Nidhogg

 PlayStation 4
User Score
6.3

Mixed or average reviews- based on 51 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 26 out of 51
  2. Mixed: 11 out of 51
  3. Negative: 14 out of 51

Review this game

  1. Your Score
    0 out of 10
    Rate this:
    • 10
    • 9
    • 8
    • 7
    • 6
    • 5
    • 4
    • 3
    • 2
    • 1
    • 0
    • 0
  1. Submit
  2. Check Spelling
view
per page
  1. Antiquecardboar
    May 18, 2016
    9
    Graphics are terrible. Wish there were more than 4 badly designed stages. Some near impossible trophies. Very little to do...

    Absolutely love this game! This game is the proof that gameplay trumps any other consideration. You have to try it to believe it. Fun! The best multiplayer game in ages. My brother and I haven't had this much fun since super smash on the ol' 64.
  2. felasi
    Jan 1, 2015
    7
    This is a great all round fun game to play with your friends. Forget about single player (it doesn't really exist). This is meant to be played dueling your buddies for a laugh. Its fast paced, simple, and tons of fun.

    The online match making isn't always 100% reliable, and it would be great if there were a few more maps (only 4 maps available). For best results, play with your    This is a great all round fun game to play with your friends. Forget about single player (it doesn't really exist). This is meant to be played dueling your buddies for a laugh. Its fast paced, simple, and tons of fun.

    The online match making isn't always 100% reliable, and it would be great if there were a few more maps (only 4 maps available).

    For best results, play with your friends together rather than online.    … Expand
  3. youlouz
    Nov 2, 2015
    7
    Nidhog is a fun indie game at first, however it can get very repetitive.

    PROS
    -Graphics are good
    -Creative combat

    Cons
    -Can grow repetitive .
  4. Malooga
    Dec 24, 2014
    9
    I can't quite place my finger on what makes this game so amazing, but trying to play it without a huge grin on my face was nearly impossible. Nidhogg takes a very simplistic formula and uses it to create one of the most tense and rewarding fighting games I've ever had the pleasure of playing. This game is one part fencing simulator, one part Bushido Blade and a whole lot of retro chaos.I can't quite place my finger on what makes this game so amazing, but trying to play it without a huge grin on my face was nearly impossible. Nidhogg takes a very simplistic formula and uses it to create one of the most tense and rewarding fighting games I've ever had the pleasure of playing. This game is one part fencing simulator, one part Bushido Blade and a whole lot of retro chaos. Each level (there are four) consists of a center stage and three identical stages to either side of the center. Your goal is to reach the end of the stage, by running frantically every time you manage to skewer your opponent. The respawn timer is only a few seconds, so every second counts. This makes the progression of the level flow beautifully, and truly there is never a dull moment in Nidhogg. I have ended matches in less than a minute with some deft maneuvering and clever swordplay. I was also in a four minute stand-off as I faced my opponent standing across a large gap, both of us daring each other to make the first move. This is the kind of brilliant, unscripted gameplay that made classics classic. Nidhogg teaches a very important lesson to those developers who would put out retro looking titles to cash in on that nostalgia factor: SIMPLICITY BREEDS SOPHISTICATION. Too many times titles try to cram all the nuance of current gen gaming into an 8-bit package, when what really made those games fun WAS the fact that they didn't require so much of the player to understand. Nidhogg is too much fun to pass up, and is currently half its normal price on PS4. Pick it up, you won't regret it. 9/10… Expand
  5. foxviewchannel
    Feb 10, 2015
    9
    I was quite skeptical about how this game will turn out; however, my feelings changed when I found myself along with my friends all night challenging each other, battle after battle.
    Nidhogg is a side scroller one on one sword fighting game. Each arena, with its own style and feel is divided into sections and your main goal is to defeat and run past the opponent to reach the final section    I was quite skeptical about how this game will turn out; however, my feelings changed when I found myself along with my friends all night challenging each other, battle after battle.
    Nidhogg is a side scroller one on one sword fighting game. Each arena, with its own style and feel is divided into sections and your main goal is to defeat and run past the opponent to reach the final section where a flying dragon eats you; however this won’t be an easy task as the battles are tough.

