Codafett
Since: Dec, 2013
10/20/2021 00:00:00
Pretty much agree with everything. The story is absolutely a step up, in Nioh 1 I rarely had any idea what we were supposed to be doing.
Find the Light in the Dark
marcellX
Since: Feb, 2011
10/22/2021 00:00:00
But does it have enough new content for a Nioh 1 player to come back? One of my biggest gripes with the 1 was how it streatched the game 4x what it had content for. I was very off-put when I saw the red onis, cyclops and giant monks in trailers.
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It's the same... but somehow better.
A lot of people call Nioh 2 "Nioh 1.5" and claim It's the Same, So It Sucks! But that is doing this game a massive disservice. Nioh 2 is what the first Nioh SHOULD have been.
Yes, on the surface Nioh 2 looks no different from the original - same graphics, same combat, same HUD. But there are a number of subtle changes that elevate the sequel to a standard comparable to its Dark Souls inspiration.
Firstly, combat is no longer just a numbers game. Enemies and especially bosses are no longer simply a check of how many side missions you've done. In the original you either got totally wrecked or you crushed the boss easily depending on this. In the sequel most bosses have interesting mechanics that test your skill not your stats, meaning you don't even have to do any side missions if you don't want to. Enemy variety has been increased meaning the levels don't get stale quickly as new challenges appear in each main mission.
Secondly, the story is much more personal. You have an investment in what happens to your character and the people around them. You don't need a degree in Japanese History to get involved in the plot and the characters, especially the tragic downfall of your closest ally. You also get a better feel for why these missions are happening in the first place. (Compare the first game, where the story basically amounted to "White guy wanders around Japan doing random stuff people ask of him.")
The music is a massive step-up. The first game's music was good, but a lot of themes were re-used over and over until they became tired. This game has unique themes for every boss; dynamic music that changes based on the phase of the boss fight, plus powerful, stirring themes for the overworld that really capture the tone of the story.
On the down side, the game still gives out way, WAY too much loot at once. Unlike something like Borderlands, which lets you check stats before you pick something up, this game requires you to fumble through your inventory checking loads of different modifiers and set bonuses to try and decide what to use. After a while you'll only bother to check something that really stands out.
To summarise, I found it very difficult to get into the first Nioh; I didn't care much about the story, I didn't find the bosses or levels very engaging and I noticed the repetition of the music very quickly. So why did I even buy the sequel? I saw some online content about it that piqued my interest, and after playing it I can say I was fully invested in the sequel from start to finish. It captured my interest in a way the first game never did with only a few quality of life changes; changes that make a huge difference between an OK game and a great game. I thoroughly enjoyed it and recommend it to anyone who played the first game (even if like me you didn't quite get into it) and to those who haven't. You don't need to play the first game to pick this one up, and you won't regret it if you do.