Nioh

83%
Game Brain Score Based on 7,728 reviews
  • story
  • gameplay
  • graphics
Nioh Game Cover
While not a perfect port, Nioh: Complete Edition is a full-fledged experience. Both complex and challenging, it's a worthwhile journey for any action game fan.
Starting at $9.99Buy now
Get on Steam Get on Epic Games Store Get on PS Store

"Nioh is a challenging historical hack-and-slash game with excellent story, mechanics, graphics, and music. Play solo or with a friend in multi-player co-op mode to fight against samurai and supernatural enemies. With three expansions, Dragon of the North, Defiant Honor, and Bloodshed's End, the game offers a lot of content and replayability. The PC version supports gamepad compatibility, 4K Ultra-HD, and cross-play with Steam players."

  • PC
  • Play​station 4
  • Play​station 5
  • Windows
  • Cloud
  • Epic Games
  • NVIDIA GeForce NOW
  • Play​Station
  • Play​station 3
Genres & TagsPlay Modes

Reviews

83%
Audience ScoreBased on 7,728 reviews
story454 positive mentions
grinding378 negative mentions
  • story2,567 mentions

    The story of "Nioh" follows William Adams, an Irish sailor, as he navigates the tumultuous Sengoku period in Japan, intertwining historical events with supernatural elements. While the narrative is engaging and features well-crafted characters, many players find it convoluted and difficult to follow due to the abundance of Japanese names and lore. The mission-based structure, while providing a clear progression, often leads to repetitive environments and a lack of cohesive storytelling, detracting from the overall experience.

    • “The story is well-crafted, and while it may not always be the primary focus, it provides a fascinating context for the game's events and deepens the backstory of its characters and world.”
    • “The story of 'Nioh' revolves around William Adams, an Irish samurai who finds himself in 17th-century Japan in search of his enemy, a dark alchemist.”
    • “William faces various supernatural threats while unraveling a plot involving the struggle for power and the influence of yokai, spirits, and demons from Japanese mythology.”
    • “The story is confusing and makes little sense so far, but the gameplay is solid and that matters most to me.”
    • “The story is a confusing mess that often makes no sense.”
    • “The story is weak and confusing, the writing is suffering from translation issues or just plain old ineptitude, and the combat system is so very close to being good, but is missing true depth and challenge.”
  • gameplay1,581 mentions

    The gameplay of Nioh is widely praised for its depth and complexity, combining elements from the Dark Souls series with unique mechanics such as stance switching and ki management. Players appreciate the fast-paced, challenging combat and the extensive customization options available through various weapons and skill trees, although some find the multitude of mechanics overwhelming. While the game offers a rewarding experience for those willing to invest time in mastering its systems, it can also be frustrating due to its punishing difficulty and occasional technical issues.

    • “That unique blend of Diablo and Dark Souls is so strong, so enchanting, that each effortless flex of its oiled-up mechanics makes my heart flutter.”
    • “While the story is mediocre, the combat mechanics are possibly the best I've ever seen. The bosses are challenging and a blast to conquer, and the way history is integrated into a game that is already so fun makes this a unique game that has quickly become a favorite.”
    • “The gameplay is fast-paced and requires a high level of skill and strategy. With its precise combat mechanics, deep character customization, and immersive atmosphere, this game stands as a shining example of the action RPG genre.”
    • “I was really intrigued by this game's unique combat system, but unfortunately it is only complex for the sake of being complex, and the gameplay doesn't utilize it in any way.”
    • “The ki-related mechanics might be too much for new players, combined with mobs and bosses just straight up one-shotting you, it could really turn you off.”
    • “The gameplay is fast-paced and requires a high level of skill and strategy, but the mechanics can feel overwhelming and poorly explained, making it frustrating for new players.”
  • graphics584 mentions

    The graphics of the game receive mixed reviews, with some players praising the impressive visuals and art style, particularly the detailed character models and environments, while others criticize the graphics as outdated or lacking in variety. Many users note that the game runs well on mid-range PCs, but there are complaints about poor optimization, limited graphical settings, and occasional performance issues. Overall, while the aesthetics and design are appreciated, the technical execution leaves room for improvement.

