Nioh

 PlayStation 4
User Score
8.3

Generally favorable reviews- based on 2628 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 2,103 out of 2628
  2. Mixed: 252 out of 2628
  3. Negative: 273 out of 2628
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  1. Generalement
    Mar 2, 2022
    10
    Une histoire imprévisible, un concept révolutionnaire. De divertissement en même temps que de l'apprentissage sur l'étude de l'univers du folklore Japonais Shintoisme. Un pure chef d'oeuvre.
  2. Javier777777771
    Mar 13, 2022
    10
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Muy buen juego kkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkjkjjjjjjjjjkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkk… Expand
  3. RAILANDERSON
    May 28, 2022
    10
    Que grata supressa, pois um jogo que tem a capa e o protagonista igual ao Geralt do the witcher, copia claramente na cara dura os soulslike. mas que faz tudo isso de forma primorosa é se torna um dos melhores e mais desafiadores jogos da geração. Nioh é brutal, é sensacional. hoje posso dizer até que prefiro nioh do que Dark Souls, que baita jogo, pega a mitologia japoneza e mistura comQue grata supressa, pois um jogo que tem a capa e o protagonista igual ao Geralt do the witcher, copia claramente na cara dura os soulslike. mas que faz tudo isso de forma primorosa é se torna um dos melhores e mais desafiadores jogos da geração. Nioh é brutal, é sensacional. hoje posso dizer até que prefiro nioh do que Dark Souls, que baita jogo, pega a mitologia japoneza e mistura com uma jogabilidade fluida, muitos chefes, todos dificeis, mas não impossiveis. Nioh pra mim é o melhor jogo de 2017.… Expand
  4. klausfiedler8
    Mar 15, 2023
    10
    jogo fantástico! 9,6........................................................
  5. EalyLiu
    Feb 17, 2023
    10
    It's great. It's the best game I've ever seen. The picture is exquisite, the movement is smooth, and the design is exquisite.
  6. KPS5
    Apr 29, 2023
    10
    What an epic game. I enjoyed this game. This game is underrated. Got the plat.
  7. USarmygamer
    Mar 7, 2018
    9
    Having enjoyed the "souls" games (I include Bloodborne in them because it is essentially a Souls game) I was stoked for Nioh. I wasn't let down at all!! It was a personal GOTY contender. If you loved the uptick in speed in Bloodborne's gameplay as compared to Dark Souls 1&2, then Nioh is for you. Speed, feudal Japan weapons and armor, the combos are flashy and make souls combat lookHaving enjoyed the "souls" games (I include Bloodborne in them because it is essentially a Souls game) I was stoked for Nioh. I wasn't let down at all!! It was a personal GOTY contender. If you loved the uptick in speed in Bloodborne's gameplay as compared to Dark Souls 1&2, then Nioh is for you. Speed, feudal Japan weapons and armor, the combos are flashy and make souls combat look wooden. Collecting Amirita replaces souls/blood echoes but the basics are the same: collect this currency by winning battles, use them to level up a stat. Die and lose all you're carrying with one chance to get to the death spot and reclaim what was lost. It very easily fits into the "Souls" experience even if made by a different developer. For any Souls game fan Nioh is a must play and truly great game.… Expand
  8. Zen-Zinxe
    Feb 22, 2017
    9
    Nioh is a beautiful take on a well worn formula.

    I've played nearly every soulslike game for hundreds of hours each and I must say I was pleasantly surprised by Nioh. I thought it would be a hard sell because of the limited weapon selection and all the armor is Japanese lore/samurai inspired and that's not really my thing. However Nioh proved that even without a graphics style/setting    Nioh is a beautiful take on a well worn formula.

    I've played nearly every soulslike game for hundreds of hours each and I must say I was pleasantly surprised by Nioh. I thought it would be a hard sell because of the limited weapon selection and all the armor is Japanese lore/samurai inspired and that's not really my thing. However Nioh proved that even without a graphics style/setting that resonates with me, a game can be enjoyable just through the expression of how it is played.

    Nioh is so much fun to play, the game is full of huge combo trees you can unlock for weapons, tons of guardian spirits to collect which give different bonuses. There is high, middle, and low stance for every weapon which produces a different move-set and combat style affecting how your character moves significantly. Switching stances on the fly and reacting perfectly to whatever you are fighting is incredibly satisfying, and although it is not expressly necessary, it lets you play with as much or as little complexity as you feel like.

    Despite the fact that Japanese lore and samurai armor don't stand out to me at all, Nioh has managed to make it stand out through brilliant combat mechanics, high impact effects and animations and a uniquely told story. On top of it all I love the soundtrack, the first time I heard the boss music in the Warrior of the West's fight was intense.

    Slicing up a horned demon into 20 pieces couldn't be more satisfying. If you have a ps4 and like action focused games you would be absolutely stupid not to pick this up.    … Expand
  9. joeblack
    Feb 9, 2017
    9
    3 critics got rekt by yokai but didn't git gud in the process... Just saying... And great game by the way, almost perfect in its own right. Personally a favorite in the genre.
  10. Undertuto
    Nov 7, 2019
    9
    Juego difícil pero genial. Darksouls con samurais. No sé cuántas horas le metí al juego pero fueron muchas. Juego largo, divertido, y con mucha acción.
  11. tbouniverse
    Sep 21, 2017
    9
    A brilliant, dynamic and rewarding game that has you battling against powerful beings that demands a lot of skill and grit to get through this journey unbroken. Multiple difficulties that have you coming back for more and a story which pays tribute to true Japanese history. It is an original concept which, in perspective, is a faster paced variant of souls borne. I would really recommendA brilliant, dynamic and rewarding game that has you battling against powerful beings that demands a lot of skill and grit to get through this journey unbroken. Multiple difficulties that have you coming back for more and a story which pays tribute to true Japanese history. It is an original concept which, in perspective, is a faster paced variant of souls borne. I would really recommend this to every dark sould/ blood borne fan out there. GOTY 2017 contender.… Expand
  12. Maad
    Nov 3, 2020
    9
    Excellent game in all aspects except for the story which is meh. Combat is a lot of fun, bosses are not too difficult (except for the DLC - Maria is crazy OP) but still demanding and interesting, there is a lot of replayability here and looting is also very pleasant. Various mechanics can be implemented depending on your play style.
  13. Gwyndolin
    May 3, 2017
    9
    It is less of a Dark Souls game, more of a mix of Onimusha/Way of The Samurai with loot mechanics of a Diablo game.

    But since the public loves the Dark Souls comparison, I will compare them. Compared to Dark Souls and Bloodborne, that game lacked the following: 1. Music - I really miss the heavy orchestral music of Dark Souls and Bloodborne...they were part of what made boss battles so    It is less of a Dark Souls game, more of a mix of Onimusha/Way of The Samurai with loot mechanics of a Diablo game.

    But since the public loves the Dark Souls comparison, I will compare them. Compared to Dark Souls and Bloodborne, that game lacked the following:
    1. Music - I really miss the heavy orchestral music of Dark Souls and Bloodborne...they were part of what made boss battles so epic in those games. This game's music is a huge miss for me.
    2. Enemy Variety - In a game that revolves around memorizing enemy attack patterns, you need variety. Game simply lacks that.
    3. Challenge - The design heavily favors the player. You are about 3x faster than most of the enemies, the game breaking part is that you can backstep extremely fast which renders most enemy skills useless since they get baited really easily. Bosses, even the dual bosses in New Game+, were very manageable. The game simply isn't that demanding in terms of how much focus/practice needed. That can improve with the DLCs but that's a separate review. All this is before even considering the fact there are simply so many in-game tools you can utilize to break the game such as Sloth.
    4. RNG - After putting many hours in games like Diablo, Torchlight, Borderlands, I just don't appreciate RNG based loot grind as an endgame anymore. Others may love it though.

    Other than above gripes, the game is fantastic. The combat is more flashy and fluid than Dark Souls (at the expense of challenge), the huge amount of move set for each weapon type, the japanese-history based fantasy setting, they were all very well done in my opinion.

    In general, it is neither better nor worse than a Dark Souls game, just very different and refreshing.    … Expand
  14. Darkresurrect
    Feb 19, 2017
    9
    Fun and frustrating in a simple words. But when you click (understands) with the almost too huge variety of gameplay options for customization you'll get a better fun with all that this amazing game has to offer. Graphics are not wow even on a 4K with the PS4 Pro and movie mode, graphics looks ok. But not ugly. This game is a recommendation for anyone that are in a search for a cultFun and frustrating in a simple words. But when you click (understands) with the almost too huge variety of gameplay options for customization you'll get a better fun with all that this amazing game has to offer. Graphics are not wow even on a 4K with the PS4 Pro and movie mode, graphics looks ok. But not ugly. This game is a recommendation for anyone that are in a search for a cult challenging game.… Expand
  15. Mandulum
    Sep 11, 2017
    9
    Five Word Review: Goodbye Dark Souls, hello Nioh!
    Favorite Thing: The combat, enemies and level design is near perfect.
    Least Favorite Thing: Level, world hub, level, world hub. It makes it feel so disjointed.

    Date Completed: 2017-09-10
    Playtime: 72h
    Enjoyment: 9/10
    Recommendation: It's a phenomenal souls-like.
  16. Vanpire73
    Apr 13, 2018
    9
    Pretty Godd*mn swell if you axe me... Being a big Soulsborne junky I was keeping an eye on this forever, ya know, being it is a clone and all. Yeah, it is a clone for the most part. That said, it is its own man for the most part when it comes to combat, crafting and loot. Coming right off of playing a Dark Souls game into this was quite a learning curve, as there is a lot more sh*tPretty Godd*mn swell if you axe me... Being a big Soulsborne junky I was keeping an eye on this forever, ya know, being it is a clone and all. Yeah, it is a clone for the most part. That said, it is its own man for the most part when it comes to combat, crafting and loot. Coming right off of playing a Dark Souls game into this was quite a learning curve, as there is a lot more sh*t going on here under the hood. I almost quit because I just couldn't adjust to the controls. Well, after resetting my brain with a break, I came back and plowed through it about 2 weeks. The level layouts, bonfires (shrines), and boss fights are all very Soulsy. Even the glowing treasure orbs are the same. The graphics, story, and ambiance are slightly inferior, but the combat, crafting and NG+ options are where it makes you deer it in the headlights. If put in a headlock or full nelson, I'll still take my Souls, but this is right behind it. God bless. Pay your taxes.… Expand
  17. VsAssassin
    Mar 13, 2017
    9
    Nioh is the hit that came as a no surprise. The aspects that make it great are seemingly borrowed from a certain game (a game that's also celebrated), but what makes Nioh greater are the things that it adds to the core gameplay. It's criminal and a disservice to say it's just a clone of that certain game, because it isn't.

    If you've played hack and slash classics such as Onimusha and    Nioh is the hit that came as a no surprise. The aspects that make it great are seemingly borrowed from a certain game (a game that's also celebrated), but what makes Nioh greater are the things that it adds to the core gameplay. It's criminal and a disservice to say it's just a clone of that certain game, because it isn't.

    If you've played hack and slash classics such as Onimusha and Ninja Gaiden, Nioh is right up at your alley and more. And more, I say, because every facet of Nioh teems with personality, that, overwhelming as a whole at first, will grab you by the hands and command you to keep playing.

    Outside gameplay, Nioh gives you the option to choose between enjoying the game with a steady frame rate and looking at improved visuals--which may enhance your gaming experience depending on your preference. Although these options send a confusing message (because console games don't really give such options until this generation), they are more than welcome in Nioh and other games moving forward.

    The only flaw I can think of and that I can pin on Nioh, and this being a personal one, would be the challenging (Japanese) given names that you need to memorize in order to have a fuller grasp of the main narrative. I have nothing against the Japanese culture; in fact, I love their culture--though I am not a (weeabo?)--but the number of characters at play is quite many, that as you go further into the game, you'd find yourself either looking into the character dossier to keep up with the story, or completely ignore who's who and enjoy whatever amount of narrative morsels you have of Nioh.

