2019 is looking more and more like the year of the reemergence of the Souls-likes.
First off, we have Code Vein from Bandai Namco, which recently got a closed network test for players on consoles. The anime Souls-like from the original Souls publisher is set for release some time this year. Then we have The Surge 2, as publisher Focus Home Interactive has started to invite PC players for a closed beta test. The techno Souls-like from developer Deck13 Interactive is also set for release this year. Of course, if rumors are to be believed, FromSoftware will also return to the genre which made them a brand name with Great Rune, said to be developed in conjunction with author George R.R. Martin. Great Rune will reportedly make its debut on the E3 stage this year.
Team Ninja’s own take on the action RPG sub-genre, Nioh, had its sequel announced last year. After that announcement, things have been relatively quiet, until today that is. Team Ninja looks like they have finally broken that silence with a new gameplay trailer plus an announcement for PlayStation 4 players, where Nioh notably was a timed exclusive. It looks like some PS4 users have been invited to a closed alpha on the platform, so Team Ninja can gather feedback for development. Check out the trailer and the accompanying tweet from Team Ninja down below.
Some PS4 users are invited to take part in the Nioh 2 closed alpha to help gather feedback for the development. To ensure the team can manage the feedback, there are no plans to expand the alpha at the moment, but please keep an eye on our channels for more info in the future. pic.twitter.com/hS1l0rHLFa
— Team NINJA (@TeamNINJAStudio) May 22, 2019
The trailer shows off some new enemies and bosses, which you will eliminate using new weapons, powered by new moves. The biggest change I saw was the inclusion of custom characters, which means that the game will differ greatly from the first Nioh, as that title’s focus was on the story of William, an Englishman in Japan.
Nioh 2’s invite system for the closed alpha is a bit unclear, and for the most part it looks like it is up to Team Ninja on who they will choose for it. Invites have already been sent out and some players have already recorded footage for it, so there’s nothing left to do but wait and hope that you’ll end up as one of the lucky ones to be invited next.
Nioh 2 is set for release some time this year, exclusively for the PlayStation 4.
