<s>
is	O
an	O
action	B-Application
role-playing	I-Application
video	I-Application
game	I-Application
developed	O
by	O
Team	O
Ninja	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
It	O
was	O
released	O
for	O
PlayStation	B-Operating_System
4	I-Operating_System
in	O
February	O
2017	O
,	O
and	O
was	O
published	O
by	O
Sony	O
Interactive	O
Entertainment	O
internationally	O
,	O
and	O
by	O
Koei	O
Tecmo	O
in	O
Japan	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
An	O
edition	O
for	O
PlayStation	B-Operating_System
4	I-Operating_System
and	O
Windows	O
,	O
containing	O
the	O
game	O
's	O
downloadable	B-Protocol
content	I-Protocol
,	O
was	O
released	O
on	O
November	O
7	O
,	O
2017	O
by	O
Koei	O
Tecmo	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
A	O
remastered	O
version	O
was	O
released	O
for	O
PlayStation	B-Device
5	I-Device
on	O
February	O
5	O
,	O
2021	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Nioh	B-Application
began	O
development	O
in	O
2004	O
for	O
PlayStation	B-Operating_System
3	I-Operating_System
as	O
part	O
of	O
a	O
multimedia	O
project	O
based	O
on	O
an	O
unfinished	O
Akira	O
Kurosawa	O
script	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
project	O
went	O
through	O
a	O
turbulent	O
and	O
prolonged	O
pre-production	O
period	O
,	O
going	O
through	O
multiple	O
revisions	O
until	O
its	O
final	O
version	O
began	O
development	O
in	O
2014	O
for	O
PlayStation	B-Operating_System
4	I-Operating_System
.	O
</s>
<s>
Upon	O
release	O
,	O
Nioh	B-Application
received	O
positive	O
reviews	O
,	O
with	O
praise	O
going	O
to	O
the	O
gameplay	O
and	O
graphics	O
while	O
the	O
story	O
was	O
criticized	O
as	O
lacking	O
or	O
confusing	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
A	O
follow-up	O
,	O
Nioh	B-Application
2	I-Application
,	O
was	O
released	O
in	O
2020	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Nioh	B-Application
is	O
an	O
action	B-Application
role-playing	I-Application
game	I-Application
set	O
in	O
Japan	O
during	O
the	O
year	O
1600	O
,	O
with	O
players	O
taking	O
the	O
role	O
of	O
an	O
Irish	O
samurai	O
named	O
William	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Fighting	O
is	O
fast-paced	O
hack	B-Application
and	I-Application
slash	I-Application
combat	O
(	O
similar	O
to	O
previous	O
Team	O
Ninja	O
works	O
)	O
,	O
with	O
William	O
being	O
able	O
to	O
attack	O
enemies	O
and	O
block	O
their	O
attacks	O
in	O
turn	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Nioh	B-Application
is	O
set	O
in	O
1600	O
within	O
a	O
fictionalized	O
dark	O
fantasy	O
version	O
of	O
the	O
late	O
Sengoku	O
period	O
,	O
a	O
time	O
when	O
the	O
clans	O
of	O
Japan	O
were	O
at	O
war	O
prior	O
to	O
the	O
unification	O
under	O
the	O
Tokugawa	O
shogunate	O
and	O
the	O
beginning	O
of	O
the	O
Edo	O
period	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
William	O
crosses	O
paths	O
with	O
numerous	O
historical	O
figures	O
from	O
the	O
period	O
:	O
these	O
include	O
Ieyasu	O
's	O
allies	O
Ii	O
Naomasa	O
(	O
Jun	O
Fukuyama	O
)	O
and	O
Honda	O
Tadakatsu	O
(	O
Tesshō	O
Genda	O
)	O
;	O
daimyo	O
Kuroda	O
Yoshitaka	O
(	O
Yōhei	O
Tadano	O
)	O
and	O
his	O
son	O
Kuroda	O
Nagamasa	O
(	O
Hiroshi	O
Tsuchida	O
)	O
;	O
Ieyasu	O
's	O
main	O
rival	O
Ishida	O
Mitsunari	O
(	O
Takahiro	O
Sakurai	O
)	O
and	O
his	O
allies	O
Shima	O
Sakon	O
(	O
Keiji	O
Fujiwara	O
)	O
and	O
Ōtani	O
Yoshitsugu	O
(	O
Kenyuu	O
Horiuchi	O
)	O
;	O
