The first thing you should know about this game is that if you do not like and enjoy difficulty in games, avoid it. This is a very unforgiving and difficult game, with only one difficulty setting, and it will absolutely throw a lot at you from the very beginning.

This game is very similar to the Dark Souls games and Sekiro, but it’s also different in a lot of ways. You acquire Amrita (which is basically souls) and you use it to level up stats of your choice. If you die, you lose it all, unless you retrieve it. However, unlike in the souls series, you can’t get away with simply over-leveling to tackle stuff. In this game you could be an entire 50 levels above the zone level, and even the simplest common mob could still murder you easily if you’re not paying attention.

The gameplay feels amazing, it’s very smooth and satisfying, but it’s also very complex. There are several weapons you can use, each of which comes with a different move-set and things you need to know. Then there’s also three possible stances you can activate – low, mid and high – and every one of them further alters the move-set and abilities of the weapon. Each weapon also has separate talent-trees with additional active and passive abilities. You can have four weapons equipped at a given time, two of which are ‘main’ weapons and two are ranged options. The available main weapons in the game are: Swords (basically katana), Dual Swords, Spears, Axes, Kusarigama, Tonfa, and Odachi. The ranged options are: bows, rifles and hand cannons. You can also acquire stealth (ninja) and magical abilities (jutsu) as well. I’m playing dual swords and katana, with bow and rifle as ranged options, but I also experimented with some of the others. They’re all very fun and serve different playstyles, so you should definitely try them out a bit before you commit. You will also absolutely need to learn how to use a weapon properly and effectively if you want to progress in this game.

The bosses in this game are hard, and at times very unfair. For most of them, learning their move-set or exploiting some weakness they have will let you tackle them in a few attempts. There are some bosses that are just plain insane though, the amount of ♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥ they throw at you, which you can neither properly anticipate nor counter, is astonishing, to say the least. So be prepared for moments of extreme frustration sometimes. Defeating them feels super rewarding because of that though.

Gear in this game is, surprisingly, very similar to games such as Diablo or ARPGs in general. You can also craft gear and alter/reforge the stats and get entire item-sets. I should mention that you absolutely have to understand what the stats do and how the gear works, because even with a good understanding of those things, the game can still be challenging. Without it, you'll just get absolutely obliterated. In general, the game encourages “dancing” around bosses more than tanking hits, so you won’t be able to face-tank no matter how good your gear seems to be. You’ll have to adjust your gear and stats to the weapon you’re using and to your playstyle.

The only negative points about the game, in my opinion, are two things. First, you get locked in place in most cases when you’re taking damage (similar to Path of Exile for example), so you can easily get stun-locked by chained abilities and attacks, which in 99.9% of cases means instant death. That’s extremely annoying when tackling more than one mob, and on bosses with extremely fast multi-chain attacks. You can spam the dodge button and abilities, but you still just end up locked in the damage chain, which means one mistake = dead. Second, the sheer number of controls in this game is also a bit insane, and in case you’re using mouse and keyboard, this port didn’t really include a display for PC buttons, so the UI will show you controller button prompts for the hundreds of available controls and moves, and you have to figure it out. But once you learn what everything does and adapt the controls, this issue does become irrelevant.

The story is not very detailed, but it’s actually quite good. You play as a Samurai, who is actually an Englishman, and you come to Japan pursuing a bad guy who stole a guardian spirit from you and is causing major chaos. The game focuses a lot on those guardian spirits. They are basically spirits with animal themes, so you have stuff like cat spirit, bull spirit, fox spirit, rabbit spirit, etc., but there are also some more ‘fantastical’ spirits. Most stronger characters in the game have their own spirit. You can equip one spirit to accompany you at any given time, and different spirits buff different stats and alter gameplay. You can also activate ‘spirit mode’ when your gauge reaches full, which is basically a short boost of super power based on whichever spirit you’re using (it’s highly amusing beating stuff with a rabbit as your companion, let me tell ya). As you progress through the game, you can find and unlock more guardian spirits. It’s a very good system, kinnda feels like you’re basically collecting different Pokémon at times. The spirit you equip will also be your login screen every time you enter the game, which is an extremely nice touch.

I’m loving this game very much, so I absolutely have to recommend it. I’ll also be moving on to Nioh 2 once I finish this, and I’ve seen that Nioh 3 got announced recently, so if you're into this series, there’s much to look forward and much fun to be had without a doubt! However, as I said, just be aware that the difficulty is absolutely brutal, so if that’s not your thing, don’t torture yourself.

幸運を祈ります! 🐦‍🔥

So, I finally finished Nioh, and man, what a ride.

