You can t tear yourself away from Nioh 2. One was very good, two is better thanks to new ideas - a review

Nioh 2 is currently the best Dark Souls not from From Software. The game is noticeably better than the first installment, which after all stood at a very high level. Higher quality has been achieved thanks to new gameplay ideas.

If I had to choose between Nioh 2 and Sekiro, I would choose Nioh 2. I realize how iconoclastic my decision can be in the eyes of some From Software fans. I understand where these forks and torches come from. After all, Sekiro: Shadow Die Twice is a manifestation of creative and artistic craftsmanship, while Nioh 2 is just solid craftsmanship. Such without extra depth or a unique soul. But what of it, since ...

I just play better at Nioh 2. Maybe because I don't feel despair and powerlessness.

One of the reasons I became addicted to the reviewed title is the lack of desperation and hopelessness. Playing the first Dark Souls (Ornstein and Smough), Bloodborne (Ludwig) or Sekiro (Owl Father) I always came to the point where I was on the verge of surrender. In which I thought: - no, I can't beat this boss in my life. It is impossible. The authors fucked up . In the end I managed to rise above all odds, but it was paid for hours, sometimes days of torment.

Of course, this type of torture makes Dark Souls Dark Souls. Thanks to the stages taking the player by the throat, the satisfaction of the defeated boss is amazing. Incomparable. So I think I'm getting older, because when Nioh 2 was a noticeably simpler game, I was pleased. It's easier, not just because of less demanding boss fights. Which still doesn't mean that Nioh 2 is a walk in the park. The average player will collide with the difficulty level just like water collides with rocks. It will hurt.

The lower difficulty level in Nioh 2 is due to the blue tombstones.

The distinguishing feature of the first Nioh were the red tombstones - places of death of other players, at which we could call their spirits. After winning the battle with such a ghost, we gained some of his belongings, including weapons and armor. Sequel adds blue auxiliary tombstones. Ghosts summoned over them do not want to fight. Quite the opposite: they help the player in the adventure exactly as if we were playing a cooperative network session with another player.

Blue tombstones are scattered around the locations as densely as red tombstones. Even if our companion falls, we will easily summon a new one. We make calls for items obtained on ghosts from red tombstones, so the problem with the limited number of summons is basically non-existent. One by one I surrounded myself with helpers making for living shields and attention distractors. Gameplay has become child's play at times.

Fortunately, the (auxiliary) ghosts are not good at fighting with bosses. They do not dodge, sporadically heal wounds and never fight conservatively. An NPC ally is great for distracting the boss's attention, but is usually killed before the enemy loses a third or a quarter of his life. Because of this, I still failed during the fights. However, no boss took me more than 5 - 6 approaches. And yet I do not consider myself a Souls veteran who can go through bongos every installment. Feet.

Being with opponents - it amazes me how many fights are fair.

When playing Sekiro or Bloodborne we could get the impression that the system favors opponents. The world is more favorable to them, while we want to kill everything around us. In Nioh 2 it's a little different. I am delighted that some of the unique opponents are typical samurai. Sure, they have more hit points and a better condition. Plus some special attacks. However, as a rule, they grow out of the same trunk as the player's avatar. They have the same weaknesses. That is why we fight them almost as equals.

Of course, Nioh 2 also cheats in its favor. It hurts most in the case of special attacks. During the spectacular animation, the enemy gains momentary (!) Immunity counted in a few seconds. When I see a tempting woman with a snake's body suffocating my NPC companion, I can't blow her over the freeing ally's back. The demon is invulnerable until she finishes her attack. Very weak!

As a general rule, Nioh 2 is a fair game. In addition, one that goes to the player's hand. While performing part of the mission (especially side quests) we can even feel like a hunter, not a game. We deal the cards. We break through our opponents like butter. We have built a character so strong that now we can derive measurable, tangible benefits. And that's great.

Nioh 2 allows you to feel like someone powerful, which is unique in this type of games.