Tachibana	O
Ginchiyo	O
(	O
Shizuka	O
Itō	O
)	O
,	O
head	O
of	O
the	O
Tachibana	O
clan	O
,	O
and	O
her	O
husband	O
Muneshige	O
(	O
Eiji	O
Hanawa	O
)	O
;	O
hostile	O
mercenary	O
Suzuki	O
Magoichi	O
(	O
Yasuyuki	O
Kase	O
)	O
;	O
Yasuke	O
(	O
Richie	O
Campbell	O
)	O
,	O
a	O
former	O
favored	O
vassal	O
of	O
Nobunaga	O
;	O
the	O
Date	O
clan	O
including	O
Date	O
Masamune	O
,	O
Date	O
Shigezane	O
and	O
Katakura	O
Shigenaga	O
;	O
Sanada	O
Yukimura	O
,	O
Sarutobi	O
Sasuke	O
and	O
the	O
Sanada	B-Application
Ten	I-Application
Braves	I-Application
;	O
and	O
Tenkai	O
(	O
Takayuki	O
Sugō	O
)	O
,	O
a	O
monk	O
of	O
the	O
Tendai	O
Buddhist	O
sect	O
and	O
master	O
manipulator	O
of	O
yin	O
and	O
yang	O
magic	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Original	O
characters	O
include	O
Okatsu	O
(	O
Emi	O
Takei	O
)	O
,	O
a	O
female	B-Application
ninja	I-Application
in	O
Hanzō	O
's	O
clan	O
who	O
holds	O
a	O
dislike	O
and	O
curiosity	O
for	O
William	O
;	O
and	O
Fuku	O
(	O
Risa	O
Shimizu	O
)	O
,	O
Tenkai	O
's	O
disciple	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
After	O
trying	O
to	O
kill	O
William	O
,	O
Kelley	O
uses	O
his	O
Ouroboros	B-General_Concept
spirit	O
to	O
steal	O
Saoirse	O
and	O
transports	O
himself	O
to	O
Japan	O
with	O
William	O
in	O
pursuit	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
William	O
,	O
however	O
,	O
soon	O
learns	O
from	O
Okatsu	O
that	O
Ieyasu	O
sacrificed	O
many	O
of	O
his	O
family	O
in	O
a	O
ruthless	O
bid	O
for	O
power	O
,	O
with	O
Okatsu	O
being	O
one	O
of	O
Ieyasu	O
's	O
illegitimate	O
daughters	O
who	O
escaped	O
by	O
becoming	O
a	O
kunoichi	B-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
But	O
upon	O
realizing	O
that	O
Ieyasu	O
is	O
secretly	O
pained	O
by	O
his	O
ruthless	O
decisions	O
and	O
sacrifices	O
,	O
William	O
ultimately	O
chooses	O
to	O
continue	B-Application
aiding	O
him	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Cornered	O
and	O
defeated	O
,	O
Kelley	O
uses	O
Ouroboros	B-General_Concept
and	O
Saoirse	O
's	O
energy	O
to	O
resurrect	O
Yamata	O
no	O
Orochi	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
first	O
DLC	B-Protocol
sees	O
William	O
returning	O
to	O
Japan	O
where	O
he	O
is	O
reunited	O
with	O
the	O
resurrected	O
Nekomata	O
and	O
learns	O
from	O
Ieyasu	O
that	O
Hanzo	O
has	O
gone	O
missing	O
while	O
investigating	O
warlord	O
Date	O
Masamune	O
,	O
who	O
is	O
secretly	O
plotting	O
a	O
rebellion	O
against	O
the	O
Tokugawa	O
shogunate	O
using	O
an	O
army	O
of	O
yōkai	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
second	O
and	O
third	O
DLCs	B-Protocol
focus	O
on	O
William	O
's	O
hunt	O
for	O
Maria	O
while	O
helping	O
the	O
Tokugawa	O
army	O
deal	O
with	O
Sanada	O
Yukimura	O
during	O
the	O
Siege	O
of	O
Osaka	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
As	O
Maria	O
remains	O
a	O
threat	O
,	O
William	O
and	O
Hanzo	O
continue	B-Application
their	O
hunt	O
for	O
her	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Nioh	B-Application
was	O
developed	O
by	O
Team	O
Ninja	O
,	O
a	O
division	O
of	O
the	O
game	O
's	O
publisher	O
Koei	O
Tecmo	O
who	O
had	O
previously	O
developed	O
the	O
Ninja	B-Application
Gaiden	I-Application
and	O
Dead	B-Application
or	I-Application
Alive	I-Application
series	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
music	O
was	O
composed	O
by	O
Yugo	O
Kanno	O
,	O
whose	O
previous	O
work	O
included	O
the	O
Bayside	O
Shakedown	O