    Overall, Nioh is a solid game deserving of the 9s and 10s critics gave it. The post-release content it will receive (PVP is among them) will only add to the already sumptuous experience that is Nioh. Get it now!    … Expand
  18. mrpig
    Mar 7, 2017
    9
    Graphics: 8 some level is good, some so so
    Story: 8 Interesting
    Gameplay: 10 fun
    Cutscene 8 good
    Fun: 10 very fun

    Comment: A game for souls
  19. MohammadHD
    Feb 12, 2017
    9
    Nioh is an amazing mix between Dark Souls & onimusha with a lot of new ideas witch make the game form its own identity, the fast paced battle is amazing and you have to study every foe and to manage your stamina and during that you can execute your move which you unlock during the game, the bosses will give you hard time ..
    Enemies design are not so good and this is the only things i    Nioh is an amazing mix between Dark Souls & onimusha with a lot of new ideas witch make the game form its own identity, the fast paced battle is amazing and you have to study every foe and to manage your stamina and during that you can execute your move which you unlock during the game, the bosses will give you hard time ..
    Enemies design are not so good and this is the only things i didn't like in the game ..

    NIOH is one of the must-play titles this year    … Expand
  20. Molec_man
    Mar 2, 2020
    9
    I love Souls games and this game nailed it. I love the story and background. The gameplay is good and progressing is fun.

    Story: 9
    Gameplay: 8
    Graphics: 8
    Controls: 9
    Replayability: 5
  21. Turbodowg
    Oct 4, 2017
    9
    As a Souls/BB veteran who has beat every FromSoftware game since Demon Souls I was very surprised by NIoh.

    I had put the game off for a while as the trailer and demo footage IMO didn't do it any justice. They showed off the most bland parts of the game unfortunately and I believed this to be a cheap souls rip off like Lords Of The Fallen. But it is far from it. Nioh has taken the    As a Souls/BB veteran who has beat every FromSoftware game since Demon Souls I was very surprised by NIoh.

    I had put the game off for a while as the trailer and demo footage IMO didn't do it any justice. They showed off the most bland parts of the game unfortunately and I believed this to be a cheap souls rip off like Lords Of The Fallen. But it is far from it.

    Nioh has taken the souls concept and built on it in a way that makes it fresh, interesting, engaging and challenging for jaded souls fans.

    The game is very challenging and this makes for a very fun experience. I had gotten used to the souls games, the combat, the leveling, the weapons and items. Nioh however presents everything in a new way meaning you have no idea what anything is or does which adds to the engagement.

    I had no idea you could gain back KI (stamina) during battle by pressing R1 while the gauge flashes until it happened by accident and I noticed. , I didn't know you could use items to replenish magic used to unleash a guardian spirit attack until I stumbled across it while trying to figure out what items would help in a boss fight. I worked out that you can chain combos with different stances and that different stances work well with different enemies. There is so much to discover and learn making Nioh an exciting new experience that makes you think and use your intelligence to win battles.

    Nioh has a deep system that is refreshing and exciting, it has solid graphics and sound and good level design.

    Nioh is not a perfect game though and after putting in many hours it is not as good as the Souls games. There are some unfair spikes and some of the bosses can be very unfair (including a very challenging boss on just the second level). I don't like the summoning system, you use an item to summon help (ochoko cup) which can be a real pain when they run out and you're stuck in the bowels of a dungeon running low on items. You also lose all progress in the dungeon if you return back to the level select screen. The level select screen feels out of place when in Souls games the world was one giant map that linked together. My other issue with summoning a player is that I summoned on one level where I thought I was on a boss. I couldn't be bothered to spend the next hour fighting it so I summoned only to find out it wasn't the level boss and there was an entire dungeon afterwards meaning I ran behind a high level summon who destroyed everything in his path and lead me to the boss who he defeated withing 5 mins. This completely ruined the level for me. I preferred the souls system where you summon before a boss for help with the boss only.

    And my final complaint is that I don't like the protagonist. It feels strange that he has an Irish accent and looks like Geralt from the Witcher (which is truly bizarre). The voice acting works so much better in Japanese (which is a language I love hearing anyway). For me personally I thought the protagonist should have been Japanese, I know the story fits around a foreigner traveling to the far East, but it just didn't quite work for me. When you do meet the characters who speak Japanese it feels much more authentic.

    But these issues are far from game breaking and exist because I'm comparing Nioh to one of my favorite game franchises. However I still feel Nioh is a fantastic game and I hope we see more games in the series.

    There are a range of interesting enemies (all requiring knowledge of their movement, attacks, strengths and weaknesses) and some brilliantly designed bosses that can really break you until you figure them out!

    Nioh has re-vitalised the rogue like genre and is a welcome addition. If you can get into it and learn the complex system it will be one of those games you talk about for years when discussing great games.    … Expand
  22. fijiboy
    Sep 8, 2017
    9
    nioh is an action rpg with heavy inspiration from dark souls but is unique enough in its own way to stand on its own as a an original title. the game gives you a few options on how you would like to run the game, I chose to have it run at 60 fps with a lower graphics, but even then the game still looks really good, and the 60fps is a much better way to play and would take that over thenioh is an action rpg with heavy inspiration from dark souls but is unique enough in its own way to stand on its own as a an original title. the game gives you a few options on how you would like to run the game, I chose to have it run at 60 fps with a lower graphics, but even then the game still looks really good, and the 60fps is a much better way to play and would take that over the pretty graphics even though it does look very pretty in that mode. the games sounds great and with all the swords slashing and pulses bringing a lot of energy to the fights and the music is amazing. the game has a really great soundtrack, but it really could use more music, especially when it comes to the boss fights because for a majority of bosses your gonna be hearing the same boss theme, I would have loved a different theme for every single boss. the voice acting is ok with a lot of it being in Japanese, so its hard for me to judge the quality of it but there was never a moment of weirdness or odness from any of the voices that I could tell. the gameplay is absolutely the best part of this game, its extremely challenging and satisfying and brings a huge amount of depth that works too damn good. its easily one of the funnest games ive ever played and ive never played an action hack and slash kind of game like this with the amount of depth and attention nioh has. it just feels so good, and it never gets stale because of that. the boss fight in the game are on par in quality with those in the dark souls series and were some of the most grueling fights ive experienced in a while. a large majority of these bosses were excellent while some were kind of a miss, and there were two fights that really frustrated me but otherwise they were great. the levels themselves were designed very well with many looping shortcuts and a decent variety of locations kept it mostly pretty fresh, but there were many levels that got reused constantly for side missions and that could be a little disappointing, but there are so many different levels that I didn't mind this too much. the story is probably its weakest aspect but it isn't bad, just kindof hard to follow sometimes with a mix of cutscenes and lots of reading mission details to tell the story, so your gonna miss out a lot on whats going on in the story if your not reading everything. with that in mind nioh is probably my favorite game this year so far because of how much fun it is and rewarding it feels to overcome its challenges. the game took me between 60 and 70 hours to beat so you will get a lot of content out of the game, this includes all the side missions which I did as well. this game isn't for everyone though, this is a very challenging game and is in no way casual, so just warning you, its gonna be tough.… Expand
  23. DPtdryste
    Feb 16, 2017
    9
    These types of games are always pretty fun for your first run through them, so if you aren't short on cash and want that awesome feeling of going through the gauntlet for the first time, I'd pick this up. Nioh keeps enough of the good stuff from the Soulsborne series while adding its own unique cultural flair and tweaks to the genre to make it a game worth your time. I mean this to be aThese types of games are always pretty fun for your first run through them, so if you aren't short on cash and want that awesome feeling of going through the gauntlet for the first time, I'd pick this up. Nioh keeps enough of the good stuff from the Soulsborne series while adding its own unique cultural flair and tweaks to the genre to make it a game worth your time. I mean this to be a short review for fans of the genre who are on the fence about purchasing. There's a lot of good and only a little bad here:

    The game uses Amrita (souls) AND Gold (money). One common currency would have sufficed, as players experienced in this genre might quickly find themselves highly-leveled and pockets stuffed with dough, which is not a bad thing, but a higher sense of scarcity could have been added to the game. Other than leveling your character, there's no way to bank souls/Amrita. Conversely, money/Gold is a resource I do not worry about at all because the features tied to the game's economy seem either optional/unnecessary OR too "weedsy" and complicated. I would rather play through the whole game with random drops, than custom-smash the game a la the Skyrim blacksmithing/enchanting route. That being said, I like that you can make any armor in the game look like any other armor in the game, that you can hide your helmet and redo your hair and facial hair.

    The last bad thing I will say is that fans of this genre, like me, would probably appreciate a challenge mode (think skulls from Halo, such as disabling blocking for the entire game or making drops more rare) and a difficulty adjust (think NG+) from starting our first playthrough. This isn't Team Ninja's or From Soft's fault, but if for some reason someone working for those companies is reading this, I want you all to know that we understand you have to make these games accessible, but that these are not just tweaks for veterans of the genre, they would lengthen the life of your games as well.

    Combat is fun. Faster than Dark Souls and even normal enemies can murder your face if you slack. The game sometimes wants you to be aggressive and sometimes wants you to be extremely defensive, and I like that. It doesn't feel like DS or Bloodborne, it feels distinctly Nioh, and that's good. 5 types of weapons with 3 stances, heavy and light attacks and trees tied to learning new abilities/moves for each weapon type. There are also trees for Magic and Ninjustu. It's pretty good stuff, not perfect, but it feels nice and makes your character feel like yours.

    The game isn't one huge connected world. I was skeptical about this at first, but quickly stopped caring and enjoyed Nioh's mission structure for its uniqueness. Besides, the levels feel well designed. I would actually love to see Team Ninja and From Software trade some team members, both could learn a lot from each other. My personal preference would be smashing the first two-thirds of level design of DS1 with Nioh's attention to details, and making the game as fun as fighting is in Bloodborne and Nioh. In case anyone out there cares.

    Anyways...

    Some bosses and encounters feel unfair and are open to complaints that they force cheesing enemies with tactics like high-stancing them with the chain or other stun-locking tactics that I haven't learned yet, but oh well. "Git gud" and "be patient" and "keep whittling away" apply here, annoying pieces of advice but effective nonetheless. You can't fault the game for not getting every combat encounter perfect, especially when 80-90% of it is done very well, so keep at it folks: memorize those patterns and wait for your openings.

    The game has cutscenes, which are fun and help break the pace and add some character to the game. The supporting poems, stories, lore and other visual flairs the game has are nice extras. They don't feel very coherent to me, but I'm not Japanese and don't know much about the period. Regardless, Team Ninja definitely cared about what they have done here, and it shows. Items have their own descriptions, characters have lore about them that unlocks as you play, character model views and zoom-ins and more...

    This review is starting to run a bit long so I will end it here. If you are a fan of the series I would consider Nioh a "sorta kinda must play." We were worried about Bloodborne maybe not being fun for being too close to Dark Souls and we ended up liking it. Same applies here. I left out some cool parts about the game like how revenants and online play works and other details, so check the game out for the good stuff Team Ninja added. It's not a Dark Souls copy, it is its own inspired piece from the "Soulsborne genre," much like what a good FPS can be to FPS fans or a good RPG can be to RPG fans.

