Nioh 2 (or Nioh 1.5)

[Mustang]

Taken from Nioh reddit thread

https://old.reddit.com/r/Nioh/comments/bsdp96/nioh_2_closed_alpha_impressions_megathread/

NIOH 2 CLOSED ALPHA DETAILS
By Invite Only (email to your PSN ID email)
Redeem on Playstation Store under "codes"
Playstation 4 Only
Lasts from May 22nd 2019 until June 2nd 2019


WHAT YOU CAN DO IN THE ALPHA


Create a character
Play the tutorial
Play the Mt. Tatara mission
Co-Op


WHAT IS NEW WITH NIOH 2


Yokai Shift = Transform into a Yokai by being possessed by your Guardian Spirit
Yokai Soul Cores = Attune your Guardian Spirit to perform Yokai-like moves (Yokai Skills)
Yokai Weapons = Special weapon drops from Yokai with unique effect
Yokai Force
New Stats = Courage
New Mechanics = Benevolent Graves (good npc revenant)
Skill Trees reworked
Purple Kodamas
Some New Kodama Blessings


WHAT'S NOT NEW


Most Items Unchanged
Similar Weapon categories and Moves
Similar Stats
Similar coop system
Kodamas
Graphics (exact same engine)
Armor Slots
Talisman Slots
Accessories

CLOSED ALPHA IMPRESSIONS:


I'll be editing this thread to add more sources as they come up, I rather wait a few days and get proper content from the community and playtime with the game myself.


My initial, quick-fire reaction is of extreme hype. This feels like the very familiar Nioh but with new depth of builds thanks to the Yokai Soul Cores.


I'm rather disappointed that the graphics look exactly the same (or maybe worse?) but I'm hoping it's just the download size limitations
Coop seems to not be lagging and working so far
The new blue NPCs are a good idea but feels they don't do much
I'm having fun
The new Yokai are pretty awesome

Coming down from my hype train for a little bit, this definitely looks more like Nioh 1.5. Personally, I have no problem with everything being more or less the same since I thought the mechanics in Nioh 1 were borderline perfect. If anything take out the stamina bar (I'm always going to say remove that since I don't like it and never will) and you have a 10/10 game IMO, but I understand those who were looking for something new. I get it. In terms of combat I don't know what else can be done, but when it comes to weapon variety, good god they can do some things. So, yeah, I get it. But overall I'm content. I can only hope the next Nioh (if there's going to be a next) will improve upon Nioh 2 (or whatever's not in)

[Foggle]

I still need to play the first game, but honestly I'm fine with sequels that don't reinvent the wheel as long as the core is solid and the developers put effort into making better levels, bosses, story, etc. Obviously a huge leap forward in mechanics and technology would be preferable but there's nothing wrong with a safe, iterative sequel as long as the formula hasn't gone stale and the creative team still has good ideas to work with.

[Dr. Ensatsu-ken]

I'm totally fine with the same core gameplay that I already love. But, like....I need tons of new weapons, enemy types, and bosses as well. The Dual Axes are cool, but I need at least three or four new melee weapons to make the combat have enough variety to stand apart from the first game. Where's my Scythe, or my Nunchaku?

[Mustang]

I can dig the scythe. Nunchaku's on the other hand, hmm, I prefer Flails over them, but I think I know where you're getting at with them. I'm in the same boat with the weapons. The more the merrier.

Completely off-topic. I kinda want Zelda to implement a weapon system as well because that team know's how to implement weapons in their puzzles (Thinking about Twilight Princess and Majora's Mask). Could Nioh be handled like a Zelda game? I know it would never happen (considering that it's so small compared to Zelda), but the thoughts are roaming right now.

[Dr. Ensatsu-ken]

Alright, the TGS footage has managed to raise my anticipation for this game back up a bit. They showed off a ton of new enemy types and some rad looking bosses. And since it's the developers rather than random players capturing footage of an alpha demo, they have a better understanding of how to show off the game's mechanics to viewers to look more visually appealing.

I just really hope that there is more weapon variety than what we've been shown so far.

[Mustang]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xhcFfVyZbBg

Looks like we have a scythe-like weapon.

I'm waiting to see more videos from him (he and XLH Gladiator has done videos together, and I think Gladiator once stated that Kage might be better than him. Might be modest though)

[Dr. Ensatsu-ken]

I had a lot of other stuff come up this weekend, but I finally got a chance to try out the Nioh 2 Beta demo.

So, on the one hand, just like it looks, this is largely the same game as Nioh in it's core mechanics, however on the other hand, it reaffirms to me why I fell in love with that game in the first place. The core combat is just so damn good that I almost forgot how much fun it was. I beat Sekiro a few months ago and while I enjoyed that game very much, Nioh 2 just feels like more fun to me.