television	O
film	O
series	O
and	O
Japan	O
Studio	O
's	O
Rain	B-Device
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
original	O
version	O
of	O
Nioh	B-Application
was	O
based	O
on	O
Oni	O
,	O
an	O
unfinished	O
script	O
by	O
Japanese	O
film	O
director	O
Akira	O
Kurosawa	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Production	O
was	O
rebooted	O
and	O
transferred	O
to	O
Omega	O
Force	O
,	O
a	O
division	O
of	O
Koei	O
Tecmo	O
,	O
and	O
shifted	O
in	O
genre	O
to	O
a	O
fast-paced	O
action	O
game	O
similar	O
to	O
their	O
Dynasty	B-Application
Warriors	I-Application
series	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
It	O
was	O
at	O
this	O
stage	O
that	O
the	O
title	O
began	O
evolving	O
into	O
an	O
action	B-Application
role-playing	I-Application
game	I-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
team	O
originally	O
used	O
the	O
Ninja	B-Application
Gaiden	I-Application
engine	O
,	O
and	O
Shibusawa	O
was	O
again	O
concerned	O
as	O
he	O
felt	O
the	O
game	O
was	O
turning	O
into	O
a	O
Ninja	B-Application
Gaiden	I-Application
clone	O
;	O
a	O
cited	O
example	O
was	O
a	O
scene	O
where	O
William	O
was	O
swinging	O
an	O
enemy	O
with	O
his	O
bare	O
hands	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
When	O
Koei	O
Tecmo	O
began	O
producing	O
games	O
for	O
the	B-Operating_System
PlayStation	I-Operating_System
4	I-Operating_System
,	O
Shibusawa	O
and	O
Koei	O
Tecmo	O
CEO	O
Hisashi	O
Suganuma	O
asked	O
Hayashi	O
to	O
develop	O
Nioh	B-Application
for	O
that	O
platform	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
During	O
early	O
talks	O
,	O
Yasuda	O
and	O
Hayashi	O
disagreed	O
about	O
what	O
type	O
of	O
narrative	O
they	O
wanted	O
,	O
as	O
Yasuda	O
wanted	O
to	O
make	O
something	O
closer	O
to	O
Ninja	B-Application
Gaiden	I-Application
and	O
Hayashi	O
wanted	O
a	O
sombre	O
experience	O
based	O
around	O
war	O
and	O
death	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
As	O
the	O
Koei	O
staff	O
had	O
a	O
history	O
of	O
developing	O
historical	O
titles	O
such	O
as	O
Romance	B-Application
of	I-Application
the	I-Application
Three	I-Application
Kingdoms	I-Application
and	O
Nobunaga	B-Application
's	I-Application
Ambition	I-Application
,	O
they	O
decided	O
to	O
base	O
it	O
on	O
historical	O
events	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
When	O
the	O
project	O
was	O
given	O
to	O
Team	O
Ninja	O
,	O
Shibusawa	O
told	O
them	O
"	O
to	O
complete	O
the	O
mission	O
of	O
creating	O
Nioh	B-Application
"	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
decision	O
to	O
give	O
the	O
project	O
to	O
Team	O
Ninja	O
was	O
heavily	O
influenced	O
by	O
the	O
success	O
of	O
Dark	B-Application
Souls	I-Application
and	O
other	O
similar	O
titles	O
,	O
dubbed	O
by	O
some	O
as	O
"	O
Masocore	O
"	O
due	O
to	O
their	O
difficult	O
,	O
yet	O
rewarding	O
action	O
gameplay	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Many	O
at	O
Team	O
Ninja	O
were	O
fans	O
of	O
the	O
Dark	B-Application
Souls	I-Application
series	O
,	O
and	O
credited	O
their	O
surge	O
in	O
popularity	O
with	O
saving	O
Nioh	B-Application
from	O
possible	O
cancellation	O
and	O
allowing	O
progress	O
for	O
development	O
of	O
the	O
game	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Other	O
influences	O
included	O
Bloodborne	B-Application
,	O
Ninja	B-Application
Gaiden	I-Application
,	O
Onimusha	B-Application
and	O
