Nioh 2

 PlayStation 4
User Score
8.0

Generally favorable reviews- based on 1157 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 873 out of 1157
  2. Mixed: 140 out of 1157
  3. Negative: 144 out of 1157
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  1. allsevens777
    Mar 29, 2020
    7
    Man I want to love this game. But there are problems. The customization is wonderful, forging a character to fit your style of play is always rewarding. But many of the failure of the first game are here and worse. The combat has gotten, and I don’t know how this is possible, loose. For a game that plays on split second timing and near pinpoint
  2. montagx
    Apr 6, 2021
    7
    Loved the combat, sadly it kinda forces you to play a lot of repetitive secondary missions.
  3. Molec_man
    Aug 18, 2020
    7
    It's a solid Soulsbourne game with looter aspects that could keep you playing. It allows for many different builds, but none of them feel like they are overpowered. I like to feel rewarded by power for spending hours and hours in an RPG. I just don't get that feeling here. But its still a good RPG.
  4. Woahstrewth
    Apr 13, 2020
    7
    Nioh 2 is among the upper tier of Souls Like Action RPGS and is basically a better version of Nioh 1.
    Marginally better graphics, combat, story and presentation though still doesn't do much towards fixing alot of the glaring issues that Nioh 1 had, and adding a few more of it's own.
    After beating the final boss I can say that the game is wayyyyyyy too long and I was ready to be done    Nioh 2 is among the upper tier of Souls Like Action RPGS and is basically a better version of Nioh 1.
    Marginally better graphics, combat, story and presentation though still doesn't do much towards fixing alot of the glaring issues that Nioh 1 had, and adding a few more of it's own.

    After beating the final boss I can say that the game is wayyyyyyy too long and I was ready to be done with it about ten hours before I actually reached the end. While there is greater yokai variety this time around it still borrows Nioh 1's habit of bland and uninteresting level design. After the 10th derelict castle with a forest on the side it just gets old.

    The Bosses are also very hit and miss, with some tougher bosses in the beginning of the game and some ridiculously easy bosses later on, if the boss quality were a line chart it would be all over the place.

    It also retains and even enhances Nioh 1's penchant for cheap BS, with alot of bosses just straight up one shotting you with most of their abilities no matter how you build your character, Nioh has never been as concerned with tough but fair balance like FromSoft games have, it will just straight up kill you sometimes because RNG said so.

