Yeah, I stuck with mid-stance for probably the first ten or fifteen hours. But at a certain point, against tougher enemies, I needed to start learning how to change stances to do heavy Ki damage (high stance) and then quickly dodge away (low stance). But using hatchets, I stick with the high stance most of the time for the strong ranged attack.
I like how this game lets you get comfortable at your own pace. I didn’t even use the LB block button for probably the first 40 hours or so. Dodge-rolling worked fine right up until it didn’t.
Oh, totally! Heh. Once I started using it, I realized it was quite handy.
I don’t know why but I always play games like that… attack and dodge, never block and parry. I returned Sekiro after about an hour when I realized how much it relied on parrying. But now that it’s on sale, and I’ve been enjoying Nioh 2 so much, I think I might give it another shot.
Wait, what? I ran around quite a bit and didn’t see any way around him. You aren’t supposed to fight him first thing off the bat? That’s like the worst goddamn game design I’ve ever heard of.
You can just run straight through the arena and out the other side. And it’s totally possible to beat it after some practice, but it’s tough enough that it’s fine to skip.
Yep, I figured it was an immediate object lesson of the “you don’t have to fight everything you see” tip. I can see how it could be missed though, especially if you’re new to the genre. An optional asshole near the start is fairly common in this kind of game as @TimJames mentioned but if you don’t know that I could see it being really frustrating.
So I’m about level 90 now, and have been digging into some FightinCowboy videos among others, and everyone seems to lead me to believe that this game starts in NG+. Is that just talk, or does a lot of gameplay open up on a second playthrough?
You don’t have to play every mission to open up the next NG+. After the first playthrough, I’d recommend playing as few missions as possible (if your gear allows it) to get to the next NG+.
I ended up with 250 hours in the game and I know I could have spent another 50 trying to get that perfect gear setup. Or another 100 if I wanted to pick a new playstyle and build it up.
It’s not really like that. Each NG+ adds another layer. So NG, you play around with weapons and learn the game. You can get by by just equipping the highest armor/damage equipment you come across. NG+ you start looking at builds, sets, etc. Then you start getting divine graces to flesh out your build options beyond sets, and then ethereal graces add even more new things. And then of course there’s the Set+ stuff, which revitalizes old sets you may have moved on from.
It’s not so much that the game doesn’t start until then, it’s just that you keep getting new and powerful options to really make a build your own. You look at your original playthrough and go “Wow, that seems so basic in comparison!”. But that’s fine, because NG you’re learning how to play the game, fighting the bosses for the first time, figuring out what weapon you like the most, experimenting with magic or ninjitsu, etc.
I had a blast in NG, but I had even more fun in each playthrough. That’s rare in this kind of game for me, where NG+ stuff is typically not as fun for me.
I’d say the gameplay itself is technically the same, but the gear rush is what opens up. I guess you could argue that with high enough stats you can do more things at once efficiently (like magic and two weapons) so the gameplay feels more complicated. And you unlock skills as you level up your weapons. But a lot of that is due to your comfort level with the mechanics. Like an action game, your willingness to branch out into new combos depends on your comfort with the basic ones you use to survive.
If you finish one playthrough and you’ve had enough, rest assured you aren’t missing anything. It’s the same game, just expanded.
Thanks for the comments folks. I am still having a load of fun with this title. I think it may be my favorite non souls souls game to date.
Next Question: Do you guys tend to use Blue’s while playing, and especially bosses? It seems as I get farther into the game, I am relying on them more… which makes me think I may be doing it wrong. I’m building towards an Onmyu/SplitStaff build and enjoying it. But at times I am just getting wrecked. (spinny axe skeleton I am looking at you!) I tend to be at recommended level for each area so maybe grinding a few levels for an advantage might pay off…I am using all 3 stances more often now and am about to flip from a Brute counter to a phantom counter, although I really like how easy Brute is =)
Is this in the first playthrough? If so, I’d say just wear whatever gear has the highest level/stats even if it doesn’t really fit what you’re going for at that moment. Those spinning axe skellies really can wreck you especially if they have you in tight quarters. Getting wrecked by them is okay, IMO. :)
Brute counter was my favorite, it’s the one that clicked with me. I used Phantom most of the time because the guardian bonuses were more what I was focusing on even though I didn’t like the counter nearly as much. It has its perks, but in terms of actually countering attacks I found I had the most luck with Brute.
If you’re going Phantom and Onmyo/Splitstaff, take a look at Genbu. He was one of my favorites and has a lot of nice defensive stuff that might help you not be quite so squishy.
Also, what is your Toughness stat? I always tried to keep that up around 200 if I could. Not always easy when you’re swapping gear quickly early on, but you can use the blacksmith to make sure to get toughness on equipment that lacks it. It helps a lot in keeping your stamina up when blocking, just don’t let it get too low.
