Ni-Oh Reviews

The samurai-themed Souls-like game Ni-Oh has been getting a fair share of reviews in the past few days. Most, if not all, of them seem to be highly positive, with the current Metacritic score sitting at 87%. Which makes me kind of sad it’s a PlayStation 4 exclusive, but what can you do. Here are the reviews themselves:

TrustedReviews 4/5:

Nioh can’t match the gothic grandeur of Dark Souls, and the boss battles may give you nightmares for all the wrong reasons. All the same, by merging aspects of From Software’s classics with elements of its own ninja hits, Team Ninja has crafted its finest game in years.

Nioh is every bit as compulsive and challenging as its inspiration, but is smart enough to add some interesting new twists. Love Dark Souls? Love samurai, ninjas and weird oriental fantasy? Jump onboard and prepare to die, cry and experience all the magic in-between.

GamesRadar+ 4/5:

But for all the ways Nioh falls short of the series it’s so closely imitating, it’s still rife with moments of personal glory, where you can almost feel your skills evolving in real time. After you’ve got to grips with the minutiae of the overly complex combat, you’ll be busting out flashy combos worthy of a true samurai, and easily slaying enemies that used to make you cower in fear. Every time you read the words “Freed from this mortal coil” – Nioh’s version of “You died” – it just makes it all the sweeter when you finally break through what formerly felt like a brick wall of difficulty. For those seeking to test their action RPG skills, Nioh is a worthwhile challenge just waiting to be overcome.

IGN 9.6/10:

Nioh could well take over 100 hours if you set out to master its many side missions on top of its tough campaign, but it’s a challenge well worth taking. The way it builds on its most obvious inspirations with a highly refined combat system and an unexpectedly charming, yet gritty style all its own allows it to boldly carve out its own identity, standing as a shining example of what action RPGs can be.

Ars Technica Approved:

Verdict: Nioh makes no bones about standing in the shadows of giants, but it extends and polishes the Dark Souls formula so much that it manages to shine just as brightly. Buy it.

Eurogamer Recommended:

Nioh isn’t a masterpiece then. It’s not quite fresh or original enough to be. But it is a return to form for Team Ninja, a studio many feel had lost its way after the departure of its founder Tomonobu Itagaki in 2008. Nioh’s loot-heavy hack and slash doesn’t fire on all cylinders – though to be fair its aims seem more singular than that of its competitors – but it’s a refreshing reminder of just how thrilling a solid Team Ninja combat encounter can be. Primarily single-player games are on the decline right now, but Nioh is a strong argument for the merits of this withering form.

Game Informer 9/10:

Nioh will break you down (and note this clearly, this is an uncompromising game that does not mind crushing your dreams) before it lifts you up, but you soon crave the thrill of mastering a new weapon or toppling a titanic boss. Endless optimization and customization, engaging encounters, and unparalleled combat by yourself or with a friend make Nioh an excellent choice for your next dark action/RPG.

Jimquisition 10/10:

Nioh is an arresting game, one that consistently encourages and spurs its players on even when it’s beating the tar out of them. It showers its challengers with increasingly powerful weaponry but is never shy about pummeling them via some hulking, terrifying demon from Japanese folklore’s ghastliest recesses.

When you mix in gorgeous looking artwork, as well as console graphic options that allow for adjustable framerate, you’ve got a game that really does go all out. This is backed up by terrific music, sound effects, and immersively diverse voice acting that crosses linguistic lines.

Nioh got attention for its similarities to other titles, but it deserves to be remembered as its own special game, one that sees and raises the efforts presented by its inspirations. With fast and uncompromising combat, an engrossing economy of loot, and a mesmerizing artistic style, action-RPGs have rarely been this refined or this captivating.

And the little green boys have bowls on their heads and that’s just delightful.