I'm really loving it. And I mean love. I played the aplha/beta and could sense how much I was in to it so dropped them before getting in too deep.
Important to know about me, biographically, is that I am a very long time fan of all things Samurai. Onimusha and Way of the Samurai are among my favourite games of all time. While I was entranced by Demon's Souls early on, I never felt pushed to complete it or follow up with the other souls games.
Nioh is, in many ways, my dream Onimusha sequel. (And I'm sorry to keep harping on that game, but did no one else realize that both these games have the same intro at a high-level? This is the same myth, in a way, right? Guess I'll learn more as the story continues.)
My personal experience with Nioh is as a generally very-slow-paced hack & slash. I'm the kind of player who walks forward on the map, sword-drawn, looking around corners, waiting for patrolling enemies. My playstyle is heavy on parrying and dodging. Basically, I am living the Duel to the Death dream. Two dudes just looking at each other. Enemy charges! *dodge* Cut! *repeat*. It's immensely satisfying to just wait for the perfect opening and then strike. Walking through the tall grass last night and getting jumped by axe-men was amazing.
So, the combat flow all by itself is incredble, but the loot system, and the maps are really, really strong too. The maps! Seriously, the maps. Again, not a souls vet, by I'm really appreciating the smart shortcuts and alternate routes they've laid out.
@stanleytree hopefully this isn't an annoying tip, but I think key (or should I say ki) to this game is to perceive of progress as more than just making the next level. Progress here is your: Knowledge of the Map, Knowledge of the Enemies & Their Patterns, Loot Acquired, Level / Statistics, and Player Skill. These are very meaningful I think in a game like this, and a better way of signposting your progress than simple map checkpoints. The more you play the more you will see harrowing fights become cake.
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