On February 5, 2021, Nioh 2: Complete Edition was released on consoles and Steam. The complete edition of the game became available for PC gamers, received improvements for PlayStation 5, introduced a number of gameplay changes, and offered to go through all three previously released add-ons. Not only did we play the PC version, but we also took an exclusive interview with the creator of Nioh Fumihiko Yasuda.
VGTimes: Yasuda-san, as a fan of Team Ninja games and Nioh in particular, it is a great honor to interview you. It was not easy for me to defeat Onryoki, Hime Enma and other bosses. How do you manage to make such difficult and at the same time exciting boss fights?
Fumihiko Yasuda: I am happy to hear that you were able to defeat them! Team Ninja works hard to make the game interesting not only for hardcore gamers, but also for beginners. We wanted every player to be able to overcome the difficulties in Nioh and Nioh 2 with some practice. On the one hand, we are trying to make it important for the gamer to find an approach to each enemy, learn attacks and weak points in order to win. This gives a great gaming experience. But on the other hand, we want to give different ways to solve the problem: these are RPG elements that allow you to create the perfect build, and the ability to call another player for help. In the end, everyone has the freedom to play the game in a way that is comfortable for them.
VGTimes: Who is your favorite boss in the Nioh series?
Fumihiko Yasuda: In the first part, it is definitely the Giant Frog. In Nioh 2, my favorite boss is Kasia.
VGTimes: Nioh 2: Complete Edition will be released on February 5. You will finally be able to play Nioh 2 on PC. In addition, the complete edition includes improvements for consoles and three major add-ons. What else will owners of the complete edition get?
Fumihiko Yasuda: For PlayStation 5, we have increased the resolution, you can play in 4K, and the FPS will reach 120 frames per second. Loading will be much faster, so the player will be able to quickly return to the battle after another death. All this will allow you to truly immerse yourself in Nioh 2. 4K and 120 FPS will also be available on PC. At the same time, we made sure that keyboard and mouse controls are much more convenient, and slightly changed the interface to make the experience of PC players truly amazing.
VGTimes: The DLC for Nioh 2 was developed in the midst of the pandemic, when many companies had to adapt to the new reality. Did COVID-19 affect the work of Team Ninja?
Fumihiko Yasuda: The development of the first and second DLC was indeed more difficult, since the epidemiological situation forced us to cope with a lot of work right from home. However, by the time we started working on the third DLC First Samurai, we had already adapted to the new conditions and formed an effective system, so COVID-19 did not affect the development process.
VGTimes: I'm glad to hear that you overcame this challenge. Speaking of challenges, Team Ninja regularly releases very difficult games. The Ninja Gaiden series was getting on gamers' nerves back when no one had even heard of Demon's Souls. Why did you choose to develop such hardcore games? After all, more casual projects sell better.
Fumihiko Yasuda: There are a lot of truly hardcore gamers on Team Ninja's staff, and we make games that we like first and foremost. We focus more on those who are looking for the same experience. That's why Ninja Gaiden was really a hardcore action game. Later, when Demon's Souls, Bloodborne and other Souls-likes came out, we thought: why not combine the mechanics of these games with action and a lot of RPG elements, like in Ninja Gaiden? From the synthesis of Souls-likes and Ninja Gaiden, Nioh was born.
VGTimes: The Nioh series has a very interesting setting, where real historical figures like William Adams and Hanzo Hattori coexist with Japanese myths and legends. Why did you choose this particular setting for the game?
Fumihiko Yasuda: Nioh is set in a difficult time for Japan, and within that period, we could come up with a truly difficult challenge for players. At the same time, we wanted to tell a story about ninjas and samurai, and there was no better setting for that. The main character of the original Nioh was a British man named William Adams, who knew nothing about Japan, could not fight with katanas, and needed training. His meeting with the legendary Hanzo Hattori opens up the world of Japan, its weapons, and for the player himself, who gets to know the setting together with William.
VGTimes: Nioh was first announced back in 2005. It's even surprising that the game finally made it to release.
Fumihiko Yasuda: The development was indeed very long, but from the moment the game came to Team Ninja and the studio got down to work on it, there were no problems. The project had a difficult path, but Team Ninja never had any difficulties with Nioh.
VGTimes: Yasuda-san, you previously said that you don't plan to release Nioh 3. Why? Are you already developing another game?
Fumihiko Yasuda: We worked a lot on the Nioh series and on the release of Nioh 2: Complete Edition, but after the release of the latter, Team Ninja plans to transfer employees to work on a new project. No details yet, stay tuned for announcements and find out everything first!
VGTimes: Yasuda-san, what game, other than Nioh 2, do you think was the best in 2020?
Fumihiko Yasuda: I think the best game of 2020 was Ghost of Tsushima. It's an amazing game that captures the spirit of Japan perfectly and is stunning in its beauty. Definitely the best this year.
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VGTimes has been operating since 2011 and during this time has visited dozens of exhibitions and festivals, where our journalists have collected many exclusive materials. For example, in 2019 we got to a closed screening of Cyberpunk 2077 at gamescom, in 2017 we prepared a photo report from WG Fest, in 2020 we were at the largest gaming event in Central Asia CAGS, and also visited IgroMir several times, where we saw Hideo Kojima and other famous developers.