The perfect warm-up to Elden Ring.
Next up inSouls Weekis another game that takes inspiration from the series.
Sam Greer makes the case forNioh 2.
Elden Ringis almost upon us.
Excitement is fever pitch.
Yet people crave more.
Then there are those which cram those familiar elements into something pretty different, often with very awkward results.
I think the defining quality of From Software games is their coherence.
The beautiful clockwork beasts that From Software make leave imitators looking like Frankenstein monsters.
But not all of them.
Nioh has something of a more nuanced lineage.
The central gimmick is ki, essentially stamina, that can be recovered mid-fight to keep swinging more attacks.
Its stance system allows each weapon to pack numerous movesets and a skilled player can flow between each one.
As punishing as Nioh can be, it seeks to empower and make you feel deadly.
A total badass, if you will.
Nioh feels more decisive.
It makes for a dynamic where you simultaneously feel very vulnerable but also incredibly dangerous.
It’s the sequel, Nioh 2, that I really want to talk about.
And let me just say, this is a really fun character creator.
Deities gossip about your choices as you tweak your avatar.
you could choose the density of curls in your character’s hair!
The conceit is you’re a half-demon now working to make your fortune as a mercenary.
It’s sillier and less serious about itself which compliments the over the top action nicely.
It further differentiates itself by not having a single connected world but a series of self contained missions.
My nerves certainly appreciate it.
This is just an appetiser.
There’s so much more I could mention.
I didn’t even talk about the adorable spherical cats that assist you in battle!
All of which is to say that Nioh 2 sits comfortably in the same ball park.
This won’t just keep you busy until Elden Ring, it belongs on your shelf alongside it.
