Team Ninja, the developers of popular titles such as Dead or Alive, Ninja Gaiden, Hyrule Warriors, and Fire Emblem Warriors, released Nioh, an action role playing game, in February of 2017 for the PlayStation 4. Since then, multiple DLC have been added to the game, and as of today, Nioh: Complete Edition has been released for Windows, and it includes all of the available DLC.
Nioh follows the story of William, an Irish samurai with spiritual powers, and his pursuit of revenge. The game is set in a fictionalized dark-fantasy version of 1600 Japan during the end of the Sengoku Period, a historical Japanese period of constant militaristic conflict. During his ventures, William discovers that yokai, a class of Japanese supernatural monsters, have begun wreaking havoc across Japan in addition to the already warring factions.
During gameplay, the player will fight both humans and yokai alike in order to get to William’s enemy, and settle a score after he tried to have the samurai killed. Defeating enemies grants EXP, which is used towards upgrading William’s stats, and gold, which is used for purchasing new gear. Further gear upgrades are done through using materials, which are obtained through breaking down other gear. Along with this, William can utilize the power of strong spirit animals, called Guardian Spirits, to aid him during combat, although he can only use one Spirit Guardian at a time. The player will complete missions, each with alternative routes to an objective, and defeat difficult bosses along the way.
In many respects, Nioh is akin to that of Dark Souls, one of the most popular action RPGs from this generation. In many of the game reviews, critics note its similarity to the Souls game, with the combat, narrative tone, and fantastical enemy variants paying homage to the title. Despite its similarities, the game was met with heavy praise for its uniqueness, with reviewers praising the engaging combat, character progression, and setting.
Nioh: Complete Edition is available on Steam for $50 and includes an exclusive item, the Dharmachakra Kabuto.