Nioh 2 is a follow-up to the original (though some parts take place before the first game’s story). It sees a new protagonist Hide who is half-yokai. While venturing across Sengoku Era Japan and hunts yokai, he constantly crosses paths with the antagonistic Kashin Koji.

Along with the same hack and slash combat as its predecessor, Nioh 2 introduces new Yokai Forms along with the Burst Counter for creating openings. It’s received several free updates and three paid DLC packs thus far. For more details on the base game, check out our review here. You can also learn more about The Nioh Collection on PS5, which includes remasters of Nioh 1 and 2, here.

本日「#仁王」シリーズが5周年、
さらに『#仁王２』の全世界累計出荷本数が250万本を突破いたしました。

シリーズを長年応援していただいている皆さま、誠にありがとうございます。

引き続き「仁王」シリーズやTeam NINJAの作品をお楽しみいただけますと幸いです。#仁王シリーズ5周年 #Nioh #Nioh2 pic.twitter.com/BoYRzcyW4k

— 「仁王」シリーズ公式アカウント (@nioh_game) February 9, 2022

Ratchet and Clank: Rift Apart

The scale of Rift Apart’s story stretches across multiple dimensions, some which our heroes traverse in the blink of an eye. When breaking it all down into different planets – the mines on Blizar Prime, the sweeping greenery of Sargasso and the sleekness of Nefarious City on Corson V – there’s a lot to take in. From quirky NPCs and wildlife to Pocket Dimensions, Rift Apart is Insomniac’s biggest platforming adventure and yet, it’s excellently paced – never too slow but also taking time to breathe and establish its characters.

One year later, we’re looking back on the 25 best games released thus far for the PS5. So without further ado, let’s get into it.

Hades

Hades is many things. It’s a showcase of Supergiant Games’ deft character writing with a litany of well-written characters based on Greek mythology, each with hundreds of lines and dozens of interactions. It’s an incredible rogue-lite which balances its progression with the story, slowly unraveling more plot details with each escape attempt. And most importantly, it’s a great action game with stellar variety thanks to Boons and weapon upgrades that you want to jump into again and again, especially at 4K/60 FPS on the PS5.

Demon’s Souls – One of the Few

The Valley of Defilement is, without a doubt, one of the most annoying levels in any Souls game. Its enemies are plentiful and can inflict the Plague; the environment is narrow, making it tough to attack at times; and there are numerous places to fall to your death. So of course there’s a Trophy tied to this location – “One of the Few”, which requires obtaining the weapon Istarelle. However, you need to have Pure White World Tendency. This means defeating all three bosses in the area, and if you’re in Body Form, then not dying is also a must (since it will decrease your World Tendency significantly). You could tackle the area in Soul Form but the 50 percent reduced HP is a major hurdle on top of everything else.

All Nioh 1 and 2 Content

The Nioh Collection includes Nioh 1 and 2, both remastered and with all of their DLC and free updates. It marks the series’ debut on the PlayStation 5 and provides the complete story in one package. Of course, if you’re only interested in playing one of the games, then they’ll also be available separately as Nioh Remastered – The Complete Edition and Nioh 2 Remastered – The Complete Edition. There are certain ways to upgrade and a few restrictions but we’ll get to that in a bit.

Story and Setting

The first Nioh takes place primarily in Japan in 1600. Before being unified under the Tokugawa Shogunate, the various clans were at a war for supremacy. Yokai have also started cropping up due to the conflict. As William Adams, the player ventures to the region to find Edward Kelley and ultimately becomes embroiled in the war, encountering numerous historical figures like Hattori Hanzo, Tokugawa Ieyasu, Tachibana Ginchiyo and many more.

Nioh 2’s story begins in the late 1500s. Instead of William, players control a new hero named Hide, a demon hunter that’s half-yokai and capable of utilizing demonic powers. The main adversary is Kashin Koji who seems to know about Hide’s past and also has his own machinations for the fate of Japan. The DLC has its own story that ties into the base games while expanding on the conflicts at large.