    • “The graphics are impressive, and the game feels truly unique thanks to its innovative mechanics.”
    • “With its intricate combat system, rich Japanese folklore-inspired storyline, and stunning visuals, this game delivers an immersive experience like no other.”
    • “The graphics in Nioh Complete Edition are impressive, with detailed character models and environments.”
    • “Loved Dark Souls, but this lacks the gorgeous geometry and visuals that really sell that franchise.”
    • “The world just looks and feels very dull and uninspiring, along with the 20-year-old graphics.”
    • “This game is awful and the graphics look like a PS3 game; pretty sure this game was overhyped back in 2017 because it was a PlayStation exclusive.”
  • grinding388 mentions

    The grinding aspect of the game has received mixed reviews, with many players finding it excessively tedious and time-consuming, particularly in the late game and New Game Plus modes. While some appreciate the depth of gear progression and the satisfaction of crafting builds, others feel that the reliance on grinding detracts from the overall enjoyment, leading to repetitive gameplay and frustration with inventory management. Overall, the game is best suited for players who enjoy extensive grinding and loot collection, as it heavily emphasizes these mechanics throughout the experience.

    • “You'll need a second life for grinding.”
    • “Farming; there's definitely no farming or grinding if you just do the normal difficulty.”
    • “Finished the main story but yet to play the DLCs, quite enjoyed it. Combat is solid and the random loot is addicting and not tedious; I enjoy the grind.”
    • “The game's enemies hit way too hard, the game wants you to put in way too many hours grinding to get your level up and the weapon/armor RNG drop rate stats are all over the place.”
    • “Instead of a rewarding and skill-based progression system, Nioh often feels like it pushes players into a monotonous cycle of farming for resources just to survive the next encounter.”
    • “The endgame can feel more grindy than you'd like and leveling up endgame gear is an odd process of recycling gear.”
  • optimization245 mentions

    The optimization of the game has received mixed reviews, with many players reporting significant performance issues such as frame rate drops, stuttering, and crashes, particularly on lower-end systems. While some users have managed to achieve stable performance with high settings, others have found the game poorly optimized for mouse and keyboard controls, leading to a frustrating experience. Overall, the consensus suggests that while the game can run well on certain setups, it often struggles with optimization, making it a challenging experience for many players.

    • “Issues/optimization – Nioh’s PC release is well optimized with high quality assets, quick loading times, and seamless multiplayer functionality.”
    • “The game is exceptionally optimized (for a port) and actually surpassed my expectations and doubts.”
    • “When it runs smoothly, it's a fun game with interesting areas to explore.”
    • “The optimization is hilariously bad, but 100x better than the Ninja Gaiden trilogy.”
    • “The performance drops are ridiculous on a game from 2017 when the sequel runs fantastically, and the low framerate cap makes some sections borderline unplayable if you have a high refresh rate.”
    • “I have a decent gaming laptop that can run almost anything on the highest settings yet Nioh is so poorly optimized and no matter how low the settings I use, the framerate is appalling and it is completely unplayable.”
  • music179 mentions

    The music in "Nioh" is generally praised for its evocative quality, effectively enhancing the game's atmosphere and complementing both action-packed and serene moments. However, many reviewers note a significant lack of variety, with several tracks being reused frequently, which detracts from the overall experience. While the soundtrack features beautiful compositions that fit the feudal Japan setting, the repetitiveness and limited number of distinct tracks leave some players wanting more.