Let’s start with the good stuff. The combat is honestly, top-tier. This might be my favorite out of all the Soulslikes I’ve played. It’s fast, it’s crisp, and it’s super deep if you want it to be. The game never forces you to dive into every system. You can get by with the basics, but if you do decide to mess with Ki Pulse timing, stances, Flux, ranged weapons, ninjutsu, magic, etc. the game just opens up in the best way. And yeah, it makes you feel like a total badass.

Bosses are tough, but (mostly) fair. If you die, it’s usually because you got greedy or misread a pattern and not because the game cheated. There’s something really satisfying about finally nailing a boss that’s been beating you down for an hour.

The mission-based structure is kind of “old school,” and I mean that in a good way. Levels feel handcrafted, the kind you can learn and master, and the Japanese folklore/demon vibe is just cool.

That said... there are some rough edges.

The story is kind of there, I guess? The main character just sort of exists. He reacts to things like someone who missed the plot entirely and is just following a GPS to his next fight. If you only watch the cutscenes, it’s basically: “New guy. New mission. Beat mission. New cutscene. Repeat.” It does make more sense if you read the mission descriptions and logs, but if you're like me and didn’t already know much about Japanese history, some of it might just blur together.

The map design is good and bad. Some levels are genius, but others just test your patience. The stage with holes everywhere wasn’t testing skill, it was testing patience. Also, while we’re on the negatives: every time you finish a level, none of your unlocked shortcuts or shrines carry over.

Also, it took me way longer to finish because I spent a ridiculous amount of time farming for a full set of purple armor with the “perfect” stats. I was completely hooked on the idea of optimizing my build… until it slowly started draining the fun out of the experience. But that’s on me.

The side content also leans hard on reusing stuff. Same enemies. Same areas. Sometimes the exact same boss - or a double boss fight - just thrown in with four floating firehead dudes for “extra challenge”.

Enemy variety is another weak spot. Most of the game, you’re fighting the same handful of baddies. Occasionally one shows up with a different element or move, but it's mostly remixing what you’ve already seen. And don’t even get me started on the fire wheels. Whoever made those has a special place in hell.

TL;DR: Nioh has some of the best combat I’ve ever experienced in a Soulslike. It stumbles with story delivery, enemy variety, and some frustrating level and mission design choices, and the gear grind can seriously wear you down if you're not careful - although that is totally optional. If you love tough-but-fair battles, Japanese mythology, and deep mechanics with tons of freedom, it’s absolutely worth playing. 8/10

Nioh: Complete Edition – Depth Forged in Discipline

Nioh: Complete Edition isn't just challenging, it’s a combat design masterclass tailored for players who thrive on precision and system depth. What initially feels overwhelming quickly reveals itself as an intricate framework designed to be studied, iterated on, and ultimately mastered.

At its core, the game revolves around stance-based combat: High stance for power, Mid stance for balance, and Low stance for speed and defense. Each weapon type be like the katana’s versatility, the kusarigama’s deceptive reach, or the axe’s raw power interacts with these stances in unique ways, encouraging experimentation and adaptability.

Then there’s the Ki Pulse system, a mechanic that mimics stamina regeneration through timed button taps. It’s more than a resource management trick it’s a rhythm based layer that adds tempo to every encounter. Mastering Ki Pulses is essential not just for efficiency, but for survival, especially when you're dealing with Yokai Realms, which suppress your Ki regeneration unless neutralized through a well timed pulse.

The enemy design is punishing but fair. Human opponents parry, pressure, and punish greed. Yokai, on the other hand, bring a mythological terror with slower, more deliberate animations that demand patience and observation over aggression. Bosses are milestone level threats that test your mechanical grasp, pattern recognition, and composure.

Customization is equally nuanced. The skill trees for each weapon and ninja/onmyo arts create meaningful long term progression. You’re not just unlocking damage buffs, you’re gaining new combo routes, counters, and synergy tools.

Gear drops are plentiful but meaningful thanks to the familiarity system and soul-matching mechanics, making looting feel strategic rather than random.

The inclusion of all three DLCs expands the experience significantly, not just in story content, but in complexity, introducing tougher enemies, new weapon types like the Odachi and Tonfa, and deeper lore. These additions extend the difficulty curve but also reward your growing competence.

Nioh doesn’t hold your hand. But if, like me, you enjoy systems that reward curiosity, measured progression, and focused iteration, this game doesn’t just respect your time, it elevates it.

Disclaimer: This review reflects my personal experience and preferences as a player who enjoys intricate combat systems and high stakes challenges. Your mileage may vary depending on your tastes and tolerance for difficulty