Diablo	B-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
main	O
aim	O
for	O
the	O
developers	O
was	O
to	O
emulate	O
the	O
tough	O
gameplay	O
of	O
both	O
the	O
Souls	O
series	O
and	O
their	O
earlier	O
work	O
on	O
Ninja	B-Application
Gaiden	I-Application
while	O
also	O
making	O
it	O
accessible	O
,	O
fair	O
and	O
rewarding	O
for	O
players	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Rather	O
than	O
outsourcing	O
an	O
engine	O
or	O
carrying	O
an	O
engine	O
over	O
from	O
one	O
of	O
their	O
other	O
properties	O
,	O
the	O
game	O
engine	O
for	O
Nioh	B-Application
was	O
built	O
from	O
scratch	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
While	O
the	O
combat	O
was	O
extensively	O
influenced	O
by	O
Souls	O
games	O
,	O
Team	O
Ninja	O
's	O
use	O
of	O
loot	O
was	O
more	O
heavily	O
influenced	O
by	O
the	O
Diablo	B-Application
series	I-Application
,	O
as	O
they	O
wanted	O
combat	O
to	O
revolve	O
around	O
player	O
skill	O
rather	O
than	O
gear	O
acquired	O
through	O
combat	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Nioh	B-Application
was	O
first	O
announced	O
by	O
original	O
developer	O
Koei	O
in	O
2004	O
under	O
its	O
working	O
title	O
"	O
Oni	O
"	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Nioh	B-Application
was	O
first	O
shown	O
off	O
in	O
a	O
trailer	O
at	O
the	O
2005	O
Electronic	O
Entertainment	O
Expo	O
,	O
where	O
it	O
was	O
announced	O
as	O
a	O
PlayStation	B-Operating_System
3	I-Operating_System
exclusive	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
At	O
the	O
time	O
,	O
the	O
title	O
was	O
romanized	O
as	O
"	O
Ni-Oh	B-Application
"	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Initially	O
slated	O
for	O
a	O
2006	O
release	O
,	O
Nioh	B-Application
missed	O
its	O
announced	O
release	O
date	O
,	O
and	O
no	O
update	O
on	O
the	O
game	O
was	O
issued	O
until	O
2009	O
,	O
when	O
Koei	O
Tecmo	O
stated	O
that	O
the	O
title	O
was	O
still	O
in	O
development	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
game	O
,	O
now	O
retitled	O
slightly	O
as	O
Nioh	B-Application
,	O
was	O
reintroduced	O
at	O
the	O
2015	O
Tokyo	O
Game	O
Show	O
as	O
a	O
PlayStation	B-Operating_System
4	I-Operating_System
exclusive	O
,	O
with	O
a	O
scheduled	O
launch	O
in	O
Japan	O
in	O
2016	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Two	O
editions	O
were	O
created	O
:	O
the	O
standard	O
edition	O
featuring	O
the	O
full	O
game	O
,	O
and	O
a	O
Digital	O
Deluxe	O
Edition	O
featuring	O
an	O
additional	O
weapon	O
pack	O
,	O
PS4	B-Operating_System
theme	O
and	O
season	O
pass	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
game	O
was	O
also	O
among	O
those	O
that	O
supported	O
the	B-Operating_System
PlayStation	I-Operating_System
4	I-Operating_System
Pro	O
model	O
,	O
with	O
graphical	O
enhancements	O
enabling	O
a	O
smooth	O
framerate	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
A	O
demo	O
version	O
of	O
the	O
game	O
,	O
dubbed	O
the	O
"	O
alpha	O
demo	O
"	O
,	O
was	O
released	O
on	O
PlayStation	B-Device
Network	I-Device
(	O
PSN	B-Device
)	O
on	O
26	O
April	O
2016	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Completing	O
the	O
demo	O
unlocked	O
access	O
to	O
a	O
free	O
downloadable	B-Protocol
content	I-Protocol
(	O
DLC	B-Protocol
)	O
pack	O
dubbed	O
"	O
Mark	O
of	O
the	O
Conqueror	O
"	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Like	O
the	O
alpha	O
demo	O
,	O
downloading	O
the	O
beta	O
demo	O
gave	O
free	O