    Thanks for reading folks.    … Expand
  24. claytastic
    Feb 28, 2017
    9
    Nioh is an outstanding achievement in action RPGs. Many people say that it's exactly like Souls, but I don't see it. The inspiration is there, but what has been created is one of the most original games I've played this console generation. The art style doesn't look as good as other games nowadays, or even the Souls games, but it works well with the game. The level design isn't as good asNioh is an outstanding achievement in action RPGs. Many people say that it's exactly like Souls, but I don't see it. The inspiration is there, but what has been created is one of the most original games I've played this console generation. The art style doesn't look as good as other games nowadays, or even the Souls games, but it works well with the game. The level design isn't as good as it is in the Souls games, but it's till better than most other recent games. The soundtrack isn't anything to call amazing, but it still fits. The weapon variety is weak, with only 5 different types of weapons, but at least each of them are unique and have completely different functions from the others. So what makes this game a 9/10? Well, first off, its combat. Nioh has one of the best combat systems I've ever seen in a video game. Its combat is based on stance, and given that For Honor, which has similar combat, was released a mere week after it, it didn't really get the recognition it truly deserved. You have high, low, and mid stances, and all weapons you use force you to change your stance in order to get the most effective use out of it. Some enemies, including bosses, require you to change your stance, no matter what weapon you're using. Nioh doesn't exactly shine in its enemy variety, as a lot of the levels feature the same basic smokey skeletons or samurai as most of the foes you face. They all have great design that goes hand-in-hand with the setting, but it gets tiring seeing the same people some times. The bosses, however, define the game's challenge and creativity. Each boss is different from the last, and I never felt like I fought the same guy (or girl) twice. They all have different attack patterns, some easier to memorise than others, which make them all feel unique. Now some may ask: how the customisation? Well, compared to the Soulsborne games, character customisation is literally nonexistent. You can't alter your character's appearance at all, but considering that this game focuses more on straightforward story rather than lore, I could see why. But if you prefer clothing customisation, you're in for a treat. There are so many different types of armour, and each of them have different looks and styles than the others. If you don't like the look of one, but want to keep the stats, you can take it to the Blacksmith, and have her refashion it to look like a different piece of armour that you've discovered. You can do this with weapons, too, and it's something I've always dreamed of seeing in a video game. Overall, Nioh has it's flaws, but they are very quickly overshadowed by it's achievements. The fluid combat and movement systems combined make some incredible, fast-paced gameplay, the enemy designs, while repetitive at times, still stands out thanks to the unique bosses, and it's customisation for weapons and armour separates itself from most other games on the market. But there's still one question: is it hard? I'm glad to say, yes. It's brutal, but that's why we love it. 9/10.… Expand
  25. MaximumD
    Mar 2, 2020
    9
    I recently picked up this game on my PS+ account for free and decided to give it a shot. I also want to say that I have never played any of the Souls type games before, so I really didn't have any preconditions or preconceptions of this genre.

    I was a little bit worried about the dying part. I died a lot in the beginning. Especially the first two levels. But the game only really takes    I recently picked up this game on my PS+ account for free and decided to give it a shot. I also want to say that I have never played any of the Souls type games before, so I really didn't have any preconditions or preconceptions of this genre.

    I was a little bit worried about the dying part. I died a lot in the beginning. Especially the first two levels. But the game only really takes away your experience points and only if you die again before reclaiming them. I found that the gameplay itself is so good that I didn't mind the repetition so much. It's a lot like the save system in Alien Isolation, which is a game that also forced you to get better and really understand the mechanics before proceeding far on your own merits.

    Meanwhile, you are constantly upgrading gear and skills and getting better at the game itself. You only lose exp points after you die and then die again before reclaiming the points at the spot you died. At some point though the gameplay clicks and you can really breeze by some of the lesser enemies or avoid them altogether if you choose. I'm actually surprised by the wealth of options the game gives you to use from melee to ranged to magic, and stealth too. Managing the death and rebirth cycle actually turns into a type of strategy all on it's own. Do you push ahead and risk death in a new area, or do you circle back and cash in your points which resets the enemies? It's like a game within a game sort of.

    Now for my biggest pet peeve in this game. The amount of items you can collect in this game is just too much. It's takes too much time to sort through and manage all this stuff and becomes quite annoying. It's loot overload. I typically donate everything to the shrine for more exp. points.

    However, I do really like the way they copied the MGSV mission structure which allows you to play at your own pace and tackle previous areas doing challenges and side missions.

    However this does kind make the story feel wonky but honestly the story is second fiddle. It's your standard Samurai fantasy stuff with demons and guardians and what not. Not terribly interesting and pretty much a carbon copy of every type of game ever made in the ninja action genre.

    This is not a game for everybody but at the 20 dollar or less price point, it's a steal. It's a full game offering hours of action but there is some stiff difficulty at times and that can get frustrating. But you can play at your own pace and if an area proves too difficult you can always hit up a previous level and try to grind for a little bit. There are also plenty of items that speed things up as well and honestly the constant dying and difficulty is a little overblown in some of the reviews. Just have patience in the first two levels and then things really open up. Bottom line, gameplay is top notch and will keep you coming back. If you like action games give it a try.    … Expand
  26. IncognitosX
    Feb 8, 2017
    9
    This game is shrouded in mystery and brings back the feeling I had when venturing into the world of Dark Souls for the first time. The game play is amazing and caters to various play styles. I hate to compare this game to Dark Souls because it really does stand on its own two feet but if enjoy the series then you'll absolutely love this. At first it felt a bit easy but little did I knowThis game is shrouded in mystery and brings back the feeling I had when venturing into the world of Dark Souls for the first time. The game play is amazing and caters to various play styles. I hate to compare this game to Dark Souls because it really does stand on its own two feet but if enjoy the series then you'll absolutely love this. At first it felt a bit easy but little did I know that was only the tutorial. I find this game a bit more challenging than Dark Souls but that might be because I'm adjusting. Regardless, if you enjoy the complexities of an RPG, meticulously crawling though levels for secrets, intense action and a challenge like no other than this game is for you.… Expand
  27. sololeocr
    Mar 24, 2017
    9
    Nioh es de esos juegos que creo que debemos de apoyar, realmente Tecmo esta vez creo que ha hecho un gran videjuego, que no es un Dark Souls que muchos comparan este juego con Nioh, pero si que tiene elementos de dicha saga como la dificultad.

    En Nioh se nos tira desde el principio a la boca del lobo, no es un juego que sea "accesible" desde el inicio, es un titulo que de una vez te    Nioh es de esos juegos que creo que debemos de apoyar, realmente Tecmo esta vez creo que ha hecho un gran videjuego, que no es un Dark Souls que muchos comparan este juego con Nioh, pero si que tiene elementos de dicha saga como la dificultad.

    En Nioh se nos tira desde el principio a la boca del lobo, no es un juego que sea "accesible" desde el inicio, es un titulo que de una vez te tira a progresar con inteligencia, primero conociendo los controles, y segundo tratando de decirnos que no se trata de simplemente machacar botones, hay que conocer el enemigo, hay que evitar grupos de estos, hay que conocer en casos es útil un golpe bajo , medio o fuerte, y no se trata de solo de estar corriendo del punto A al B.

    El juego invita a que se explore, que busque el luchar contra enemigos fuertes, el estar siempre atentos a estar cambiando de equipo tanto a nivel de armaduras como armas, cada enemigo puede dejar al morir elementos útiles como objetos curativos, de apoyo, dinero, se tiene que explorar cada rincón, buscar cuerpos con recompensas, cofres de tesoros, etc.

    Gráficamente no es un referente, yo lo juego en mi consola PS4 normal a 720p, y corre con fps muy estable, solo he sentido un par de casos muy puntuales donde la tasa de imágenes por segundo a caído bastante, pero se dieron cuando ya había completado una misión, mejor dicho cuando estaba saliendo de ella al presionar el botón de circulo para ser precisos, por lo que el resto lo que importa que es el moverse por el escenario y luchar contra jefes, no he tenido ningún bajonazo.

    El juego no es un mundo abierto, las misiones son en algunos casos de las secundarias muy sencillas en cuanto a requerimientos para terminarlas, y otros casos cuando luchamos contra personajes famosos dentro del juego las luchas son muy pero muy difíciles, al punto de llegar a desesperarse si no se conoce la estrategia adecuada. Con las misiones principales tenemos etapas muy largas si se quiere explorar todo, y luchar contra todos los enemigos y pueden estar seguro que esto tiene su recompensa en cuanto objetos.
    Luego están las misiones ocaso donde casi todos los enemigos serán Yokais muy poderosos y de mas respeto.

    Los jefes en algunos casos son muy difíciles, el no conocer bien o dominar bien el combate hará que nos enfrentemos una veintena de veces a ellos, no es malo para nada pedir ayuda. La ventaja del juego es nos permite el poder trollar bastante a un enemigo, pero esto se logra con el tiempo.

    El punto mas importante que tiene este juego es la jugabilidad, nos encontramos con un juego que corre muy bien en la consola, el control responde casi de forma perfecta, y eso provoca que estemos frente a un juego muy solido.

    Lo negativo que tiene el juego es la repetición de los enemigos, ya cuando se este bastante avanzado no se va a descubrir nada nuevo en este aspecto, hay otras cosillas como el excesivo descubrimiento de objetos, armaduras, y armas.

    Vale la pena Nioh, yo diría que si, si se tiene gustos por este tip de juegos, es algo nuevo y diferente a lo que se tiene acostumbrado al mercado de PS4 con tanto juego remasterizado o juego cansino de siempre.    … Expand
  28. Vapor96
    Jun 19, 2019
    9
    The combat system is absolutely great with three different stances to utilize. The locations are very interesting, such as a dark fishing village and a spider-infested castle; the atmosphere is simply there. Every enemy demands your respect and defeating them feels so satisfying. There truly is no cannon fodder here. However, prepare to die over and over again to normal enemies as well asThe combat system is absolutely great with three different stances to utilize. The locations are very interesting, such as a dark fishing village and a spider-infested castle; the atmosphere is simply there. Every enemy demands your respect and defeating them feels so satisfying. There truly is no cannon fodder here. However, prepare to die over and over again to normal enemies as well as super tough bosses. The amount of loot is a bit too heavy and thus inventory management consumes a lot of time.… Expand
  29. NightmanCometh
    Feb 8, 2017
    9
    I will be one of the ones to say that I prefer Dark Souls over Nioh, but make no mistake, Nioh is an amazing game. I love the weight and speed of dark souls. It leaves more to careful and strategic motions. Nioh is faster and relies more heavily on combos than strategic, one-hit-then-back-off, moves as you would do in Dark Souls. This alone gives Nioh a unique identity and differentiatesI will be one of the ones to say that I prefer Dark Souls over Nioh, but make no mistake, Nioh is an amazing game. I love the weight and speed of dark souls. It leaves more to careful and strategic motions. Nioh is faster and relies more heavily on combos than strategic, one-hit-then-back-off, moves as you would do in Dark Souls. This alone gives Nioh a unique identity and differentiates itself from Dark Souls. The core combat, though slightly familiar, feels totally different. This is where Nioh Succeeds.

    The only negative I really have about this game is that the maps feel disjointed. The one thing that I absolutely LOVED about Dark Souls was the world design. It was an intricate world where all of the areas interacted. A world where you could get lost and find yourself back at the beginning. Nioh captures that in moments, but not as a whole unfortunately.

    All in all, this game is amazing and definitely worth a play. The bosses are also damn hard.    … Expand
  30. Deadheadbill
    Feb 10, 2017
    9
    Well, color me surprised. When I played the first Nioh demo a few months back I immediately put it in my "don't bother with this one" list. Then it gets released to great reviews and I decide to give it a chance.

    Holy crap am I glad I did. Nioh is an amazing amalgam of Dark Souls, Bloodborne and Diablo. Deep combat mechanics, great loot system and stellar crafting combine to make this    Well, color me surprised. When I played the first Nioh demo a few months back I immediately put it in my "don't bother with this one" list. Then it gets released to great reviews and I decide to give it a chance.

    Holy crap am I glad I did. Nioh is an amazing amalgam of Dark Souls, Bloodborne and Diablo. Deep combat mechanics, great loot system and stellar crafting combine to make this an amazing game. It get's a one point deduction due to the graphics, which are serviceable but not quite up to expected standards for this gen.

    Don't let the difficulty stop you from enjoying this gem because Nioh does what Dark Souls and Bloodborne don't. It gives you side missions and twilight missions to hone your skills and increase your level without resorting to grinding Cathedral Knights. :) I truly believe most people can play and enjoy this game if they are just willing to learn it's systems.    … Expand
  31. ultimatesoll
    Feb 7, 2017
    9
    before all that general review materials, i want to talk about PS4 Pro release since this game is Sony exclusive and came for both Sony systems.

    The game is released for PS4 Pro too, but it's still lack of some graphical contents in terms of overall quality. Unfortunately, this game doesn't support 1080p - 60fps for regular PS4s. While it's support 4K in Pro, the game runs on 60fps    before all that general review materials, i want to talk about PS4 Pro release since this game is Sony exclusive and came for both Sony systems.

    The game is released for PS4 Pro too, but it's still lack of some graphical contents in terms of overall quality. Unfortunately, this game doesn't support 1080p - 60fps for regular PS4s. While it's support 4K in Pro, the game runs on 60fps perfectly in native 1080p resolution. At this point, one can easily say that this game can't redeem itself very well. But i think this is not a big deal since the both platforms are supporting different resolutions and frame-rates (action-enriched-mixed), and it doesn't causing any major loss for the gameplay. As a result of "Pro options" trend, players are free to choose their preferences.

