There’s going to be an ‘intense training session’ this time
Team Ninja’s action-RPG Nioh messed me up in all the right ways, and ever since the alpha demo period ended, I’ve been eager to get back into its gloomy, oppressive, oni-filled world for round two. If you missed out on your chance back in April or are curious to see the studio’s changes to the game for yourself, the beta demo will be playable on PlayStation 4 from August 23 until September 6.
A few details about what we can expect, courtesy of Koei Tecmo: “With the beta demo more of the rewarding (yet dangerous) gameplay from the alpha will be present. A new dojo stage will feature an intense training session which teaches the basics of Nioh‘s samurai combat system. Players will also be able to explore a yet-to-be-announced stage. A selection of new katana, spears, axes, and hammers will be available to collect to uniquely suit a player’s gameplay style. Players will also be able to add a few new weapons to their arsenal as well.”
That so-called “training session” is exactly what I was hoping for with this demo; I never quite felt like I had all of the mechanics figured out in the alpha, and while mystery is a big appeal of Nioh, I also don’t want to repeatedly fail because I’m overlooking some specific gameplay system.
Lastly, on the PlayStation Blog, we got a look at “Hanzo Hattori, the head of a famous ninja clan,” and “Ginchiyo Tachibana (wife of Muneshige, the head of the Tachibana clan),” pictured below. They’ll both help William Adams (that’s you) deal with the many people and yokai out to get him.
Nioh Beta Demo Begins August 23 on PS4 [PlayStation Blog]
