The combat shines more often than not, assisted ably some new weapons and some tweaks to other types of combat (the jump kick handles quite differently now). There is some modest variation to this premise regardless of which of the three modes you play (Arcade/Single player, Online or Local multiplayer). You have to manage expanding that control with killing your or at least outlasting your opponent to do so. You and your opponent start off in the middle of a stage that you are trying to take control of. This is in fact, probably the most important aspect of the game in many ways, and why Nidhogg 2 is still worth playing. To that end Nidhogg 2 has the tight, responsive controls I not only expected but that it needs to succeed. Instead it was more about a fun, challenging premise structured around fantastic controls. Even the first game, despite my preference for its music and unique visuals, was never predicated on these things.
These along might hurt the overall presentation, but they are not enough to completely hold Nidhogg 2 back, however. Additionally, the music is just not as catchy this time around. There are times when I get a chance to stop and appreciate the backgrounds, which certainly hold up better for me than the characters, but I can’t bring myself to say I’m a fan of it overall. I suppose I can best articulate it as the game looks both busier and messier, and the end result is a style that just never really clicked with me. It is hard to put a finger on exactly why I feel this way.
The visuals got an update, but I am not sure they are for the better. The good news is, fans of the original will no doubt like what they find here, even if the sequel doesn’t quite feel as fresh as the first game did.įirst and foremost, there were some changes to the original title. For better or for worse, after the success of the original title, Nidhogg 2 carries with it some expectations. It turned out to be a game that I never even knew I wanted and I wound up sinking a ton of time into it. The original Nidhogg was a huge surprise to me when it released.