It was introduced to players who wanted more content for one of the most beautiful action games. Let's see together whether it can please players who want more enemies, new challenges, and stories.
When the story of Nioh 2 ended, our main character took two guardian spirits with him and set out on a journey to discover the history of the sword he had. As with the first add-on pack Tengu's Disciple, we're following a new tip in Darkness in the Capital. This time, the object we find sends us back to the year 976. During the Heian period, we encounter Minamoto no Yorimitsu and Abe no Seimei, one of the legendary names of the time.
Sohayamaru, which is now in our hands, is always seen in the hands of important fighters in history. Its bearer is Minamoto no Yorimitsu, one of Japan's important historical figures. Although our first meeting with him started with a little fight, with the effect of having the yokai blood, we start working together in the later stages of the story.
Darkness in the Capital presents us the second part of the story that we can call the "Sohayamaru Trilogy". Together with important figures in history, we fight against a power called Ashiya Doman, who is working to take over the capital. In the first Nioh game, we also get the chance to meet Sakata Kintoki, who appears only as a wandering spirit.
In fact, the game, which has an interesting story, has the trouble of completing the main story in three parts. You cannot get to know the characters enough, you cannot focus on the story as much as you want. Both Tengu's Disciple and Darkness in the Capital seem like episodes for setting up the story. Short stories that leave a lot of question marks for the story that will end with the third add-on pack. I have to say that it still has a better expression than the first Nioh.
We Knock Over Many Yokai in One Fist
Let's move on to the gameplay, which is the part we are curious about by saying that the story part is enough. First, I start with the new weapon that I am eagerly awaiting, punches! One of my favorite things about the Nioh series was that it allowed you to finish the game without a gun. You could steal the enemies' weapons and use them against them and finish the job with your fists. It was a method that I did not prefer much because of the variety of weapons in the game, but things are changing with our new weapons.
With our armor-covered or clawed gloves, we become a true master of combat against enemies. The best thing about fist guns is that they feel completely different from other guns. We can stop the attacks suddenly and start kicking, throw ourselves to the ground in the middle of the fight and jump into the air as the enemy approaches, and we can “punish” the enemy by blocking the incoming attack. These weapons make the game a complete fighting game. Each stance uses a different fighting style, and I liked the "Drunken Fist" style that I love so much in the down stance mode.
It's not enough to try our fists with old enemies, we need more opponents. Team Ninja did not leave this request unanswered, adding new enemies, which are also evil spirits found in Japanese folklore. The most common enemies we will encounter will be Oboroguruma and Yasha, representing the distorted souls of the Heian-era nobility. Both are enemies that should not be taken lightly.
Hiding in a towing car and making surprise attacks, Oboroguruma can knock our character down in one hit with the kick he takes out of the car. Yasha, who chooses to be yokai out of hatred for his enemies, is both powerful and capable of cursing. If you get caught in his curse during the fight, any stake that gets into the head of the doll he is holding can get stuck in you. There are other newly added enemies, but these two were the ones that caught my attention the most. It was nice that they stopped presenting old enemies again like the previous package.
Pros
+ Fist weapons add a different feel to the game
+ New boss fights are impressive
+ There is an increase in the number of new enemies
+ Dream of the Wise mode (NG +++) that extends the game time
+ Ren Hayabusa
Cons
- Brings back old boss fights
-Storytelling is too rushed
When we talk about enemies in Nioh 2, we cannot skip the boss fights, one of the best parts of the game. Darkness in the Capital's boss fights are just as we expected, they are awesome! Each of the new boss fights gives a unique and different excitement. I must say that I found the excitement I had in the last fight of Tengu's Disciple in several different fights in this package. There are also several boss fights that are not newly added. While it might feel strange to see the characters we beat in the first Nioh reappear, the new boss fights make up for this.
Ninja Gaiden fans are also waiting for a small surprise in the add-on package. It's not Jin, the main character of the series, but we get the opportunity to fight one of his ancestors, Ren Hayabusa. When you win the fight, we also get the opportunity to make and wear the Hayabusa set. Finally, I think if a third Nioh is made, they should stop Nekomata to jump in front of the enemy. He's doing a job rather than helping!
More Nioh 2
With Nioh 2: Darkness in the Capital, the Dream of the Wise (New Game +++) mode adds ten new missions, including the Stone of Penance system, where you can make the game more difficult, and three main missions. The add-on package, which increases the playing time of the game, clearly adds my favorite weapon to the game. Considering the contributions of Nioh 2, it would be acceptable to have troublesome storytelling. Darkness in the Capital is an add-on pack for one of the best action RPG games of the year, you shouldn't miss out on.