    The game is a long-run development product, so the graphics are kinda outdated yet still great and easily give to you atmosphere that you looking for. Despite boss fights aren't as frustrating" as Dark Souls ones, you will enjoy with the core battle system.

    This is an action-RPG game and it's carrying every fundamentals accurately. Many players may recognize this game has a lot of stuff that resembling of Onimusha. This is one of the best "samurai-middle age Japan" based game by default, so never miss this fantastic tale if you interest with the genre. This will be the best choice for PS4 owners. After all this is the game that developed by creators of Ninja Gaiden - another great ninja-based franchise. Play on fellas.

    Pros:
    + Good graphics
    + Deep, weapon based gameplay
    + Animations, cinematics, sounds
    + Tons of mission, great challenges
    + Fantastic level designs/ variety of enemies, bosses
    + Enriched(movie) mode and 4K support
    Cons:
    - no support for native 1080p/60fps for regular PS4.    … Expand
  32. Toldu_I_Tango
    Feb 8, 2017
    9
    Nioh is an amazing game that's visually stunning and has great use of rich colour . It's a dark fantasy tale with great cinematics . Average level design and environments hold Nioh back from being a classic. Combat however is fluid and feels great as do the vast array of weapons. There's loads of loot and character progression and you are rewarded well for progression which gladly makesNioh is an amazing game that's visually stunning and has great use of rich colour . It's a dark fantasy tale with great cinematics . Average level design and environments hold Nioh back from being a classic. Combat however is fluid and feels great as do the vast array of weapons. There's loads of loot and character progression and you are rewarded well for progression which gladly makes this game so addictive which is rare in games of the modern generation. Bosses look great also and lots of creativity and imagination has gone into them and the game as a whole. I've played a little of Souls and a little of Boodborne an I have to say I will be playing a lot of Nioh. I'm Very happy with my purchase and you should be too.… Expand
  33. Freedom013
    Feb 11, 2017
    9
    If you love dark souls you will love Nioh. some will say this is dark souls with a Japanese historical skin on top, their not completely wrong, Team Ninja took a few pages from other games as well. The combat seems reminiscent of Ninja Gaiden with weapons such as the kusarigama feeling oh so satisfying, the loot system is similar to that of Diablo, which means grinding for that perfectIf you love dark souls you will love Nioh. some will say this is dark souls with a Japanese historical skin on top, their not completely wrong, Team Ninja took a few pages from other games as well. The combat seems reminiscent of Ninja Gaiden with weapons such as the kusarigama feeling oh so satisfying, the loot system is similar to that of Diablo, which means grinding for that perfect role is gonna take a while. they seem to have already implemented features that will be necessary for late game such as forging, reforging and transmog. Without going into to much more detail I find the game to be nostalgic yet still fresh and would recommend it to any fans of the dark souls series. If there is a downside to this game its the dodge mechanics and AI targeting, in Dark souls attacks seem to be aimed and are easily dodge-able, however in Nioh the enemy attacks tend to follow your dodges unless timed perfectly/right before impact. I am only part way through the game but I am thoroughly enjoying it.… Expand
  34. v4vendetta
    Jul 2, 2017
    9
    Any one fond of the Dark Souls series would definitely love this game. It feels like Dark Souls taking place with a ninja or samurai built character.
    Pros:
    _the combat mechanics felt much more satisfying than Dark souls.
    _a good storyline
    Cons:
    _Aura of the surrounding environment in Boss battles is not as epic as Dark Souls but . . . satisfying(up to the mark)

    To me, its a 9.
  35. VOLLRATH
    Feb 10, 2017
    9
    Well, there´s not much to tell, after so many reviews, and 90% of them are true.
    My only complain about this Game Nioh, are some scenarios. There are too much fog/mist , and you really have to force your vision. I mean, who likes to explore the scenario, has to be very patience, i was like, just wanna to get out from here.. but is just my opinion. The game is Great. 9/10
  36. DarthNihilus
    Feb 14, 2017
    9
    As a huge fan of both the Dark Souls and Ninja Gaiden Series I have to say that Nioh is everything I wanted from both of them. It has the difficulty of Souls but the style and speed of NG. It makes for a perfect blend of action-oriented gameplay. As a lover of Japanese culture I couldn't be more happy with the setting the game takes places in. The protagonist seems a little out of placeAs a huge fan of both the Dark Souls and Ninja Gaiden Series I have to say that Nioh is everything I wanted from both of them. It has the difficulty of Souls but the style and speed of NG. It makes for a perfect blend of action-oriented gameplay. As a lover of Japanese culture I couldn't be more happy with the setting the game takes places in. The protagonist seems a little out of place but you'll easily overlook that once you've started playing. The gameplay is top notch and hooks you right from the start. The story is a companion piece to the gameplay. I'm usually more of a narrative driven gamer but I didn't really mind that the story was told in the background. The subtlety was refreshing. The amount of depth in the customization is truly what makes this game shine. From the weapons and armor to the guardian spirits and abilities, the game gives you the opportunity to build your own play style. It's definitely a lot to absorb at first but its never enough to make you feel overwhelmed by the experience. The game's pacing is very well done and offers enough rewards to offset its difficulty. The feeling of beating tough boss after multiple tries is intoxicating especially after you gain the rewards for all your troubles. I HIGHLY recommend this game to anyone that loves a good challenging hack-and-slash game.… Expand
  37. HGJ1990
    Feb 13, 2017
    9
    Nioh is really similar to Dark Souls/Bloodbourne but that's not a bad thing. Loot is randomly generated similar to diablo, and combat is like a combination of dark souls and ninja gaiden. Enemies can be very punishing but killing them is very satisfying. Story is ok nothing fancy and game can get challenging at times. If you enjoy the souls series you'll enjoy this one as well.
  38. Jhonyteixeira
    Feb 9, 2017
    9
    This game is awesome,amazing,very very very very good,also very very exclusive of Playstation 4,Nioh and Bloodobrne are arts of the genre............
  39. DevilsWar
    Feb 17, 2017
    9
    I will start off and say Nioh is not for everybody. Nioh is a challenging, FUN, and at times frustrating experience. The game is not perfect but in my humble opinion the combat system is a perfect 10. Graphics can range depending on what system you are using ( PS4 or PS4 Pro ) and same goes for performance. On both systems you can choose between better graphics, better frame rates, or aI will start off and say Nioh is not for everybody. Nioh is a challenging, FUN, and at times frustrating experience. The game is not perfect but in my humble opinion the combat system is a perfect 10. Graphics can range depending on what system you are using ( PS4 or PS4 Pro ) and same goes for performance. On both systems you can choose between better graphics, better frame rates, or a combination of both. My recommendation is to use the Action Mode for better frames rates and performance. Level design and enemies can be repetitive at times, but the boss encounters make up for that. The sound quality of the game is great as I have no complaints about any of the music, voice acting, weapon sounds, ambiance, and enemy sounds. One issue I have with the game is the amount of systems it uses for inventory and for using the blacksmith. The menus are cluttered with information, it feels like you have hundreds of items in your inventory. You get the hang of it after a while but it can cause confusion for some players. The other issue is story, it just did not keep my attention. I wanted to hurry up and get back to the fighting and skip most of the cut scenes. Nioh has elements of the Ninja Gaiden series, with elements of Dark Souls but it also leans heavily on Onimusha. At the end of the day you are a fan of those types of games and enjoy challenges then Nioh is a must buy.… Expand
  40. setuis
    Dec 20, 2017
    9
    Firstly lets point out nioh's flaws.

    1. There is a pause button but you have to press 2 buttons to get to it and its not told to you at all, discovered it by accident after finishing my play through..... --- very angry as there are times i died to bosses cause i got called to from down stairs etc from relatives. Should have been in tuturial. 2. Camera angles in some end game    Firstly lets point out nioh's flaws.

    1. There is a pause button but you have to press 2 buttons to get to it and its not told to you at all, discovered it by accident after finishing my play through..... --- very angry as there are times i died to bosses cause i got called to from down stairs etc from relatives. Should have been in tuturial.

    2. Camera angles in some end game missions when your fighting two bosses is a bother and often makes the fight hard for the wrong reasons.

    3. End game expects you farm 20 million in game currency and in my playthrough i got like 4???? my playthrough was at the average 80 to 100 hours. Why couldn't armita and currency be the same friggen stat?

    4. Not marking of spas the same way as komodoras often forcing tedious backtrack when going for spa hunter.

    5. No level slider on missions allowing you to replay specfic missions only (e.g) for armors. This somewhat allows the soul forging mechanic to be useful however but it would be better if you didn't need to farm for good gear in the end game just to farm gold.

    6. Not informing the player there is a way to increase short cut slots, meaning that i spent most of my game limited to 8 slots ,2 melee weapons and 2 ranged weapons meaning i died sometimes during menus when i was looking for extra health, or ranged bombs. (you can have 4 short cut slots and they are upgraded by talking with tome at the blacksmith.) wish i had known this much earlier.

    7. Boss fights spam overpowered moves that often instant kill and some fights won't even give you chance to use exilers an auto elixer armor would be helpful, of course this is rectified with magic and taking the instant cast on self mystic art.

    8. A limit on ninjistu and onymo (magic) that capacity caps at 40..... meaning you can't carry all your fav items at the same time. I wish there where items like locks that increased this or armors that increased carrying capacity.

    9. Strange culling glitches like walls causing a grainy screen effect. (no longer present from what i have seen in 1.21.)

    10, Some dojo missions like spear proficency etc etc expect you to only use a weapon despite using that said weapon with ninjustu and magic for most encounters and forces you to use a powered down spear, It means like these missions get an inherit advantage from having more health or ki as primary stats and you can't use your sprit, magic, ninjustu or collected items in anyway which sucks.

    11. No special item to prevent enemies respawning when going to heal at shrine.

    12 Not being able to select twilight missions in end game.

    Good things.

    1. mystic arts are cool and you should be able to take more than 1 from each category or have at least one wild card slot so for example instead of taking 1 from axe you can take 2 from ninjitsu.

    2. Different stances for weapons adds layer of complexity and has differing attacks and animations which is great.

    3. Living weapon is cool shame it got nerfed to crap meaning infinite living weapon builds suck as of 1.16.

    4. Uses hand cannon's, bows and rifles as ranged weapons.

    5 inheriting skills, crafting system    … Expand
  41. ke3bz
    May 30, 2017
    9
    The "Git Rekt Git Gud" genre of Punishing-Third-Person-Action-RPG with a gear focus and level progression that relies on death to teach and exponentially experience the player has reached a place where we are no longer seeing what needs to be called "Souls Clones" and instead are experiencing evolutions and expansions of the core mechanics that made those games great. Nioh shines in itsThe "Git Rekt Git Gud" genre of Punishing-Third-Person-Action-RPG with a gear focus and level progression that relies on death to teach and exponentially experience the player has reached a place where we are no longer seeing what needs to be called "Souls Clones" and instead are experiencing evolutions and expansions of the core mechanics that made those games great. Nioh shines in its Eastern History mixed with folklore and monster tales to make it a world I was ever engrossed in from beginning to end. Switching weapons/stances to keep it fresh, farming gear to buff your elements, doing Twilight Missions to get needed materials and the Dojo to acquire needed skills...this game was never boring and always challenging. Shinobi and Devil May Cry were resonating through the GRGG mechanics and the breakneck bosses / level progression only bolstered this feeling. Tense, exciting and new, Nioh was a must have for fans of the formula.… Expand
  42. destinyfan1
    Feb 7, 2017
    9
    bloodborne was actually to hard for me but this was awesome

    positive + good environment and graphics ( and the bosses look absolutely awesome ). + very nice combat + hard but very fun + characters and story negative - sometimes repetive and exhausting ( just take a break then or play another game for a while ) i didn't play the game out but i am chure it will stay at this level    bloodborne was actually to hard for me but this was awesome

    positive
    + good environment and graphics ( and the bosses look absolutely awesome ).
    + very nice combat
    + hard but very fun
    + characters and story
    negative
    - sometimes repetive and exhausting ( just take a break then or play another game for a while )
    i didn't play the game out but i am chure it will stay at this level or even better    … Expand
  43. Zmetekk
    Mar 12, 2020
    9
    Not as polished as dark souls, not as clever as bloodborne, but best not from software game and amazing experience as a game that use soulborne system, but still stands as a completely different game. Only big let down is the story... Non interesting and badly voice acted. Really, japanese dont be so loud and wierd
  44. Liquidjoker
    Apr 13, 2018
    9
    Great Graphics, Great Combat, Too easy.

