017The Big 10
STTORIESEVERYONE’STALKINGABOUT
evolves,” says Hayashi, teasing how
the series might continue.
CLAN MEETING
One way Team Ninja has balanced
the difficulty in Nioh is by embracing
online play. As in Dark Souls, players
can team up online to work through
the levels and take on big yokai
together. After all, most things are
easier with a comrade fighting
alongside you.
“I think when we started making
Nioh, Dark Souls was already out. We
thought they did really well in that
regard, and we got inspired by it to
be able to give the players the option
to play online or offline,” explains
Hayashi. “Depending on who you get
[matched with], the player can be a
bit rubbish or they can be amazing.
And that adds to the fun.” Though he
does add that due to players saying
co-op made the first game too easy,
Nioh2 willbeevenmorechallenging,
evenwithonlineplay.
In thepasttheproblemwiththis
styleofgamingwasit requiredlots
ofpeopletobeplayingatthesame
timein orderformatchestobe
made– butthankstoAI player
ghoststhisis nolongerthecase.As
wellasmatchingwithrealplayersat
shrines,youcangethelpfromtheir
friendlymarkersontheground.
“Wewantedtheplayerstofeelthe
connectionwithotherplayerseven
whenthey’renotonlineatthesame
time,”saysHayashi.“InNioh2 it’snot
justaboutkillingenemiestogether,
butit’salsoworkingtogether,
helpingeachother.SoI thinkthe
meaningof‘beingonlinetogether’
is diversein Nioh2.”
Asa prequel,it buildstowardsthe
eventsofthefirstgame,showcasing
thebloodyconflictsthatdefinedthe
firsthalfoftheSengokuera.This
timeyouplayassomeonealliedwith
thefamouslycharismaticreal-life
samuraiOdaNobunaga.Wewon’t
spoilreal-lifehistoryforyou,but
hewasconstantlysurroundedby
dramaandtragedy,andHayashi
assuresusthebigmomentswillbe
represented,forbetterandworse.Keepyoureyesoutfornextissue,
whenwe’llhaveourfullreviewofNioh2.QKeycharactershaveanimalguardian
spiritswhichaffecthowyouYokaiShift.QYokaiShift,andyourdemonicpowers
makeyouhorny.No,notlikethat!info patches
updateyourbrain
SAVE(ROOM)UP
TheResidentEvil3 Collector’sEditionis
comingtotheUKexclusivelyviaGame.Inside
a STARS-item-box-stylecase,mimicking
thosein thegame’ssaferooms,you’llfinda
poster,anartbook,a soundtrack,anda Jill
Valentinestatuein thesamescaleasResi2’s
Clairestatue(soyoucangettheset).FALLINGAGAIN
Nowpasteightmilliontotalsales,StarWars
Jedi:FallenOrderhasbeena successfor
EA.Strikingwhiletheironis hot,Respawn
hasalreadystartedhiringfornewroleson
theStarWarsteam,whichmeansweshould
begettingmoreStarWarsactionfromthe
studiosoonerratherthanlater.REMAIN VERGIL-ENT
While it’s far from the first Devil May Cry V
statue we’ve seen, Prime 1 Studio’s Ultimate
Premium Masterline Vergil is one of the most
detailed (as you’d expect given it’s priced
at over £600 and doesn’t release until early
2021). He stands at 29 inches tall, including
the base, and is SSSeriously SSStylish.THE ODA UNDER
“Nobunaga’s Ambition is [...]
one of the very reasons
Koei Tecmo exists,” says
Hayashi. “So it’s very exciting
to portray [Oda Nobunaga]’s
existence in Nioh 2.”