Disappointingly, there are only two new weapon types in the game, and one of them, the Dual Hatchets, feels far too similar to the Dual Swords. In fact, I just went with those over the Hatchets since those were my preferred weapon type from the first game, anyways. The Scythe is a keeper, though. I love how it switches form with each stance, feeling much like a transforming weapon from Bloodborne but with the combat depth of a Ninja Gaiden game. Also, thankfully my biggest problem with the Alpha was addressed and there are tons of new enemy types. I've only played the demo for three hours so far and I already feel like I've encountered nearly a dozen types of enemies, with only the human enemies being repeats from the first game so far.

Anyways, those are just quick first impressions based on only a little bit of gameplay. I will update my thoughts on this as I come back to the game throughout the week until the Beta is taken down.

[Dr. Ensatsu-ken]

So, I just beat the first Beta demo mission, and I have to admit, my Nioh 2 hype is back in full force. I actually forgot just how fucking good the gameplay truly is, and the Switchglaive is amazing. I very likely may make it my weapon of choice when the full game comes out.

Also, despite completing the mission, the level was so big that I know for a fact that I missed quite a few areas. If I have time before the Beta closes, I'll go back and replay it after completing the second mission.

Also, be warned, the Kamaitachi boss fight is fucking brutal. It took me three tries before I could even get a single hit in. The boss is actually not an attack sponge (thankfully) but he's super aggressive and moves around like a motherfucker, so it's hard to land a hit on him without completely understanding his moveset and attack patterns. That's actually good design, in my book. That said, Team Ninja did nothing to fix the wonky hit detection from the first game, which wasn't as bad as in a Souls game, but don't be surprised if you occasionally get clipped by certain attacks or projectiles that you feel you effectively evaded.

[Dr. Ensatsu-ken]

So I beat all of the missions available in the Nioh 2 Beta, including the Twilight Mission. Unfortunately, I didn't have time to replay any of them and really experiment with the combat just due to my everyday schedule.

In a lot of ways I still love the gameplay and combat as much as ever. However, there are some things that concern me about Team Ninja's design choices, like making enemies and bosses a lot tougher in terms of health which encourages you to use more Yokai Shift abilities, which themselves can be OP as fuck once you start understanding how to use them. It really messes with the balance of difficulty, because nobody wants to be hammering away at an enemy that takes 30-hits to kill when they can die in just one or two blows. Keep in mind that this is not for every enemy, but several of the bigger Yokai and bosses are like this and it makes an otherwise fun fight feel like a chore, IMO. I really hope that this gets fixed in the final game to have better balancing like the first game.

On the plus side, the Switchglaive is easily my new weapon of choice, and I do actually love the concept of Yokai Shift despite how OP it can feel.

[Mustang]

All of that sounds very promising and I'm looking forward to getting my hands on Nioh 2. I need to break this habit of mine of never playing demos (I know I'm probably missing out on stuff), but ideally I just want the whole game in front of me instead of a demo. I did however check out other folks playing and I love what I saw. I did see that the long sword and dual swords were still in. Does that mean we have doubled in weapons? I didn't see the tonfas, did we lose out on it? 

I probably won't tackle this one like I was trying to mimic the way gladiator played, but I'd probably incorporate some of his builds into my character. I like the light weight and all, but I also like damage but not that 1-hit stuff. Probably something more like a medium build but with the agility of a light weight. I should try that in Nioh 1 huh, but the gear for light weight is so awesome looking.

[Dr. Ensatsu-ken]

The new DLC is releasing soon. I'll be honest, I've had so many other distractions that I hadn't really spent any time on this game after completing the main quest. That said, I did really like playing through it. If there was any disappointment it's that as a sequel the game is an overly safe iteration that more or less fine-tunes the first game's mechanics while not really addressing any of it's issues. Given that I like the core strengths of this series I still had a great time with the game, but it also explains why I wasn't as into it as the first game since it does feel a bit too familiar to me by this point.

Still, I look forward to the new content all the same.

[Mustang]

I think I agree. I think it's a fine game but there's definitely something that's keeping me from enjoying this game as much as I have enjoyed the first 1, but I cannot pinpoint what that "something" is. I can also say that there's been a lack of motivation to play this game for me as well.

[Mustang]

Alright Dr. Ensatsu-ken. Talk to me about this game. How has your opinion changed on this game from when you first played to now? Is there really a reason to play this over Nioh 1 other than a few slight changes? You know, that kinda stuff. Can I still get armor from the 1st game (like the One-Eyed Dragon armor and what's his name, gah, his name is escaping me at the moment. Nobunaga is not who I'm thinking but can I get his armor as well?)