Gameplay

Nioh has been described as a Souls-like due to its use of stamina (known as Ki here), light/heavy attacks, and losing Souls – in this case, Amrita – upon death. However, there are numerous differences that set it apart. Stamina can be recovered using a technique called Ki Pulse, which also serves to purify any harmful Yokai effects. One can also use multiple stances for attacking, each with its own unique abilities depending on the weapon type used. There also Guardian Spirits which confer different benefits when equipped on top of unleashing powerful skills of their own.

Nioh 2 further builds on this with Yokai abilities that can be earned by defeating foes and equipping the Soul Cores that they drop. The protagonist can also Yokai Shift to activate a powerful Yokai form that deals increased damage. There are also various Burst Counters that can be initiated against foes depending on the Yokai form equipped. Some enemies unleash attacks that can only be Burst Countered so there is an incentive to be more aggressive.

Also on a side-note – Nioh 2 has a custom character creator, allowing one to create their own version of Hide. William’s appearance in Nioh is fixed though one can unlock the ability to take on other characters’ appearances later.

Action RPG Elements

Another way that Nioh 1 and 2 distinguish themselves from your average Souls-like is the extensive loot system. Various weapons and armor have their own rarity from Common to Exotic (and even higher tiers as one progresses to the end-game). There are also various additional stats tied to each which can be re-rolled at the Blacksmith. Items can also be enchanted for additional benefits or broken down into crafting materials to make new weapons and armor.

Various upgrades also apply, whether it’s unlocking and improving different skills and abilities, mastering different spells or simply improving the strength of one’s Guardian Spirit. There’s a fairly in-depth loot game to be had especially with all the different set bonuses, and you can spend a lot of time min-maxing a build to perfection.

Total Playtime

Given that this collection is $70, there’s a lot of playtime that one can get out of it. HowLongToBeat.com lists Nioh Complete Edition as taking 145 hours to complete. The base Nioh 2 experience takes about 104 hours with all of its DLC providing an additional 35 to 40 hours. Activities like the Abyss, which consists of 999 floors of enemies and bosses to battle through, along with numerous difficulty modes in both titles can keep you playing for even longer. Suffice to say that if you can get into it, The Nioh Collection is well worth the money.

Fast Loading Times

Perhaps the biggest gameplay benefit to Nioh players on PS5 is the console’s SSD. No longer will you have to wait several seconds to respawn after dying unceremoniously. You can simply leap back into the fray at a moment’s notice. This also applies when loading into a new mission from the region map. Though loading times were never too crazy in the original releases, being able to jump back in without any delays fits the fast-paced nature of the action.

Multiple Graphical Modes

The Nioh Collection offers three graphical modes on PS5. The first is 4K resolution at 60 frames per second; the second is at 1080p resolution but runs in 120 FPS; and the third runs at 1080p/60 FPS but offers improved graphical effects for the shadows, foliage and model textures. Both games have been noted for their different graphical modes providing options for performance and fidelity so it’s good to see The Nioh Collection offering these choices as well.

DualSense Support

Of course, DualSense is also supported even if the implementation isn’t super over-the-top. The controller’s haptic feedback will apply to different combat abilities while the adaptive triggers will come into play when using the bow and arrow. For the latter, the sensation of pulling the bow-string and loosing the arrow is replicated using the adaptive triggers, adding to the overall immersion.

Upgrades and Save Transfer

If you already own Nioh 2 on PS4, then it can be upgraded to the base version on PS5 for free. Any DLC expansions purchased separately will also carry over along with save data. This also applies to purchasing Nioh 2 – The Complete Edition on PS4 – a free upgrade to the PS5 remaster will be provided. Unfortunately, there’s no free upgrade for the first Nioh, whether it’s the base game or Complete Edition. The only way to play it on PS5 is to either purchase it separately or purchase The Nioh Collection. Whether save data transfers will apply for the original game is currently unknown.

