I recorded many, many hours on Nioh 2 on the PS4, so I was excited to get my hands on Nioh 2: The Complete Edition for PC, a preview version that lacks some technical features like support HDR and ultra wide resolutions there will be the full version. It includes everything in the base version of the action-RPG, of course, alongside the three DLCs. But the real attraction here are the specific functions of the PC, which are mostly visual.
Fluid frame rate? Absolutely. Ultra wide screen compatibility? Pshh, yes, why not? 4K Ultra-HD support? I’m still not sure what that means, but heck, yes. It certainly makes it look very enjoyable to play.
For those unfamiliar with Nioh 2, it’s the so-called “soul-like” (i.e., “like a Dark Souls game”) which is also called “masocore,” which is just a fantastic term. to be tremendously difficult. At first glance, it’s easy to confuse it with a game of Souls in Japanese costumes, but that’s not the case. I would say it changes the complexity of the environments in which you navigate Souls, to get more complexity in character customization.
Of great importance lies in the gear you’re equipping, the stats you’re pushing, and the materials you’re accumulating. Strangely enough, the Nioh 2 community reminds me of Formula 1, such is the extent to which tuning weapons and armor are built in the endless search for the optimal.
This may seem daunting to someone who has never tried Nioh 2, and this is it. There is no hand here. So tie yourself to the clothes of the Sengoku period and go out there, friend. If a demonic horse handling a bloody hacksaw is shattered to death, it’s your fault.
That said, if you’re interested in trying out Nioh 2, or if you’re already a mega fan and want to enjoy the absolute best experience, the full edition is for you. Like a Hello Fresh box the size of a shark sunbathing, you have everything you need to keep you going for months. And the ingredients are, thanks to the aforementioned frame rate, super buttery. It is a very nutritious experience.
To give you a visual idea of the difference: in my PS4 copy of Nioh 2 I will experience fairly frequent frame rate drops if I walk around the camera in a busy environment and some occasional hitch if I engage in a fight with a squirrel giant with a sword for the tail.
On the contrary, I never experienced a drop in frame rate, playing on PC. My computer is quite capable, so I didn’t need to attenuate any graphics settings either. But there are enough options here to host budgeted PCs, so I wouldn’t worry if you’re using more dusty components. Oh, and there are keyboard and mouse options as well as driver options, of course. I opted for the latter and it worked like a dream.
As with kit optimization, accuracy is everything when it comes to Nioh 2 combat. You need to be aware of enemy combat directions, for example, if you are preparing to make a wide swing. , so you know if you have enough Ki to escape or if they are suddenly about to drag you to the Yokai Realm, for a titanic clash in which you gain the advantage of the local team.
This is where this framerate came in handy on a practical level, as it meant I never lost any rhythm. Frame drops on the PS4 may take you out of periods of intense concentration, but there was no such discord here.
But aside from these more sleek, PC-specific sliders, I don’t think there’s much that will influence those who aren’t fans of Nioh 2, not even for people like me who have a long time in the PS4 version.
I think part of the problem is that I’m already too far away. Nioh 2 is super hard and while the full edition contains some DLC I’m missing, and has all these visual delights, I can’t separate myself from my beloved PS4. I just can’t. Restarting it will be an insurmountable task, and it’s not as if this new version transforms the game, or adds a new exclusive region to explore or any new ones to fight. I can buy the DLC on the PS4 and apart from a few drops of FPS, I will have actually paved Nioh 2: The Complete Edition – Lite. And that’s enough for me.
Nioh 2: The Complete Edition arrives on Steam on February 5th.