NiOh 2 Producer Shares Lots of Details on Gameplay, Features, Length, Multiplayer, Story, and More

Today NiOh 2 Producer and Director Fumihiko Yasuda shared quite a few interesting details about the game during a behind-closed-doors presentation hosted by Sony Interactive Entertainment which Twinfinite attended.

Below you can read a recap of what he mentioned, including details on gameplay, features, and multiplayer.

We also get a rough estimate of the game’s length, a hint to future DLC, and much more.

• The concept for the game is “Sengoku Youkai Death Game.”
• The game doesn’t just feature enemy youkai, but also lets the player become one. It’s a Sengoku era dark fantasy game.
• NiOh 2 stars two popular Japanese actors (which Yasuda-san jokingly said aren’t unfortunately as popular worldwide as Keanu Reeves). the historical character Toukichiro is played by Naoto Takenaka, while the original character Mumiyo is played by Haru.
• The hero fuses the skill and prowess of a samurai with the power of the youkai.
• That power grants you the ability to use special moves. The player can make a youkai’s moves their own. 
• All Youkai in the game can drop Soul Cores upon defeat, granting the power to use their moves. 
• Another new element is the Dark Realm. It’s a world where the youkai dwell, and they can at times drag you into their own world.
• As a samurai, you’re at a disadvantage in the Dark Realm, but you can turn into a Youkai to turn that into an advantage.
• The character creator lets you customize several elements, including race and gender.
•  Online features have been really expanded. Real-time multiplayer allows three players in a session.
• The “Benevolent Graves” are blue katana stuck in the ground that let you enjoy asynchronous multiplayer upon touch. They basically summon a ghost to help you out.
•  You can meet a new friendly youkai resembling a cat, and if you pet him, he’ll follow you around for a certain amount of time and support you. He regenerates the meter that allows you to use your youkai powers. Yasuda-san also jokingly mentioned that his purpose is to “be cute.”
•  Both English and Japanese voices will be available in the game.
•  Defeating youkai in the Dark Realm yields precious drops. Some chests can also be opened only after clearing areas of the Dark Realm. 
• There are specific training missions that can’t be done in multiplayer.
• The Benevolent Graves can be placed by players. They don’t need to be on your friend list for them to appear in your game.
•  The story of the game includes an interesting historical plot revolving around the idea that historical warlord Hideyoshi Toyotomi was actually two people, the player and Toukichiro.
• While Yasuda-san couldn’t say how many bosses there will be in the game, it’ll be approximately the same length as the first NiOh.
• The initial announcement of the first game mentioned that it was based on an unfinished script by Akira Kurosawa. Yet, that was a very long time ago. As development progressed, that was almost entirely scrapped and replaced by an original story. The second game also features an original story.
• NiOh 2 is actually set a little bit before the original game, so it can be considered a prequel. 
• It’s a standalone game so newcomers will be able to enjoy it without having played the original one. Yet, veteran players will be able to see and enjoy connections. 
• You can use the powers of all the youkai that you fight in the game. Since the development team is planning to implement more youkai as part of future DLC, this will also automatically add new youkai powers to take advantage of. 

Today we also heard that the game won’t include an easy mode, while yesterday we saw a new trailer.

NiOh 2 launched for PS4 in early 2020.