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When we heard this
prequel would be
doing away with
our silver-haired
samurai husband
William to focus on
a custom character, we feared our
hero might not feel that integral to
Team Ninja’s demon-infused spin on
Sengoku-era
Japan. In a
hands-on, we
discover we
were worrying
needlessly – and
that embracing our
demonic yokai
aspect is also critical. We also
encounter infamous historical figure
Oda Nobunaga.
Along with our ally, Toukichiro, we
pledge allegiance to Nobunaga, and
together the two of us take on the
name Toyotomi Hideyoshi. In reality,Nobunaga was indeed Hideyoshi’s
liege lord, and Hideyoshi eventually
took over from Nobunaga, bringing
an end to the era of warring states.
In Nioh, William had to strike down a
resurrected Nobunaga, and take on
Hideyoshi’s ‘son’, Hideyori. Rewinding
the clock puts us right in the midst
of the events that created not only
the setting of the
first Nioh, but
Japan itself.
In the first game
Nobunaga was far
from evil incarnate.
Building on that,
Nioh 2 explores
moral grey areas, neither good nor
evil. For example, you don’t just fight
yokai, you can use those demon
powers in battle yourself. Strong
enemies can drop Soul Cores that
enable you to use their yokai moves
with i + w, allowing you tosupplement your careful combat
with heavy-hitting special moves.
Using these costs Yokai Force, which
you build up over time. But you also
have access to a super attack with
i + e, which can interrupt yokai
burst attacks and gives you a big
Yokai Force boost. That means
that in fights against the game’s
fearsome monsters you don’t feel
like you’re on the back foot, but can
get right up in their faces. When you
have enough energy you can then
Yokai Shift with w + e, which is
when you’re really able to dish out
the punishment, transforming
completely into a yokai.HEART OF DARKNESS
When you’re fighting yokai they can
pull you into the dark realm, the
environment around you becoming
strange and unnatural – in our Brute
yokai form, our character’s hornsGetting Oda
the dark realm
Nobunaga asks you to take a walk on the dark side in Nioh 2
YOU CAN USE
YOKAI POWERS
IN BATTLE
YOURSELF.
Give Mezuki a cough-
sweet taste of your
yokai blade – he’s
sounding horse.team talk
As a fan of
Nobunaga’s Ambition,
Samurai Warriors, and
Onimusha, the history
of the Sengoku era is
something I’m already
familiar with – but I
never tire of seeing
it reinterpreted. Nioh
has already teased
a complex view of
Nobunaga Oda, the
man who wanted to
unify Japan, and I
can’t wait to see how
it develops in Nioh 2.
Oscar Taylor-Kent
Games editor