Nioh: Complete Edition
Nioh: Complete Edition
Game
Game2021
Nioh 2 – The Complete Edition
Developer KOEI TECMO GAMES CO., LTD.
Nioh 2 is a 2020 action role-playing game developed by Team Ninja and Kou Shibusawa and published by Koei Tecmo for the PlayStation 4. It was released by Sony Interactive Entertainment outside Japan on PlayStation consoles. It is a prequel to Nioh (2017). Versions for PlayStation 5 and Windows titled Nioh 2: Complete Edition, featuring all previous downloadable content, were released on February 5, 2021. From Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0)
264 reactions from 1 source (Steam reviews) · newest Nov 4, 2026 · last updated Nov 5, 2026 · How this works
Audience score
84
LovedLoved
221 positive · 43 negative
95% range 79–88%
| Source | + | − | = |
|---|---|---|---|
| Steam reviews | 221 | 43 | 0 |
Steam's own rating
Very Positive
13,789 of 15,243 reviews positive (all languages, per Valve)
What players are saying
86% recommend · 207 yes, 35 no
Counted from the reviewers’ own thumbs up/down on the 242 English Steam reviews we collected, not by the AI. Valve’s all-language rating: Very Positive (44,341 of 50,746 positive).
Players praise the deep, technical combat system and addictive gameplay loop. [1][2][3] Some reviewers note significant reused content from the first game and weak level design. [4][5][6] Many find the game rewarding despite steep difficulty and overwhelming loot systems. [7][8][9]
Liked
Representative posts
- [4]
Starts promising but quickly falls into the same pitfalls as Nioh 1. It's even hard to call it a proper sequel, with the amount of reused enemies, bosses, and maps. The game feels more like Nioh 1.5. Here are some of the biggest issues: * Game still throws at you a massive amount of trash loot that you then have to dispose of manually. Searching for a particular piece of equipment is a real pain in the ass, …
- [1]
Nioh 2 is essentially Ninja Gaiden, Dark Souls and Path of Exile mixed together. A BRILLIANT combo with some jank and unfairness to it. Level design is notably weak, areas and enemy types (lots of enemy types, btw. The game is just huge) get reused all the time, storytelling is admittedly not great even though I did make me feel something at the end, the endless spewing of loot can be very overwhelming, UI design is …
- [3]
This is a very challenging game that rewards planning, learning to fight well using the intricate mechanics of the combat system, managing your resources, and keeping your wits about you. If you are willing to learn from the game and rise to its challenges, you will have great fun as well as sorrow, rage, and consternation. Prepare to taste defeat countless times before demons and humans both great and humble, which …
- [10]
Recommended 9/10 After finishing Elden Ring, I struggled to find another game that could fill the gap it left behind. Nioh 2 was one of the few games that managed to do it. Nioh 2 is not an Elden Ring copy. It has its own identity and a completely different combat system. The combat is faster, more technical, and much deeper than it first appears. Between the different stances, Ki Pulse, weapon skills, Yokai …
- [2]
Probably the deepest combat system I've ever encountered in a video game ever. Totally worth it.
Summarised from 26 of the 242 public posts collected about this game; every point cites the posts behind it ([n] opens the post) and the split is counted from the posts’ own ratings. Updated Oct 11, 2026. How summaries are made
RottenBot@rottenbot · automated account
86% of the 242 Steam reviewers we collected recommend Nioh 2 – The Complete Edition. The complaint that keeps coming up: reused enemies, bosses, and levels from Nioh 1. Deal-breaker or nitpick?
Critics, per Wikipedia
Nioh 2 received "generally favorable" reviews from critics, according to review aggregator website Metacritic. Fellow review aggregator OpenCritic assessed that the game received "mighty" approval, being recommended by 97% of critics. IGN stated, "Nioh 2 is an impressive evolution of its predecessor, strengthening everything that was already great, while mostly leaving its already existing issues alone. Its stellar combat is elevated by the addition of Soul Cores, Burst Counters, and the ways in which those two main new mechanics affect enemy AI and how you approach battles. It's [sic] depth is impressive, even though that can also make it feel a little overwhelming due to how much time…
From the “Reception” section of Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0. Critic context only — not part of the audience score.
