Nioh 2

Nioh 2 (2020) is a role-playing game that spans a period both before and after the original Nioh game. It's set in the devastated locales of Japan during the Sengoku period The novelty is the supernatural setting and thrilling horror of taking on hordes of fearsome yokai. Like Dark Souls, these battles are tough and unforgiving, only here the focus is on summoning other spirits and honing your supernatural forms.

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Play involves creating your character and working to equip them with a wide range of weapons such as odachi and kusarigama. Cut down enemies with the transforming Switchglaive, versatile hatchets, or many of the returning weapons from Nioh. Each weapon can be customized to offer different counters, move-sets and playstyles.

As you explore and battle through the world you earn new skills that enable you to defeat hostile yōkai. When beaten they drop a Soul Core that enables you to access yōkai abilities. You can also find Benevolent Graves to use magic to summon other computer-controlled characters who assist you in combat. Nioh 2 also extends the original game with the new Yokai Shift ability where you take on powerful forms to defeat even the most formidable yokai in battle.

The result is a game that creates a beautiful and brutal vision of Japan's early Sengoku period. As you explore the tense, sprawling environments the challenge combines with the desire to get to the bottom of this broken world that combines real-life historical figures and the supernatural spirits of Japan's rich folklore.

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Our examiner, Andy Robertson, first checked Nioh 2 2 years ago. It was re-examined by Jo Robertson and updated 13 months ago.