It’s official: Koei Tecmo’s upcoming action RPG Nioh will receive a free PvP mode shortly after launch.
Word comes by way of Gamereactor (via NeoGAF), who spoke with Game Director Yosuke Hayashi in anticipation of Nioh‘s launch in early February. Hayashi-san’s comments were translated through Google, hence the broken English, but the developer does confirm that the multiplayer mode will be made available “in the near future.”
“We plan to offer for free a player-to-player mode in the near future after the launch of Nioh. There is also a seasonal pass available to book on PlayStation Store which will add three large DLCs that will be launched shortly after the game’s exit.”
Gameplay-wise, Nioh evokes comparisons to From Software’s genre-defining Dark Souls series, though early previews suggest that Koei Tecmo’s action RPG is much more than a hackneyed clone. There are also certain elements that set Nioh apart from its genre peers, including the ability to enhance William’s skill set.
Here’s what Hayashi told IGN about both the comparisons to other titles and the game’s samurai inspirations:
We have a lot of respect for Dark Souls and Lords of the Fallen. However, for Koei Tecmo it is special to bring originality. Nioh is an action RPG based on combat with a Western samurai protagonist and takes place in the heartbreaking sixteenth-century war in Japan. Nioh offers a deeper weapons and combat system equipment as well as the opportunity to improve combat skills William.
Now that Koei Tecmo’s RPG has officially gone gold, all eyes are beginning to turn toward Nioh‘s February launch. It’s expected to debut for those in North America and Europe on February 7 and February 8, respectively.