Nioh Reviews
Do yourself a favor and pass on this compilation of recycled concepts and frustrating gameplay.
The game does a lot of things really well but it goes completely downhill in some other aspects. What I see is a game with tremendous potential being plagued by choices made under poor judgement.
Nioh is a game of highs and lows. It’s a tremendous blast when the combat gets to shine, but it often gets the spotlight after hours of tedium. Instead of crafting a tight 20-hour experience like Ninja Gaiden, Team Ninja has opted to create a title that had me constantly grinding. It’s a flawed experience that really has no respect for the player’s time, but one that I’m ultimately glad to have experienced.
Nioh is a fantastic Dark Souls-styled game that gives players a more accessible way to approach the genre while handily establishing itself as a potent newcomer to watch in the future. Japanese myth, culture, and history are also fun, interesting, wonderfully executed boons to the budding franchise.
Nioh is an excellent game but the story is badly written. Deserves to be played by Dark Souls and Bloodborne fans.
Team Ninja's Nioh is a solid attempt at breathing new life into a formula that gamers just can't seem to get enough of.
I enjoyed my time with Nioh, especially after playing it co-op with a friend of mine who is a fan of dark souls so we had a good time messing around with the game. The combat is fun, the weapons all have a unique feel backed up by a deep skill system and souls-like stat building to replicate that comfort zone of dark souls but with more dex weapons over strength.
Nioh nimmt die Souls-Formel, transportiert sie nach Japan, reichert sie mit Ninja Gaiden und Diablo an und baut einen technischen Rahmen drumherum, auf den andere Entwickler neidisch sein können. Wegen der fehlenden Vielfalt im Gegnerdesign reicht es zwar noch nicht zur Extraklasse - aber das Fundament steht, auf dem jetzt gebaut werden muss.
Review in German | Read full review
Nioh is difficult and the frantic pace of its combat means that even Soulsborne veterans can expect a challenge. The lack of level variety is an issue, however I enjoyed every single fight thanks to the varied and deep combat. With three stances, five weapon types, skills, ninjutsu, and magic, it’s hard to get bored during a fifty to sixty-hour campaign and you’ll likely jump straight into new game plus without stopping for breath. Team Ninja set its sights high with Nioh, seeking to create a samurai-inspired Soulsborne game, with a distinct personality and combat style. Somehow, Team Ninja pulled it off.
Nioh is an amazing game. Yes it has some issues but most of them can be solved in time with some balancing patches. Was it worth the wait? Yes. Was it worth going through all of the Demos to give feedback for the Final Form? Very. William's adventure through Japan is an amazing one and I'm glad that I got to share it with friends as well as going at it alone.
Nioh is a great samurai action-RPG. It takes the best parts from Dark Souls, Ninja Gaiden and Onimusha. Nioh truly shines in battles, which are fascinating even after dozens of hours.
Review in Russian | Read full review
While not being entirely original and fresh, the concept behind NiOh is certainly great. The new project from Team Ninja pays tribute to the soulslike genre by delivering an outstanding gameplay experience based on interesting mechanics and, of course, lots of pain. The plot may not be as rich and compelling as we were expecting after more than ten years of development, but at least most of the characters are well-defined and interesting. Despite all the flaws, NiOh laid the foundations for a new, fascinating franchise that could become one of the fiercest rivals for the future iterations of the Dark Souls saga.
Review in Italian | Read full review
Although it has its share of annoying issues; the combat mechanics, the challenging gameplay and the amount of content will help you overcome anything that affects the experience negatively. An excellent game overall. I recommend it to anyone who wants to spend hours in a world full of challenges, and a fast-paced gameplay that depends more on your skills than your character's attributes.
Review in Arabic | Read full review
While I normally prefer games that don't go out of their way to frustrate on the difficulty front, I've got to admit this is one of the best examples of the Souls style released yet, and if you love that specific type of game, you're going to love Nioh.
On the surface, Nioh is a compelling take on a sub genre of role-playing games created by the Souls games and its ilk. However by putting stamina at the core of its combat and thoughtfully borrowing mechanics from other titles, it results in a game that’s greater than the sum of its parts. Whether you’re a Souls veteran or have a passing interest in such games, Nioh is well worth checking out.
Nioh is a very good game of its own right. It doesn't do anything new but it does deliver one of the deepest combat mechanics inside an engaging action-adventure RPG.
Despite these minor critiques, Nioh solidifies the status of roguelikes and their relevance in today’s gaming landscape.
While veteran Souls players may find this somewhat Mickey Mouse, the differences between the franchises will still find enough to keep all players engaged. Nioh borrows – and quite liberally, at that — from a number of different franchises, but that combination makes it quite unique. The Dark Souls for those of us who hate Dark Souls, it’s certainly one to give a try. You won’t be an expert instantly, but you’ll certainly want to come back for more.
Nioh nails the combat and sense of danger, but things get repetitive fast and I'm hungry for new challenges.