Nidhogg 2 is now available on Steam and PS4, and it’s every bit as weird as it looks. The aesthetic is going to be very divisive for a very long time. Some people hate the way the newer characters look compared to Nidhogg’s originally minimalist coat of paint, but after you get used to it, it’s quite beautiful in its own grotesque way. But none of that matters. What matters is that Nidhogg 2 is fun to play, and if you have buddies that you game with regularly, you need this in your library ASAP.
Videos by ComicBook.com
I went into this game blind, having never played the original Nidhogg. If you’re reading this, then chances are you’re in the same boat. I’ll embrace brevity, then, and break this down for you really quickly. Nidhogg 2 is a game about timing, reflexes, and killer instinct. The flagship Nidhogg experience is you and a friend sitting next to each other, facing off 1-on-1 in a brutal fencing match that inevitably ends in fits of laughter or cheek-burning anger.
Your primary weapon will be a basic rapier style sword which you can hold high, medium, or low. Combat is every bit about the mind games you play with your opponent as it is about the actual swinging of weapons. You’ll have to stab your opponent from an unguarded position, or else throw your weapon at them when they least expect it. Changing stances, staying mobile, and swinging your weapon, you’ll do whatever it takes to lull your opponent out of their guard and catch them in a soft squishy spot.
When they die, you have to take off running and cover as much ground as you can before they respawn. Your goal is to slay them as many times as it takes for you to finally reach the goal at the end of the stage. Of course, they’re trying to do the exact same thing, gunning for a goal in the opposite direction.
Nidhogg 2 introduces additional weapons, most of which I didn’t care for, though they’re beginning to grow on me. There’s a broadsword capable of knocking your enemy’s weapons out of their hands, a dagger with quick attacks that’s perfect for chucking, and a bow that honestly isn’t good for anything when facing off against a skilled opponent. If you find yourself unarmed, your avatar can also jump into the air and perform a quick dive-kick, which is actually quite effective. Landing a dive or sliding kick will disarm your opponent, and you’re more than capable of stomping your them to death if you don’t have a sword with which to run them through.
Matches in Nidhogg 2 can last for tens of seconds, or many minutes. A single match can easily see multiple major turnings of the tide between you and your friend, resulting in inevitable shouting and prodding of elbows. Not since Overcooked have I played a game with as much local multiplayer appeal as Nidhogg 2. If you don’t have anyone to share your couch with, online multiplayer and highly capable AI will ensure that you always have a worthy opponent to spar with.
Check this game out — you’ll be surprised. Once you come to grips with the controls and gain lucid control over your hideous little avatar, you’ll enter into a furious zen state. You’ll confidently invite challengers knowing that you have the reflexes and tricks to take them out with ease, only to end up cursing like a sailor and vowing revenge as you fall victim to a few lucky weapon throws. It’s so delightfully frustrating, utterly addicting, and really affordable.
WWG’s Score: 4 / 5