    Basically a marginally better Nioh 1 but still pales in comparison to any of the Dark Souls, Bloodborne, or Sekiro.    … Expand
  5. setuis
    Mar 24, 2020
    7
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. cups do nothing in this game to help you pass bosses so you can get further in story. - Another game broken by **** instant kill moves from third snake boss (the second boss hand an instant kill move too). - I understand its patterns and attacks and wasted 9 cups on people who do nothing to help and are actually more of hinderence then help but the snake often clips you regardless with charge, tail whip or instant kill. Bad game for people with disabilities. Most likely forced to grind to a stupidly high level for no purpose now to beat the boss. Its a shame after 20 or more tries they don't put up tips or reduce the damage slightly of these bosses and adjust to a level where its stlll challanging but not impossible. I like games like this but really wish bosses where fairer. The snake has the following attacks (Tail sweep always clips you for damage unless dodged but its not telgraphed well when close.) , hand snake forward 3 times, hands forward together and pull in , posion circle breath attack , hand snake detachment in yonkai Snake charge forwards (can't be burst countered) snake circle around you and do instant kill attack by grabbing and stabbing.) , snake hands going into ground and hitting you from below, Snake hands going into ground while your stand in front of boss and instantly rising, snake body slam, snake mid range circle tail whip a slightly different tail whip from the longer range one. I wish status effects where easier to apply and that you could take arrows etc as a ninjitsu or something so you always got some. I wish games like this would have a level to gauge your skill at these sought of games then adjust to a fair level based on how much damage you do before getting killed by a boss. Honestly you sometimes press defense and dodge at the right time but the game itself seems to say you didn't press it in time when you did. Nioh 2 feels like its going backwards not forwards also the adorable komada voices don't sing when you are nearby now to let you know its there. I still like this more than seriko however as least here you get free bombs or items to use and you can grind up to get a little better. I really do wish weak points where weak points and actually did something rather than remove the artificial armor in games like this.… Expand
  6. Gutsukyo
    Mar 13, 2020
    7
    Just another in a long line of Dark Souls wannabes. The game isn't even ashamed of its blatant thievery of ideas from Dark Souls. Though it's not entirely a fresh idea, it's at least fun to play.
  7. JonnyMenthol
    Mar 15, 2020
    7
    Yeah, i can't do this anymore. I loved Nioh, love souls games and beaten the nine, I've played except for Dark Souls 2. This is another Dark souls 2, they took the difficulty to far it looses the fun factor but not only that, it's often cheap. The systems are a bit over involved and the story is weak but there is a good game under here somewhere, it'll just take the insanely dedicated toYeah, i can't do this anymore. I loved Nioh, love souls games and beaten the nine, I've played except for Dark Souls 2. This is another Dark souls 2, they took the difficulty to far it looses the fun factor but not only that, it's often cheap. The systems are a bit over involved and the story is weak but there is a good game under here somewhere, it'll just take the insanely dedicated to find the full breath of it. 12 hours gameplay and i can't find fun past the difficulty but I can respect how well the game is made and how great everything feels. I just can't be bothered inching my way through it. It's hard to score the game as i've not finished it so take it for what it is worth.… Expand
  8. eded9999
    Feb 20, 2021
    7
    Combat is good with a lot of options and mechanics
    Good difficulty.
    The Story is a weak point; messy, boring and feels like your are just a mere spectator, not the protagonist almost until the end of the game
    Also the game is almost too long for it own good.
    And the loot system is so noisy an convoluted, so many sets almost identical with random stats, it loose appeal to collect then.
  9. Gun_Murat_Ilban
    Mar 29, 2020
    7
    One of the better Souls clones out there. The fighting mechanics can match anything From Software games came up with so far. Customization and the amount of content also are strengths. But pretty much every other aspect of the game severely lacks behind, so it's a good game overall, just nothing special.
  10. Descending23
    Mar 24, 2020
    7
    The combat is the best is the Soulsborne genre. Incredibly in depth and fun. A must play for any hardcore Souls fan.
  11. Shimmeywill
    Apr 11, 2021
    7
    Solid character creator and decent art direction. Arcadey combat is fun. Performance on base PS4 is lacklustre.
  12. Poohead
    Jul 30, 2020
    7
    the gameplay was fun challenging for the most part is was great but started to drag near the end too many reused areas enemies and bosses could of used some more variety in the side missions
  13. Anivice
    Dec 14, 2020
    7
    Really a solid game. Or a large DLC of the first one. Basically this game does not have that much of a difference compared to the first one but still I enjoyed myself a lot.
  14. Cookieknight