    Don't compare it to Dark Souls... It is not the same thing.Oh and Bloodbourne is better than DS.

    Have you played the Ninja Gaiden games on PS3 and 360? if you have not played them take a back seat.
  45. BlakDak666
    Feb 23, 2017
    9
    Nioh is a wonderful game that demonstrates how taking concepts and the strong aspects of other games can blend and build its own identity really well. It gives a challenge and adventure that is engaging and unique. It uses the fast-pace combat of Dynasty Warriors, the looting system of Diablo, the Japanese culture and the Dark Souls mechanics that make players have a fast, brutal andNioh is a wonderful game that demonstrates how taking concepts and the strong aspects of other games can blend and build its own identity really well. It gives a challenge and adventure that is engaging and unique. It uses the fast-pace combat of Dynasty Warriors, the looting system of Diablo, the Japanese culture and the Dark Souls mechanics that make players have a fast, brutal and rewarding experience. Its story is lacking and mediocre, the bosses are visually interesting, but do repeat the music tracks and have the variety of good, bad and meh. It has a few quirks here and there, but it deserves a 9 because it was able to succeed at its goals and was extremely fun to play. I cannot wait for the future of the game and expect to play it over the rest of the year.… Expand
  46. kadab
    Feb 7, 2017
    9
    It is 1598. Spain and England are at war. England was on the losing side and began resorting to alchemy. For this, they needed Amrita: a mysterious substance with special powers. You’re William Adams helmsmen of a ship. William is known as the first Englishman to get to Japan. He became a confidant of Shogun Ieyasu Tokugawa, and became the first non-Japanese samurai. I really love gamesIt is 1598. Spain and England are at war. England was on the losing side and began resorting to alchemy. For this, they needed Amrita: a mysterious substance with special powers. You’re William Adams helmsmen of a ship. William is known as the first Englishman to get to Japan. He became a confidant of Shogun Ieyasu Tokugawa, and became the first non-Japanese samurai. I really love games that are based on real history. A nice touch is that the names of the vessels also are spoken in Dutch during the first cutscenes.

    At the beginning of Nioh, you wake up in the Tower of London. I cannot suppress the feeling of Dark Souls. And hope Nioh is not an exact clone of this. Fortunately, this feeling is gone really fast. I escape from my cell, take down a jailer and walk up the stairs. I catch a conversation between two people. One person doesn’t says his name, the other person is Edward Kelly, an alchemist who claims he can turn metal into gold and even knows the secrets of the Philosopher’s Stone. Edward Kelly is also a person known from history books. I already feel that this is going to be a very special adventure.

    You fight against men and demons called Yo-Kai which are known from Japanese mythology. Nioh, of course, goes a step further, The Yo-Kai are demons who take possession of people and causing them to mutate into horrible creatures. This is most shown during the fight against the final boss of the prologue.
    Dark Souls players will recognize many aspects of Nioh. You get points for every enemy you defeat that you can spend to reach a higher level.
    But Nioh is more. The long and very beautiful, cutscenes are great for a game that can occasionally be extremely difficult.The battles are really fast and challenging. Unlike the Souls games, you choose missions from a world map. Once you have completed a mission you can do side missions in the same area for better loot and XP. You can also replay the same mission in Twilight mode, which is even more challenging.

    It is really fun to play through the levels together with other players. By setting up a secret password you can play with friends. Calling random people that come to your help is another option. After you have defeated the first boss there is also a whole new option, called Tori Gate. Here you can start a mission with a friend or random players. The new aspect is that the selected mission must be completed from start to finish, without being allowed to use of checkpoints. In exchange, you can die more often. In this game mode there is an additional bar on the screen, which begins to run empty at the time you or your buddy die. This can be stopped by reviving the other player. Is the bar empty? Then that’s the end of the mission and both of you have to start over. This is also something new which nioh is trying and should be commemorated. It works well and it creates a different dynamic to the gameplay.

    Nioh is clearly inspired by the Soul Games. Where other games in the genre failed at creating their own identity, Nioh succeeds. The Japanese setting is like a fresh breeze through the genre and adding Spirit Guardians also helps. The lack of a PVP experience is a small minus, but the innovative Tori Gate game mode is compensation enough. Nioh is no Dark Souls clone. Nioh is Nioh. And Nioh is a potential GOTY 2017.

    9 out of 10    … Expand
  47. jwatts8815
    Feb 7, 2017
    9
    old school souls/bloodborne player here. i just started playing Nioh at release about 5 hours ago so this is an initial impression....all i can say is WOW, the combat is fast, fluid and just feels great, drops are fantastic, huge variations in weapons ( swords, axes, guns, bow and arrow etc) very difficult and rewarding enemies, TLDR fantastic game no complaints buy it now haaa
  48. Rawfull
    Feb 7, 2017
    9
    Straight fun. Can be frustrating at times, but if you hang in there you are treated to some FINE gameplay. It can look a little janky compared to other AAA games released lately, but it's not a bad looking game by any means.

    Ignore the trolls like VideoGamesLover. He's rating all Sony games 0 and all Xbone games 10 because he's a real classy guy.
  49. GloriousDuck
    Feb 8, 2017
    9
    A must-play for souls fans. My only criticism is that the games environments are lacking compared to souls games in terms of art-direction. Level design itself is very good though.

    The game is incredible especially considering that it is a new IP. Tons of replay value.
  50. AstroKing
    Feb 8, 2017
    9
    Desde que empiezas a jugar te das cuenta de lo buen juego que es. Han hecho un cruce perfecto entre Dark Souls y Diablo. Además, cada boss como buen hijo de Soul, es un gran desafío y te sientes estupendo cuando consigues derrotarlo.
  51. Rothsword
    Feb 8, 2017
    9
    Really an amazing game. I am a soul game player myself, when I heard the game for the first time, I thought this game is just a rough copy of DARK SOULS, but after yesterday's play, from the fighting rhythm to the system design, this game is totally different. Nice work.
  52. Nihenna
    Feb 10, 2017
    9
    Gameplay is among the sleekest I've ever seen, which is truly important in a game with this style. Surpassing even the Souls games in tight controls. The game features enemies that are fun to fight, albeit a bit repetitive with it's black and orange colour scheme.

    As an ARPG fan, you will love this.
  53. kekocukeko
    Feb 10, 2017
    9
    one word= PERFECT GRAPHİCS= 10/8 GAMEPLAY 10/10 SOUND 7/10 STORY/10/9 Overall= 10/9 i really love this game this game can got 2017 game of the year what i can say just buy this game you gonna be fine :)
  54. GaR172
    Feb 11, 2017
    9
    Great game so far, but people need to tone down on the "It's better than Dark Souls" reviews and comments. Nioh has excellent gameplay, fast and responsive, courtesy of a developer with Ninja Gaiden under its belt. But in terms of world building, level design, sense of place and overall polish and attention to detail, it doesn't touch Dark Souls/Bloodborne. Hidetaka Miyazaki is a genius ofGreat game so far, but people need to tone down on the "It's better than Dark Souls" reviews and comments. Nioh has excellent gameplay, fast and responsive, courtesy of a developer with Ninja Gaiden under its belt. But in terms of world building, level design, sense of place and overall polish and attention to detail, it doesn't touch Dark Souls/Bloodborne. Hidetaka Miyazaki is a genius of game development, and there's simply no equal at Team Ninja. Still, Nioh is very good and totally recommended to anybody who likes the Souls games, or anybody who enjoys challenging action-RPGs that don't hold your hand.… Expand
  55. SaveTheClayPots
    Feb 12, 2017
    9
    Ni-Oh is what you get when you take something that someone else has done good and you perfect it, Ni-Oh is downright amazing, as a big fan of the souls games and the genre, that franchise created, this game is a healthy and good alternative to this genre. It feels like a blend of demon souls and bloodborne but, most important of all, it does end up feeling like something that is on itsNi-Oh is what you get when you take something that someone else has done good and you perfect it, Ni-Oh is downright amazing, as a big fan of the souls games and the genre, that franchise created, this game is a healthy and good alternative to this genre. It feels like a blend of demon souls and bloodborne but, most important of all, it does end up feeling like something that is on its own.

    The game has you put into the shoes of William Adams, the first Englishman to travel over to Japan and who became a samurai ‒and that is pretty much the only historic correctness you will get from this game, considering the game puts you in the battle of demons and such.
    The story does well in establishing the scene and setting perfectly fine and that is all that you really will care about, the story isn’t amazing but it is good and it keeps you entertained and interested the whole way through, it can be a little cheesy and feel like an anime at times, but never in a bad way, if you are playing this game for the story i would recommend you go for something more in the veins of Onimusha and not Ni-Oh, this is mostly all about that gameplay and not the story.

    You begin in a prison in London, where you quickly escape, fighting guards off, finding loot, learning everything from controlling your character to equipping gear in a not very “in your face” tutorial style, which I appreciated very much since i have danced this dance before, and we all know how bothersome long boring tutorials can be.

    Already at the beginning of the game, you can tell you have a challenging journey ahead of you ‒I never found the game that difficult, but most newcomers of the genre and the game on its own will probably feel the difficulty off-putting at times, which is why the addition of loot to the game mechanics is a nice touch and helps you feel positive even in the times when you just want to throw your controller, because you know you can always even the odds with better gear, or you can find a co op partner, yes, the game has co op at something called Tori Gate in the shrine’s menu.

    After the London section, William starts his journey over to Japan, landing in Kuroshima, a tiny island off the coast of Usuki. The game finally places you in the scenario you have been waiting for. As the game gradually opens up, it will give you a world map of the Kyushu’s Bungo province, where you can pick main missions, secondary missions. You also have a homestead where you can train your skills in a dojo, talk to the blacksmith to buy/sell gear, forge gear ‒you can even soul match two pieces of gear to up the level of your equipped weapon or armour or refashion your gear, There isn’t much customization with the avatar, but at one point you can use patronage levels to unlock barbershop at the blacksmith which will allow you to change your beard and hair style,later on in the game it will open up even more, letting you travel to another province which opens up the world map even more.
    You have a “hidden teahouse” where you can spend glory points to buy cool stuff like gestures, skins, rare crafting materials and even unidentified gear, just like diablo.
    When hidden teahouse opens up you will also get the chance to join a clan, you can choose which clan to join depending on what stat boost you want.

    The game has so much content and customization to it, that I’m still jumping in excitement just thinking about it. And best of all is the way the game gradually opens it up to you, instead of just handing it over and saying “here you go” it all feels like a progression to it that is at your own pace.

    Earlier in the review i compared Ni-Oh a lot to BloodBorne, but as a Team Ninja game you can also see resemblance to Ninja Gaiden especially in the combat, when it comes to combat, it really is a thinking man’s game, you have 3 different weapon stances you can choose from, low, mid and high. and they have different purposes to them from fast moving stance for attack and retreat tactics to slow hard hitting stance for high offense and slow defence. The fun part of combat is your enemy and the variety in animations and enemy designs, you have to read their animations to be at your most efficient in combat. knowing when to keep your distant and when to strike. The bosses in the game can be really difficult but it always comes down to what you do wrong and never the game **** it up for you.

    Ni-Oh is both fun and difficult, but it never broke me down, the amount of content you have to play with and explore to learning the combat in the game and beating the different variations of Demons and Bosses, There is a lot to this game and i highly recommend it to both newcomers to the genre and hardcore gamers looking for more challenge after their time with Dark Souls or who have a hole needed to fill after the last Ninja Gaiden.

