Nioh
A samurai foreigner battles yōkai in a fictionalized Sengoku Japan.
Nioh is an action role-playing game set in a fictionalized version of 1600 Japan, blending heavily altered historical figures with supernatural elements. Players control William Adams, a foreigner who becomes a samurai while hunting the sorcerer Edward Kelley through the closing battles of the Sengoku period, as Tokugawa Ieyasu works to unify the country. The game was developed by Team Ninja and Kou Shibusawa, published by Koei Tecmo for the PlayStation 4 in 2017, with Sony Interactive Entertainment handling the PlayStation release outside Japan. Its development began in 2004 for the PlayStation 3, originally part of a multimedia project based on an unfinished Akira Kurosawa script. After a long and turbulent pre-production phase with multiple revisions, the final version started development for the PlayStation 4 in 2014. Public information remained scarce until 2015, when the game was reintroduced. Alpha and beta demos in 2016 helped gauge player feedback and led to adjustments, pushing the planned 2016 release into 2017. Upon launch, Nioh received positive reviews for its gameplay and graphics, though the story was often criticized as confusing or lacking. It sold well, shipping over 3 million copies worldwide. A prequel, Nioh 2, followed on PlayStation 4 in March 2020, with a Windows port including all downloadable content later that year, and a remastered version for PlayStation 5 in February 2021. A second sequel, Nioh 3, is set for 2026. Gameplay involves navigating enclosed levels infested with yōkai, managing a stamina bar called Ki, and using different sword stances that are effective or weak against various enemies. Combat is fast-paced hack and slash, with William able to attack, block, dodge, and sprint, all of which drain Ki. A well-timed Ki Pulse replenishes lost stamina, grants buffs, and clears miasma patches that rapidly drain Ki. Defeated enemies drop loot like weapons, armor, and money. Equipment weight affects movement speed and Ki drain. Upon death, William drops his accumulated experience points (Amrita) at the spot; if he dies again before retrieving them, they are lost. Shrines serve as checkpoints, allowing saves, health restoration, leveling up, and respawning all normal enemies.
Quick Facts
- Title
- Nioh
- Developer
- Team Ninja / Kou Shibusawa
- Publisher
- Koei TecmoWW · Sony Interactive Entertainment (PS4, PS5)
- Director
- Fumihiko Yasuda · Yosuke Hayashi
- Producer
- Hisashi Koinuma
- Programmer
- Yuta Yamazaki
- Artist
- Hirohisa Kaneko
- Writer
- Kazunori Taguchi · Masahiko Kochi · Makoto Shibata
- Composer
- Yugo Kanno
- Platforms
- PlayStation 4 · Windows · PlayStation 5
- Released
- PlayStation 4NA · 7 February 2017 · PAL · 8 February 2017 · JP · 9 February 2017WindowsWW · 7 November 2017PlayStation 5WW · 5 February 2021
- Genre
- Action role-playing, hack and slash
Facts from the source article.
Lore & Background
Nioh began development in 2004 for PlayStation 3 as part of a multimedia project based on an unfinished Akira Kurosawa script. The project went through a turbulent and prolonged pre-production period, going through multiple revisions until its final version began development in 2014 for PlayStation 4. Development information was sporadic until 2015, when it was reintroduced to the public. Alpha and beta demos were released during 2016, to both gauge public reaction to the title and make adjustments based on feedback. Initially scheduled for a 2016 release, the adjustments pushed the release into the following year.
The gameplay revolves around navigating levels and defeating yōkai that have infested an area; combat revolves around stamina or 'Ki' management and different sword stances that are strong or weak against different enemies. Missions are self-contained, hold alternate routes, and are selected from a menu rather than reached by navigating an open world. William can summon Guardian Spirits, animals that combine his health and Ki into a single meter with added stat boosts. A cooperative multiplayer allows for other players to be summoned to help in battles.
The game's main protagonist is William Adams, a blond-haired Irishman who arrives in Japan in pursuit of an enemy. He crosses paths with Tokugawa Ieyasu and his ninja servant Hattori Hanzō, forming an alliance against both William's enemy and the yōkai infesting Japan. The main antagonist is Edward Kelley, a Westerner driving the conflict using his dark alchemical abilities under the order of John Dee, chief advisor to Queen Elizabeth I.
Reader's Guide
Upon release, Nioh received positive reviews, with praise going to the gameplay and graphics while the story was criticized as lacking or confusing. It reached high positions in sales charts, going on to ship over 3 million copies worldwide. The game's alpha and beta demos in 2016 helped shape the final product based on player feedback, and the adjustments from a planned 2016 release pushed it to 2017. Nioh received two sequels: Nioh 2, a prequel released on PlayStation 4 on March 12, 2020, and Nioh 3, released in 2026. A port to Windows including all downloadable content was released the same year as Nioh 2, while a remastered version was released for PlayStation 5 on February 5, 2021. The game's legacy includes its fast-paced hack and slash combat similar to previous Team Ninja works, its Ki stamina management system, and its three-stance combat system that influenced later action RPGs.
Did You Know?
- The game shipped over 3 million copies worldwide.
- Alpha and beta demos were released during 2016 to gauge public reaction and make adjustments.
- Nioh 2, a prequel, was released on PlayStation 4 on March 12, 2020.
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