Nioh
BEST RPGs of 2017
Nioh started its life not as a video game, but as a multimedia project based on an unfinished Akira Kurosawa script announced in 2004. Fast forward to 2017 and we’ve got one of the very best Souls-like games to date. Nioh brings a unique Japanese mythology style to the genre, along with a larger emphasis on speed and combos. Nioh tells the story of William, a British sailor who arrives in 1600s Japan in search of an enemy that stole something precious to him.
New challenges and enemies lurk around every corner, and Nioh allows for a lot of variation in combat with its different weapons and styles. One of the more unique aspects gives you three different stances with each weapon: low, medium, and high. These dictate the speed and power of attacks, and learning which stances work best against which enemies is highly important. There’s a ton of content to dig into in Nioh, not only with the main story but with additional side missions, and Twilight Missions that increase the difficulty and remix levels you’ve already played. If you’re looking for a punishingly difficult Souls-like to occupy your time, Nioh’s at the top of its game.