Reactions
60 of 264 · most liked firstNioh 2 is essentially Ninja Gaiden, Dark Souls and Path of Exile mixed together. A BRILLIANT combo with some jank and unfairness to it. Level design is notably weak, areas and enemy types (lots of enemy types, btw. The game is just huge) get reused all the time, storytelling is admittedly not great even though I did make me feel something at the end, the endless spewing of loot can be very overwhelming, UI design is clunky, some animations are wonky, hitboxes can be rough, and the difficulty…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →9.4/10 Personally, I wouldn't recommend playing NIOH1 and NIOH2 back-to-back in one sitting, as the two games share significant repetition. Playing for extended periods straight can lead to severe fatigue. If you only plan to play through the game once casually, focusing primarily on the story and combat, then it's not a major issue. However, if you intend to thoroughly explore every detail, play through at least four times, and ultimately unlock all achievements, the weariness and frustration…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Yes, Nioh 2 is a Souls-like: Explore and unlock shortcuts, fight in tight spaces with a messed up camera, lose all your XP, and maybe level up at shrines. All blended with ninja gaiden style combat and hack&slash/Diablo-style looting. That said, if performing a spectacular 30-hit combo followed by 10 perfectly timed Ki pulses just to get oneshot by a grunt's backhand slap is your definition of fun, you'll love Nioh.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Souls + Path of Exile's loot/crafting + a Heathly sprinkle of Ninja Gaiden = Crackhead level addiction.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Probably the deepest combat system I've ever encountered in a video game ever. Totally worth it.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Starts promising but quickly falls into the same pitfalls as Nioh 1. It's even hard to call it a proper sequel, with the amount of reused enemies, bosses, and maps. The game feels more like Nioh 1.5. Here are some of the biggest issues: * Game still throws at you a massive amount of trash loot that you then have to dispose of manually. Searching for a particular piece of equipment is a real pain in the ass, especially when you try to get set bonuses. * It feels like around half of the enemies…
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →---{ Graphics }--- ☐ You forget what reality is ☐ Beautiful ☑ Good ☐ Decent ☐ Bad ☐ Don‘t look too long at it ☐ MS-DOS ---{ Gameplay }--- ☑ Very good ☐ Good ☐ It's just gameplay ☐ Mehh ☐ Watch paint dry instead ☐ Just don't ---{ Audio }--- ☐ Eargasm ☑ Very good ☐ Good ☐ Not too bad ☐ Bad ☐ I'm now deaf ---{ Audience }--- ☐ Kids ☑ Teens ☑ Adults ☐ Grandma ---{ PC Requirements }--- ☐ Check if you can run paint ☑ Potato ☐ Decent ☐ Fast ☐ Rich boi ☐ Ask NASA if they have a spare computer ---{…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Great game, just like the first one. I’ll sit tight and wait for Nioh 3 to go on a 40–50% sale, just like I did with 1 and 2. Sorry for being poor. 😭
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Team Ninja Magnum Opus. 10/10
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →This is the near perfect game for me. Yes, its difficult but life is difficult.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →This game is peak and if you didn't know well you should know that it is peak. When compared to Nioh 3, you lack deflect, ninja mode, and a bit less customization. Also no open world, but you aren't missing much there in my opinion. Nioh 2 on the other hand is a cheaper game, you get all dlc included, technically more weapons as ninja mode took some away in 3 and reduced their movesets. You also get a yokai system which allows you to use monster abilities, as well as being able to transform…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →When I started Nioh 2 I was absolutely ecstatic. The game is beautiful looking with a fantastic character creator, I loved being able to make myself into this cool black powder Ninja girl with a cool kitsune theme demon form. The early game was delightful, especially playing in coop with my friend Kisa. It turned what could have been a slow painful grind into a still challenging but mostly delightful romp, where mistakes became fodder for a laugh and constant discovery was a delight. And it…
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →This is a very challenging game that rewards planning, learning to fight well using the intricate mechanics of the combat system, managing your resources, and keeping your wits about you. If you are willing to learn from the game and rise to its challenges, you will have great fun as well as sorrow, rage, and consternation. Prepare to taste defeat countless times before demons and humans both great and humble, which is what this game will make you if you don't quit. This game can teach virtues…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →The greatest action RPG of all time, unless Nioh 3 somehow tops it. Play this game
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Souls-like jrpg. Tons of loot, tons of enemies, tons of fun. The only thing that is bad is the difficulty curve - hard in the beginning - watch youtube videos on the bosses.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →it was perfect, perfect. everything, down to the last minute details
