The road to the eventual release of Nioh has been long, but it’s finally coming to an end.
Team Ninja (the devs behind the Dead or Alive and Ninja Gaiden series’) have spent years fine tuning the story and gameplay mechanics behind this action RPG. Now that it has transitioned from a PS3 title to a PS4 one, Nioh has been created to include the best elements of the Dark Souls and Onimusha games. After spending plenty of time with the game’s Alpha phase and subsequent demos, our excitement for it has grown exponentially. Come Feb. 7, everyone who’s enjoyed each small playable snippet of Nioh will finally get to enjoy its fully realized samurai journey.
Take a stroll with us through the demon infested and Samurai filled world of Nioh.
1. Nioh Initially Began as a PS3 Project in 2004
Final Fantasy XV began life as Final Fantasy Versus XIII in 2006. The Last Guardian was first announced in 2009. Another long in development game just so happens to be Nioh, which came to life as a concept in 2004. The development hands dealing with the game went from Koei to Omega Force to finally Team Ninja. From a narrative standpoint, Nioh was supposed to be based on the script of an unfinished Akira Kurosawa film called Oni.
At first, the game was more akin to a Japanese RPG that eventually transformed into Dynasty Warriors-like concept. Nioh soon entered development hell due to the game’s general producer (Kou Shibusawa) not approving of what the game had turned into. Once 2015 rolled around though, Nioh got re-introduced to the world as a PS4 exclusive. This is when the game finally transitioned into a more hardcore action RPG.
2. You __play as a Westerner Named William, Who’s Fending Off Demons in the 1600s
Nioh is based around a man who hails from the West named William. While it takes place in the early 1600s within Japan, it’s set in a more fantastical rendition of the Sengoku Period. Amidst all the war and bloodshed erupting during this violent time, the threat of demons called “Yokai” have begun to spring up and cause plenty of havoc. William is placed into Japan during this time as he’s set out out to confront one of his main enemies. Along the way, he’ll come into contact with all sorts of real world historical figures and original characters made specifically for the game.
3. William Wields Various Weapons and Fights in Three Powerful Stances
What sets Nioh apart from the games its been compared to is its incredibly deep combat system. William can head into battle with all types of swords, spears, axes, hammers etc. William can also choose to pick off enemies from a distance through the use of an equipped bow & arrow or firearm. Like Dark Souls and Onimusha, you’ll use the souls gathered from defeated foes to upgrade William’s skillset and weapon mastery. Along with melee and ranged weapons, you can call upon the spirits of mystical animals who empower William with elemental powers.
When it comes time to fight enemies face-to-face, players can change William’s fighting stance. The High Stance focuses more on high attack/break power, but William’s dodging and blocking is more limited. The Mid Stance offers higher defense and more balanced stats for its overall attack strength. And finally, the Low Stance is much better suited to faster evasive maneuvers. You’ll need to change between each stance during battle in order to fend off the many enemies who can wipe you out in just a few hits. By utilizing the game’s online co-op feature, combating such beasts becomes a much more manageable task.
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