PS4 and PS5 Crossplay

Nioh 1 and 2 can be played and completed solo but both titles also support co-op. Though it doesn’t seem to apply to the first game, Nioh 2 Remastered – The Complete Edition will support cross-play between PS4 and PS5 players, as per to game director Fumihiko Yasuda in an interview with WCCFTech. Unfortunately, PlayStation players can’t team up with PC players when Nioh 2 – The Complete Edition comes to Steam.

Photo Mode

Interestingly enough, Nioh Remastered – The Complete Edition will be getting its own unique feature – Photo Mode. While its exact features haven’t been outlined yet, one can reposition the camera’s angle for dramatic shots and apply different filters while adjusting the aperture, focal length and so on. This feature is currently exclusive to the PS5 version with no mention of it coming to PS4 or PC.

No Xbox Series X/S Release Plans

The obvious question one has to ask – is there any chance of The Nioh Collection coming to Xbox Series X/S at some point? Speaking to VideoGamesChronicle, Yasuda responded that there are “no current plans” to bring the Nioh series to Xbox consoles at this point. However, he did state that if a new Ninja Gaiden title happened, the development team would “definitely like that to be on Xbox consoles” given the franchise’s history with Microsoft.

No Plans for Nioh 3

Whether a new Ninja Gaiden releases or not, the current story for the Nioh series has come to an end. Yasuda noted that with the release of Nioh 2 and its DLC, “It’s reached a good point in the story where all the loose ends are tied up” and that there are currently no plans for a sequel. While it’s possible that the franchise is revisited at some point, The Nioh Collection is as definitive as the story gets.

While Team Ninja’s popular Nioh series seems like it’ll be on ice for the foreseeable future, it went out with quite a bang. Nioh 2 released last year to much acclaim and will see a remastered version coming to the PS5 alongside the first game, and a Complete Edition release on the PC at the same time. And it seems those on the PlayStation side of things will get some extra perks.

Speaking with Wccftech, series director Fumihiko Yasuda was asked about whether the game would see any cross-play with any of these new versions. He confirmed there would be cross-play between the PS4 and PS5 versions, as well as save transfer for those that upgrade. Unfortunately, for those picking up Nioh 2 Complete Edition on PC next month, neither option will be available. Save transfer is no surprise, but it seems that if you want to bring someone into your game for co-op while playing on PC, you won’t be able to bring in PlayStation players.

Nioh 2 and all its DLC are available now on PlayStation 4. The Complete Edition will release on that platform and PC on February 5th, alongside a PS5 remaster of it and the first game.

While developer Team Ninja has said the Nioh series has now reached a rest point and will be on ice for the foreseeable future, it will have one last hooray next month with The Nioh Collection. Collecting remastered versions of Nioh and Nioh 2 for Sony’s PS5, it also seems it aims to really take advantage of the new hardware.

Japanese site Gamespark have a preview of the game where they detail what graphic and resolution modes the game would have. When the collection was announced, it was said it would have graphical modes going up to 120 FPS, but no specific details were given. It seems you have three options: one is a 4K/60 FPS option, another is 120 FPS but with the game staying at 1080p, and then a third which they are calling just PS5 Standard. The last will keep the game at 1080p and 60 FPS, but will include more detailed graphical effects such as shadows, foliage, and model textures.

They also briefly detail the use of the DualSense controller. It says that the game uses the haptic feedback part of the controller for various combat abilities, and the adaptive triggers are used for the bow and arrow, something that’s looking to be a common use for the feature in various games.

The Nioh Collection is set to release February 5th on PlayStation 5.

Nioh 2 saw the release of its final paid DLC last month with The First Samurai but Team Ninja is still releasing updates. The latest, update 1.22, introduces balance changes for all of the different weapon types, targeted specifically at their martial arts. There’s plenty of good changes regardless of one’s preferred weapon type.

Swords, for instance, have adjusted the damage when “Yaksha Ichimonji” is at its maximum while the attack operation has been slightly sped up. For dual swords, the damage inflicted by “Heavy Jumonji” upward and “Raijin” upward has been adjusted. For the spear, the power damage of “Naruyama” upward has been adjusted while the attack movement of “Kayaburi” has been slightly sped up.