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →I persevered and it became one of my favorite games. It's the best soulslike combat ever (From Software games included) and I will die on this hill.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Recommended 9/10 After finishing Elden Ring, I struggled to find another game that could fill the gap it left behind. Nioh 2 was one of the few games that managed to do it. Nioh 2 is not an Elden Ring copy. It has its own identity and a completely different combat system. The combat is faster, more technical, and much deeper than it first appears. Between the different stances, Ki Pulse, weapon skills, Yokai abilities, and countless build possibilities, there is always something new to learn.…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Review after first playthrough (base game) ---{ Graphics }--- ☐ You forget what reality is ☐ Masterpiece ☐ Beautiful ☐ An original artistic direction ☑ Good ☐ Decent ☐ normal ☐ Bad ☐ Don‘t look too long at it ☐ MS-DOS + while probably not the best looking game from 2020, it still looks pretty good and runs well + a lot more colors and effects compared to the first game and some great new enemy designs ---{ Gameplay }--- ☑ Won’t ever touch any other game anymore ☑ Very good ☐ Good ☐ It's just…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →I finally know why I hated Nioh… I was playing the game to beat it. With Nioh 2, I was playing the game to craft a build—then I took that build on a murder spree. What an awesome game! Too much gear? Not for me, I needed it to temper my set. Too low level, well smoke the obsidian warrior for 30 minutes and be overflowing with gold and XP. I only rolled credits, didn’t get into NG+ or the green gear, which from what I read could be awesome, but with Nioh 3 around the corner I’m content. Get it,…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →So I'm someone who has played most Soulslike games. I am familiar with the difficulty curve of such games. So let me say that I WANT to like this game. I REALLY want to like this game. It does have a lot going for it, but man....I cannot derive any joy from it, and even the satisfaction of winning just does not hit for me. And I see a lot of reviews utterly failing to assess this game in a meaningful way. Visuals: The visuals of this game are passing. The environments are colorful,…
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →I’ve played Nioh 2, but... Bought this game because someone on the internet said that the Nioh Franchise is way harder than FromSoftware’s games. But after playing it myself... Well, I don’t think it’s that tough. Honestly, for a Soulslike, it’s actually pretty easy. Usually, When I’m fighting a boss in this genre, I’d get stuck for hours and feel completely drained after winning. But in Nioh 2, I managed to play for 16 hours straight with only a few breaks to eat, Which is Actually a…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Recycled content the videogame. Yes I beat the game and all DLC except the last one at the time of writing. So no git gud ♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥ here. Difficulty comes from layer upon layers of ♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥. Enemy variety is low and are introduced at a glacial pace. Levels are reused on side missions constantly and even on main missions later on. Bosses are reused, quite a lot. 80% or more of the enemies are from Nioh 1, including some Bosses. Where the ♥♥♥♥ do I go level design. The camera is bad to fight…
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Nioh is often compared to soulslike game but THIS is not a soulslike game. It's more fast paced and relies heavily on builds.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →TL/DR: Good game. Interesting mixture of game genres that manages to create a unique and fun gameplay loop. Sets itself apart from its competitors very well. Some frustrating difficulty spikes here and there. Neutral towards the story. Bland presentation. Visually the game aged very well. Cool Japanese historical/folklorist/mythological setting with art style and overall atmosphere to match. Has an extensive endgame grind and NG+. Plenty of replayability and many different builds playstyles.…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Game's good. Struggled to learn how to beat ♥♥♥♥ but now i feel like i'm playing Dante or Ryu against crippled people. Give it a try, no other souls game comes close to this combat experience and i say this a sekiro fan.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →I’m so happy this was my first “Soulslike” game because it taught me a lot and prepared me for the next ones. Pros: There are so many weapons and playstyles that there’s something for almost everyone. The combat is incredibly well done AND HAS SO MUCH DEPTH that it can become genuinely addictive. You can play the game without engaging with all of its mechanics, but if you enjoy mastering a complex combat system, Nioh 2 gives you a LOT to work with. The character customization is also great.…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →An absolute masterpiece of combat ARPG. There's no game with a deeper, more complex and perfected combat style than this: 3 stances, multiple weapons, a lot of weapon combination, and an ARPG item attributes enough to keep you around for at least 100+ hours. I'm seeing myself getting to 500 hours soon.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Before releasing Nioh 3, and after spending more than 1,000 hours, I can say this is the game I’ve enjoyed playing the most!
