History VideoGame / Nioh

* BoomHeadshot: Zigzagged - a perfectly-aimed arrow or firearm shot to a human foe's head might be a guaranteed OneHitKill, even ''taking off their head''. However, if the enemy is wearing a helmet, the arrow takes off the helmet instead, rendering no damage taken. Alternately, a bullet will go through a helmet, but unlike an arrow, [[RealityEnsues the loud sound of the gunshot can draw the attention of nearby enemies.]]

''Nioh'' (from 仁王 - "two Deva kings", a pair of divine protectors of Buddhist temples), formerly known as ''Ni-Oh'', is a 2017 HackAndSlash ActionRPG for the Sony UsefulNotes/PlayStation4 and PC developed by Team Ninja (makers of ''VideoGame/DeadOrAlive'' and ''VideoGame/NinjaGaiden'') and published by Creator/SonyInteractiveEntertainment worldwide for the [=PlayStation=] 4 and Creator/KoeiTecmo in Japan for the [=PS4=] and worldwide on PC. Set in the [[JidaiGeki Warring States period of 16th-century Japan]], players take on the role of an Irish-born English samurai named William Adams as he combats against human and supernatural foes from Japanese folklore, such as {{Oni}}.

* ActorAllusion

* BonusBoss: [[spoiler: An ancestor of the [[NinjaGaiden Hayabusa]] ninja clan. Notably he completely plays straight the otherwise-heavily averted MyRulesAreNotYourRules by having access to attacks and ninjutsu straight from that game, meaning he can pull off feats of agility, magic, and swordsmanship that are completely impossible for a player to ever match.]]

* HealthDamageAsymmetry: Averted with human enemies; players and human enemies can be killed in a just a few hits. Yokai are notably more hardy.
* HyperspaceArsenal: William's invetory can hold a massive array of weapons, multiple full suits of armor, and a supermarket's worth of items, though he can only equip two melee and two ranged weapons at a time.

** The real-life William Adams was a regular sailor in the Royal Navy, not a pirate; though granted, he served chiefly under Sir Francis Drake, so the distinction might be pretty blurry.

* LighterAndSofter: In a meta-sense, while the game is just as brutal and difficult, and is still pretty damn dark, it is nowhere near as grim and eldritch as VideoGame/DarkSouls and VideoGame/{{Bloodborne}}.

* LimitBreak: Collect enough Amrita, in other word defeat enemies, and you'll have the ability to activate "Living Weapon" that'll increase damage output and decrease damage taken.

''Nioh'' (from 仁王 - "two Deva kings", a pair of divine protectors of Buddhist temples), formerly known as ''Ni-Oh'', is a 2017 HackAndSlash ActionRPG for the Sony UsefulNotes/PlayStation4 and PC developed by Team Ninja (makers of ''VideoGame/DeadOrAlive'' and ''VideoGame/NinjaGaiden'') and published by Creator/SonyInteractiveEntertainment worldwide for the [=PlayStation=] 4 and Creator/KoeiTecmo in Japan for the [=PS4=] and worldwide on PC. Set in the [[JidaiGeki Warring States period of 16th-century Japan]], players take on the role of an Irish-born English Samurai named William Adams as he combats against human and supernatural foes from Japanese folklore, such as {{Oni}}.

** There's also a few hints here an there that Oda Nobunaga is not the [[DemonKingNobunaga completely evil warlord]] [[spoiler: Kelley thought he was. His wife, Nohime, is truly devoted to Nobunaga and not protrayed as the FemmeFatale that a lot of other depictions of her tend to be, and unlike any other game adaptation, Nioh acknowledges that Nobunaga saved a black man from Madagascar from slavery under a christian missionary who would go on to be known as Yasuke and made him the first true foreign samurai, before William himself, even, and treated him like family.]]
* GrimyWater: One level starts in the sewers below a castle which the player must pass through. The water doesn't damage the player, but adds an unusal defuff that makes the player retch (and also open to attack) whenever he eats a healing item.