    This is my review of Ni-Oh and i hope you enjoyed it.    … Expand
  56. DanBenevenuto
    Feb 17, 2017
    9
    Team Ninja made a Excellent job with Nioh, a RPG game, with Japanese story line, awesome monsters, bosses, characters, spirit guardians. The combat mechanics is similar with Dark Souls and Ninja Gaiden. Nioh is simply, one of the best games of 2017 and one of the best RPG games ever ! besides all this we've a online mode(co-op mode), and so many styles of arms to act like a ninja assassin.Team Ninja made a Excellent job with Nioh, a RPG game, with Japanese story line, awesome monsters, bosses, characters, spirit guardians. The combat mechanics is similar with Dark Souls and Ninja Gaiden. Nioh is simply, one of the best games of 2017 and one of the best RPG games ever ! besides all this we've a online mode(co-op mode), and so many styles of arms to act like a ninja assassin. I recommend Nioh !… Expand
  57. 1333339804
    Feb 19, 2017
    9
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Mystery Places , diferent weapons and armors , hard bosses , cruel enemies
    I love this video game.(actually i played it and i found these) every player who loves to play historical an strange should test this...    … Expand
  58. MAFIAxMaverick
    Mar 19, 2017
    9
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. One of the best surprises of the last few years. When I started Nioh I had that same feeling I had when I impulse bought Demon's Souls. "How could they only have two copies of this game on launch day?! This is amazing." It truly is amazing. I've poured about 100 hours into it so far and beaten NG+ (Way of the Strong).

    It's the best mix of Ninja Giaden, SoulsBorne gameplay, and Diablo's loot system (I swear I thought of this before I read an official review say the same thing). Combat is fast, tactical, and fun. It can get a bit repetitive, but enemies have enough of a variety of different moves that it's not the same move every time.

    Even with Onmyo Magic making things easier in the NG+, I still find myself messing up a combo or misreading an enemy's combo and find myself dead. The multiplayer mechanic, as it is now, is unique. I'm looking forward to when full PvP is implemented. This is truly a return to form for Team Ninja. My only gripe is that the story is a bit convoluted and became an afterthought in the middle. I picked up caring about it toward the end when I actually understood what was going on. On the same note, bosses were a bit hit or miss. Some were just too easy to figure out the first time you fought them.    … Expand
  59. checkpointgamin
    Feb 25, 2017
    9
    Nioh is the return of Team Ninja after the mess that was Ninja Gaiden 3, Team Ninja has went back to the drawing board and took creative inspiration from their fellow Japanese developer Fromsoft and developed their best game yet. Nioh though taking creative inspiration and direction from the Souls game it be selling the game saying it was just that, Nioh blends it's game play between theNioh is the return of Team Ninja after the mess that was Ninja Gaiden 3, Team Ninja has went back to the drawing board and took creative inspiration from their fellow Japanese developer Fromsoft and developed their best game yet. Nioh though taking creative inspiration and direction from the Souls game it be selling the game saying it was just that, Nioh blends it's game play between the fast paced bloodborne and it's grass root game ninja gaiden with combos that though simple feel so satisfying when pulled off.… Expand
  60. Xelanak
    Jun 2, 2018
    9
    Really a masterpiece nothing else to say !!!
    I played it for many hours and its a pleasure hell yeah !!!
  61. Fruitylemon11
    Mar 3, 2017
    9
    Its one of those your by yourself type games. Built for the solo player looking for challenging things that are some what balanced in allowing the player to approach the game with their own style. Customization is legit and plenty while game mechanics are acceptable. Lastly, games not for everybody its weird (grotesque), some satire (cats), and other strange developments (idk) but is aIts one of those your by yourself type games. Built for the solo player looking for challenging things that are some what balanced in allowing the player to approach the game with their own style. Customization is legit and plenty while game mechanics are acceptable. Lastly, games not for everybody its weird (grotesque), some satire (cats), and other strange developments (idk) but is a great purchase for hardcore players.… Expand
  62. trendkill87
    Mar 10, 2017
    9
    This game is fantastic! When I started playing my first thought was "If this is anything close to a Dark Souls experience I'll be happy!" But it's more in its own league. Nioh has much more dialogue and beautiful cut scenes with amazing art that really draws you into the story which stops you comparing it to other games and makes you enjoy it's unique style. I always like to try with anyThis game is fantastic! When I started playing my first thought was "If this is anything close to a Dark Souls experience I'll be happy!" But it's more in its own league. Nioh has much more dialogue and beautiful cut scenes with amazing art that really draws you into the story which stops you comparing it to other games and makes you enjoy it's unique style. I always like to try with any game I've enjoyed to try and pick out one criticism and with this game the only thing I didn't like was after the last main mission where the story seems to come to a conclusion there are then a few more side missions which I personally found tedious and no enjoyable but apart from that I loved the game. Definitely IMO harder than Dark Souls, but I'm glad if was as I really enjoyed the challenge.… Expand
  63. kelonne
    Jun 5, 2017
    9
    My game play experience on Nioh
    Pros
    - Challenging, take a while to understanding the control, requires patience, patience and patience. - The difficulty is above normal, not easy to play. You might end up retry at last save point if you are not paying attention. Which is good to me, coz might lost interest if game difficulty is too low. - Huge freedom to build your character in anyway    My game play experience on Nioh
    Pros
    - Challenging, take a while to understanding the control, requires patience, patience and patience.
    - The difficulty is above normal, not easy to play. You might end up retry at last save point if you are not paying attention. Which is good to me, coz might lost interest if game difficulty is too low.
    - Huge freedom to build your character in anyway you want.
    - Boss fight is super challenging. Each boss is unique and one-of-a-kind. Need to farm healing potions and get prepared.

    Cons
    - It takes hours to finish one main story mission, may be lesser for sub-quest while carefully and explore the maps
    - Organizing the stash and carry item/ eq is not quite user friendly. Cant access to stash nor checking the remaining item in the stash during mission
    - Map is big and can be confusing sometimes, no guided map or GPS. It will take you a while to explore the map and route

    Overall, recommended for player who seeks challenges.    … Expand
  64. KDFukuyama
    Mar 14, 2017
    9
    As a Bloodborne Fan, I really like Nioh.
    In many ways it's like Bloodborne but with a lot of uniqueness.
    STORY: A PLUS for the Mix of Japanese Feudal history and Japanese Folklore. The story of the Main character could be a little better, yet, it's entertaining. 8/10 GAMEPLAY: It's the Strongest Point of the Game. It's Challenging, Unforgiven, Methodical, but the most important,    As a Bloodborne Fan, I really like Nioh.
    In many ways it's like Bloodborne but with a lot of uniqueness.

    STORY: A PLUS for the Mix of Japanese Feudal history and Japanese Folklore. The story of the Main character could be a little better, yet, it's entertaining. 8/10

    GAMEPLAY: It's the Strongest Point of the Game. It's Challenging, Unforgiven, Methodical, but the most important, it's FAIR. It did the Souls Games homework! The KI-Pulse system (fast stamina regeneration) is annoying at beginning, but after you learn to use it, the game clicks and becomes very enjoyable! The variety of Weapons and Armours together with Armour and Weapon Forging, Fusing and Visual Changing is a fresh addition to the Souls Formula. 10/10

    GRAPHIC: Not the best looking game ever, but there are beautiful places with mix of Fields, Castles, Caves in Night, Day, Rain conditions is very pleasant. The level design is carefully crafted. Also, you can choose between Better Graphics, Better FPS or Mix of both. For a fast game like this which precision is necessary, it's really a welcome feature. Any game could have this option. 9/10

    MUSIC AND SOUND: Very nice mix of Japanese Old and New Style musics. It could have more variations and sometimes it becomes repetitive, but nothing that bothers while you're playing. The sound effect is also good, and the concept of using Japanese actors/actress for Japanese voice is perfect. 9/10

    CONCLUSION: A must have for any Souls Games Fan or People who likes challenges. 9/10    … Expand
  65. Carter478
    Mar 10, 2017
    9
    For anyone who loved Bloodborne and the Dark Souls series this is one not to pass up. It takes the same concept and puts it in an old day Japan, mixed with demons, magic, and awesome boss battles I highly recommend it for anyone who loves the idea.
  66. LaLaLakers
    Mar 10, 2017
    9
    I absolutely love this game. The combat is incredible. Brilliant in every way. Seriously, as gamers we are are blessed. Nioh, Zelda, Horizon, Nier. Poor PC/Xbox gamers.
  67. jxlyc4n
    Mar 10, 2017
    9
    There's a few enemy variations, but the action in this game is too fun to pass up. If you are a fan of Dark Souls and Ninja Gaiden this game might be right up your alley. 5 Weapons to master, Ninjutsu and magic called Onmyo to help you out. I had a lot of fun with the game and it took me maybe like 2 days to complete main game and the side quests. Now all that's left is the extra end gameThere's a few enemy variations, but the action in this game is too fun to pass up. If you are a fan of Dark Souls and Ninja Gaiden this game might be right up your alley. 5 Weapons to master, Ninjutsu and magic called Onmyo to help you out. I had a lot of fun with the game and it took me maybe like 2 days to complete main game and the side quests. Now all that's left is the extra end game content to fully complete.… Expand
  68. Ragerover
    Mar 13, 2017
    9
    Fans of Bloodborne and other From Software games will likely enjoy Nioh as it has a great deal in common with the formula of these games. It however, also does many things differently.

    Nioh features talent trees focused on 5 weapon types, ninjutsu, and onmyo magic which skill points can be allocated to based on stats and weapon usage. This means that you can specialize in specific    Fans of Bloodborne and other From Software games will likely enjoy Nioh as it has a great deal in common with the formula of these games. It however, also does many things differently.

    Nioh features talent trees focused on 5 weapon types, ninjutsu, and onmyo magic which skill points can be allocated to based on stats and weapon usage. This means that you can specialize in specific weapon types and cater your build towards your playstyle. I personally focused on strength and played the game using Axes to smash my enemies.

    Another major difference from From games is in the loot system. Nioh has a Diablo-esque loot system where weapons and gear drop from enemies with random bonuses and rarity levels. These items can be upgraded and the bonuses rerolled at the Blacksmith to help reduce RNG. However, the cost of doing this and frequency of gear drops means its almost always better to just wait for better drops. I enjoyed this system but many others hate the bulk of useless items you get.

    The biggest difference and strength of Nioh is the combat. Combat is fluid and skill based with dodging, ki management through timed ki pulses, and blocking. The better you get at the game the more the difficulty plummets as you take advantage of many game breaking abilities. Magic in particular has an ability Sloth that slows down enemy movement and attacks including bosses. This often trivializes some encounters, but it is your choice to use such abilities.

    The story of Nioh is about William Adams, an Irish pirate who goes to Japan to retrieve his stolen spirit guardian. He gets caught up in the machinations of Tokugawa Ieyasu and ehlps unify Japan through historical events such as the battle of Sekigahara. The game has many historically accurate events and characters with some creative license taken as the game contains demons and undead monsters. Overall, the story was interesting but easily ignorable and confusing for those unfamiliar with Japanese history.

    The biggest negative factor of Nioh is the enemy variety and level design. By the third of 6 regions in the game you have fought basically every new enemy you will encounter. Levels are filled with the same enemy Yokai and zombies and it will often get boring doing levels. The bosses however are really good and for the most part unique. Boss fights are where the game truly shines. Levels often feel samey as many feature typical Japanese village settings and mountain caves. Some areas like the Ninja mansion are visually interesting however.

    In conclusion, Nioh is a fast paced and fluid game from Team Ninja that is a definite must for those who enjoy games such as Bloodborne or who are interested in Japanese history and mythology. The game features a gameplay mode that locks the frame rate at 60 fps at the cost of resolution and this helps the game maintain its fast paced and fluid combat. PVP is being added in April and there are 3 planned DLC story packs that will hopefully add much more enemy variety.    … Expand
  69. Ledge_Pls
    Mar 14, 2017
    9
    Absolutely refreshing, engagingly satisfying and challenging combat that keeps you clamoring for more the more hours you play and the more you hone your skills. The setting is 10/10 with a very charming, enchanting and sometimes very dark mix of Japan's folklore and history to create a believable and memorable romp through feudal Japan with nothing but your blade and your swordman's spiritAbsolutely refreshing, engagingly satisfying and challenging combat that keeps you clamoring for more the more hours you play and the more you hone your skills. The setting is 10/10 with a very charming, enchanting and sometimes very dark mix of Japan's folklore and history to create a believable and memorable romp through feudal Japan with nothing but your blade and your swordman's spirit to guide you......the dangerous and visceral world of Nioh is one of technical combat with Japan's best weapons, nightmares and fantasies all rolled into a supremely satisfying package.

