Status:
Complete and Play Tested
For more games visit us on: https://www.bobshop.co.za/seller/4692286/Just_Press_Play_ZA
----------------------------------
Nioh (PS4) Review
Developer: Team Ninja
Publisher: Koei Tecmo / Sony Interactive Entertainment
Genre: Action RPG / Hack and Slash / Soulslike
Release: 2017
Nioh is Team Ninja's ambitious take on the Soulslike genre, combining the deliberate difficulty of games such as Dark Souls with the fast, technical combat associated with Ninja Gaiden. Set during a supernatural version of Japan's Sengoku period, it follows William Adams, a Western samurai who becomes caught up in a conflict involving warlords, mystical Amrita and terrifying Yokai.
What makes Nioh stand apart is its extraordinary combat depth. Stances, Ki management, weapon skills, Guardian Spirits, magic, ninjutsu and an extensive loot system give the game far more mechanical complexity than many of its contemporaries.
It isn't always as polished or cohesive as the best FromSoftware titles, but when it comes to pure combat, Nioh is exceptional.
Gameplay & Mechanics
Combat is the foundation of Nioh and easily its strongest feature.
Players can use five primary weapon types, including swords, dual swords, spears, axes and kusarigama. Each weapon has its own moveset and skill tree, while every weapon can be used in High, Mid and Low stances.
This makes combat considerably more technical than it initially appears.
High stance provides powerful attacks but consumes more Ki and leaves William vulnerable. Low stance is faster and more evasive, while Mid stance provides a balance between offence and defence.
Strengths
-
Extremely deep combat system.
-
Three stances dramatically expand weapon movesets.
-
Excellent weapon variety.
-
Fast and responsive controls.
-
Ki management adds considerable strategy.
-
Ki Pulse rewards precise timing.
-
Weapon-specific skill trees provide meaningful progression.
-
Excellent combination of offensive and defensive options.
-
Guardian Spirits add additional abilities and bonuses.
Weaknesses
-
Steep learning curve.
-
Many systems aren't explained particularly well.
-
Loot management can become overwhelming.
-
Some enemies can kill William extremely quickly.
-
Difficulty spikes can be frustrating.
The Ki Pulse mechanic is particularly important. Successfully timing a pulse after attacking restores Ki and allows William to continue fighting efficiently. Mastering it changes the way the entire game feels.
Combat & Enemy Design
Nioh succeeds because enemies aren't simply obstacles with large health bars.
Human enemies have different weapons, armour and attack patterns, while Yokai introduce completely different challenges.
Large Yokai can dominate an area, while smaller enemies can still be extremely dangerous if you're careless.
The game also features Living Weapon, allowing William to temporarily unleash the power of his Guardian Spirit. This provides a powerful offensive option and can dramatically change the momentum of difficult encounters.
Enemy variety is generally excellent, although some types are reused frequently throughout the campaign.
Exploration & World Design
Unlike Dark Souls, Nioh isn't built around one enormous interconnected world.
Instead, the game uses a mission-based structure. You select missions from a map and enter specific locations, ranging from Japanese villages and castles to caves, battlefields and supernatural environments.
This approach has advantages.
Missions are relatively focused, making it easier to replay areas and hunt for equipment or hidden collectibles. Side missions also provide opportunities to revisit locations with different objectives.
The environments frequently contain shortcuts and alternate paths, giving exploration some of the qualities of a Soulslike despite the mission structure.
However, the structure can make the world feel less cohesive than FromSoftware's interconnected environments. Some areas are also reused across multiple missions.
Story & Themes
Nioh takes place in a fictionalized version of 1600s Japan, during the final stages of the Sengoku period.
The protagonist is William Adams, a Western sailor who travels to Japan in pursuit of a mysterious enemy who has taken his Guardian Spirit.
Once there, William becomes involved with major historical figures including Tokugawa Ieyasu and Hattori Hanzō while confronting Yokai and the supernatural consequences of the country's violent civil war.
The combination of real history and Japanese mythology is one of the game's most appealing aspects.
The game incorporates:
Unfortunately, the story doesn't reach the same heights as the gameplay.
William is an interesting protagonist, but many supporting characters receive limited development. The narrative often feels like a framework designed to move William from one battle to another.
The historical setting is fascinating, but the story could have done much more with it.
Final Verdict
Nioh is an excellent action RPG that successfully establishes its own identity within the Soulslike genre. While its influences are obvious, Team Ninja doesn't simply copy FromSoftware. The faster combat, three-stance system, Ki Pulse mechanics, Ninja Gaiden-style responsiveness and enormous loot system give Nioh a distinctive personality.
The combat is the undisputed highlight. Learning how to manage Ki, switch stances, exploit enemy weaknesses and master different weapons creates an incredibly satisfying progression curve. You don't simply become stronger because your character levels upyou become better because you understand the combat system.
The game's biggest weakness is its story and world structure. The Sengoku setting and mixture of history and mythology are fascinating, but the narrative doesn't make as much of them as it could. The mission-based structure also results in some reused environments and less memorable exploration than the interconnected worlds found in FromSoftware's games.
Nevertheless, Nioh is a fantastic PS4 action RPG. It is demanding, occasionally frustrating and sometimes unnecessarily complicated, but its exceptional combat makes it worth persevering with.
For players who enjoy challenging action games and want considerably more mechanical depth than a typical Soulslike, Nioh remains one of the strongest choices on PS4.
Score: 9/10