    • “The soundtrack is evocative and suits the various situations, from frenetic action moments to quieter, contemplative times.”
    • “The soundtrack is equally evocative, blending traditional Japanese instruments with a driving orchestral score that perfectly complements the game's intense action.”
    • “The music really elevates this feeling of being a samurai in an anime, which is sick and cool.”
    • “The few soundtracks used throughout the stages are repetitive, and the repetitiveness diminishes their purpose or meaning over time to the point where it feels like the music is only there to fill in the silence.”
    • “I'm just kinda tired of hearing the same music for every boss fight.”
    • “The music is either non-existent or completely forgettable when it is there.”
  • replayability116 mentions

    The game boasts exceptional replayability, driven by its diverse gameplay mechanics, extensive customization options, and a robust New Game+ system that introduces increased difficulty and new loot. Players appreciate the vast array of skills, weapons, and missions, which encourage multiple playthroughs and exploration of different builds. While some critiques mention level design and story weaknesses, the overall consensus highlights the game's addictive nature and high replay value, making it a worthwhile investment for fans of the genre.

    • “With its high replay value and abundance of content, Nioh offers endless hours of thrilling gameplay.”
    • “The sheer amount of skills to learn and weapon types to wield makes this game highly addictive and replayable.”
    • “The game has huge replayability with the new game+ system which increases the difficulty each time you play, giving you better loot, new enemies, and opens up more levels in the level gauge.”
    • “But very forgettable, not very replayable and reliant on grinding.”
    • “Recently there has been a lot of hype around Sekiro, but the one major flaw I had with it was the lack of replayability.”
    • “The game is not a seamless, continuous world but a series of levels of which replayability is nurtured and encouraged.”
  • atmosphere107 mentions

    The atmosphere of "Nioh: Complete Edition" is widely praised for its immersive and detailed representation of feudal Japan, enhanced by stunning visuals, sound design, and a dark, gritty tone that draws players into its world. While many reviewers appreciate the game's unique take on Japanese folklore and the atmospheric settings of various missions, some note that it lacks the depth and interconnectedness found in other titles like Dark Souls. Overall, the game's atmosphere is considered compelling, though opinions vary on its effectiveness compared to its inspirations.

    • “The detailed settings and visual ambiance create an immersive atmosphere that effectively complements the game's narrative.”
    • “The sound effects and music significantly contribute to the overall atmosphere of the game, enhancing immersion in the world of 'Nioh.'”
    • “The atmosphere, while not as good as in Dark Souls, is still really damn impressive and the level design is even better than that.”
    • “The character's movement was very janky, and the whole atmosphere is just so dark and gloomy, with random screams in the distance and everything.”
    • “In addition to that, the overall atmosphere just fails to capture my interest.”
    • “Every defining feature of a souls game is missing: levels are bland and uninteresting; difficulty is controlled by limiting space, adding mobs, having glass cannon enemies, or ever present in not being able to dodge cancel attack or cast animations; and atmosphere is completely missing.”
  • stability93 mentions

    The stability of the game has received mixed reviews, with many players reporting frequent crashes, freezes, and various glitches, particularly on PC. While some users experienced smooth gameplay with minimal issues, others faced significant problems that hindered their enjoyment, including corrupted save files and unresponsive controls. Overall, the game's stability appears to vary widely among players, with a notable number expressing frustration over its performance.

    • “I love how smoothly and bug-free my experience with this game has been :) also, the game is lit.”
    • “Yes, the game runs well, much better than a lot of PC releases as of recently, with no freezes, spikes, or FPS drops noted.”
    • “I know Koei Tecmo has a reputation for having poorly optimized PC ports, but after 10+ hours of playing (with only 1 soft crash), I have had the smoothest gameplay experience: stable frames, alright controls, and little to no glitches.”
    • “I can't recommend this garbage because of all the game crashes/glitches this game suffers!”
    • “Game freezes then corrupts save file (lost all progress)”
    • “Firstly it is extremely buggy, it is constantly crashing which makes such a grindy game impossible to cope with.”
  • humor41 mentions

    The humor in the game is described as a mix of intentional comedic moments and unintentional absurdities, with players finding amusement in quirky character interactions, humorous cutscenes, and the game's often flawed mechanics. While some moments genuinely elicit laughter, such as a cat spirit scene and the protagonist's inability to swim, others stem from the game's convoluted plot and technical issues, leading to a lighthearted, if sometimes frustrating, experience. Overall, the humor adds a layer of charm to the gameplay, making it enjoyable despite its challenges.

