Nioh

Intense overall intensity
Highest flag: Violence — graphic & gore
HistoricalMythologyRPG

What's in it

Violence graphic & gore
High

Fast, bloody melee and ranged samurai combat against human soldiers and demonic yokai, with blood spray and occasional severing during finishing blows.

Dark themes intense
Moderate

The setting steeps players in war, death, vengeful spirits, and a body-strewn Sengoku Japan overrun by demons.

Horror & psychological frightening
Moderate

Grotesque yokai monsters and dread-laden, corpse-filled environments create frequent frightening encounters.

Nudity revealing/suggestive attire
Low

Some female yokai and human characters wear revealing or partly exposed outfits.

Substances referenced
Low

Sake and healing elixirs appear as period-appropriate consumable items in the world.

Language mild
Low

Occasional mild profanity in dialogue during a war-torn setting.

Who can reach your kid

What it is

Nioh is a challenging action role-playing game set in a fictionalized Japan of the year 1600, where you play an Irish samurai named William hunting a dark sorcerer through war-torn, demon-infested regions. Combat is fast and difficult, revolving around stamina management, sword stances, and weapon skill as you cut down human soldiers and monstrous yokai spirits. Fights produce blood and the occasional dismembering blow, and the world is heavy with death, ghostly enemies, and grotesque demon designs. The tone is grim and violent, with corpse-strewn battlefields and frightening supernatural creatures, but there is no sexual content, and drink and healing items appear only as period props. It supports optional online co-op with other players, though it offers no in-game voice or text chat.

How it's framed

The game frames its bloodshed as a heroic samurai struggle against demonic evil and a corrupting sorcerer, presenting William as a virtuous warrior; violence is the core mechanic and is neither glorified nor condemned beyond that heroic quest framing.

Details

Developer
Team Ninja
Publisher
Koei Tecmo
Released
2017
Metacritic 88critic score (third-party) · out of 100

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