world, in which mysterious dark forces are however equally active, in disguise, with unknown ends. The rise of Nobunaga, tied double-edged to our actions, is therefore the narrative device that accompanies the progression which, as in the first chapter of the saga, unfolds over a broad timeline, covering approximately several decades and showing thus the consequences of an interminable war whose ramifications, as we know, have extended far beyond the simple boundary of death and defeat. The same fact that Oda Nobunaga, but also his wife, the beautiful princess Noh, they are bosses that can be faced in the first Nioh is in fact a concrete proof, a mixture of fan service and narrative and structural coherence that we feel we can reward with flying colors in any case. Advancing with history, you will therefore become acquainted with a cross-section of Japanese history, perfectly mixed, once again, in a playful sauce.
From the Azai clan to the famous conquest of the province of Mino by Oda himself, up to the bloody battle of Okehazama, these are just examples of a reinterpretation curated in its simplicity that actively contributes to making this second chapter probably more interesting and decidedly in focus. narrative of what the first Nioh was.
Gameplay and news
As we have already had the opportunity to reiterate during our pre-release coverage, Nioh 2 is fundamentally a conservative product, which does not want to overturn the excellent play system set up with the first chapter but, on the contrary, wants to perfect it in all its aspects. And let us tell you right away: it fully succeeds. Pad in hand, Nioh 2 inherits that frenetic but at the same time tremendously tactical style of the first chapter, in which every single fight represents that spectacular dance of swords (and not only) that sees our alter ego and the many enemies of the moment as the protagonist, whose high variety forces the player to an increasingly programmed approach, leaving little room for that (almost always) unhealthy idea of throwing himself headlong into battles without a real strategy.
This is also why Nioh 2 reveals itself from the very first bars as a brutal souls-like, tremendously punitive and characterized by a level of challenge set strongly upwards, in which every single enemy is capable of causing a disproportionate amount of damage to our alter ego. It goes without saying that the best choice is to give great importance to the role-playing component of the title, in this second chapter of the saga even more marked and important. Nioh 2 offers the player great freedom of action as regards the customization of the warrior, whose choice of statistics to increase quickly becomes one of the most keystone of the whole adventure. Enhancing this or that parameter, as in the first Nioh, directly affects the type of weapons that will be used in battle, which offer sensational and varied general feedback. Using a heavy ax, relying on the always fascinating katana or throwing yourself into the fray with the ravenous Scatto Falcione (one of the new weapons in the game) is something always different, exclusive, unique, an unequivocal sign of how much Team Ninja has been able to work on one of the most relevant aspects of such a production: the combat system.
The control scheme does not change compared to the past: the classic heavy and light attacks is flanked by the type of handle with which each weapon is used, equally fundamental for the purpose of easier progression. Allowing you to switch freely between the High, Intermediate or Low Nioh 2 handle shows, once again, how much work there is behind its conception on the play front., once again dramatically expanding what is the yield of the weapons themselves and their approach to every single fight.
In this bloody and continuous battle against hungry and tremendously aggressive enemies, if we want even more numerous and inexorable than in the past, once again the energy that moves everything: Ki. Making the most of your alter ego's energy bar and above all the Ki Rhythm mechanics (pressing the R1 key with the right timing after a combo), which also returns in this sequel with an even more incisive role, is therefore the basis from which to start in order not to find oneself too often facing death and having to repeat the same clashes and above all find the lost road. As in the past but here in a more decisive way, the game maps enjoy a decidedly intricate level design in which finding the way will almost never be easy, also due to a very large density of enemies, able to catch the player off guard. and above all even more tough and dangerous than in the past. It goes without saying that boosting the Ki-bound warrior parameter is one of the most sensible choices in the game, and here it comes back with force one of the most interesting aspects of this Nioh 2, that is the role-playing, at times strategic, to which it is practically necessary to pay attention to avoid unpleasant surprises which, believe us, will always be around the corner. With Nioh 2, in any case, Team Ninja has shown that it also knows how to learn not only from itself but also from others, trying to replicate with the necessary differences some mechanics inherited directly from a colossus like Sekiro.
As in the child of From Software, the mechanics of the stamina bar also returns here, the emptying of which corresponds to the possibility of carrying out a powerful attack, capable of causing considerable damage to enemies. This is a very particular introduction into the game's economy, as it makes some boss fights slightly "unbalanced", for better or worse, and which overall serves to give the title that slight differentiation from the first chapter. Fortunately, the developers have introduced a whole new mechanic, which allows the summoning of a benevolent spirit (a "good" revenant, to be clear) to fight alongside us. This feature, however, at the moment actually leaves the time it finds due to the artificial intelligence of the latter which is anything but enviable. Our allies, in fact, usually throw themselves headlong under enemy blows without using healing items, thus quickly ending up on the mat and leaving us alone against our fate.
Progression and new skills
In Nioh 2, like (and even more) than its predecessor, carefully choosing which statistics to increase and consequently which "build" to create is a fundamental, almost decisive step, from which fortunately it is possible to take a step back, of course, but to which it is necessary to pay great attention from the very first bars. This is also due to a more targeted management of skills, especially passive ones, often linked to a certain parameter, the development of which can be fundamental for a less problematic advancement. The first Nioh, however, if we want, had its own management of the unlocking and the progression of skills, sometimes unclear.