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →I didn't finish the game. Its honestly not my cup of tea But really cool systems and mechanics if you get into it. For me it kind of got repetitive and boring after a while.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Nioh 2 has really fun, layered combat, and the build variety is a big part of why it hooked me. Every weapon plays differently, and messing around with different setups keeps the game fresh as you learn the ropes. The early hours are rough — the controls feel odd at first, and the game throws a lot at you. Inventory management can get annoying too. But once things start to click, it becomes genuinely rewarding. If you’re into Souls-likes and enjoy deep combat with tons of build options, it’s…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Top tier game. I have heard people say that this soulslike is not what you should start out in and granted I started with Demon Souls on the PS3. However, this game teaches good fundamentals, like timing, ki/stamina and life management, build making etc, that gamers can use in other games that are similarly difficult (Sekiro/Elden Ring). I'd say it is definitely a game that people who are new or relatively experienced in the genre should consider, due to its robust systems. The nice thing…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Brilliant game with lots of replayability. Still didn't end up "finishing" the game after 160 hours. Well worth your time.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →reminds me of action games back on the PS2, absolutely brutal yet some of the most fun i've ever had in a game
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Nioh 2 is an incredible game, but it treats the genre very differently. Instead of mysterious world to explore, the game uses a world map menu. You pick a mission, clear the area, beat the boss, and go back to the menu. This breaks the immersion for me but still cool overall. Also, you are showered with tons of randomized weapons and armor. It feels more like inventory management in an mmo rpg rather than discovering unique, lore heavy weapons. It's kinda annoying that you have to clear…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →It's fun, if you don't keep trying to play it as a Souls-like. Embrace the combat, embrace the systems.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →this game is fun and i keep going back to it even though i'm really bad and i can't get through the 4th mission or so. Surely i will come back to this again in a year or two and be bad at it again then drop it
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →A masterpiece of combat game design. It's hard to even put into words how much I respect it. The amount of depth is just unbelievable. Fully customizable combos with the ability to go infinite through Ki Pulse are absolutely amazing. I've finished the game with the switchglaive, switching stances right in the middle of combos, and sometimes switching to the claws or splitstaff and back mid-combo and it's just ♥♥♥♥♥♥♥ insane. The game has an absurd amount of player agency, skill expression and…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →I played this game co-op with friends for 90% of the time. Therefore, I feel like my experience is vastly different from a normal solo playthrough. This game is not a walk in the park, but some Dark Souls/Elden Ring experience can get you a long way. There are a lot of ways to basically do the same task: killing your opponent. Your opponent has the exact same thing though, many ways to kill you, gruesomely. A lot of things are quite overwhelming and complex, and I feel comfortable…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Through its Stance system, intricately customizable weapon move sets, and varied statuses and attributes, Nioh 2's gameplay is extraordinarily deep and sophisticated, creating an intense, fast-paced, and highly technical experience that is unique among action RPGs. Most notable, however, are the Ki Pulse and Ki Flux mechanics, brilliant systems that transform stamina from a typically passive mechanic into one that is proactive and rewarding, analogous to Gears of War's Active Reload. Nioh 2 is…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →I got lots of Souls experience since Demon Souls onwards. This game still kicking my ass. If you enjoy the atmosphere of From Software games then you might not enjoy Nioh. But if you want a very detailed combat system that is incredibly satisfying to learn and master. Dont hesitate to pick this up.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →If you want a more convoluted, difficult, anime as heck, steep learning curve, masochistic souls-like game with optional full 2player co-op functionality, this is the game for you. Be warned, constant stance-dancing combat, needing a forum or two to understand all the numbers in your build, grindy late-game item progression, and the constant risk of being 1-2 shot on the highest 2 difficulties are things you'll have to endure. Otherwise, I love everything about this game and look forward to…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Nioh 2 just has unnecessary complicated combat. Before you can even get into the game, you're forced to deal with stances, stamina timing, soul attacks, counters, and endless trash loot all at once. It just feels overly bloated for no reason.