    Mar 27, 2020
    7
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Das spiel hat mich überzeugt und ich liebe es, gute kämpfe und es macht spass, yokais zu töten, die story ist nicht wirklich überzeugend, schon wieder **** undankbarer tokugawa und der permanent stumme hauptcharakter hilft da auch nicht, auch die personen denen man folgen muss sind so unsymphatisch, abgesehen von oda, was ein bisschen schade ist, aber man spielt nioh auch nicht wegen der story sondern dem tollen kampfsystem und auch das neue yokai gimmick ist wirklich gut gemacht ebenso das man einen eigenen charakter erstellen kann ist top! Natürlich hats noch verbesserungspotenzial, z.b das der eigene schutzgeist wie bei anderen charakteren in cutscenes zu sehen ist oder auch das eigene schwert und kein voreingestelltes. Was mich auch nervt, ist das neue fähigkeitskostensystem, die fähigkeiten wie schutzgeisttalisman kosten einfach masslos zu viel, 9 kapazitätspunkte für 3 talismane oder die fähigkeit magie schneller zu wirken, weil teils schnelle bosse dir nicht die zeit geben um magie zu wirken, da ist das schnell wirken essentiel für mich, im 1 teil ging das auch noch, aber jetzt wurde es als geheime technick eingestuft und somit erst gegen ende lernbar, dann brauchst du es praktisch auch nicht mehr, im ersten teil gings ja auch, warum ändern, dasselbe für die oberfläche der skillbäume, warum ändern, es war doch gut so, auch die preise der schmiedin für ein upgrade der waffe, übertrieben hoch. Oder auch die aufgezwungenen begleit missionen, bei der dich die begleiter nur unnötig stressen und die sache erschweren, dazu die schlechte ki, naja, die yokai bosse sind okay, aber menschliche gegner, z.b einmal ein sohaya als boss gegner, das einzige was der konnte war blocken und nochmal blocken, sogar meinen kompletten yokai wandel abgeblockt und sein ki wurde nicht mal zur hälfte gesenkt, umgekehrt aber wäre mein ki nach 2 schlägen blocken im wandel modus down, das hat nichts mehr mit schwer zu tun, sondern ist nur mühsam und macht keinen spass mehr, also ein bisschen besser ausgeglichene kämpfe wären nice und dann kommen wir noch zu einem problem, welches schon im ersten teil da war, die immergleichen level als nebenmission, die selbe karte in verschiedenen regionen und die aufgabe besteht zu 90 % daraus, das dir auf engem raum ein haufen gegner hingeworfen wird und das 2/3 mal und fertig ist die mission, also bitte, ein bisschen abwechslung wäre wirklich nicht zuviel verlangt und immer diese beschiessenen wellenkämpfe… Expand
  15. Swclark777
    Mar 29, 2020
    7
    There are many problems with this game that were not perfected prior to launch. The addition of the new burst counter, as well as Yōkai shifts in general, ultimately is unwelcome. The original game didn’t need them, and their inclusion simply makes the combat feel less precise and more spammable. Disappointed.
  16. QuoNBM
    Jul 8, 2020
    7
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. As a person who has done the previous work, it feels like he has recycled the enemies of the previous work, and the graphics and UI improvements have made him feel unfeeling, so the sequel came out. I liked the addition of the new combat system and the equivalent of the previous one, but the problem with sloppy storylines and frequent framing remained, and, crucially, the first launch price of nearly $58 was hard to understand personally. However, I liked the action, including the additional content, just like the previous one.… Expand
  17. 18Xq8Rtutehc
    Aug 3, 2020
    7
    As a fan of the SoulsBorne genre, what I disliked the most about this game in comparison to Nioh 2, is that the difficulty feels too artificial. Your hits do so little damage, that most bosses feel like a damage sponge. The game becomes about endurance rather than skill (unlike Souls and Borne games). Even Nioh and Lords of the Fallen did a better job.
    Still a good game to play while    As a fan of the SoulsBorne genre, what I disliked the most about this game in comparison to Nioh 2, is that the difficulty feels too artificial. Your hits do so little damage, that most bosses feel like a damage sponge. The game becomes about endurance rather than skill (unlike Souls and Borne games). Even Nioh and Lords of the Fallen did a better job.
    Still a good game to play while waiting for the Demons Souls remaster, though.    … Expand
  18. PHNTMRIDR
    Sep 12, 2020
    7
    Nioh 2 is a good game, but I found myself getting a bit bored after 10+ hrs of gameplay.
  19. Fredavila
    Dec 29, 2021
    7
    Mejoro gráficamente, misma jugabilidad que nioh 1, y mucho dificultad injusta para alargar el juego
  20. kwstas
    Apr 11, 2020
    6
