Platforms: PC, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5

Developer: Team Ninja

Release date: March 13, 2020

Team Ninja was one of the first developers to make progress in not only replicating what made the Souls games special, but also putting its own spin on the combat. We’re recommending the sequel over the first game, as while the story is somewhat linked in places, it isn’t required to play through. However, no matter which one you decide to start with, the fast pace and stance-based combat allow for on-the-fly strategic thinking, giving it a bit of an edge over the competition.

Nioh 2 adds more weapon types, a host of new skills, and even more Yokai-based foes to beat to a pulp. Enemies are incredibly diverse, from spirit-infused warriors to various monsters known as Yokai, who in this game use red flowers to buff their stats. If that’s enough to convince you, one of the skills turns you into one of the round cats, called a Scampuss, which you meet in various levels. While in this transformation, you can roll around impaling anything you bump into with spikes, which is as funny as it is practical.