For me, I still haven't begun to play this beast yet. Still a lack of motivation. If anything I'm tempted to go back to Nioh 1 over this one just to get back into it (I've yet to finish it, but should I even bother with that? If no, then I'd just go straight into 2)

In terms of styles, I've seen 2 people with similar play styles. XLHGladiator and this other guy name Kagerasimaru. They both like that light weight build that does very little damage. And then I've seen people still going for that 1 hit kill garbage. Whatever floats your boat but I refuse to go for stuff like that, but I get it. If anything, this one guy name Xenoswarm has a similar style to what I'd want to go for , where he seems to be doing a lot of damage but still seems to move like he's wearing light weight armor.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XPxgZQnmRUo

I stop watching after the 3 min. mark because I don't want to see any specs while not diving into the game. I mainly watch the 1st 3 min to see the movement and inspiration on the build I would do. I don't remember the names but I get what he's doing for the most part.

[Dr. Ensatsu-ken]

Oh boy. Kind of on the spot, here.

I'd say that yes, this is ultimately more of the same of the first game,  for better and worse. Since I still loved the first game overall, naturally I still find more to like than dislike about Nioh 2, which at the end is a refined version of the original. Things like the Skill Trees and enemy variety have been improved, and the new weapons are pretty great.

As for returning armor sets, there are definitely some familiars from the first game, though in all honesty I can't say for certain if all of them return. I'm sure a quick Wiki search would clear that up, though. For me I tend to stick with Onmyo Mage or Shrine Maiden sets. I picked a female character hence why I can wear those, whereas the male equivalent are Shinto Priest sets. I did this since I went with a Magic-focused build and wanted armor sets that would enhance related stats. Also those are lightweight and high agility which fits my play-style. Of course in your case you would prioritize the armor sets and stats that ultimately support your main weapons of choice. For me it was the Switchglaive and Dual Swords throughout the main campaign (occasionally switching to the Hatchets as well), and with the Split Staff replacing the Switchglaive for me once the DLC came out.

The other important feature is guardian spirits, anima, and burst counters. This time there is an added layer of strategy to which Guardians you use as there are three types: Brute, Feral, and Phantom, and the one you pick affects your burst counter (you can pick up to two at a time and switch between them). I tended to stick with Feral as it had the easiest counter-timing and also functioned as a dodge. Keep in mind you can use anima even when you're out of stamina provided you have enough to pull off a move from your anima guage. I can't tell you how many times I managed to avoid death with a well-timed anima maneuver in Feral form. You can also equip up to three Soul Cores per guardian spirit, which allow you to perform special attacks when you have enough meter in your guage. So, while not a revolution of the first game, I'd say that there is enough new stuff to keep the overall combat loop feeling refreshing rather than repetitive and stale.

As for whether you need to go back to Nioh 1 first, I'd say it's not needed at all to enjoy the sequel. Story-wise it's mostly a prequel to the first game so you don't really need to worry about not understanding anything, and the game gives you a tutorial option at the beginning to catch you back up to speed. I'd still say that Nioh 1 is worth finishing, but at this point if you're interested in experiencing Nioh at it's best and are not a completionist, then Nioh 2 is still the better overall game, IMO. It does what Nioh 1 did well even better, to put it simply.

Also, to clear up a misconception that some people have, weapons don't inherently do shit damage. Players like XLHGladiator purposefully use underpowered weapons in their videos in order to allow them to show off more flashy combos and gameplay without killing enemies too quickly. That said, you should be regularly leveling up and either upgrading your weapon at the Blacksmith or switching to more powerful ones that are dropped. Also don't be afraid to use buffs and debuff your enemies. They are so abundant in the game for a reason. And understanding enemy attack patterns to capitalize on hitting them from behind does bonus damage. And you don't need to grind by any means. I leveled up and upgraded my weapons, armor, and skills naturally throughout the course of the game. I never had to replay levels to get better gear or level up further. I only ever replayed one level to achieve a secret requirement that let me unlock an optional side mission.

I mention all of this because I'm utterly annoyed by the Souls fans who claim that this is a numbers game where stats mean everything and skill means nothing. That's utter bullshit. I mean, yes, this is a fucking ARPG, so it does expect you to invest in strengthening your character which is part of the whole fucking appeal of the genre. And yes, there are ways to make your character ridiculously overpowered. However, nobody is going to have that issue playing the game unless they are intentionally going out of their way to make their character as underpowered or overpowered as possible. If you just play the game like a normal fucking ARPG, you won't encounter those issues. For whatever reason, though, you have these ass-hats who try to do handicap runs similar to those of the Souls games, but unlike those Nioh doesn't have the same kinds of tricks that makes those runs more viable. Then they look at the YouTubrs who make OP builds for fun and claim that this is a game that you have to cheese because it's poorly designed, completely ignoring the fact that those builds are all only possible by post-game, and the game's challenge is just fine if you you actually play it as intended.

Sorry for the rant, but those kinds of whiney nit-pickers just piss me off.

[Dr. Ensatsu-ken]

New weapon from upcoming DLC: https://youtu.be/WhhcZAlcGTE

Damnit, Team Ninja. Just when I thought I had my weapon sets figured out you add claws into the mix (finally), and they look so fucking cool that I just have to use them.