Nioh Bloodshed’s End DLC: The Perfect Parting Gift
Nioh cements its place as one of the best.
After two gruelling additions to Nioh, Team Ninja has graced us with the final puzzle piece: Bloodshed’s End. Set during the summer of the Siege of Osaka, you’ll guide William through the brutal struggle that brought an end to the Sengoku period. New enemies, missions, and even a fresh game mode await players. Much like all that came before it, Bloodshed’s End is not for the weak. Brutal, punishing, but all together a rewarding experience, it truly ties a wonderful bow around Nioh. Sharpen your blade, steady your hand and enjoy the final content for this truly remarkable game.
Remember Sarutobi Sasuke and Sanada Yukimura from the previous DLC? Yeah, those two, together, are your first boss battle. Not entirely inventive, but hot damn is it a challenge. Intense and active, it’s a fight that requires precision and patience. Getting to them is no cake walk either, as your trudge through the war-torn areas of Osaka. The environments in Nioh continue to be showcases in simple beauty. While some elements of more Yokai-related influence are more abstract, the attention to detail on the historically accurate areas is breathtaking. It’s strange, because although you’re always aware of the fantastic set pieces you don’t gawk at them much; you feel like you’re supposed to be there, as if you’ve been transported. Nioh, and Bloodshed’s End, do a fantastic job of sucking you into that time period.
Only a handful of story/side missions await you here, but they are all worth the effort. You’ll spend your time tracking down Yodogimi and Toyotomi Hideyoshi, while getting a helping hand from past enemies and friends. I love how Nioh incorporates old enemies into the game. Through Bloodshed’s End, you’ll fight side by side with familiar friends and foes, including Sanada Yukimura. Yukimura is nice enough to assist on the final boss fight, too. Having characters do more than talk during cutscenes is important, and Nioh does so much to make you feel like you’re fighting with them, and not just for or against them. Every character is important, and every fight is memorable. For Bloodshed’s End, there is no shortage of outrageously good boss fights.
Yukimura, Sasuke, the Mysterious Samurai. They all come back at you again. But you also have the pleasure of fighting Onmoraki, a gigantic bird creature and one of the best fights in all of Nioh. For a game full of human v human combat, the boss fights against animals/monsters are nice changes. The Onmoraki battle is unbelievably tense. Mixing dangerously powerful close range attacks with a slew of ranged and grab attacks, as well as aerial combat, Onmoraki is vicious. It took me quite a while (being underlevelled, as well) to conquer this beast. But it was a victory I savoured more than most in Nioh. Then there’s Toyotomi Hideyoshi. Fast, strong, unrelenting. Much like Yukimura, Hideyoshi gives you no rest or time to recover. It’s a battle of stamina and intellect. Pick your spots and hit them. Otherwise, he’ll end you in a flash.
Finally getting through the rather difficult final mission, you come upon Yodogimi. After a brief cutscene, she transforms into none other than the Nine Tailed Fox. A popular mythological figure across East Asian cultures, it makes sense that Yodogimi does this, as tales say the fox can shape shift into a beautiful woman. This fight is nuts. The Nine Tailed Fox has a staggeringly difficult moveset to gauge. Combos that intermittently mix close and ranged attacks, long and short windups, and devastating defensive stances await you. The arena for this battle is simply stunning. Nioh never fails to give you a mesmerising stage for your fights, and Bloodshed’s End is no different. It truly is, from start to finish, a captivating experience. Clawing through this DLC is worth your time. It proves, like the content before it, that Nioh can stand on its own. That it is worth talking about.
Team Ninja has some other wonderful gifts for you in Bloodshed’s End. The Abyss is a great send off piece for players. Tagged as the ultimate challenge, getting to the final level of The Abyss takes immense skill and you’ll be rewarded thoroughly. Team Ninja claims what awaits you at the bottom is the most difficult battle Nioh has to offer. The Abyss is fun and challenging, and fantastic way to further deepen the content for players who don’t want to leave. But, for me and I assume many others, there’s a real special side mission for you. The opportunity to fight against Jin Hayabusa, of the clan from the renowned Ninja Gaiden series. Donning the memorable armour set, with a soundtrack that fans will recognise, this fight is just special. A truly lovely gift from a wonderful team.
Nioh has been everything and more since the day I picked up the demo. As a Dark Souls/Bloodborne veteran, I was anxious and excited given the comparisons. But the whole ‘Dark Souls-like’ subgenre is getting stale. A sword plus difficulty equals that lousy comparison now. Sure, if the developer admits influence then we can talk about it, but only as influence. Don’t strip this game’s identity away with it. Bloodshed’s End, Defiant Honor, and Dragon of the North were all great, and together, they’ve built an amazing game into a legendary title. It didn’t take long for me to enjoy Nioh, and now I’m wondering if I ever won’t. Team Ninja has put its heart into this title, and it’s become one of the best games of 2017. For me personally, Nioh has been made into one of my favourite games of all time. Hats off to Team Ninja, and everyone who keeps this game alive.