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →i hate this game. it's so hard to understand this game. i beat all dark souls series and sekiro. the game mechanics are so hard for me to understand. updates: well, i try to really learn the game and now i managed to beat the first boss. i think the souls-like genre caught me. it made me think i need to play this like how i play elden ring etc.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Really aggressive difficulty, even in early game. Bullet sponge enemies with blazing fast attacks and tons of damage. A very unforgiving stamina system. Everything 2-touches you. Went online to see if I was just a scrub or was missing something, everyone else was saying pretty much the same or "Nooo, you just gotta stick with it! The game really clicked for me after 45 hours!" I'm too employed for this ♥♥♥♥. You wanna scratch that samurai itch, make a katana build in Elden Ring. We'll see if…
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →A step up from the original in every conceivable way. It takes the foundation of the first game and expands upon it beautifully. Yokai Shifting is more engaging and thematically richer than Living Weapons, and the addition of Soul Cores adds incredible depth and synergy to the combat. The skill trees are more intuitive, the Dark Realm sections effectively heighten the tension, and the narrative is much more cohesive. The DLCs are also great fun to play, and they contain my favourite boss (Tate…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →So much fun. I'm in Dream of the Demon now. Every main dungeon I start, I think, "this is my favorite dungeon." Then I get to the next one, and I say, "no wait, *this* is my favorite dungeon!" It's awesome. In another 400 hours I'll get Ni-oh 3, I promise. But I'm still enjoying this one. Got it like three or four months ago. I played Ni-oh 1 with Steam Controller (got it just to play that game). Now I'm using ps4 controller and it is terrific for this game. Difficult game, yes but…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Now that I have played through the game and gotten all the achievements, I can update my review. At this point I've spent 200+ hours playing this game. I originally thought that I would play it for maybe 70-80 hours. Shortly I can easily recommend this game to someone who likes "Souls-likes" and shooter looters, bonus if you like Japanese folklore. The story of the game is nonsensical and I for the most part totally ignored it. The DLC stories are better than the main game, but that's probably…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Hands down my favorite game of all time, a perfect masterpiece that may end up a timeless game. Seamlessly blends a compelling story with outstanding gameplay, and near infinite replayability. I am hopeful Nioh 3 will eventually live up to the long shadow this game casts as this game should be the golden standard for any souls-like / action-rpg.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →I went into Nioh 2 expecting something solid, but not something I’d fully grind out… and somehow I ended up almost 100%ing it. Let me be real straight up. 7.5 / 10 The biggest weakness is the story. It’s mid. It never really hooks you, and the pacing doesn’t build anything memorable. Funny enough, the DLC story is actually better than the main game, which says a lot. Now the difficulty. This game is HARD. No way around that. But compared to Sekiro, it’s a bit more forgiving because you can…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →tldr: the game is a love blend of souls and monster hunters that somehow has its own distinct identity. I bought the game thinking it would be a good copy of the from formula and i was so much wrong, as someone who loves souls i ended up prefering nioh 2 combat to that of any from soul. Also each weapon feels a lot different akin to how mh weapons work, if you played rise or generations the weapon systems works that way where you can customize skill moves but also have different stances. The…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Is easily one of the best games I've ever played. The combat system is incredibly satisfying and deep. Just buy it and enjoy!
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →after completing the previous game and this one as well, i've become a patient, sweet, gentle, and always-smiling person ironically, this has become one of my favorite soulslike games
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →I've finished Nioh but at what cost. Actually it cost 270k IDR and 200 Hours of my goddanm useless life. ABSOLUTE WORTH IT!
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →This game is so unbelievably hard, I have spent 6 hours and can't defeat the first boss. I know this is a skill issue but god this game is so freaking hard wouldn't recommend for someone simi bad whatsoever.
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Like a lot of sequels, it's just the same game, but better. More mechanics, more compexity, but the core stays the same. Nioh 2 is really long (sometimes slow-paced in the matter of game progress) and hard to master. But, after this one, I can't bring myself to play any of the OG Souls. The combat here is so varied, fast, and rewarding, it's out of the question.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →What goes around, comes around! Real ones know that the enemy behavior in Souls games is heavily inspired by 3D Ninja Gaidens, just their animations slowed down to 50%-ish. Anyway, this is Team Ninja giving us a faster-paced, super technical Souls game with distinct gameplay and depth for eons. Not revolutionary, but this proves Team Ninja can still deliver damn good Sushi, just needed direction/inspiration without Itagaki. One of the best action games ever, but - LOCK IN or get deleted in…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Left Nioh 1 midway cuz it was unfair af. But this one, just wow. Its fun and addicting. Combat is amazing and graphics is fine and smoooth! ALL THEM TASTY WEAPONS AND ARMOR!!!
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Nioh 2: Complete Edition - A very well designed sequel to the first installment Combat mechanics in this game is where the gameplay gets deep. You choose from low, medium and high stances and during a low stance sweep you can do a high stance downward slash for example. After every attack, you need to recover ki (fatigue) and this is the sweet balance between attacking, defending or dodging. The main campaign follows the story of Japanese heroes and how they face their issues and handle…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Transformative TL;DR: A terrific sequel that builds on the foundations of the first game, mixes in some fun new ideas, and improves almost every aspect.2017’s Nioh is a unique soulslike that proudly features its Japanese-ness, mixing in buckets of randomized loot, mission-based gameplay, and a few idiosyncratic systems. Nioh 2 is the best kind of sequel; it doesn't try to reinvent the series, but also isn't afraid to make some hefty additions that help elevate it above its already impressive…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →
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