A lot here for better or for worse, but still great.

It’s been a long time since I have played this style of game. In fact, the last game I played that was considered a “Souls game” was Dark Souls 2. The reason why? I honestly think I am too old for these games. I can’t keep up with the mechanics, the difficulty, and the action they present. Now, that’s not to say I’m not willing to give one a shot. Of course, I’ll try anything, and while Nioh 2 – The Complete Edition is a hard game for me to get into, that doesn’t mean it isn’t a well-crafted, balanced game that a fan of this genre wouldn’t enjoy.

Now, I’m playing the PC version of the 2nd game in a series I have never played. This version comes with all the DLC that released for the original Nioh 2 back in 2020. The two big DLC packs add a ton to the original game including new areas, weapons, abilities, and Guardian spirits. There’s a lot here.

MSRP: $49.99
Price I’d pay: $49.99
Platforms: PC

Nioh 2 has a lot of mechanics. Not only am I fixated on not dying to a giant enemy, but I also need to remember to change stances based on what kind of attacks I want to pull off, what skills I have equipped, the weapons I have in my arsenal, keeping an eye on my spirit gauge, also, making sure I cleanse an area so I can get used spirit back. Then there is which spirit guardians I have equipped and which Yokai skills I can use. Oh, and my stats when I finally level up. Needless to say, this game gives a ton of options and each one is different. Which is both a great aspect to have as well as a detriment to players like me who are either new to the genre or trying to refresh themselves with this style of game. I found myself overwhelmed not just in the combat difficulty but also in the choices I made whenever I needed to make a character decision.

There are so many nuanced things in the combat that gives off such a complex feeling. Like I said, it is really great the amount of options that are here. So, not only are there numerous weapons that play completely differently, the character also has skills learned from the demons they slay. There is a full-on counter that can be used even on bosses that both looks great as well as helps out, but much like everything else in the game, it’s not easy to pull off. On top of that, players can transform into their Yokai for a short period and do some devastating attacks. There are even skill trees for the weapons I want to master. Then when going to a shrine, I could spend my Amrita earned from killing enemies to level up my character in numerous stats. Don’t forget, if one dies, they lose all that precious Amrita and must pick it up where they died. If they die before getting back to that spot, it’s gone forever. Yep. Just like a Souls game.

Now, the PC version of this game runs smooth as butter. I never saw a single frame drop and it looks great while doing it. There’s a good amount of graphical options here and even though I’m now running on some rather old hardware (GeForce GTX1080) it still looked and played fantastic. It has full controller support and worked well with both an Xbox One controller and an Xbox Series X controller.

Nioh 2 is not a bad game by any means, I think it is just a style of game that I have grew out of. I’m 35 now, I’m married, have a full-time job, and really don’t have the time to master this game’s many mechanics. That’s not to say it isn’t still overwhelming to me to see all these options here. It most certainly was and for another person, particularly someone who likes this style of game, they will be in heaven. That being said, even I can say this is a must play for people that want a big game with some challenging combat and all the bells and whistles that come with the genre, and this PC version runs and looks just as good as one would expect.

Review copy of game provided by publisher.

Good
  • Great playing
  • Tons of options
  • Looks really sharp
  • Complete edition comes with a lot
Bad
  • The mechanics can be overwhelming at times
  • Takes a lot to get into the game fully
8
Great
Written by
Drew is the Community Manager here at ZTGD and his accent simply woos the ladies. His rage is only surpassed by the great one himself and no one should stand between him and his Twizzlers.