    It's rarity/RNG based gear system and Japanese setting make for a refreshingly new take on the souls-like formula that will leave you wanting more. Although it's repeated enemy designs and a few certain peculiar mechanics at times do take some of the shine off of an otherwise very well thought out and executed title, its no so much that it comes close to being a deal breaker on purchasing this game........especially if you're a fan of the Soulsbonre, or Ninja Gaiden series which would make this a must buy no questions asked.    … Expand
  70. TheParrradox
    Mar 15, 2017
    9
    Loved the level designs, boss designs, the loot system, the co-op and the amazing gameplay. Music was a missed opportunity and could have been better. The main campaign got a little too easy near the end (despite the high level requirements). However, the twilight missions and post game content is difficult enough to keep any hardcore gamer occupied. The game is huge as well. Ton's ofLoved the level designs, boss designs, the loot system, the co-op and the amazing gameplay. Music was a missed opportunity and could have been better. The main campaign got a little too easy near the end (despite the high level requirements). However, the twilight missions and post game content is difficult enough to keep any hardcore gamer occupied. The game is huge as well. Ton's of content to keep you occupied for days or weeks.… Expand
  71. karson
    Mar 15, 2017
    9
    I am a fan of the Soulsborne series and have played all of them. It's easy to say that Nioh IS another Dark Souls game, however, it is NOT a Dark Souls clone. Nioh is unique on its own with the combat system, theme, looting, etc, but it is also HARD. I definitely enjoyed the game very much and would recommend it over Dark Souls 3, but Bloodborne is still the better game.
  72. WiskeyJack
    Mar 18, 2017
    9
    So far it is filling the Dark Souls ich quite nicely. I don't like how you have to chi blast when you use stam, I find this awkward after getting used to how dark souls did it throughout the series. but I am sure I will get used to it.
  73. Wombats123
    Mar 20, 2017
    9
    Nioh is a fresh new mix of older titles, that brings many new things to the table, with an amazingly well done and polished combat system, a diablo-esque loot system, and enough things to keep you interested. Although the story isn't to die for, Nioh makes up for it with the fantastic game-play.
  74. AzureYukiPoo
    Mar 21, 2017
    9
    Initially, told that it is a Dark Souls clone but played it and can say it is a game on its own. Wow such difficult yet fun game. Love the incorporation of Japanese folk lore in the game along with some dashes of Japanese history. If you wanna learn about Japan, play this game. Or try making your character look like kenshin himura. A potential nominee for GOTY 2017
  75. vitucovigo
    Mar 22, 2017
    9
    I love nioh, but it's not perfect. A japanese game of the sengoku period, with sekigahara, Ieyasu, Mitsunari, even Nobunaga Oda. I think the only bad part of this game are the enemies. Always the same enemies... But the game is awesome.
  76. Potya
    Mar 22, 2017
    9
    Начну с того ,что я прошел все части серии ДС, следовательно могу дать объективную оценку данной игре. Постараюсь быть беспристрастным.
    1) Графика 7 из 10 .
    Само собой я отдаю себе отчет ,что Nioh как и ДС игры не про графику ,а про геймплей,но,если в ДС ( я говорю о третьей части графическая составляющая очень не плоха ,то здесь она уровня PS3 ) 2)Дизайн локаций и обычных врагов 7 из    Начну с того ,что я прошел все части серии ДС, следовательно могу дать объективную оценку данной игре. Постараюсь быть беспристрастным.
    1) Графика 7 из 10 .
    Само собой я отдаю себе отчет ,что Nioh как и ДС игры не про графику ,а про геймплей,но,если в ДС ( я говорю о третьей части графическая составляющая очень не плоха ,то здесь она уровня PS3 )
    2)Дизайн локаций и обычных врагов 7 из 10
    В дизайне локаций Nioh так же крайне сильно проигрывает третьей части ДС , в которой иногда от величественных видов захватывает дух , ты словно погружаешься в эту атмосферу мрачного средневекового фэнтези с его замками и драконами. В Nioh всего этого не и в помине . Просто обычные коридорные локации , на которых расставлены враги , которые к слову так же проработаны хуже и менее талантливо ,чем в ДС.
    3)Дизайн боссов 8 из 10.
    Тут игра не так сильно проигрывает соулсу , хотя все же и проигрывает . Боссы достаточно оригинально выглядят , но за всю игру вам запомнятся буквально 2-3 босса ,хотя в том же ДС каждый босс крайне запоминающийся.
    4)Геймплей 10/10
    Вот в этом аспекте , между прочим , самом главном Nioh побеждает ДС . Играть в нее веселее . Интересные механики стоек . Что особо мне нравиться ,так это скорость игры , которая наверное чуть выше чем даже в ББ.
    5)Музыка 7 из 10.
    На фоне ДС опять же очень не выразительно .
    6)Сложность 10/10 .
    О сложности судить очень трудно , ибо рядовые противники тут попроще ,чем они же в ДС ,но вот боссы , на мой взгляд, куда жестче ,чем в ДС . Лично я никогда не страдал на боссах так , как я страдал в Nioh , даже в ДС 1 у меня было с ними меньше проблем.

    По совокупности игра должна получить 8 из 10 , но я считаю ,что она заслуживает девятки , потому что превзошла ДС в качестве геймплея , который является основополагающим в подобных играх.
    Добавлю ,что игру я прошел целиком и получил от нее массу удовольствия.
    Смотря на мои оценки вы можете подумать ,что она хуже ДС,но нет. Она проще-да (с точки зрения тех части, музыки) ,но хуже -нет. Может даже я получил от нее больше удовольствия ,чем от ДС.    … Expand
  77. gregorius
    Mar 30, 2017
    9
    Nioh is quite challenging just like the games that inspired it with, but unlike those games Nioh brings something new to the table weapon stances and ki pulse, also the weapon combos on this game are quite useful techniques that I really didn't apply in Dark Souls 3. The game is quite polish at launch, the characters are intriguing with some epic bosses and good soundtrack. If your in toNioh is quite challenging just like the games that inspired it with, but unlike those games Nioh brings something new to the table weapon stances and ki pulse, also the weapon combos on this game are quite useful techniques that I really didn't apply in Dark Souls 3. The game is quite polish at launch, the characters are intriguing with some epic bosses and good soundtrack. If your in to this type of game definitely pick it up, it's quite epic!… Expand
  78. TheeBoscoBeast
    May 7, 2017
    9
    I'll start with the pros...... controls are flawless ....... no wait to be summoned and no search for summon signs. Loot is everywhere and just about everything you kill drops something to be used sold or scrapped. The way the game works is amazing and the ideas they put into this masterpiece are original. This is not a BloodSouls game.
    No basement dwelling trolls invading you with a    I'll start with the pros...... controls are flawless ....... no wait to be summoned and no search for summon signs. Loot is everywhere and just about everything you kill drops something to be used sold or scrapped. The way the game works is amazing and the ideas they put into this masterpiece are original. This is not a BloodSouls game.
    No basement dwelling trolls invading you with a level 30 character ... end game armor .. and a + 10 weapon equipped that will 1 shot you ....when you are just trying to make it to the next bonfire ..If you want pvp battles .... It's quick and easy from the main menu ..... very cool.. but sorry trolls no invasions.
    Cons......... a few levels have weird fog or too much light which are a little rough on the eyes but no biggie. I think I was under leveled and under geared for most of the game and then the last region dumps so much gear and upgrades it's a little dumb. I don't like farming so if that's your thing you will like that about this game. I understand replaying levels and what not but killing the same dude 150 times so you can have a blue print to make some armor is a bit too much. All in all compared to a lot of garbage games being pumped out for the masses. This game is worth buying.    … Expand
  79. Chadpowers
    May 24, 2017
    9
    Graphics: 9/10
    Not the best ever, but also no visible flaws and overall very pleasant to the eye in any regard (environment, characters, gfx). Environments repeating too often deducts 1 point.
    Story: 7/10 Plot, setting, characters and storytelling are all equally unoriginal. Despite this major flaw, everything is actually portrayed with superior quality. Overall the story and    Graphics: 9/10
    Not the best ever, but also no visible flaws and overall very pleasant to the eye in any regard (environment, characters, gfx). Environments repeating too often deducts 1 point.

    Story: 7/10
    Plot, setting, characters and storytelling are all equally unoriginal. Despite this major flaw, everything is actually portrayed with superior quality. Overall the story and storytelling are interesting enough to always keep the player looking forward to what is happening next and creating motivation to finish the game.

    Sound: 10/10
    Really great soundtrack. SFX are also adequate.

    Gameplay: 9/10
    It truly is the best iteration of 3rd person action combat out there right now. The overall gameplay is challenging and highly rewarding. The item system also gives incentive to continue playing. At the same time the item system is also one of the flaws of the gameplay. The random attributes just don't really help the overall balancing, which is already weak. While the game starts out very challenging, it quickly turns into a walk in the park. Especially some attribute combinations and some special abilities completely ruin the balance later in the game. One of the patches already improved the balance on some things, though they will never be able to remove the balance issues that result from the random loot system. Only other flaw is the world not being connected and the large amount of simplistic side missions that result from that.
    However, the gameplay by itself is already 11/10, so these flaws only have small influence in the big picture.

    Overall: 9/10
    If you really love 3rd person action rpgs, it's a 10/10, but objectively speaking, the flaws in story and gameplay just don't warrant a 10/10.    … Expand
  80. jeffbizloc
    Feb 5, 2018
    9
    Personally I found Nioh harder then Dark Souls. I probably spent a good 40 to 50 hours so it was a long game. I stopped doing submissions after the 3rd region though. Thank goodness for Sloth Talisman otherwise I'd still be playing.

    Pros: - Excellent combat with the unique idea of stances - Good tutorials at the dojo - Strong mix of melee, magic, and ninja (though I didn't get    Personally I found Nioh harder then Dark Souls. I probably spent a good 40 to 50 hours so it was a long game. I stopped doing submissions after the 3rd region though. Thank goodness for Sloth Talisman otherwise I'd still be playing.

    Pros:
    - Excellent combat with the unique idea of stances
    - Good tutorials at the dojo
    - Strong mix of melee, magic, and ninja (though I didn't get into ninja)
    - Bosses were well done
    - Interesting levels and nice design of shortcuts