    Quick reflexes to defend and attack with full precision are important because one false move and a single attack will kill you. Once you make a kill, you will have to quickly run forward towards the end of the arena and benefit from the couple of seconds you have before the enemy respawns again in front of you for another battle.

    Defending properly is key in battle because a well-timed counter will disarm the enemy for an easy kill. Nidhogg is all about focusing and mastering your fighting skills. The more you learn how to properly attack and defend the more you see how deep and well balanced the game is.

    The controls are simple with the basic attack and jump button. There are 3 main strikes; high, medium and low. You can also do a jumping attack or even a quick role to go in for a kill and you can also throw the sword at the enemy for a nice surprise. Every attack can be countered and successfully pulling of a counter attack feels rewarding.

    Sadly the modes in Nidhogg are very limited with only 4 arenas to choose from and the single player has no story, only random fights against strong AI bots that are challenging until you reach the final.

    There is an online mode as well which I found smooth and if you have a Vita, you can play against PS4 owners as well; however, finding online players wasn’t easy.

    What truly makes this game shine is playing it locally with a friend. Inviting friends over to play a tournament is a blast as it will test your skills against each other. The battles are very tense, which keeps you at the edge of your seat. Some rounds went from 5 minutes while others went on for 30 minutes.

    The retro graphics suit the feel of the game and the sound track is lovely adding to the overall experience.

    Sometimes games take us back to a time, back to a time where graphics didn’t matter; a time where what mattered most was the gameplay.
    Nidhogg is a beautiful game with a very good combat system and unique gameplay style that succeeds in doing exactly what it was meant to do, being fun.    … Expand
  6. seriimac
    Aug 4, 2016
    7
    Good game, very good bad graphic, and too much simplicity)

    Wish there were more automated modes in VS play, or something like test your luck from MK, because when you have everytime to manually set modificators it is not cool. And nonsense when you set "One death match" you play it once and then you go to the check stage screen - so lame.
  7. kedireturns
    Aug 13, 2023
    6
    Interesting I never played a game like this. But as a single player its brutally short (1 hour) in single player mode. Played it via PS+ so it doesn’t hurt as much.

    If you like swordplay and action this game is a 1 hour time spent just killing like 16 AI opponents to 'beat the game'. I like this game however because it is so short (1.5 hour max if you are okay at action games) that    Interesting I never played a game like this. But as a single player its brutally short (1 hour) in single player mode. Played it via PS+ so it doesn’t hurt as much.

    If you like swordplay and action this game is a 1 hour time spent just killing like 16 AI opponents to 'beat the game'. I like this game however because it is so short (1.5 hour max if you are okay at action games) that drops it to a 6.    … Expand
  8. Smiler78
    Oct 22, 2022
    1
    Do not buy this! You throw swords at each other and the aim is to get to the other side of the screen. Would have been crap in the days of the atari 2600. I don't know what to say. God help humanity...

Critic Reviews

All reviews »
Metascore
tbd

No score yet - based on 3 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 3 out of 3
  2. Mixed: 0 out of 3
  3. Negative: 0 out of 3
  1. Playstation Official Magazine UK
    Feb 7, 2015
    90
    Nidhogg excels when tackled with a mate in local multiplayer. [Feb 2015, p.95]
  2. Gamestyle
    Nov 28, 2014
    90
    When a perfectly crafted game like this does come along, regardless of the era or art style, just enjoy it. It’s a truly magnificent creation.
    Read full review
  3. GamingTrend
    Nov 3, 2014
    85
    Nidhogg on PS4 is just as great as it was on PC. I’m still hoping for more content, though.
    Read full review