    Looking some super high scores on this game was quite expected and understandable . If anyone would vote on the games design and the variety of options that it offers then it should be a very high score indeed . However the game as also expected is tremendusly difficult to the point that frastration is overwhelming . This difficulty could not be such a huge problem if the combat mechanicsLooking some super high scores on this game was quite expected and understandable . If anyone would vote on the games design and the variety of options that it offers then it should be a very high score indeed . However the game as also expected is tremendusly difficult to the point that frastration is overwhelming . This difficulty could not be such a huge problem if the combat mechanics and leveling system of the game was smooth and approachable like those of surge 2 , bloodborne or Dark souls 3 . In this game starting in a dark place where you barely see , where levels begin to seem huge after level 5 and with so little to exp yourself in an area where you have no other choice than follow one path and with a boss wich you face twice and he has a damn lot of hp . You find yourself helpless in the first area where you should actually still learning the game . This only seem to me like an unproffesional or either thoughtless approach from the developers . This game is trying to be a dark souls 3 alternative but using some linear and outdated elements and with combat mechanics similar to toukiden 2 despite some good graphics and design is still ain't working from my point of view . Also looking on the first bosses difficulty level i find myself without motivation knowing that even if i manage to kill him then eventually some of the other bosses of the game will be either impossible to defeat or a waste of my time if i will have to face them 50 times each to kill them and i am not sure why a person would want to just waste their time on this when there are so many other games or even other things to do in this world . Finally lets say that you pay the price of an AAA game which is made by a studio that has neither the skills or experience to produce a true AAA game… Expand
  21. TheFrog
    May 18, 2022
    6
    I enjoyed the game for quite a while. I like combat against normal enemies, and the game gives you a lot of options to confront them. They hit hard but not SO hard, and elixirs are easy to find on fallen enemies. Unfortunately, weapons are VERY unbalanced. For example, with an agility/ninjutsu build, the most logical thing would be to go kusarigama, right? Wrong. Try out the tonfa, andI enjoyed the game for quite a while. I like combat against normal enemies, and the game gives you a lot of options to confront them. They hit hard but not SO hard, and elixirs are easy to find on fallen enemies. Unfortunately, weapons are VERY unbalanced. For example, with an agility/ninjutsu build, the most logical thing would be to go kusarigama, right? Wrong. Try out the tonfa, and you'll realize that most other weapons won't even come close to its effectiveness. Kusarigama is terrible at blocking and has zilch stopping power with fast attacks, so, while you CAN use it, you'll usually make your life a lot more difficult. Still, at times certain weapons prove handy against certain enemies, even if your build is not geared towards their use. The kusa is great at taking out oni, given that it's power attack takes off their horns. Also, in duels against humans, its huge range sometimes proves very beneficial. Trying every weapon out is good.
    You'll find lots of equipment items with different stats and perks. You can spend time and resources to tweak them, looking for the perfect combination... then you realize it's pointless, as they'll be obsolete in a few levels and the level of grind is insane. And mostly, you end up with negligible changes to your stats, hardly worth all the hassle. A 2% increase in damage when your health is low? Wow, this is *so* gonna change my view of the world!
    Then come the bosses. I usually hate bosses, but this game has some very strange difficulty spikes. Some bosses can be beaten with just a few attempts, you only need to memorize their attack patterns and devise a good strategy, while others are incredibly strong and have no weak points, so you just keep at it until you get lucky.
    For example, I even managed to beat one on my very first attempt - and then, the next one (Shibata Katsuie) had me ragequit after dozens of attempts. And then, the next day, I retried and somehow managed it - but still consider it a chance thing, even though my dodging DID improve.
    You can summon friendly NPCs to help you out, but that's not how I want to play the game. I feel you should have a fair chance to beat every level on your own.
    Other super annoying bosses are the bull spider and the two final encounters with the main opponent. Also, duels against human opponents are terrible. The opponent has a huge amount of HP and ten times your ki. Quite often, it's also not staggered by your hits so, even though you managed to get your attack in first, you still get hurt for 35% of your HP, versus 1% of his own. The dojo duels especially, are something I truly loathed, and ended up only completing the tonfa one; if you want to get new weapon skills, you have to do a lot of these, and they take away all your ninjutsu and magic techniques. As for the duel missions, I usually take them only after I'm 50% over their suggested level. After the opponent gets down to 50% health, they usually start using infinite special attacks that can reach you anywhere and reduce you to mincemeat.
    You have lots of special techniques you can learn, but they are rarely worth it. Parrying is unreliable, for example, and even when successful, it doesn't give you much of an advantage, whereas it can get you seriously hurt if you mistime it.
    I eventually completed the game, but was pretty fed up with it by then. I relied on grinding to increase my level and make things a bit easier, but saw many tombs of much lower level players, proving that the best out there can win even against overpowering enemies. Grinding is just one option.