    • “The optimization is hilariously bad, but 100x better than the Ninja Gaiden trilogy.”
    • “It is an enjoyable storyline with countless features to be unlocked and quite a few funny situations.”
    • “A funny thing is your protagonist is a sailor yet he cannot swim.”
  • emotional27 mentions

    Players express a profound emotional experience while engaging with the game, often feeling overwhelmed by its difficulty and dark atmosphere. Many describe a roller-coaster of emotions, from frustration and sadness to moments of triumph, highlighting the game's ability to evoke strong feelings, even leading to tears. Despite some criticisms regarding the story and gameplay mechanics, the emotional impact remains a significant aspect of the overall experience.

    • “After almost 200 hours of playing this game, I was on an emotional roller-coaster.”
    • “I have broken controllers and felt powerless to the point I cried over this game and its sequel.”
    • “It's just unfairly difficult and it's not the player's fault that they're beaten emotionally and mentally into a pulp.”
    • “Interesting setting, but the story is boring.”
    • “Badly optimized for PC with a very dull narrative.”
    • “The story is quite uninteresting.”
  • character development21 mentions

    Character development in this game has received mixed reviews, with many players noting a lack of depth and emotional connection to the main characters and NPCs. While the character designs and customization options are praised for their detail and aesthetic appeal, the overall narrative and character arcs are often described as weak or non-existent. Some players appreciate the complexity of the combat and RPG mechanics, but feel that these elements do not compensate for the shortcomings in character development.

    • “This game, like Nioh 2, truly has it all -- a deep combat system, incredibly addicting RPG mechanics (you always feel like you're making progress or finding something new), fantastic presentation and story (the plot is serviceable, but the world-building, art design, and character design are top notch).”
    • “There is deep character customization with armor, talismans, close combat weapons, ranged weapons, magic/spells, ninja gear, combat abilities which, when combined, are extremely complex, rewarding, and for people like me who love to get into the nitty-gritty of character development and combat bonuses, simply amazing.”
    • “The character designs I found to be quite appealing, with a more realistic approach rather than highly fictionalized a la Samurai Warriors.”
    • “The story is abysmal, no character development; you don't feel the need to care for either the main character or any NPCs.”
    • “Character development is nonexistent, and the villain is the most cartoonishly evil thing they could have come up with.”
    • “It just feels like no matter what I'm doing, it's not unique or progressing in character development.”
  • monetization8 mentions

    The monetization strategy of the game has been criticized as exploitative, with players feeling that progression is heavily tied to item levels and inventory management, reminiscent of a cash grab. Many reviewers express frustration over the presence of ads and the perception that the game prioritizes profit over player experience, leading to a negative impression of its overall design. Despite the absence of microtransactions, the game's monetization tactics have left players questioning its integrity.

    • “Not something you can just casually pick up without taking the time to learn the game, and there are no microtransactions.”
    • “The monetization model is fair and doesn't pressure players to spend money to enjoy the game.”
    • “I appreciate that the game offers a complete experience without relying on pay-to-win mechanics.”
    • “Because every aspect of progression in this game is tied to item level, like a sad Activision-Blizzard cash grab.”
    • “This is a cheap move and made me question whether this is a cash grab.”
    • “It's solely a cash grab to milk whatever money they can.”
Positive mentions (%)Positive
Neutral mentions (%)Neutral
Negative mentions (%)Negative

Critic Reviews

84% average critic score

Buy Nioh

Play time

60hMedian play time
82hAverage play time
36hMain story
97hCompletionist
20-120hSpent by most gamers
*Based on 68 analyzed playthroughs

Videos

Similar Games

Game News