This is an expansion for the action role-playing game Nioh, released in May 2017. It continues the player's journey by introducing new story content set in the Oshu region, focusing on the warlord Date Masamune. The expansion adds new main missions, sub-missions, and Twilight missions, expanding the game's narrative and challenges. Players will encounter new enemies and formidable bosses, along with various new yokai. The expansion also features additional weapons, armour sets, and guardian spirits, providing more options for character customization and combat. This content requires the base game to play.

Expanding the Nioh Experience

Nioh: Dragon of the North serves as the first major expansion to the action role-playing game Nioh. It is not a standalone experience but rather a direct continuation that builds upon the established gameplay mechanics and world. The expansion adds substantial new content, offering players more hours of exploration, combat, and story progression.

What New Content Does This Expansion Offer?

The core of this expansion lies in its new narrative content and the regions it unlocks. Players will journey to the Oshu region, a new area within the game's world, where they will encounter the ambitious warlord Date Masamune. This new setting is populated with a fresh array of enemies, including new yokai and challenging boss encounters that demand strategic adaptation.

New Missions and Challenges

The expansion introduces a significant number of new missions, comprising both main story quests that advance the overarching narrative and optional sub-missions that offer additional lore and rewards. Furthermore, the inclusion of new Twilight missions provides high-difficulty, replayable challenges for players seeking to test their skills and earn rare items.

Expanded Arsenal and Customization

To complement the new challenges, players gain access to a variety of new equipment. This includes new weapon types, armor sets that offer different defensive and offensive properties, and additional guardian spirits. These additions provide players with more options for tailoring their character's build and combat style to suit their preferences and overcome the new threats.

Core Gameplay and Integration

This expansion seamlessly integrates with the base game, meaning players will continue to utilize the core combat system, Ki management, and Yokai abilities that define the Nioh experience. The new content is designed to be played after reaching certain points in the main game, allowing for a natural progression of difficulty and story. The scope of the added content is considerable, offering a substantial addition to the overall playtime and depth of the original game.

How Does This Expansion Enhance Gameplay?

The introduction of new enemies and bosses necessitates the exploration of new combat strategies and the effective use of the expanded arsenal. The new weapons, armor, and guardian spirits encourage players to experiment with different loadouts and approaches to combat, adding a fresh layer of depth to character progression and combat encounters.

Platforms and Release

Nioh: Dragon of the North was released on May 2, 2017, and is available on PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, and PC (Microsoft Windows).