by Omar (@siegarettes)

• Nidhogg 2
  
• Developer- Messhof
  
• Publisher- Messhof
  
• PC, PS4
  

For a lot of people the original Nidhogg was something difficult to improve upon. It was sleek, with a minimalist moveset and aesthetic that belied its frantic pace and hype making duels. 

Nidhogg 2 is a different game. You probably noticed thanks to its new art. It’s both gorgeous and grotesque, with gorgeous environmental art, contrasted against slapstick brutality that would feel right at home in an Itchy and Scratchy cartoon. It might be tempting to see this game as a simple expansion of the original, albeit with a big visual makeover, but Nidhogg 2 makes some subtle changes that make it a more fluid and dynamic game.The core of Nidhogg’s fencing tug of war is still here, but you’ll have to play a little bit smarter to get past your opponents.

Key to this are the three new weapons. In addition to your standard foil, there’s now a broadsword, dagger, and bow. They’re also on a set rotation (which is customizable) so it’ll help to know both what each do and when to expect them.

The foil remains the balanced option for both offense and defense, with good range and the ability to counter most attacks. You’ll also be able to fend off overzealous opponnents by letting them run into your sword. A low guard will impale rolling opponnents, while a high guard will block throws and gut anyone trying to jump over you. Even if they make it past you, you’ll instantly turn around and deny them escape, all without touching a button.

The broadsword is an aggressive weapon, able to deny space above and below you with wide swings. It has a high and low stance, and attacks will also transition between the two. Its weight will disarm any opponents not outright killed, but you can’t guard from mid attacks, so you’ll have to time a swing well to ward off incoming attacks and reflect arrows. The broadsword can’t impale opponents either, so make sure you take your swings when you can.

The dagger is best suited fast, unpredictable attacks. You can guard against high, mid and low attacks, but its short range means you’ll have to get right in your opponent’s face before stabbing them. Use it to kill spawning opponents before they can react, and mix in throws to catch them off guard. Used effectively you can build momentum and run through the opponent several times while making them anxious of every incoming attack.

The bow is the final new weapon. It needs to be readied before firing and can’t guard against attacks, so let an opponent close the gap and you’re as good as dead. It’s commanding at range though, where its primary use will to be denying space and making them guess between what height arrows are coming from. Arrows will also return your way if blocked, so don’t fire them recklessly. Keep in mind that opponents spawn in mid stance, so firing while standing is a good way to get an arrow reflected right back at you. Instead stay crouched, where you can either fire low, or hit the jump button to do a hop that’ll put you right at the level to hit them in the head. Standing shots are best reserved to catch an opponent off guard, either after forcing them to continually blow low and high, or to force an opponent with a broadsword to do a difficult to time attack or jump to deflect your shot.

As you push you’ll also want to keep an arrow always readied, and time arrows to arrive at your opponent’s position right as they spawn, so they have the least amount of time to react to it. You can also do similar tricks by throwing blades, but arrows have the advantage of not being disarmed if you miss.

If you’ve played a lot of the original Nidhogg you’ll also want to note that the divekick, performed by attacking the air with anything but the bow, is now a more defensive move. In the first game the divekick would knock down the opponent and let you quickly run by them, making it easier to gain ground by avoiding duels and mixing it up with divekicks and rolls. This time around you’ll both be knocked to the ground. Your opponent will be disarmed, giving you a slight advantage, but you’ll have to act quickly upon standing to prevent them from getting the jump on you. Save it for when you have an unfavorable weapon matchup, or are unarmed.

If you do find yourself unarmed, keep in mind that you can now slide out of a roll to knock down an opponent and stomp their head in. Or, if you position yourself just right, you can kick the weapon right out of their hands. You can even reflect arrows with good timing. Your opponent will also be vulnerable while running, where their weapon will briefly be put away. If you find yourself on the other side, don’t get aggressive and run into their foot. Keep you distance and cut into them.

In general, you won’t want to give up space advantages. Play defensive if you need to. If you have the high ground, bait opponents into coming to you. If you’re below, position yourself so they’ll impale themselves on your sword when they jump, or cut at their feet with the broadsword. Use narrow corridors to force them to slow down and fight. Let them walk through doors where they’ll meet the end of something sharp, or stab through the door into them if you have the range. Save the aggressive moves for keeping them off guard. If you throw all the time they’ll learn to block, if you come out of nowhere with it one screen from victory they’re more likely to panic. 

Trying to take in all of this might make Nidhogg 2 seem like a more chaotic and inelegant game, but it all contributes to making a more competitive and smarter game. It’ll definitely take longer to get to grips with it, but the changes bring a greater emphasis on mind games and counters. You’ll have more chances to be both the aggressor and the underdog. It’s a great addition to the push and pull of the original, and adds layers that happily justify its place as a sequel.