Nioh: Dragon of the North

With its jump-in-and-go world map setup, I find myself picking up Nioh and randomly running a few levels on the New Game+ difficulty more than I thought I would. If the next two DLCs after Dragon of the North can keep this up and pad an already packed game with more to do, I'll be returning to it for years to come.

Nioh: Dragon of the North is more of the same, but that is a good thing for such a well-made game. There's a new weapon type, new monsters, new stages, a new story, and some nice mechanical updates. None of them are game-changers, but they flesh out and improve the solid core game. For those who've already finished the game, a handful of requested features help add some zest to the proceedings. If you're desperate for more Nioh and have already finished the main story, then this DLC will scratch that itch quite nicely, but it isn't a must-have.

Dragon of the North is a nice DLC for all fans of Nioh, which slightly expands basic content and allows you to extend the fun of the project. With strong mechanics, the only serious disadvantage is the longevity. Anyway, if you liked the game, you can safely buy this add-on.

If you've beaten it and are looking for a fresh challenge, go for it. If not, beat the main game first before deciding.

Dragon of the North could have been a great DLC, but at the end it fails to live up to the expectations. Dragon of the North is good, but it doesn't add enough content to make it an absolute necessity and only the most hardcore players will find the difficulty spike to their liking, others will probably cry in a corner.

The Dragon of the North DLC does little to shake up the Nioh formula, providing familiar environments with uninspired boss battles. That said, this is more Nioh, and the strength of the base game should still give you the challenge and thrill of combat despite the DLC's downfalls.

A small but worthwhile expansion for one of the year's best games, that provides a welcome hint of more difficulties to come.

Dragon of the North is worth the price Koei Tecmo wants. For $10/€10 we get a few new missions along with a dozen more, checking our skill in combat. DLC also laid the foundations for a continuation of the story, whose end I wait with excitement.

Nioh: Dragon of the North can be extremely frustrating if you’re not prepared for it, but if you really liked the main game, and did everything it had on offer, then this will definitely be for you.

A decent amount of content that offers hours of challenging gameplay. It might not be flawless, but this DLC is nevertheless worth experiencing.