Nidhogg 2 is the sequel to the hit 2014 game, where you fence your opponents to become a sacrifice to a massive Wurm (the aforementioned Nidhogg).
Story:
Nidhogg 2 doesn’t really have a story mode. The single player campaign is really just levels where you try to get to the end of the level and that’s about it.
The basic plot is that there is a tournament where you fight against people to become a sacrifice to a giant worm or a wurm as the game calls it, as there can only be one sacrifice. If you want a story Nidhogg 2 is not a place to look for one.
Graphics:
Apparently a lot of people are not happy with the new art style. The first Nidhogg was a pixel art style game, but the sequel however is a lot more detailed graphically and brings on an entirely new art style.
Personally, I find this new art style to be absolutely amazing. The characters have different features like different hair styles, clothes and other things, unlike in the first game where the only difference in sprites were their colors.
Each environment is incredibly detailed and it’s actually a joy to actually gaze upon how great everything looks and how much detail is in the background and the actual map.
Audio:
The audio is also a lot better than it was in the first title. The soundtrack in the first game was nothing special and rather forgettable (in my opinion), but the soundtrack in Nidhogg 2 is actually really good. It ranges from a relaxing tune to a track that really gets you pumped up.
Other sound effects like stabbing and blood splatters all make a come back and they are better than ever. Let me tell you: when you stab your enemy and hear him die ( as morbid as this will sound) it’s incredibly satisfying and will keep you going and wanting to fight more and more.
Gameplay:
Gameplay in Nidhogg 2 is pretty much the same, but with some new additions. For newcomers I’ll give a brief rundown on how everything works. You are put into a 2D arena and have a sword which you can point down, middle and up; and then you stab your enemy or try to disarm them. Once you kill your opponent you need to proceed to the right side and get to the final screen to get consumed by the wurm.
The gameplay in Nidhogg 2 is incredibly simple, which makes it quite addictive to just pick up and get to slicing. But as stated, the sequel brings on new additions, like new weapons. First of all there are different swords which all have different stats, and now there is also a crossbow. Apart from these minor additions the gameplay is pretty much the same and it works just as well in Nidhogg 2.
One of the other new additions to the game is a character creation feature. Unlike the first game where you have a preset model and all the other characters are just different colors, this game has different features which you can use of to craft a unique character. Even though this feature is pretty limited, it’s still a very nice addition to the game.
Verdict:
Nidhogg 2 is an incredibly fun game. The new art style, amazing soundtrack and the incredibly fun gameplay make it a must own. Even though the single player is short, the multiplayer is enough of a reason to keep playing and I see myself spending a lot more time with this game in the future.
Note this game was reviewed with a code provided by developer/publisher.
