The series sees you entangled in a war between heaven and hell told from the perspective of different members of the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse. You may already be familiar with the action-adventure series Darksiders, which has been around since 2010 and is comprised of three main games and a spin-off. In addition to a massive 50-hour story campaign, Nioh 2 features a new online co-op mode where up to three players can fight side by side as they try to take down suped-up yokai bosses. They all fall into different playstyle categories and have their quirks, but they’re all very effective at ripping into enemies, human and non-human alike. This time, there’s an even wider selection of traditional Japanese weapons to wield, including odachi, kusarigama, and even dual katanas.
Set during the late 1500s in the Sengoku Era in Japan, Nioh 2 serves as a precursor to the events of the original game and sees you taking on the role of Hide, a half-spirit, half-samurai being. Nioh 2 leans even further into the ‘tough-but-fair’ Dark Souls inspired combat typical of the first game, while ditching its protagonist in favor of customizable characters. This commercial success is often regarded as one of the best PlayStation exclusives of its generation. This year saw the release of a follow-up to Team Ninja’s samurai RPG Nioh.
