Nioh 2: The Complete Edition PC review — This samurai Soulslike doesn't hold back

Nioh 2: The Complete Edition Source: Windows Key

As more and more than time goes by without a word from FromSoftware about Elden Ring, Dark Souls fans like myself accept been looking for similar games to play in the meantime. With this in heed, I jumped at the opportunity to check out Nioh 2: The Consummate Edition, a new edition of the 2022 PlayStation exclusive that includes all three of its DLCs and is releasing on Windows x PCs alongside the PlayStation 5. I had heard adept things near Team Ninja'south Nioh serial earlier, and later how much I enjoyed reviewing Common cold Symmetry's Mortal Beat out, I was interested in exploring Team Ninja's take on the Soulslike genre.

I've e'er felt that despite the best efforts of many talented studios, no developer has managed to trounce FromSoftware at its own genre. I still experience this fashion after playing through Nioh 2, but for the first time ever, it was a very close phone call to make. Nioh two is the best not-FromSoftware Soulslike I've played, and despite some of its bug, it'due south the most fun I've had playing a game in this genre since my start playthrough of Dark Souls III. It's formidably challenging, extremely rewarding, filled with first-class level designs, and information technology even brings a unique mechanic or ii to the table that helps combat feel fresh. What's not to love?

Nioh 2: Complete Edition

Nioh ii: The Complete Edition

Bottom line: Nioh 2: The Consummate Edition is an excellent Soulslike that features superb combat mechanics, great level design, a cute world, and more, and the upgrades and bonuses that come up with the Complete Edition are the scarlet on top.

The Practiced

Awesome gainsay mechanics
Stellar level design
Loads of armors and weapons
Beautiful visuals

The Bad

Enemy diversity could exist meliorate
Skill copse feel unnecessary
Mouse cursor glitch on PC

Nioh ii: What I like

Without a doubtfulness, the best thing about Nioh ii is the underlying combat arrangement. Typical Soulslike staples like calorie-free and heavy attacks, blocks, dodges, and counter-attacks are present, and they all experience incredibly fluid thanks to Nioh 2'due south responsive controls and snappy animations. This isn't what makes the combat feel special, though — the game's "Ki" (stamina) arrangement is responsible for that.

Category	GameNameXXX
Title	Nioh 2: The Complete Edition
Developer	Team Ninja
Publisher	Sony Interactive Entertainment/Koei Tecmo
Genre	Activity RPG (Soulslike)
Version	PC (Steam)
Game Size	78.35 GB
Play Time	50-60 hours (no DLC), 85-100 hours (DLC)
Players	Single or multiplayer
Launch Price	$l

In Nioh 2, attacks apply more than stamina than they practise in other games, and enemies can create pools of free energy that reduce how quickly you get it back. To become around this, you lot demand to press the right bumper at the right time (represented by blueish particles after attacking) to perform a Ki Pulse, which instantly returns a big portion of your stamina and cleanses enemy energy pools. This mechanic allows you lot to either keep up the pressure or successfully contrivance abroad from return strikes. The window for a Ki Pulse is small-scale, and if you mess information technology up, you'll frequently be forced to eat damage. However, once you principal the timing, the combat has an addicting, unique rhythm to information technology. At that place are other special mechanics too, such equally different stances that modify the speed and direction of your attacks and a Guardian Spirit ultimate ability you tin briefly utilise for increased damage and survivability.

This combat system is complimented well by both Nioh 2'south enemies and its collectible gear. Each enemy you encounter will pose a specific challenge, and there are tons of different armor types and weapons to collect that influence combat in impactful ways. Players can bulk upward stats needed for things like heavy armor or specific weapon types while leveling, assuasive them to craft effective builds.

The game's world blueprint is also stellar, from both a gameplay and a visual standpoint. Much like areas in Dark Souls, locations in Nioh 2 loop back on themselves in clever and natural ways, and also often have multiple paths forwards. This makes the villages, castles, and caverns yous explore experience like connected, believable locales rather than stages clearly designed for a video game. Players with keen eyes can spot hidden items and shortcuts, and in that location are many opportunities for y'all to utilize the environment to your advantage in combat.

Aesthetically, the game perfectly captures both the vibrant beauties and the sobering horrors of Sengoku-era Japan. In that location isn't a single area in the game that isn't visually striking, and thanks to the fact that a photo style has been included with Nioh two: The Complete Edition, you can capture some great screenshots. This version of the game likewise supports 4K, HDR, 144Hz, and ultra-wide aspect ratios, significant that it looks meliorate than always before — provided your hardware is upward to snuff.

Nioh two: What I don't like

Nioh 2: The Complete Edition Source: Windows Central

While I beloved Nioh 2 overall, there are a couple of bug with it. My biggest gripe with the game is that the enemy diversity feels a scrap lacking. Compared to FromSoftware's games that introduce a new enemy or two in each new area, Nioh 2 but does so every one time in a while. It'southward not a huge dealbreaker, but I wish the game pitted me against new opponents more often.

Secondly, in addition to the leveling system for stats, there's also a skill tree organization y'all can engage with past using certain weapons or leveling specific stats to unlock skill points. This organisation seems like information technology would be absurd. All the same, since each tree has and so many options to cull from and you're already worrying about armor, weapon, and character stats, they brand the game feel a picayune bloated. I was able to play through the game without caring much nearly what I was putting my skill points into, which begs the question: were skill copse necessary?

Lastly, at that place'due south an wearisome mouse cursor issues present in the pre-release PC build I played for this review. Even though I was using a controller to play the game, my mouse cursor was stubbornly visible right in the middle of my screen. Goose egg I tried successfully got it to go abroad, so I had to just deal with it. It's a small issue, but an annoying one all the same. I hope the developers are able to prepare this bug soon.

Nioh 2: Should you buy?

Nioh 2: The Complete Edition Source: Windows Central

While the enemy variety could be better and the skill tree system feels redundant, Nioh 2 is even so one of the best Soulslikes ever fabricated and is arguably the merely i that truly goes toe-to-toe with FromSoftware's titles. The combat is fluid and interesting, the game world is expertly crafted, and the Complete Edition of the game includes all 3 of the game'due south DLCs as well as support for 4K, HDR, and more.

Nioh 2: The Complete Edition is available for $50 on Windows 10 PCs, and it releases on Feb 5, 2022. If you savour Soulslikes, I tin't recommend Nioh 2: The Complete Edition plenty. It's 1 of the best PC games for fans of the genre available.

Nioh 2: Complete Edition

Nioh 2: The Complete Edition

Lesser line: Nioh two: The Complete Edition is an excellent Soulslike that features superb combat mechanics, slap-up level design, a beautiful world, and more, and the upgrades and bonuses that come with the Complete Edition are the reddish on top.

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