    TL;DR - I enjoyed the game. I like the slow but sure progression through each level, and those thrilling moments like when I had to dispatch several strong enemies in the demon realm, are worth it. I can say that there are no really unfair fights mid-level, and you have a lot of strategies at your disposal. Bosses, on the other hand, vary from very easy to super frustrating, and they were, together with duels, the worst part of the game for me.    … Expand
  22. sapphiron
    Apr 11, 2020
    6
    Most bosses are much easier than the minions.
    Terrible game balance and design.
  23. SplitMind
    Jul 17, 2021
    6
    Nioh found its niche in an audience of Souls fans that were begging for more. Unfortunately I think a niche is where Nioh 1 and 2 belong, although it also seems happy to be there. My biggest gripe with Nioh 2 is probably how little has changed for the better, which may not be a popular opinion.

    The graphics in Nioh 2 aren't that special unless you play the PS5 remaster, where the 60fps    Nioh found its niche in an audience of Souls fans that were begging for more. Unfortunately I think a niche is where Nioh 1 and 2 belong, although it also seems happy to be there. My biggest gripe with Nioh 2 is probably how little has changed for the better, which may not be a popular opinion.

    The graphics in Nioh 2 aren't that special unless you play the PS5 remaster, where the 60fps makes it much more appealing. You can tell that the detail and power is there for graphics, but like a common trend in modern games, Nioh 2 lets itself down by using bland, repetitive environments, especially dark ones such as caves and tunnels. The game could really benefit from things being a bit more vibrant and colourful. Add to this the uninspired enemy design that's highly copied from the previous game and it feels a lot more like an extension of Nioh 1.

    A big aspect of Nioh 2 is the Dark Realm, however this area irritated me more than anything as it can make the screen blurry and drained of colour. It's a nice gimmick but it should be used sparingly.

    The gameplay of Nioh is why we are here. Souls and Souls-likes are not famous for being casual and accessible games, however I think Nioh 2 may be the worst of them all with this. As soon as I met my first enemy and saw how much damage I did compared to how much I received, I was flabbergasted. I had to work quite hard to persevere until after the first boss where the game opened up a bit. I doubt most people will want to persist for that long, although mass appeal doesn't seem to interest Nioh to begin with.

    This brings me to a debate I had with myself until after the third boss where I stopped playing - is Nioh too unbalanced? I still haven't drawn a conclusion, but I think the game is more effort than it's worth at least. I don't believe that the changes made have been for the better. For example, the burst counter is an unnecessary gimmick that's too unreliable to consistently pull-off.

    There are also a plethora of systems to develop your character within. Between soul cores, guardian spirits, attributes and gear you can spend far too much time playing manager as opposed to actually exploring and combating your way through the game. Again this is extremely unfriendly to newcomers however the Nioh niche will likely love this due to how immersive it can become. For me it became tedious due to how much attention these systems needed.

    When you strip down to the core mechanics of Nioh 2, I found it quite protracted and tedious, leading to me eventually giving up on it. Just like the first game, you are exploring very similar environments with very similar enemies and bosses who are actually very similar too as you just need to identify a specific strategy for each one. This is a problem all Souls games have but Dark Souls has the atmosphere and interconnected world that Nioh does not.

    The story of Nioh 2 comes across as fairly light, but then again I didn't exactly get too far into it. I rate games well when they don't bore you with a tedious story and Nioh does well here since a Souls-like game allows you to dip into the story at your leisure without affecting gameplay.