* HistoricalBeautyUpdate: All the historical characters are upgraded to look very attractive. Notably Oba Nobanga looks nothing like any contemporary depitions of him.
* HumanoidAbomination: A few of the female Youkai are humanoid women. [[AnIcePerson Yuki-Onna]] is almost indistinguishable from normal human being barring her UndeathlyPallor. On the other hand we have [[OurVampiresAreDifferent Hino-Enma]]; everything about her practically ''screams'' 'wrongness'.
* {{Harakiri}}: The Harakiri sword allows the player to commit Harakiri which returns them to the nearest [[SavePoint shrine]] at the cost of losing all their Amrita.
* HealingPotion: Elixirs, which can be restored to a baseline at shrines, or dropped by certain enemies. There's also the much rarer Shingiku Medicine which fully heals, and the starter potion, simply called "Medicine", that shows up in the prologue [[spoiler: and the true final level.]]
* HealingSpring: Bathing in hot springs restores your health and gives you a temporary [[RegeneratingHealth healing buff]].
* HealthDamageAsymmetry: Averted with human enemies; players and human enemies can be killed in a just a few hits. Yokai are notably more hardy.

* HistoricalVillainUpgrade: While the real Edward Kelley was an alchemist, in Nioh he's portrayed as being an EvilSorcerer. [[spoiler: Same goes for his boss, John Dee.]] Some sources say that the real-life Kelley was a practitioner of the dark arts, but whether or not that's true is up in the air.

* AluminumChristmasTrees: There actually was a white samurai named William Adams, who was in fact the first European to ever be made a samurai by the Shogun. In fact, he was a pure blooded Englishman, and [[RaceLift his being made Irish for the game is the fictional part]]. The same happens with Yasuke -- who was in fact a real person, the first recorded non-Japanese samurai, [[BlackVikings from Africa]].

At [[UsefulNotes/ElectronicEntertainmentExpo E3 2018]], a new game entitled ''VideoGame/Nioh2'' was announced. [[https://www.polygon.com/2019/5/22/18636322/nioh-2-alpha-test-ps4-dates New gameplay]] [[https://gematsu.com/2019/05/nioh-2-closed-alpha-test-set-for-may-24-to-june-2-gameplay-trailer trailers]] were released in May 2019 ahead of a closed alpha test. [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OiOEeq1LkrU The TGS 2019 trailer]] also revealed that the game is a {{Prequel}}, featuring UsefulNotes/ToyotomiHideyoshi in his youth (including his time when he was known as Kinoshita Tokichiro) during his service under the younger UsefulNotes/OdaNobunaga. It was released world wide on March 13th, 2020. A UsefulNotes/Playstation5 version, as part of a collection with Nioh 2, is slated to be released in February 2021, with 120 FPS support.

At [[UsefulNotes/ElectronicEntertainmentExpo E3 2018]], a new game entitled ''VideoGame/Nioh2'' was announced. [[https://www.polygon.com/2019/5/22/18636322/nioh-2-alpha-test-ps4-dates New gameplay]] [[https://gematsu.com/2019/05/nioh-2-closed-alpha-test-set-for-may-24-to-june-2-gameplay-trailer trailers]] were released in May 2019 ahead of a closed alpha test. [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OiOEeq1LkrU The TGS 2019 trailer]] also revealed that the game is a {{Prequel}}, featuring UsefulNotes/ToyotomiHideyoshi in his youth (including his time when he was known as Kinoshita Tokichiro) during his service under the younger UsefulNotes/OdaNobunaga. It was released world wide on March 13th, 2020. A Playstation5 version, as part of a collection with Nioh 2, is slated to be released in February 2021, with 120 FPS support.

