The punishingly difficult Nioh 2 sports incredibly complicated combat and upgrading mechanics. For those who have not played the first game, it can become incredibly overwhelming very fast. Players not only have to attempt to survive against strong enemies, but then are expected to quickly understand which items, weapons, and armor will be the most effective for their journey.
Understanding the complicated intricacies of Nioh 2 mostly comes with time, but getting started can seem like a daunting task. This guide is here to help those that are confused make sense of some of these game mechanics. Obviously there is not enough space here to go cover everything the game has to offer, but this will at least give new players a basic understanding of what things to focus on.
Pick A Weapon
Don't stress too much about which weapon to pick in the beginning. Players should pick whatever looks the most interesting or what they are used to using in other games. As the game progresses players will acquire so many different kinds of weapons that they can change their playstyle whenever they feel like. A few things to keep in mind though: larger weapons will give players more reach and cause more damage but will cost them higher amounts of ki; Smaller weapons will be much faster and not waste as much ki, but may not put off as much damage. Different enemies will be better taken out by certain kinds of weapons.
Fight One at a Time
Players should never try to face more than one enemy at a time if it can be helped. It can be very easy to get overwhelmed by multiple enemies which is a sure-fire way to die. This even applies to smaller enemies like the Gaki who, if players aren't fast enough, will absorb their stunned brethren and become a lot stronger and harder to kill. There are several ways to avoid fighting more than one enemy. Players can use the environment to drop down on top of an enemy, take a few out with a well-placed arrow, or even use stones to draw enemies away from each other. Patience is a virtue that will stop players from getting ganged up on.
Watch Your Ki
The most important thing in Nioh 2 is the Ki bar. Ki is essentially the player's stamina and it is vitally important that it does not run out. If a player just spams the attack button at an enemy they will find themselves unable to move and perfectly positioned for a massive attack from their foes. Overly aggressive players are the ones who die most often in Nioh 2. Instead, players should watch their enemy, dodge attacks, and only attack when a hit is a guarantee. Once players get a few hits off they should back away and replenish their Ki for another attack.
Use Important Skills
There are many skills that Nioh 2 introduces that are vitally necessary in order to succeed. Skills like the Ki Pulse, Yokai Shift, and Yokai Skills will ensure that players can maintain an edge in combat, but they must be used correctly. If a player decides to ignore these mechanics they will get themselves killed very fast.
Ki pulse is one of the most interesting yet difficult skills to master during the course of Nioh 2. After any attacks, the Ki gauge will fill up with a white bar, and if the player taps R1 they can regain some of the Ki that they lost. It is very difficult to to do this during a fight, but it can greatly ensure that players have enough Ki to continue fighting. This skill should be practiced over and over until it becomes second nature.
Yokai Skills are acquired from Yokai Soul Cores. Occasionally after Yokai dies, they will drop these cores which when equipped can be used for special abilities. Whenever players find these cores they should quickly bring them to the nearest shrine in order to attune them. Players should ensure that they level these cores up, exchange more powerful ones, and use them in combat to turn the tides.
Yokai Shift, on the other hand, will allow players to tap into their Yokai powers and temporarily become a Yokai themselves. This makes the player temporarily invulnerable and greatly increases their strength. Players should be careful though because every time they attack or take damage the amount of time in this form will decrease. Yokai shift should be saved to chip away the last few bits of health from a boss or to take care of large groups of enemies.
Collecting Equipment
Item management in Nioh 2 can be a pain, but players should definitely pick up any item that they find on their travels. It is very difficult to tell sometimes which pieces of equipment are best suited for specific situations, but that can mostly be ignored. The biggest reason to pick everything up is that it can be sold at shrines by using the "Make an Offering" option. From here all extra items can be given in exchange for more amrita, divine rice, and even ammo and healing items. This can help make restocking on items and leveling up a lot simpler.
Run
Sometimes it can be smarter to just run away from a fight. If players need a moment to gather their thoughts and plan an attack, running away can give them a few crucial seconds to make this simpler. It may even make sense to run away entirely. Some difficult encounters can be skipped completely if the player is fast enough, and if the player knows how to unlock a shortcut it may be worth skipping certain enemies to make the next run a lot easier.
Killing Revenants
One of the best ways to earn some experience and become better at the game is to fight against Revenants. These are the red markers that populate the environment and pop up wherever another player has died. By holding the circle button an AI-controlled version of that character will appear in the player's game ready to fight. If a Revenant is killed it will give players access to new armor, weapons, and amrita. This can be a quick and efficient way to level up and practice game mechanics.
Don't Be Afraid To Ask For Help
Some bosses or areas in the game can be particularly frustrating. Players should try their hardest to do things on their own if they can because its the only way to truly get better at the game. Ultimately though if an area is causing more frustration than enjoyment it may be time to request help from a more experienced player. As long as the player has an Ochoko Cup to offer, this is as easy as going to the nearest shrine and making an offering. They should make sure to watch the way the helping player fights as well and hopefully there will be some new strategies that can be learned.
Be Patient
The best piece of advice that can be given to a Nioh 2 player is to be patient. Rushing headlong into battle will almost never work, especially not for newcomers. Players should take their time and analyze the situation before trying to kill enemies. This goes double for boss fights. If the player doesn't take the time to understand the moves that the boss can throw at them they will die more than is necessary. Players should be patient and everything else will come with time.
Nioh 2 can be played on PlayStation 4.