    Overall, Nioh 2 is actually a decent game in its own right, however it's not on its own - even the first game does almost everything Nioh 2 does, and when you factor in all the other Souls games, I became very weary from the repetitive styles of gameplay. Nioh 2 isn't breaking much new ground, but it brings more of the same and that will appeal to most fans of the first.    … Expand
  24. DamyanDG10
    Mar 18, 2020
    6
    Its basically Nioh 1 with some new bosses... the game is flawless and without bugs simply cuz its the same game. People saying its groundbreaking and stuff like that are just frontin. Menu, gameplay, graphics, AI, level design, items, ⅔ of the yokai are the same as the first game. Its one giant DLC. Still had fun but cmon... thats why they made it that fast ...
  25. QuickBen93
    May 5, 2020
    6
    While I did enjoy Nioh 2 a lot, I can't help but wonder if this isn't a prime example of the life service model which contradicts itself. In a game where you're supposed to spend a countless amount of hours you're limited to new game plus only. Basically you are blocked from progressing above a certain item level. It would've been okay, if it wasn't for the fact that the first contentWhile I did enjoy Nioh 2 a lot, I can't help but wonder if this isn't a prime example of the life service model which contradicts itself. In a game where you're supposed to spend a countless amount of hours you're limited to new game plus only. Basically you are blocked from progressing above a certain item level. It would've been okay, if it wasn't for the fact that the first content update will make all the grind useless. While it does make sense to spend huge amount of time farming for the shiny 170 items, or the +attack, which you can then transfer to other items, is it really worth it, because the first mission of the DLC will most probably give you better loot. Would you really come back in a few months? That's the issue that I personally have with the games promoting season passes, they are selling you the solution to the problem they've created.

    Now that I went through the issues that I personally have with the business model, and the content updates (note that this might not be an issue for you at all, and that's totally fine. I hope you, the reader, enjoy Nioh 2), we can move to the questionable gameplay changes. While the guardian system in Nioh was absolutely broken in the end game, I do not believe that the Yokai abilities were the right thing to do, as many of them feel useless at the moment, and if you happen to reach New Game +, you will mostly see only Okatemaru and Yatsu No Kami. You can make the same argument for the guardian spirit system, but once you draw the line, the end result is the same, and it doesn't bring much diversity on the table. I also feel that nerfing different bosses hasn't done much in order to make the under performing builds/weapons/skills appear more often, it just makes it easier for already broken builds to complete missions. I also find it amusing that Shibata was nerfed several times already, but nobody bothered to fix the issue where Okatemaru disappears, or just doesn't die, but the mission ends. Considering the fact that this is the boss that drops most farming recipes, and you are very likely to spend time with this boss particularly - this is an issue.

    I don't really want to make this way too long, because at the very end it needs to be as tight and informative as humanly - but it is impossible for me to support the idea about locking certain weapon skills behind rng. There is no scenario under which this feels right and rewarding. While I can understand the idea behind weapons/armors & etc locked behind grind, locking weapon skills behind rng is beyond my understanding. The looting system is very simillar to games like Borderlands, POE, Diablo & etc. Neither of them made you farm for abilities. You can also make the argument that "some of these skills are not really good, and you can also have a lot of fun without them", but that is not my point. I am not sure if they didn't do this just to make sure that people will spend couple more hours playing Nioh 2, rather than switching to something else. In the live service era, the developers/publishers fight mostly for our time/attention.

    I also did not like the idea about the silent protagonist, it felt a bit soulless to me. Again, I feel like they did it, so the story is not as much about, as it is about the world around you, while in the first game (the base game) it was mostly about a brave British lad retrieving his precious pokemon.

    At times the game felt more like Nioh 1,5 rather than Nioh 2, and this is not necessarily a bad thing (Fifa fans, you with me?). The level design and the soundtrack have only improved since the first game (with very few exceptions which do not really contribute much to the overall feeling), and this only make you feel like you're exactly where you need to be. That one feeling that something just feels right.

