Rewatching Shogun, reminded me that I need to strongly recommend people play Nioh and Nioh 2

It's an exciting time for me, I'm going to Japan on Friday, in preparation for the mood I've been playing/watching/reading, all things Japan/Japanese.

A friend at work recommended Shogun after I saw the trailers and before I knew it, people hyped it up so much that I thought I can't watch it with this expectation. I feel like I'd be disappointed.

Ho boy, I was not. I loved it. The actor who played Blackthorne is a legend and the cast is perfect. That last episode where Blackthorne is doing his utmost best not to cry in the boat and the scene with Fuji... genuinely broke me. I sat with manly tears running down my face the entire end of the episode. Even if the moment with Buntaro made me smile.

It made me think, I remember watching it originally and thinking this a striking resemblance to Nioh (not realising Shogun is based on a book detailing real world events, even if the names are different. Nioh just happens to be from the same time period.)

I had to break out Nioh and play it again and fuck me, this is such a good game. I'm glad it enjoyed some success, but it can't die now. I hope and pray for Nioh 3 and hope to god they never become properly of the Saudi Investment fund.

If you haven't seen Shogun or played Nioh, I strongly, strongly recommend both. A souls-esque experience with with a ninja or magical twist depending on your preference. A great story with a spirit beast system, similar to maybe Beyblade in one respect. It's challenging, difficult to master but enjoying to succeed. You really get that bug to go again and again. It has a Diablo/Borderlands loot style system where you constantly find new and better stuff and don't worry, if you don't like the look of the new item, you can change the appearance to match the one you like. Did I mention the music is an experience in itself? The soundtrack is award worthy in my opinion.

If you own a PS4, PS4 Pro, PS5, or PC then I implore you. Please give it a go. Even if you can't/don't enjoy the Shogun TV series, the game is worth your time. You won't regret it.
 
Both Nioh games are great…except too much loot to sell off. If they make a 3 & eliminate 75% of the loot…best entry.
 
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Both Nioh games are hard to the point of not being fun. I know there are autists who will yell GIT GUD LOL at that, but I have a job and a life and I don't want to.

Elden Ring is vastly superior in every imaginable way.
 
Both Nioh games are hard to the point of not being fun. I know there are autists who will yell GIT GUD LOL at that, but I have a job and a life and I don't want to.

Elden Ring is vastly superior in every imaginable way.

I found them too tough to be enjoyable as well, much like Sekiro was for me. I've beaten most of From's catalog, but I didn't enjoy Nioh.
The difficulty combined with the Diablo style loot killed it for me.
 
It's an exciting time for me, I'm going to Japan on Friday, in preparation for the mood I've been playing/watching/reading, all things Japan/Japanese.

A friend at work recommended Shogun after I saw the trailers and before I knew it, people hyped it up so much that I thought I can't watch it with this expectation. I feel like I'd be disappointed.

Ho boy, I was not. I loved it. The actor who played Blackthorne is a legend and the cast is perfect. That last episode where Blackthorne is doing his utmost best not to cry in the boat and the scene with Fuji... genuinely broke me. I sat with manly tears running down my face the entire end of the episode. Even if the moment with Buntaro made me smile.

It made me think, I remember watching it originally and thinking this a striking resemblance to Nioh (not realising Shogun is based on a book detailing real world events, even if the names are different. Nioh just happens to be from the same time period.)

I had to break out Nioh and play it again and fuck me, this is such a good game. I'm glad it enjoyed some success, but it can't die now. I hope and pray for Nioh 3 and hope to god they never become properly of the Saudi Investment fund.

If you haven't seen Shogun or played Nioh, I strongly, strongly recommend both. A souls-esque experience with with a ninja or magical twist depending on your preference. A great story with a spirit beast system, similar to maybe Beyblade in one respect. It's challenging, difficult to master but enjoying to succeed. You really get that bug to go again and again. It has a Diablo/Borderlands loot style system where you constantly find new and better stuff and don't worry, if you don't like the look of the new item, you can change the appearance to match the one you like. Did I mention the music is an experience in itself? The soundtrack is award worthy in my opinion.

If you own a PS4, PS4 Pro, PS5, or PC then I implore you. Please give it a go. Even if you can't/don't enjoy the Shogun TV series, the game is worth your time. You won't regret it.

I was in Japan a few months ago and it was an incredible experience. I can't believe how amazing that country is, seriously. And yes I agree that Nioh franchise is amazing, very underrated

Enjoy the trip papito
 
Nioh 1/2 are amazing. They contain something super important that too many action RPGs skimp on - sheath animations. Seriously, why do so few games have them?
 
Nioh was plagued by a bad loot design, sadly I can't play anything with this terrible Diablo-like system.
 
Both Nioh games are hard to the point of not being fun. I know there are autists who will yell GIT GUD LOL at that, but I have a job and a life and I don't want to.

Elden Ring is vastly superior in every imaginable way.
I'm just going to throw this out there, as I feel you may yet enjoy this game. I'm not going to be sick measuring and say x or y game is better, but I genuinely had to get help from the Kodama portal, summoning another player to beat the second and third bosses. It's a mechanic people shy away from but the second you get Ninjitsu or Omnyo Magic that slows the opponents and has great DPS, the game is much much easier. Find a weapon you're good at playing, make use of the ranged weapons, don't feel ashamed for using them and you'll have a great time. Promise.
 
I think they have an amazing combat system. It's fun as fuck to style on enemies once you get the hang of Ki pulse and all that. Unfortunately I find most things around the combat system to be either kind of weak or an issue. The games are so bloated and repetitive that by the halfway point at best they run out of level design and encounter ideas. Then there's all the sub sub sub systems and the godawful loot system.

If they had cut those games down drastically and focused on a tight-ass package, they would've been GOAT games for me. Still mad that the sequel wasn't tighter but doubled down on the more-is-better approach.

PS: Shogun is killer
 
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I tried Nioh 2 twice now. I want to like it. I really do. I just cannot enjoy stamina management action games anymore. It's tedious. I am also tired of Soulslike healing mechanics. Just let me find health. Loot bloat and ten subsystems are unnecessary. These are video games; they don't need all of the overcompensation to be fun and good.
 
Nioh series fanboy here. I came to say Nioh 2 is easily one of my favorite games ever made.

Nothing else TN has ever made came close to Nioh 2. It is one of the best souls games. Don't let them lie either. On launch Nioh 2 was hard as a fucking diamond. I'm not sure if it is easier now but be ready to have your ass handed to you up until a certain early boss and then things will get easier.
I also liked that you could change the boss arena on one particular fight by manipulating things in the stages.
What a game. I personally loved the loot system. It hit some sort of enjoyment part of my brain. I still had an easier time with this than Sekiro.
 
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i enjoyed nioh1/2 more than elden ring

calm-yourself-cant-even.gif
 
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