At [[UsefulNotes/ElectronicEntertainmentExpo E3 2018]], a new game entitled ''VideoGame/Nioh2'' was announced. [[https://www.polygon.com/2019/5/22/18636322/nioh-2-alpha-test-ps4-dates New gameplay]] [[https://gematsu.com/2019/05/nioh-2-closed-alpha-test-set-for-may-24-to-june-2-gameplay-trailer trailers]] were released in May 2019 ahead of a closed alpha test. [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OiOEeq1LkrU The TGS 2019 trailer]] also revealed that the game is a {{Prequel}}, featuring UsefulNotes/ToyotomiHideyoshi in his youth (including his time when he was known as Kinoshita Tokichiro) during his service under the younger UsefulNotes/OdaNobunaga. It was released world wide on March 13th, 2020. A PlaystationFive version, as part of a collection with Nioh 2, is slated to be released in February 2021, with 120 FPS support.

At [[UsefulNotes/ElectronicEntertainmentExpo E3 2018]], a new game entitled ''VideoGame/Nioh2'' was announced. [[https://www.polygon.com/2019/5/22/18636322/nioh-2-alpha-test-ps4-dates New gameplay]] [[https://gematsu.com/2019/05/nioh-2-closed-alpha-test-set-for-may-24-to-june-2-gameplay-trailer trailers]] were released in May 2019 ahead of a closed alpha test. [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OiOEeq1LkrU The TGS 2019 trailer]] also revealed that the game is a {{Prequel}}, featuring UsefulNotes/ToyotomiHideyoshi in his youth (including his time when he was known as Kinoshita Tokichiro) during his service under the younger UsefulNotes/OdaNobunaga. It was released world wide on March 13th, 2020.

!!''Nioh'' provides the following ltropes:

''Nioh'' (仁王; "Benevolent King"), formerly known as ''Ni-Oh'', is a 2017 HackAndSlash ActionRPG for the Sony UsefulNotes/PlayStation4 and PC developed by Team Ninja (makers of ''VideoGame/DeadOrAlive'' and ''VideoGame/NinjaGaiden'') and published by Creator/SonyInteractiveEntertainment worldwide for the [=PlayStation=] 4 and Creator/KoeiTecmo in Japan for the [=PS4=] and worldwide on PC. Set in the [[JidaiGeki Warring States period of 16th-century Japan]], players take on the role of an Irish-born English Samurai named William Adams as he combats against human and supernatural foes from Japanese folklore, such as {{Oni}}.

''Nioh'' (仁王; "Benevolent King"), formerly known as ''Ni-Oh'', is a 2017 HackAndSlash ActionRPG for the Sony UsefulNotes/PlayStation4 and PC developed by Team Ninja (makers of ''VideoGame/DeadOrAlive'' and ''VideoGame/NinjaGaiden'') and published by Creator/SonyInterectiveEntertainment worldwide for the [=PlayStation=] 4 and Creator/KoeiTecmo in Japan for the [=PS4=] and worldwide on PC. Set in the [[JidaiGeki Warring States period of 16th-century Japan]], players take on the role of an Irish-born English Samurai named William Adams as he combats against human and supernatural foes from Japanese folklore, such as {{Oni}}.

''Nioh'' (仁王; "Benevolent King"), formerly known as ''Ni-Oh'', is a 2017 HackAndSlash ActionRPG for the Sony UsefulNotes/PlayStation4, developed by Team Ninja (makers of ''VideoGame/DeadOrAlive'' and ''VideoGame/NinjaGaiden'') and published by Creator/KoeiTecmo. Set in the [[JidaiGeki Warring States period of 16th-century Japan]], players take on the role of an Irish-born English Samurai named William Adams as he combats against human and supernatural foes from Japanese folklore, such as {{Oni}}.