Check out the full update notes here, though they’re currently in Japanese. Nioh 2 is currently available for PS4 but will be releasing on February 5th for PC and PS5 as Nioh 2 – The Complete Edition. This includes all of the DLC and updates thus far, along with 4K and 120 FPS support. PS5 players will also receive a remaster of the first game when The Nioh Collection launches next month.

PATCH NOTES:

Changes to martial arts

[Sword]

• Adjusted the damage when the sword martial art “Yaksha Ichimonji” is accumulated to the maximum, and speeds up the attack operation slightly.
• Adjusted so that it will not be attacked by the time the attack of the sword martial art “Somaki” occurs, and speed up the attack operation slightly

[Two swords]

• Adjusted the damage of the dual wield martial art “Heavy Jumonji” upward
• Adjusted the damage of the dual wield martial art “Raijin” upward
• Adjusted to reduce the amount of drop when hitting an enemy with the dual wield martial art “Water Sword”

When Koei Tecmo announced that The Nioh Collection was coming to PS5, faster loading times were to be expected. But just how much faster would they be, compared to the PS4 versions? Thanks to some short clips from Nioh 2 on Twitter, we can see that the process of dying and then respawning at the nearest shrine is more or less instant, allowing players to get back into the game immediately. The same goes for loading into a new area from the region map.

The Nioh series has always been known for its quick loading so this is an added bonus. Nioh Remastered – The Complete Edition and Nioh 2 Remastered – The Complete Edition are both included in The Nioh Collection on PS5. They features 4K resolution support, up to 120 FPS gameplay, PS4 to PS5 save transfer and improved visuals.

The Nioh Collection along with both remasters launch on February 5th 2021 for PS5 with pre-orders going live tomorrow. Nioh 2 – The Complete Edition will also be coming to PS4 and PC on the same date. In the meantime, current owners of the game can look forward to its final DLC, The First Samurai, releasing on December 17th for PS4.

【PS5対応機能- ロード高速化①】
PS5版『#仁王 RCE』『#仁王２ RCE』ではロードの高速化に対応。

「落命」後のロードが速いことに定評のある「仁王」シリーズですが、更に時間が短くなりました。

PS5版でノーストレスな「落命」ライフをお楽しみください。https://t.co/GP493WRRDF#Nioh #Nioh2 pic.twitter.com/gvywSlzBRp

— 「仁王」シリーズ公式アカウント (@nioh_game) November 19, 2020

【PS5対応機能- ロード高速化②】
PS5版『#仁王 RCE』『#仁王２ RCE』ではロードの高速化に対応。

「落命」後のロードだけでなく、ミッション開始時やゲーム起動時のロードも速くなります。https://t.co/GP493WRRDF#Nioh #Nioh2 pic.twitter.com/hIMjVt5UQV

— 「仁王」シリーズ公式アカウント (@nioh_game) November 19, 2020

Along with announcing that Nioh 2 – The Complete Edition would be coming to PS4 and PC, Koei Tecmo also unveiled Nioh 2 Remastered – The Complete Edition, Nioh Remastered – The Complete Edition and The Nioh Collection for PS5. Nioh 1 and 2 Remastered include the base games with improved visuals and 4K support along with all DLC while The Nioh Collection comprises of both remasters. All of these titles are also out on February 5th 2021.

The remasters will support 4K resolution on the PS5 with “up to” 120 FPS gameplay, fast loading times and the ability to transfer one’s saves from the PS4. Current Nioh 2 owners on PS4 can upgrade to the PS5 version at no additional cost (which also applies to The Complete Edition). Standalone purchases for Nioh 2 Remastered and its DLC on PS5 is not an option.

Pre-orders for all of the above will go live on November 20th. Koei Tecmo also revealed that the final DLC for Nioh 2, The First Samurai, would be releasing on December 17th. Stay tuned for more details on the same, along with gameplay footage, in the coming months.