    Also, I never really thought about this before playing Nioh 2, but the original game didn't really have a huge variety of enemies. Nioh 2 has plenty of new Yokai for you to fight with. Unfortunately, with 1-2 exceptions, the most challenging Yokai are still the ones from the first game. When it comes to the bosses, I am afraid that at least in the base game - with few exceptions, most of them are easily forgettable and simply not interesting. While this is not a boss ranking or anything of that sort, I believe we might have to wait until the DLC comes out to fight the best Team Ninja has to offer.

    Overall, Nioh 2 is a great game with plenty of content for new players to explore. Maybe a bit better guide on how to craft/soul match/remodel/swap stats from one item to another would've been better for newcommers, but that's just my opinion.

    I will cut it there, and stop rambling. Thank you for reading, and take care!    … Expand
  26. dangyosabyss
    Jun 2, 2021
    6
    Tldr : Basically pretty Dark souls for weebs with added 1-shotting. Playing this after Dark Souls, Sekiro or ghost of Tsushima shows just how limited it is.

    Good: Beautiful graphics and character designs. Weapon variety. Stance changing adds variety. Possession is an interesting mechanic. Bad: Too many instances of enemies 1-shotting you. Too many instances of light speed    Tldr : Basically pretty Dark souls for weebs with added 1-shotting. Playing this after Dark Souls, Sekiro or ghost of Tsushima shows just how limited it is.

    Good:
    Beautiful graphics and character designs.
    Weapon variety.
    Stance changing adds variety.
    Possession is an interesting mechanic.

    Bad:
    Too many instances of enemies 1-shotting you.
    Too many instances of light speed hitboxes killing you before you can react.
    Stop/Start battle dynamics.
    Poor level design.
    Looter sho...slasher mechanic is tired.    … Expand
  27. uncle-scrooge
    May 13, 2020
    6
    I feel this game needs more balance between the top and bottom levels of reviews (there are plenty of both). I'm in the middle; I don't think this game is a **** but I don't think it deserves the almost universal praise it has gotten from critics at all either.

    There are good things to say about this game for sure, but judging from the number of positive reviews, you've probably heard    I feel this game needs more balance between the top and bottom levels of reviews (there are plenty of both). I'm in the middle; I don't think this game is a **** but I don't think it deserves the almost universal praise it has gotten from critics at all either.

    There are good things to say about this game for sure, but judging from the number of positive reviews, you've probably heard it; nice, varied combat style, lots of loot, enough stats to make your head spin and of course there's the difficulty level, if that's your thing.

    This is written from the perspective of a casual gamer, who's beat and NG+'ed DS 1, 3, Bloodborne and Sekiro, so that gives you a comparison. I'm by no means pro, but not a completely newbie to difficult Japanese games either.

    So, to the negative stuff, which is why you read a lower review:

    The difficulty is mainly based on three things:
    - ridiculous enemy damage (almost any puny attack will one-shot you if you don't have 100% health)
    - enemies hiding in places where they are near impossible to know about, one-shotting you by jumping down from a tree or shooting you in the back from afar
    - preposterous health bars, especially on bosses. Difficult, yes, but frankly, mostly extremely tedious and boring. Expect boss fights to drag out past 20-30 minutes of very limited move-sets, and then you die from exhaustion from a one-shot move that you know well, but missed the 398th time he threw it at you.

    The game's production feels incredibly cheap
    I get that re-use is a part of game design, but seriously... ten minutes into the game, you've met most of the monsters there are, and you'll fight the same ones again. And again. And again. And again. They evolve throughout the game simply by increasing their damage and HP more or less in perfect tandem with your own level. So there. You could have skipped leveling altogether and just played at level 1 throughout.
    Give the game a few hours, and you've seen every asset they've bothered to design, and you'll see those same assets thrown about in different ways throughout the game. Every wall, every barrel, every wooden box, every rock, every tree – it all seems familiar no matter what area you're in, because it's all the same models and textures used.
    And then there are the bosses. I finally beat one of them, learning his five moves until I could easily sidestep him without losing any hp, and still needing 35 minutes to surgically scrape single molecules of his HP meter. I go on the next quest, and whaddyaknow – it ends with the same boss! You have got to be kidding me. The exact same boss one more time, same arena, all the same moves, straight after the previous one. I mean, it's just weird. Give me a few hours to forget his five moves at least! I wasn't angry because he was difficult, but because I was ridiculously tired of him the first time around, to the point of not even feeling happy when I beat him. Then, they throw him at me again, literally less than 20 minutes later. *sigh* I lost the will to keep playing at that point. Cheap.

