The Nioh Collection is a bizarre new package that remasters not just the original 2017 title, but also its sequel, which released only 10 months ago. Of course, much of these changes come in the form of technical improvements on the PlayStation 5, including faster loading times, frame rate enhancements, and more. The Nioh Collection - bundling both Nioh Remastered - The Complete Edition and Nioh 2 Remastered - The Complete Edition - is now the quintessential way to experience some of the best action-RPG games in recent memory.



The Nioh Collection packages both Nioh titles from Team Ninja, but makes quite a few improvements as they're considered remasters. I won't dive too deep into the games themselves (we have prior reviews for both Nioh and Nioh 2) but I will spend some time talking about what this PS5 bundle offers in terms of content as well as its enhancements for current-gen hardware.

Firstly, if this is your entry point into the Nioh series, consider yourself lucky. The Nioh Collection is the definitive package for both games in the series, fully remastered with all six of its DLCs (each game containing three). As far as remasters go, though, the collection simply offers the convenience of owning both games in one complete bundle, but it's also possible to experience some of these new features via the backward compatibility as the PS4 versions have already received notable improvements such as faster loading times already. However, with the PS5 championing lightning fast speeds, you'll find them noticeable in especially Nioh 2, which is so fast, it hardly has any loading screens.



This makes the act of jumping into stages a breeze, but more importantly, streamlines the process of accessing your inventory - you'll be doing this quite a lot in the hub area and main menu. Cutscenes are also loaded in almost immediately, with very little downtime between cinematics and gameplay. It becomes prevalent in Nioh 2 which has a lot more cutscenes than its predecessor, but it's all the more impressive when you factor in just how insanely fast you're able to switch from cutscenes to menus to gameplay in a matter of seconds.

Cutscenes are also loaded in almost immediately, with very little downtime between cinematics and gameplay.

Those already familiar with the gameplay loop of the Nioh series will feel right at home. However, if you're new, then you'll find Nioh to have quite a steep adjusting and learning curve. Similar to From Software's Souls series in its various mechanics and gameplay design, you'll run into the hurdles of stamina management, weapon and skill upgrades, and of course, its brutally punishing difficulty which can be a turn-off for the uninitiated. In some ways, the Nioh games are harder than its influences, but balances it out meaningfully with a robust skill tree - and this is especially apparent in Nioh 2, which has an improved and deeply complex system for a ridiculous amount of flexible build opportunities, perks and skills.



As far as PS5 improvements go, The Nioh Collection makes a few compelling arguments for itself. The remastered editions offer improved visuals, but not enough that it stands out from its PS4 versions. Instead, the differences become apparent with key PS5 features like the DualSense. Sadly, the DualSense's features are underused, with the only noticeable changes being the adaptive triggers used for ranged weapons, and occasionally the rumble felt when traversing rugged terrain. Those hoping for a more immersive experience via the controller might be disappointed at just how little it actually utilizes the DualSense's features.

The PS5 does offer three additional modes: 4K Mode, the PlayStation 5 standard mode, and a 120FPS mode.

You're also given a handful of graphical options to toy around with in The Nioh Collection. Movie Mode unlocks the frame rate and delivers a consistent 60FPS that almost hits its 4K target, though fluctuations happen rarely. Strangely, this is something not limited to the remaster, as it's also an option for the backward compatible versions. The PS5 does offer three additional modes: 4K Mode, the PlayStation 5 standard mode, and a 120Hz mode. The 4K Mode isn't too different to Movie Mode, but it offers a far more stable frame rate with resolutions capping closer to its target resolution, though not quite true native resolution. It's probably the best way to play the remasters if you've got the right television.



Unfortunately, I couldn't test out the 120Hz mode as I never had a compatible screen, but the PlayStation 5 standard mode is a bit unclear as to what it exactly brings to the table. There's minor noticeable improvements to shadows and textures, but not enough that it made a world of difference. It will just offer the odd minor visual tweak or two, but it's not a mode I'd particularly recommend playing in with the other options available - especially 4K Mode which is stunning in its own right and really makes the vibrant visuals pop on your TV at a wonderfully steady frame rate.

The Nioh Collection packages both games' DLC, which easily adds dozens upon dozens of hours of additional content to already beefy base games. In total, and depending on how much time you're willing to invest in the games plus post-game content, the collection will easily hit the 200-hour mark in terms of the sheer amount of quality content. The first Nioh's DLCs are an especially challenging but rewarding experience, which I highly recommend playing through anyway as it's available to you in the bundle. That said, Team Ninja also takes a pro-consumer stance by offering the remastered versions as free upgrades to everyone who owns a PS4 copy of each game. This doesn't make the most compelling reason to buy The Nioh Collection if you're already a series fan, but the option is there and it's great.



The Nioh Collection is a great bundle that offers truckloads of great content across both critically acclaimed Nioh titles, complete with all the bells and whistles you'd come to expect from remasters. While the visual changes aren't the most noticeable, the PS5's juggernaut hardware allows the game to run at much smoother frame rates (a necessity for the game's mechanics), and boost the resolution for that extra bit of visual flare in already beautiful-looking games. Newcomers will definitely find the most value for money here, but it's a double-edged sword too: the Nioh series' brutal challenge is absolutely not for the faint of heart, making this package difficult yet easy to recommend all at once.



*PS5 Review code provided by PlayStation