    Cons:
    - I couldn't really get into the story
    - Sometimes the game was just frustrating    … Expand
  81. RagnarokMike
    Jun 3, 2017
    9
    If you're into the Soulsborne games, this is an absolute MUST PLAY. While the world and enemy design isn't quite as up the the standard of Dark/Demon Souls and Bloodborne, Nioh has the absolute best combat system in games of the kind, multiple weapons, with multiple stances, added with multiple spells and jutsu, this combat runs deep. One thing I greatly love is the way weapons refineIf you're into the Soulsborne games, this is an absolute MUST PLAY. While the world and enemy design isn't quite as up the the standard of Dark/Demon Souls and Bloodborne, Nioh has the absolute best combat system in games of the kind, multiple weapons, with multiple stances, added with multiple spells and jutsu, this combat runs deep. One thing I greatly love is the way weapons refine overtime, giving you a solid enough reason to change up, if you're like me and want to upgrade all the weapons. And unlike many games, I enjoyed all the weapons equally for one reason or another, other games I find I prefer one weapon and end up sticking to it, but here I was constantly changing it up, none of the weapons felt useless or even inferior, they all had their purpose for certain enemies. Also, the reforge option should become a standard in all equipment games moving forward, allowing you to change the look of a strong item into a visage you prefer, so you can always choose your look and stick with your best items; lord knows in the past I've kept weaker equipment because I didn't like the way the stronger items looked. Soul Match is another great feature, merging weapons and armor to create even stronger weapons and armor. Just an excellent game through and through. Currently my GOTY.… Expand
  82. I_StillAlive_
    Sep 10, 2017
    9
    Everyone says its like Dark Souls, yeah, you can see some inspiration here, some mechanics work the same way, but the concept is different and has its own way ..... I dont want to compare, on the other hand, there is one point that needs comparison > the story of Japan mythology and samurais, oh god, it is much more complex and it is based on true stories of Japan's history and mythology,Everyone says its like Dark Souls, yeah, you can see some inspiration here, some mechanics work the same way, but the concept is different and has its own way ..... I dont want to compare, on the other hand, there is one point that needs comparison > the story of Japan mythology and samurais, oh god, it is much more complex and it is based on true stories of Japan's history and mythology, so this is big plus of this game and makes big difference between Souls series and Nioh... I was so positively surprised by this game. Team Ninja did really great job :) Its very hard, you die a lot, you must learn and you need focus to beat the game. What can I say, its a masterpiece :) I would give 10/10, but there is one weak spot in armor, very repetetive side missions instead of the main story line, so, my decision is 9/10… Expand
  83. TheFrog
    Jun 30, 2017
    9
    Way I see it, it's Dark Souls with all the fun, plus extra complexity and way less frustration.
    The game is difficult but, unlike DS, is never unfair to the player. Plus, it's not *that* difficult, so you can go wild and experiment with different builds, different equipment, different everything.
    I got more than a hundred hours solid fun, before starting to get bored by the limited    Way I see it, it's Dark Souls with all the fun, plus extra complexity and way less frustration.
    The game is difficult but, unlike DS, is never unfair to the player. Plus, it's not *that* difficult, so you can go wild and experiment with different builds, different equipment, different everything.
    I got more than a hundred hours solid fun, before starting to get bored by the limited variety in terms of levels.    … Expand
  84. Alex_Pilgrim008
    Mar 31, 2019
    9
    "Nioh" features the gameplay of "Dark Souls" and the look of "Onimusha" . The developer, Team Ninja, previously made the "Ninja Gaiden" games and it shows. This is an extremely difficult action RPG that rewards practice and patience. It's faster-paced and more combat-oriented than the Souls titles, but it basically plays the same. You'll die hundreds of times since each enemy can kill you"Nioh" features the gameplay of "Dark Souls" and the look of "Onimusha" . The developer, Team Ninja, previously made the "Ninja Gaiden" games and it shows. This is an extremely difficult action RPG that rewards practice and patience. It's faster-paced and more combat-oriented than the Souls titles, but it basically plays the same. You'll die hundreds of times since each enemy can kill you in a number of seconds. However, unlike "Dark Souls", the art style is colorful with an almost over-the-top comic book aesthetic. The look is visually appealing and will entice fans of "Ninja Gaiden". I haven't finished "Nioh" (it includes up to 100 hours of gameplay), but I absolutely love the challenge and combat system. For me, this is a more fun than frustrating action title. I would rate it with a 9 out of 10.… Expand
  85. oknsnl
    Jan 29, 2019
    9
    Gameplay : 10 (Best combat mechanics of all time with DS3)
    Bosses : 9 ( Epic samurai fights :))
    Story : 7 (Story is not great but it is adequate.)
  86. RaFfr0
    Aug 28, 2017
    9
    It's hard to describe Nioh without mentioning Dark Souls, but it isn't a ripoff, it's a great game with great combat system, more fast paced than DS and a story a little intriguing. For the people questioning about it's difficulty, for me it was fair, but for some it can be a little hard, but nothing that experience can't handle.
  87. Hurrikhan
    Dec 19, 2017
    9
    A worthy game in the Demon Souls spirit.
    Just don't stop playing for months when you are in front of a boss. You'll be royally ...
    (Based on a true story ^_^)
  88. Amunozrocha
    Jun 20, 2020
    9
    Brillant, challenging at it's best, can be frustrating at times, but it Is how supposed to be. A real gem.
  89. Aidian1
    May 2, 2018
    9
    Amazing game but definitely some things I hope they change if they ever do a sequel. Probably some of the best combat I've ever seen in an action game unfortunately alot of the late/end/ng++++ game takes the focus away from bettering your skills and pushes you more into the territory of a giant grind to compete against enemies and you quickly get to a point where it's a micromanaging ****Amazing game but definitely some things I hope they change if they ever do a sequel. Probably some of the best combat I've ever seen in an action game unfortunately alot of the late/end/ng++++ game takes the focus away from bettering your skills and pushes you more into the territory of a giant grind to compete against enemies and you quickly get to a point where it's a micromanaging **** fest of spam/ be overpowered or get ran over. The first playthrough and 2nd are exciting and requires you to get better more so than grind and get more powerful. Despite how much I despised the grind I stuck it through, but each time a new game+ mode was added I was shocked to know that the same kind of grind just kept going, eventually they added a couple things that took the load off a bit. Love the game so much that I still went all the way through way of the nioh and even did alot of the abyss floors but I hope they approach the grind differently in a sequel. Some pretty crappy environment textures need to be addressed, a bit too many bonuses and buff/debuffs that take away from the combat, the story was okay, some more enemy variation would be appreciated in a sequel and I honestly think they should move away from the mission stage set up and take you out being in so many damn menus all the time and make everything a little more streamlined and seamless, less crap and filler and more focus on active jutsus/weapon skills, environments, enemy types. As much there is I dislike/would do different, I still adore this game. Played all 3 demos and honestly they were a little more simplistic then the full game and I liked it, they had the complexity where it counted and nothing more.… Expand
  90. davekinf
    May 20, 2018
    9
    One of the one-player games whitch i had player ever, it is difficult, and the mechanics are wonderful. If you are a player who likes challenges, you should play it.
  91. ManChile
    Jun 2, 2018
    9
    Nioh was definitely a surprise.. It's not just another Dark Souls rip, it has it's own identity. With perfected combat mechanics and a loot system akin to Diablo, the game is just pure addictive fun. Runs at 60fps at pretty much all times on a standard Ps4 with beautiful graphics too. It's a very difficult game though and will probably turn off a lot of casual gamers from the get-go.
  92. superpyro296
    Jan 5, 2023
    9
    I just finished Nioh yesterday and wow ! What a ride ! I completed the base game after a 119 hours playthrough. I completed all the main and side missions (except the twilight missions and post-game content).

    Nioh is a souls-like that is really difficult and challenging. The learning curve is steep but the feeling of satisfaction after you beat a tough boss is huge ! The game is super    I just finished Nioh yesterday and wow ! What a ride ! I completed the base game after a 119 hours playthrough. I completed all the main and side missions (except the twilight missions and post-game content).

    Nioh is a souls-like that is really difficult and challenging. The learning curve is steep but the feeling of satisfaction after you beat a tough boss is huge ! The game is super fun and engaging. The combat system is really deep and the ki system is a really nice implementation. Nioh has a lot of content. It is not a short game by any means. I think an experienced gamer in the soul-like genre may complete this game in the 50-60 hours range but for me, as a pretty average skilled gamer, I needed more than 100 hours which is fine for me because I enjoyed most of my time with Nioh

    However, after a certain point in the game, I felt exhausted and I needed to take a break. For 10 days, I switched to another game (Shadow of the Tomb Raider) which I completed easily. While I was playing the other game, I was already missing Nioh's super fun combat system. After, I continued my journey in Nioh really fresh and I spent a big part of my Christmas holidays completing the remaining missions until I beated the final boss yesterday after a few tries. So, in terms of pacing, it's possible that you find the game too intense (a lot of boss, some difficult side missions). The level design can be quite average and repetitive also...

    Nioh is a game that made me felt I was in a love & hate relationship with someone with a lot of passion. In 2022, that was the game I've felt the more engaged and passioned about even though that was not my game of the year    … Expand
  93. iOS
    Oct 11, 2018
    9
    Nioh could well take over 100 hours if you set out to master its many side missions on top of its tough campaign, but it’s a challenge well worth taking. The way it builds on its most obvious inspirations with a highly refined combat system and an unexpectedly charming, yet gritty style all its own allows it to boldly carve out its own identity, standing as a shining example of what actionNioh could well take over 100 hours if you set out to master its many side missions on top of its tough campaign, but it’s a challenge well worth taking. The way it builds on its most obvious inspirations with a highly refined combat system and an unexpectedly charming, yet gritty style all its own allows it to boldly carve out its own identity, standing as a shining example of what action RPGs can be.… Expand
  94. nnevill
    Feb 18, 2020
    9
    Nioh is a fresh breath of air in souls-like genre. Lore is not so great as in e.g. Bloodborne but at least hit boxes are not broken as in Sekiro :) Would recommend this game to all who likes souls-like gameplay.
  95. GreatestHits
    Nov 18, 2018
    9
    Nioh could well take over 100 hours if you set out to master its many side missions on top of its tough campaign, but it’s a challenge well worth taking. The way it builds on its most obvious inspirations with a highly refined combat system and an unexpectedly charming, yet gritty style all its own allows it to boldly carve out its own identity, standing as a shining example of what actionNioh could well take over 100 hours if you set out to master its many side missions on top of its tough campaign, but it’s a challenge well worth taking. The way it builds on its most obvious inspirations with a highly refined combat system and an unexpectedly charming, yet gritty style all its own allows it to boldly carve out its own identity, standing as a shining example of what action RPGs can be.… Expand
  96. Infoabend
    Dec 25, 2018
    9
    Nioh is an epic, unforgettable adventure carried by a fierce combat system that cleverly balances style and strategy.
  97. ZeroXR
    Sep 4, 2019
    9
    A game with lots of information and build creations. Good graphics, scenarios, perfect character moveset. Many ways to play building your weapon your way. The game have a selectable scenarios and not all interconnected like BloodBorne, but don't think the game is a "souls". In gameplay is much more.
  98. BingTheChandler
    May 13, 2019
    9
    I got Nioh more than a year after it launched and I can safely say I should have not waited.

    The combat is fluid and precise. Each time I died I could accept it as my mistake rather than the game killing me cheaply or due to a bug/flaw. Replayability is also huge! After finishing the main story I never felt like stopping to play as there is so much more to do. Nioh 2 will be a Day    I got Nioh more than a year after it launched and I can safely say I should have not waited.

    The combat is fluid and precise. Each time I died I could accept it as my mistake rather than the game killing me cheaply or due to a bug/flaw.

    Replayability is also huge! After finishing the main story I never felt like stopping to play as there is so much more to do.

    Nioh 2 will be a Day 1 buy for me.    … Expand
  99. BarelyLewd
    Mar 14, 2019
    9
    This game is from Team Ninja.... TEAM NINJA, yes that Team Ninja, and wow what a good first step into the Soulslike games, love this game so much, maybe even more than Dark Souls if that's even possible, they dropped the ball in the dlc, but the main game itself is so so good, I can not wait for the next title in the series.
  100. Mustermann
    Feb 24, 2019
    9
    Nioh could well take over 100 hours if you set out to master its many side missions on top of its tough campaign, but it’s a challenge well worth taking. The way it builds on its most obvious inspirations with a highly refined combat system and an unexpectedly charming, yet gritty style all its own allows it to boldly carve out its own identity, standing as a shining example of what actionNioh could well take over 100 hours if you set out to master its many side missions on top of its tough campaign, but it’s a challenge well worth taking. The way it builds on its most obvious inspirations with a highly refined combat system and an unexpectedly charming, yet gritty style all its own allows it to boldly carve out its own identity, standing as a shining example of what action RPGs can be.… Expand
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Awards & Rankings

8
#8 Best PS4 Game of 2017
10
#10 Most Discussed PS4 Game of 2017
8
#8 Most Shared PS4 Game of 2017

Critic Reviews

All reviews »
Metascore
88

Generally favorable reviews - based on 100 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 97 out of 100
  2. Mixed: 3 out of 100
  3. Negative: 0 out of 100
  1. games(TM)
    May 26, 2017
    80
    Challenging, beautiful and unique. [Issue#105, p.82]
  2. Playstation Official Magazine UK
    Apr 11, 2017
    90
    The small, scattered levels live in the shadows of the Souls/Bloodborne worlds. Otherwise, Nioh matches - and occasionally surpasses - FromSoftware's genre giants. [Apr 2017, p.77]
  3. CD-Action
    Apr 5, 2017
    85
    After a series of letdowns Team Ninja returns to form it displayed with Ninja Gaiden Black. Nioh is a variation on the Souls series, and although it is not as intriguing story wise, its gameplay is much more enjoyable. [04/2017, p.46]
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