    Quest difficulty level is completely random
    Go on a level 30 quest with a level 12 character and eat the boss and his friends for breakfast. Then go on a level 30 quest with a level 60 character, and get one-shotted by the first pathetic skeleton soldier you meet. The quest leveling seems completely random, and I honestly have no idea why it's even there.

    My expectations for this game were probably off, and I get that a more dedicated player will enjoy this game more than I did by really digging into items, moves, smithing, etc. which, is something I simply don't have time or patience to do. Still, it's silly to give the game a perfect 10 and tell everyone else to git gud, when the game HAS obvious flaws. If I needed to sum up the negative parts of my review in one word, it would be CHEAP. Cheap difficulty, cheap production values, cheap, synthesized 60 seconds music score on repeat and constantly re-used assets. Designing a difficult game is an art that involves more than impossible-to-predict jump attacks, ludicrously high damage and health bars the length of the great wall of China.

    Does it suck? No, it doesn't, and it's not impossible you might like it more than I did. By all means, try it. But once the feeling of being thrown a hastily put together, low-cost-at-any-price game that you pay a full price for, it's harder to enjoy it. At least for me.    … Expand
  28. Springhi
    Mar 18, 2020
    6
    I'm glad to face the challenge in any 1 on 1 fight with a strong enemy. But in this game, only the intense BOSS fights could give me good feelings. NIOH 2 lacks new designed enemies, but embedded too many conspiracies. Always surrounded by the enemies that I have fighted many many times. Nothing changes since NIOH 1. Nothing changes in level design. Far behind Soul's series, notI'm glad to face the challenge in any 1 on 1 fight with a strong enemy. But in this game, only the intense BOSS fights could give me good feelings. NIOH 2 lacks new designed enemies, but embedded too many conspiracies. Always surrounded by the enemies that I have fighted many many times. Nothing changes since NIOH 1. Nothing changes in level design. Far behind Soul's series, not interesting at all.… Expand
  29. Hackslashshoot
    Aug 18, 2021
    6
    The grind to become op so you can one shot enemies before they can one shot you. That’s nioh 1 and 2 in a nutshell. This will be the final Nioh game I purchase. . The grind is over
  30. Kullinimija
    Mar 14, 2020
    6
    Nothing has really changes from the first chapter. This should have been a dlc
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Awards & Rankings

14
#14 Best PS4 Game of 2020
22
#22 Most Discussed PS4 Game of 2020

Critic Reviews

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Metascore
85

Generally favorable reviews - based on 91 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 84 out of 91
  2. Mixed: 7 out of 91
  3. Negative: 0 out of 91
  1. LEVEL (Czech Republic)
    Jul 23, 2020
    100
    The second Nioh is more than just a continuation of the legacy. The authors have been able to learn from the mistakes of the first game, and thanks to that this is an excellent action RPG that will not let you rest and you will want to keep playing. [Issue#303]
  2. GameCritics
    Jun 23, 2020
    85
    I love a great third-person actioner, and I’m hard-pressed to think of one that nails the formula as perfectly as Nioh 2 does. The systems are pleasantly crunchy and there are a ton to dig into, the moment-to-moment fights get my blood pumping, and the artwork and theming are all spot-on. Too much of a good thing is too much of a good thing, but Nioh 2 is exactly the right amount.
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  3. Gaming Nexus
    Jun 1, 2020
    85
    Nioh 2 does what a good sequel should. It capitalizes on the best parts of its predecessors while providing new content and mechanics to advance the franchise. While the story structure and level design are largely the same, added weapons, more build depth, and new combat mechanics all enhance what the game has to offer. It doesn't always hit the mark perfectly, but it's a solid addition to the series. And let's face it, being a samurai is awesome.
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