Nidhogg 2

The gameplay of Nidhogg 2 is incredibly smooth and each button press flows into the next, removing the focus on the controller and allowing the player to soak in the numerous advances MESSHOF has made as they poured their time into making a new and refreshing version of their previous title.

An excellent sword-fighting game that at times has trouble remembering its brilliant roots. [Oct 2017, p.78]

Though it doesn’t add much for players looking to play around with its improvements solo, Nidhogg 2 adds layers of depth to a simple formula without breaking what made it so appealing in the first place. The new weapons and maneuvers blend seamlessly into fights, making them more dynamic and tense. Its single-player offerings may be paper-thin, but for anyone looking to test themselves against their friends, Nidhogg 2 is hard to beat.

With all the same frantic scrambling and triumphant comebacks of the 2014 game — plus more variety then ever before thanks to customisable avatars and a bevy of options to tinker with everything from weapon lineup to gravity — Nidhogg 2 is a must for any games night or multiplayer marathon.

Nidhogg 2 is an exemplary symbol of how to create a gratifying multiplayer game.

A pretty good sequel for one of the most fun indie games out there. Fantastic 1 v 1 action.

Nidhogg 2 doesn’t change the core gameplay of its precursor in any Earth shattering ways, but it does introduce enough tweaks and refinements to make it well worth a second trip to the cosmic worm’s hideous belly. While the single player component isn’t especially interesting and the visuals might not be to everyone’s taste, as a couch multiplayer experience its immediacy and depth is utterly infectious.

Nidhogg 2 is the madhouse on top of Nidhogg's foundation. Formidable swords and a low-fi aesthetic are swapped for a gleeful array of sharp objects and a ridiculous style that embraces the 90's grossest toys. Nidhogg's singular focus isn't lost or diluted, it's amplified with a jubilant response to skill and spontaneity.

Essentially an update of its predecessor with a new art style and some carefully considered additional nuances, Nidhogg 2 nonetheless remains an obvious choice for friendship-destroying, local competitive party play on PS4.

Nidhogg is as visceral & fun as you can imagine. One of the best multiplayer games, but an awful proposal for single player.

Wicked local multiplayer appeal. [Nov 2017, p.81]

Fast, intense, but flawed. [Issue#192, p.82]

Played as intended, however, in local multiplayer, Nidhogg 2 sings. [Issue#311, p.114]

Nidhogg 2 does just enough to improve on the original. The new weapons and visuals keep things fresh and the action is gloriously chaotic but outside of a room full of people, the game lacks lasting appeal.

The online play currently ranges from bad to broken, and that’s a huge hit for a game that’s built around playing with friends. The single-player arcade mode isn’t enjoyable to play, and feels thrown in order to fulfill a checklist. It’s simply lacking in areas that’d make it a more appealing party game than the original. There are still flashes of brilliance that remind me why I loved Nidhogg, but the sequel never clicked for me in the same way.

Despite its problems, Nidhogg 2 is spectacular, engrossing, funny, tragic, and dramatic in equal measure, and it will no doubt become another party game staple. Nidhogg 2 sacrifices simplicity for more options, and it doesn't prove to be a good trade. But when the underlying action is this good, I'll put up with the odd unwelcome dagger.

Nidhogg 2 is a solid multi-player title that is bogged down by a handful of issues. The online play is currently a mess, the single player is lackluster at best and the new weapons do more harm than good. It’s a testament to how rock solid the gameplay is, though, that the title is still worth checking out if you have friends willing to embrace its weirdness. For now, I’ll stick with the original, though.

If you leave the nostalgia for the sharp pixels of the old Nidhogg, you can appreciate the depth and variety of the new backdrops, and let yourself be persuaded to handle the new weapons.

Nidhogg 2 is definitely a step up from the original game but it's just not enough of one to make it feel like a sequel. Instead, it merely comes across as a reskinned game with a few extra weapons.

Whereas the original Nidhogg was a wickedly fast and immediately loveable party game, Nidhogg 2 pushes the boundaries and arrives with mixed results. Its design choices inject some more strategy to the run-and-stab gameplay, but the increased complexity and love-it-or-hate-it art style makes it a harder game to recommend for casual players.

Ultimately, Nidhogg 2 is a unique game that is filled with charming quirks and strategic challenges. It’s only real mistake is not trusting in its original formula and undercutting its own successes with added fluff that just wasn’t necessary.

Nidhogg II is a case where bigger isn't always better. It's like trying to improve on a peanut butter and jelly sandwich. Sure, it's possible to add things to it, but the PB&J isn't something that really needs improving. That's how I felt coming away from Nidhogg II. It's a good attempt at improving on the original, but the end result didn't leave me feeling the same magic that I did when playing the first game. But with that aside, for those looking for chaotic dueling action, it's hard to argue with either Nidhogg game.