We are a warrior who has mastered melee weapon techniques for the championship. We duel with equals. For this we have a unique gift ... we are half a demon. From time to time, we can turn into a powerful monster that causes conflagration and destruction. There was no such thing in the first installment and it is the demonic nature of the hero that gives the gameplay additional depth. There are three metamorphoses, each associated with a whole range of unique skills and effects.

I am very positively surprised by how comprehensive the range of possibilities after the macabre change is. What's more, we can also use demon skills in human form. We break souls from defeated monsters. We exchange these for unique demonic attacks. We can breathe fire, summon cyclops for help, turn our eyes into stone like a jellyfish or call for help a powerful viper. Some demonic skills steal the enemy's life, while others poison or disarm him. There is a lot of it.

Demonic skills are a CAPITAL variety to an already wide range of possibilities in Nioh 2. Unlike Dark Souls, here we don't have to be a magician to use magic. You don't have to be a rogue to throw shurikens and set traps. We don't have to choose a hunter if we want to shoot bows and shotguns. Character development is more linear than in Dark Souls, while there are noticeably more weapons, skills, spells, items, potions and so on. Testing new gadgets is half the fun.

Unfortunately, Nioh 2 is not as good as it could be. Several solutions are very bad.

I consider one of the biggest drawbacks to be the temporary immunity of my opponents, which I wrote above. Players who like the challenge also consider the lack of collision of weapons with the environment as a problem. When we play Dark Souls, it's very easy to blunt a long sword or spear by swinging it in a narrow corridor. The weapon bumps against the walls and loses strength. Nioh 2 does not have this problem. We can take a long odachi (grown katana) and wave it left and right. No collision occurs. We are not punished in any way for lack of precision and prudence.

The second giant problem for me is the multiplayer mode. Or rather, how the creators encourage others to help. To enter the world of the second player and help him in battle (after he asks for help at the shrine), we must be in a special menu displayed between missions. From here we enter the dojo, there we choose the multiplayer tab and then we decide on random help.

Such a system means that in practice there are much more needy people than helpers. A much better solution would be if the player signaled his desire to provide support during his own game. Instead, those who want to help must wait in a boring menu, while matchmaking should take place in the background. Fatal solution. Archaic. Impractical. Counterproductive. I don't know what genius came up with this idea.

The problem may also be the not as diverse environment as the creators promised. The producers of Nioh 2 were aware that one of the biggest disadvantages of the first part were gray, monotonous locations. It was supposed to change. In fact, some lands have become more vivid, colorful and interesting. But only part of it. Gray and night are still strong motifs that can take their toll in the long run. Which does not change the fact that in terms of appearance and design of the location is better. Just not as much as we would like.

Nioh 2 is not just a replacement for Dark Souls. It's quality in itself.

PlayStation 4 got an exclusive game that must be played by every fan of demanding From Software studio titles. Opponents' unique designs are sometimes a manifestation of true genius. The presence of auxiliary ghosts means that no player will get stuck permanently. Locations are more diverse. There are more weapons. Transformations into demons add depth to the game. And the producers have a plus for choosing between high resolution and more frames per second. Of course, I chose gate number two.

The biggest advantages:

• Dark Souls tracing paper that is better than Dark Souls (3)
• NPC Blue Ghosts will help less persistent players
• Major opponents' projects
• Some arbitrary justice that Souls lacks
• A lot of gadgets, techniques, skills, weapons and finishers
• Transformations into demons give the game additional depth
• Demonic skills are the best of Nioh 2
• Resolution / performance mode and mass of system settings

The biggest disadvantages:

• Multiplayer does not encourage help, a terrible project
• Temporary immunity of opponents
• Locations are still not as diverse as they could be
• Recycling of items from the first part

Nioh 2 looks great as a less demanding but equally engaging sister to Dark Souls. If you've bounced off the too-exotic Sekiro, you now have an interesting counter-offer. The game is not perfect, but if you liked the first part, you'll love the second one. It's definitely worth it!

You can't tear yourself away from Nioh 2. One was very good, two is better thanks to new ideas - a review