The PC port everyone has been waiting for is finally here

Feb 1, 2021 17:20 GMT  ·  By

If you've played the first Nioh game and liked it, you probably can't wait to get into the sequel. Exclusively available on PlayStation 4, Nioh 2 will finally hit PC on February 5. Since I've already reviewed Nioh 2 on PS4, I've decided to write a preview for those who want a taste of what's to come.

Before I'll tell you how the Nioh 2 PC port plays and feels, it's important to mention that even if you haven't played the first game, you can jump right into the sequel. The events in Nioh 2 take place after the original game but focus on a different character.

Truth be told, Nioh 2 is not about story, but more about gameplay. That being said, it's worth mentioning that the events in the game happen during the Sengoku era of Japanese history. Unlike in the first game, you can now create your own character who is half-yokai, and choose two weapons to master during your adventures.

Since the PC version of the game includes all three DLC that were released as part of the Season Pass for PS4, players are now able to pick from no less than 16 weapons, including the Splitstaff and Fists that were added with the DLCs. Each weapon scales with one of the character's attributes and plays very differently.

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I'm currently switching between two playthroughs because I like playing as a full plate samurai carrying an Odachi, and as a nimble ninja who throws Kunai and Shuriken. Of course, you can reset all your skills and switch to another weapon(s) once you have access to a certain book, which comes in handy especially for those who find out they don't really like their initial choices.

Although Nioh 2's story isn't that appealing (that doesn't mean it's bad!), it's story missions that will let you progress the game. Depending on how good you are with playing games like Sekiro and Bloodborne, you can finish Nioh 2 in about 40 hours, but then you'll have to tackle the three DLCs for another 20 hours.

Each mission in Nioh 2 has a boss at the end that you have to kill in order to progress the story. You can play missions that you've already finished how many times you wish, especially if you want a certain piece of gear to drop from that mission's boss. Just like in every other soulslike game, there are shrines where you can rest and replenish your consumables, and you can unlock shortcuts in case you're killed before you reach the final boss.

Now, there is a bucketload of specialized builds out in the wild, but most of them require you to finish the game and start the DLCs or New Game+. Still, you can find mid-game builds that will get you through the end of Nioh 2, but I'd recommend playing at least once using the weapons and skills that you like.

The customization depth in Nioh 2 is absolutely mind-blowing. Each piece of gear has specific bonuses that work well to various skills that you can unlock from the different weapon trees. Not to mention that you can move certain skills from one piece of gear to another. Nioh 2 might not seem a hard game at first glance, but it's definitely one that's hard to master.

As far as performance goes, the PC is definitely the best way to experience Nioh 2. I know the first game's port didn't quite check all the right boxes, but the sequel is infinitely better. Depending on your PC's configuration, you can cap frames at either 30, 60, or 120. I've played various early builds of the game and the stable one that will go live for everyone later this week feels the best. I had no crashes and the game does manage to keep a stable 60fps most of the time. I'm saying most of the time because I noticed that during some missions heavy on background fire the number of frames per second dips below 40 when it's set to 60.

Those with top-tier rigs will be happy to know that Nioh 2 features support for 4K resolution, ultra-widescreen resolution, as well as HDR and 144Hz monitor,

Another important aspect is the control scheme. You can play Nioh 2 just with your keyboard or you can use both keyboard and mouse. However, I'd definitely recommend playing Nioh 2 with a controller, specifically with a PS4 controller because the game displays the symbols rather than those on the Xbox controller.

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Conclusion

After playing for more than 35 hours, I believe that whoever made the PC port of Nioh 2 did an excellent job. It feels and plays a lot better than on PS4, so if you're considering the game but don't know what platform to choose, I'd say go for the PC version.

Another advantage would be the fact that you get the Complete Edition, which includes three juicy DLCs that add a huge amount of content, and you won't have to pay more like PS4 players had to. Nioh 2 Complete Edition plays very well on PC, so I see no reason not to strongly recommend it to those who've been waiting for this port.

Nioh 2 screenshots (29 Images)

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