Gameplay is inspired by ''VideoGame/DarkSouls'', wherein an average {{Mook|s}} can kill a gear-appropriate player in less than four hits, players must learn to spot enemy tells and draw out opponents one at a time, else risk a swift defeat from numerous foes, while stronger ones like oni and bosses can easily OneHitKill players. Unlike ''Dark Souls'', ''Nioh'' has several things that set it apart. For starters, it features a set protagonist in William Adams (the RealLife "First English Samurai"), thus limiting CharacterCustomization to accessories, armor and weapons like traditional {{Eastern RPG}}s. Speaking of, ''Nioh'' places heavy emphasis on gear, as the game uses a loot-based equipment system to bestow the player with improved stats and abilities. While the combat system is similar to its inspirations on a surface level, ''Nioh'' features numerous quirks that make it unique, such as Ki Pulsing, Living Weapons, Ninjutsu, Onmyo Magic, five weapon types (with two more added in the [[DownloadableContent DLC]]) that have their own movelists a la a HackAndSlash game, and a StanceSystem. With a pace almost as fast as ''VideoGame/{{Bloodborne}}'', the game is similarly completely merciless to the unprepared.

''Nioh'' (仁王; "Benevolent King"), formerly known as ''Ni-Oh'', is a 2017 HackAndSlash ActionRPG for the Sony UsefulNotes/PlayStation4, developed by Team Ninja (makers of ''VideoGame/DeadOrAlive'' and ''VideoGame/NinjaGaiden'') and published by [[Creator/{{Koei}} Koei Tecmo]]. Set in the [[JidaiGeki Warring States period of 16th-century Japan]], players take on the role of an Irish-born English Samurai named William Adams as he combats against human and supernatural foes from Japanese folklore, such as {{Oni}}.

At [[UsefulNotes/ElectronicEntertainmentExpo E3 2018]], a new game entitled ''VideoGame/Nioh2'' was announced. [[https://www.polygon.com/2019/5/22/18636322/nioh-2-alpha-test-ps4-dates New gameplay]] [[https://gematsu.com/2019/05/nioh-2-closed-alpha-test-set-for-may-24-to-june-2-gameplay-trailer trailers]] were released in May 2019 ahead of a closed alpha test. [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OiOEeq1LkrU The TGS 2019 trailer]] also revealed that the game is a {{Prequel}}, featuring UsefulNotes/ToyotomiHideyoshi in his youth (including his time when he was known as Kinoshita Tokichiro) during his service under the younger UsefulNotes/OdaNobunaga. It is slated to be released world wide on March 13th, 2020.

* {{Autosave}}: Just like ''Dark Souls'', ''Nioh'' constantly triggers this.

* {{Harakiri}}: The Harakiri sword allows the player to commit Harakiri which returns them to the nearest [[SavePoint shrine]] at the cost of losing all their Amrita (basically Nioh's answer to the [[VideoGame/DarkSouls Darksign]] or [[VideoGame/{{Bloodborne}} Hunter's Mark]].

Gameplay is inspired by ''VideoGame/DarkSouls'', wherein an average {{Mook|s}} can kill a gear-appropriate player in less than four hits, players must learn to spot enemy tells and draw out opponents one at a time, else risk a swift defeat from numerous foes, while stronger ones like oni and bosses can easily OneHitKill players. Unlike ''Dark Souls'', ''Nioh'' has several things that set it apart. For starters, it features a set protagonist in William Adams (the RealLife "First English Samurai"), thus limiting CharacterCustomization to accessories, armor and weapons like traditional {{Eastern RPG}}s. Speaking of, ''Nioh'' places heavy emphasis on gear, as the game uses a loot-based equipment system to bestow the player with improved stats and abilities. While the combat system is similar to its inspirations on a surface level, ''Nioh'' features numerous quirks that make it unique, such as Ki Pulsing, Living Weapons, Ninjutsu, Onmyo Magic, five weapon types (with two more added in the [[DownloadableContent DLC]]) that have their own movelists a la a HackAndSlash game, and a StanceSystem. With a pace almost as fast as, and at times ''faster'' than ''VideoGame/{{Bloodborne}}'', the game is similarly completely merciless to the unprepared.