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At Tokyo Game Show, Nioh 2 gameplay and story features were unveiled in a demonstration and interview, revealing online co-op play, character creation, and Yokai soul superpowers (via DualShockers).
In an interview with 4Gamer, Nioh 2 producer Fumihiko Yasuda explained a little of the story of the next game, and what players have to look forward to. The hero of Nioh 2 is a mercenary, who after meeting the merchant Toukichirou, will assume one shared name with their new associate: Toyotomi Hideyoshi. Hideyoshi is a half-human, half-Yokai hybrid, and players will use a character creation system to create their own character this time around. Although the options shown were limited in the Nioh 2 demo, there will be lots of ways to customise Hideyoshi, including facial features, age, and the degree of ‘femininity exuding from your gestures’.
Hideyoshi will undergo differing Yokai transformations with their own strengths and weaknesses. Some are tailored for offense and others are more suited for stealth, enabling unique playstyles and builds just like Nioh 1. As for the gameplay, it looks very good for this stage of its development, and Team Ninja has introduced new features and new mechanics to invigorate the next game.
Multiplayer is coming to Nioh 2. A group of up to three players can explore and fight alongside each other in online co-op, and there’s an asynchronous multiplayer system that turns other players and their custom protagonists into NPCs that assist Hideyoshi. Their Yokai aspect allows the hero to access supernatural abilities, powered by soul energy that is transferred upon the defeat of an enemy demon. Hideyoshi will then be able to use the powers of that Yokai, which can be upgraded like weapons. The Yokai have a trick up their sleeves, though. They are able to bring the hero into the Dark Realm, which increases their powers to great magnitude, so Hideyoshi will need to balance their battle strategies to maintain the upper hand.
Finally, the legacy of Nioh 1 got a special mention. Players with Nioh 1 saves will receive bonuses, though these were kept secret. Imaginably, they could be weapons or a set of gear that riffs off William’s outfit in the first game. Speaking of, Koei Tecmo cryptically stated that it would reveal if William makes a return in the next game later on. So he’s definitely coming back in some shape or form, and possibly as a character Hideyoshi encounters when attempting to restore peace to Japan.
Nioh 2 will launch for PlayStation 4 in early 2020. Watch the demo shown at Tokyo Game Show beow.