access	O
to	O
DLC	B-Protocol
content	O
,	O
this	O
time	O
a	O
pack	O
dubbed	O
"	O
Mark	O
of	O
the	O
Warrior	O
"	O
alongside	O
the	O
original	O
"	O
Mark	O
of	O
the	O
Conqueror	O
"	O
pack	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
It	O
gave	O
access	O
to	O
both	O
prior	O
DLC	B-Protocol
and	O
a	O
final	O
reward	O
for	O
the	O
full	O
game	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Producer	O
Fumihiko	O
Yasuda	O
,	O
at	O
a	O
presentation	O
at	O
Tokyo	O
Game	O
Show	O
2018	O
,	O
later	O
attributed	O
Nioh	B-Application
's	O
success	O
to	O
the	O
"	O
demo	O
strategy	O
"	O
,	O
saying	O
that	O
aside	O
from	O
getting	O
feedback	O
from	O
users	O
,	O
the	O
demos	O
also	O
had	O
the	O
aim	O
of	O
showing	O
players	O
they	O
were	O
being	O
listened	O
to	O
,	O
"	O
which	O
they	O
hoped	O
would	O
result	O
in	O
players	O
being	O
more	O
supporting	O
of	O
the	O
game	O
"	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Nioh	B-Application
received	O
"	O
generally	O
favorable	O
"	O
reception	O
,	O
according	O
to	O
review	B-Application
aggregator	I-Application
Metacritic	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Most	O
critics	O
praised	O
the	O
combat	O
,	O
difficulty	O
,	O
setting	O
,	O
use	O
of	O
Japanese	O
folklore	O
,	O
and	O
aesthetics	O
as	O
high	O
points	O
,	O
as	O
well	O
as	O
giving	O
players	O
the	O
option	O
to	O
choose	O
different	O
graphical	O
modes	O
for	O
the	O
PS4	B-Operating_System
version	O
;	O
while	O
the	O
game	O
's	O
story	O
and	O
inventory	O
management	O
were	O
met	O
with	O
some	O
criticism	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
game	O
was	O
nominated	O
for	O
"	O
Best	O
PS4	B-Operating_System
Game	O
"	O
in	O
Destructoids	O
Game	O
of	O
the	O
Year	O
Awards	O
2017	O
,	O
and	O
for	O
"	O
Best	O
PlayStation	B-Operating_System
4	I-Operating_System
Game	O
"	O
and	O
"	O
Best	O
RPG	O
"	O
in	O
IGN	O
's	O
Best	O
of	O
2017	O
Awards	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Nioh	B-Application
was	O
later	O
one	O
of	O
three	O
games	O
invited	O
to	O
the	O
Global	O
Game	O
Business	O
Summit	O
at	O
Tokyo	O
Game	O
Show	O
2018	O
as	O
an	O
example	O
of	O
a	O
game	O
that	O
succeeded	O
globally	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Nioh	B-Application
opened	O
at	O
number	O
2	O
in	O
the	O
UK	O
sales	O
charts	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Retailers	O
Amazon	B-Application
and	O
Walmart	O
sold	O
all	O
their	O
stock	O
of	O
Nioh	B-Application
within	O
the	O
first	O
week	O
of	O
release	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
On	O
February	O
24	O
,	O
2017	O
Koei	O
Tecmo	O
and	O
Team	O
Ninja	O
announced	O
that	O
Nioh	B-Application
had	O
shipped	O
over	O
one	O
million	O
units	O
worldwide	O
within	O
its	O
first	O
two	O
weeks	O
of	O
sale	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
In	O
October	O
2022	O
,	O
the	O
sales	O
of	O
both	O
Nioh	B-Application
and	O
Nioh	B-Application
2	I-Application
had	O
exceeded	O
seven	O
million	O
units	O
worldwide	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
On	O
June	O
11	O
,	O
2018	O
,	O
at	O
the	O
2018	O
Sony	O
E3	O
conference	O
,	O
a	O
sequel	O
called	O
Nioh	B-Application
2	I-Application
was	O
announced	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
It	O
is	O
a	O
prequel	O
to	O
Nioh	B-Application
and	O
was	O
released	O
for	O
PlayStation	B-Operating_System
4	I-Operating_System
on	O
March	O
13	O
,	O
2020	O
.	O
</s>
