Nioh: The game that will make you want to break the controller (but will be worth it)

Nioh is a game that has been making history since its release in 2017. Developed by Team Ninja and published by Koei Tecmo, it is an action RPG set in feudal Japan. Its story, although complex, manages to be exciting and engaging. The game features many intriguing characters and twists, great combat systems, and an incredible potential to give you a lot of headaches and questions about your life choices. Are you up for it?



Yokais, Swords, and Tradition

The game is set in 17th-century feudal Japan and follows the journey of William, a Western mercenary who travels to the East in search of a legendary spirit stone called Amrita. The stone, according to legend, is capable of granting immortality, and William is hired to find it. However, upon arriving in Japan, he discovers that the stone has been stolen and is in the hands of one of the most powerful feudal lords in the country, Ishida Mitsunari.

Mitsunari is a complex character, with a narrative that left me intrigued, although he is portrayed as a ruthless villain, it is possible to see that he has personal motivations for seeking the immortality offered by the stone and that he believes his cause is just. Unlike the Souls series, in Nioh I could perceive objective linearity, with a storytelling format close to the traditional one, even though it has its own particularities. 

The constant presence of Mitsunari in Nioh's plot makes the story even more attractive since the game will motivate you to search for information about him and his intentions. I felt that the game managed to balance well the complexity and ambiguity of the character with his position as the main villain, creating an antagonist that is both hateful and fascinating.

In addition, Nioh's story is filled with Japanese mythology and fascinating characters that go beyond the main villain. One of the positives of the narrative construction is that Nioh, unlike games of similar style, manages to tell a complex story without the need for many cutscenes, which often break the pace of the game.



And Dead Again

The gameplay in Nioh is excellent. It is fast, responsive, and will test every fiber of patience in your soul. It is not an easy game, so you already know what to expect. But for the masochists who love to suffer for some inexplicable reason, the overwhelming difficulty may make the experience... rewarding (is that the adjective?) when you beat a boss or overcome a difficult obstacle. The variety of weapons and abilities give depth to the combat system, allowing you to create your own style of play.

There are seven different types of weapons, each with its own play style and special abilities. I started out using the katana, which is the most traditional weapon, but soon realized that each weapon has its own advantages and disadvantages, and I began to experiment with all of them. Dual swords are fast and agile, perfect for melee combat, while spears have a longer range and are effective for attacking enemies from a distance.

In addition, the game has a combat system that requires coordination and patience (did I say that here already?). If you want to survive, you had better pay attention to the enemies' movements and respond quickly and accurately. Each type of weapon has its own skill tree that can be customized to suit the player's play style. There is also a stance system that allows the player to adjust his or her defense and attack according to the situation. 

The boss fights are breathtaking. Yes, the boss will completely take your character's breath away about 8, 9, 10 times... So get used to it. But rest assured, once you learn the patterns, you will become a killing machine, of course, after you die another 3 or 4 times.

I felt that Nioh could offer more variety in terms of enemies and environments and a more personalized experience. Games like Dark Souls and Bloodborne have managed to address these issues by allowing the player to create their own character and customizing the gameplay experience. In addition, these games also offer a more open world, which allows for a greater variety of exploration. In any case, this is no demerit for the game.



The Beauty of Samurai Art 

The graphics in Nioh are beautiful, but the variety of environments is lacking. Although the game world is beautiful, it can become repetitive after a while. Despite this, the care and attention to detail are impressive, and the existing environments manage to create an immersive atmosphere. 

The characters are also a visual highlight. They are well detailed and have unique personalities, which is reflected not only in their design but also in their facial expressions and movements, which greatly increases the potential for immersion in the narrative since we have characters that show their emotions without appearing robotic. In addition, the animations are fluid and realistic, which contributes to making the battles even more intense and immersive. You will die in many ways but in style.

And I assure you, dying is not even what will disappoint you so much because dying in Nioh is as common as jokes involving doors and knocks. What will make you very disappointed is the precision required to survive. You know that button that you swore you pressed, but the character didn't react? Yes, yes, yes... But what really matters is that we will leave our bodies on the mortal plane in style! The spiritual explosions are spectacular and really add to the battles.

The audio in Nioh is an important aspect that contributes to the immersion in the game. The soundtrack is composed of intense music that varies according to the situation the player finds himself in. The sound effects are also very well done. The sound of clashing swords, roaring yokai, and musket shots is very realistic and helps create the feeling of being truly immersed in the game world. In addition, the character voices are well dubbed, which helps to convey the emotions and dialogs quite clearly.

Another audio highlight in Nioh is the cutscenes. The animated scenes are accompanied by an epic soundtrack that helps convey the grandeur of the story and the events taking place. This work could be in no other hands than Yugo Kanno.

Yugo Kanno is a Japanese composer who has worked on many projects related to games, anime, and movies, such as the fighting games Jojo's Bizarre Adventure and Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots. He is also known for his soundtracks for anime, including the popular anime series Psycho-Pass. I have followed his work for quite some time now and could not do this review without commenting on his work.



For this review, Nioh was played on the PC, through Epic