In this regard, Team Ninja has devised a very clear system to keep the skills to be upgraded under control, creating a very interesting skill tree ad hoc and certainly easier to consult. As in the past, however, the skill points are not unlocked through the exp and the leveling (except for some parameters) but, as happens a bit with Skyrim, the attribute points are unlocked through the actual use of that precise sphere of belonging. Using a katana unlocks the points related to the skill tree of the katanas themselves or, perhaps, often relying on the use of ninja tools causes the samurai skills of our avatar to rise accordingly. It therefore becomes clear how specializing in the use of a specific weapon (or rather two, since the game will prompt you from the tutorial to select two "melee" and two "remote") is a fundamental, almost decisive choice. especially for the initial stages in which it is not possible to go wrong without carrying dramatic consequences, which often result in an inevitable departure. Choosing carefully what type of Yokai exterminator you want to become, therefore, goes far beyond the creation of the character, one of the most appreciated novelties of this Nioh 2. Unlike the first chapter, in fact, in this prequel we will not wear the role of good old William, but of an original character, who came into contact almost by chance with the stones of the spirit and with their dark power but to which he seems to be deeply connected somehow. Our alter ego is a Metamorph, a being capable of changing his own shape and conscience into that of a Yokai, with clear repercussions on the playful front.
To the "simple" transformation that it was possible to give vent to in William's shoes, here are added a much more substantial range of possibilities that expand, without revolutionizing it, a much more stratified playful style. In addition to the transformation, the protagonist can take advantage of Yokai skills, which can be activated after waiting for a cooldown by pressing the R2 + square or triangle keys. These abilities are linked to another of the innovations introduced with Nioh 2: the Nucels of the Soul. By defeating a boss, but also normal enemies, it is possible to collect your own core, a sort of fragment of your power, which can be used both to enhance your statistics in some way and to unleash yokai abilities.. To use a Core it is necessary to harmonize it at a shrine and then equip it by tying it to the Guardian Spirit in use. The unleashed abilities can be of different types: for example, we happened to see a very particular technique: through the Core of one of the most "alternative" enemies in the game, the Tesso, the character frees his own ... intestine with a move very "particular", poisoning enemies with a toxic cloud, just to give an example. The novelties related to the hybrid nature of the protagonist, however, do not end there. With the right timing and by pressing the R2 + circle keys it is possible to unleash an Explosive Counterattack, which varies according to the type of Guardian Spirit equipped and which is often decisive against some bosses and different types of ordinary enemies.
This mechanic is probably one of the most interesting of the whole game but also perhaps one of the most abusable, although snatching the mechanics will not be an undertaking for everyone, also because the reaction times will vary according to the type of enemy that is there. will parry from the front. Even the Guardian Spirits have undergone a small but significant change: they can now belong to three different types, namely Ghost, Brutus and Ferocious and this affects in particular, precisely, on the Explosive Counterattack and on the type of damage they cause to enemies. Too bad that, at least according to the "pre-release" version of the game, all these mechanics, as well as some basic shots and actions, suffer from a sort of sometimes inexplicable input lag and that more than once has put us in great difficulty . We hope, of course, that everything will be fixed with the release of the game.
Graphics and technique
Coming to the technical and aesthetic question of production, this is probably the factor where the developers have made the least effort, bringing to the screen an overall product that is anything but stunning. Leaving aside a general cleanliness of the models and a lighting system that is certainly more convincing than in the past, the game does not differ much from its predecessor, thus showing a fundamentally backward technical sector.
This is evident in particular not so much by observing the polygonal models of the enemies (whose assets are often quite recycled) or the various characters that populate the game world, but by observing the outline: the interiors, the vegetation and in general the environmental interaction. and particle effects. The beauty of a skilfully reconstructed Japan at a historical level is therefore compromised by a graphic rendering excessively linked to the first chapter from which this sequel, in many ways, does not differ that much. Even in terms of settings and locations, in fact, the step taken by Team Ninja is all in all short and conservative, preferring to tread a safe path and making the player feel immediately at home, with a stylistic solution that seems to strongly follow that desire for continuity within production.
Going into more details, it is fair to point out that the game also uses HDR technology, although it too does not scream a miracle. Regardless, however, just as its predecessor Nioh 2 offers the player the possibility to choose, on PlayStation 4 Pro, between the action mode (ideal for those who prefer the frame rate) and the cinema one, perfect for making the polygonal mass much sharper at the expense, precisely, of the frame rate update speed, thus pegged to 30fps. In both cases, everything was very stable, leaving little room for imperfections and blunders of sorts. It goes without saying that we preferred the first of the two options, clearly more suitable for the type of product and ideal for enjoying even more the splendid and frenetic clashes.
What rewards the work of the studio once again is the attention to detail and the recreated imagination, which, once again, is one of the most successful things about a product from an almost unassailable artistic point of view. The sound sector is also very good: the music accompanying the clashes with the bosses, in particular, are all very beautiful and themed, thus expanding the audiovisual quality of the product, marred only in part, if you will, by an English dubbing that is anything but unforgettable and not very expressive.
Nioh 2 is a brutal title, tremendously punitive and merciless like few others. The second child of the souls-like family created by Team Ninja carries on with great attention the excellent material glimpsed with the first Nioh, expanding and perfecting an already almost perfect play experience with a few additions (but of weight). The new mechanics linked to the Nuclei di Spirito, the Explosive Counterattack and an even more marked role-playing vein are some examples of the great work done by the development team, a work however tainted by a decidedly less accurate dedication towards a technical sector excessively linked to the past and unable to show itself in step with the times. It is also a pity that the locations are not always as fascinating and iconic as in the past: net of a decidedly more interesting plot, the areas visited do not keep pace with history itself, resulting in many cases anonymous and recycled. Overall, however, we are faced with a sumptuous title, both in terms of longevity and playful depth, which, we are sure, will delight all fans of the genre and the brand, but be careful: if you plan to start from here, being a prequel, we invite you to review your choice, due to a level of challenge that we feel we consider too high for those approaching the series for the first time or souls-like in general.
► 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
