![]() The other three didn’t quite stack up by comparison. It was essentially the culmination of everything Nidhogg had to offer. It had wide open spaces, tight corridors, elevated platforms, pitfalls, and so on. While Nidhogg‘s four levels were all fantastic, the Castle stage felt like the ideal arena due to how well it used the game’s many environmental obstacles. The level design helps accomplish this as well. With all these other weapons however, it forces more direct confrontations. In the first game, that was often a viable strategy as long as you choose the right moment. Because we couldn’t ever count on receiving the same weapon twice in a row, blinding rushing forward would usually end with one of us being cut down, whether that was by an arrow we weren’t prepared to counter or a broadsword swing that hit us as we tried to jump over one another. Instead of making a beeline for the next section of the stage, jumping or rolling under each other to avoid confrontation, we had to stop and fight our way through more often. In all the matches I’ve played, it was always a constant struggle to make forward progress. This, in turn, makes it much harder to maintain the lead. You could start with the standard rapier, but once the match gets underway, you’re swapping weapons so often that every match becomes a messy, unpredictable affair. Now, you can never count on using the same weapon. There were only so many options available to you after all, and with enough time you could easily learn how to counter all them. But it also led each match to become predictable. It ensured the game would move at its breakneck pace, allowing each player to swiftly analyze the situation and act - or react, as the case may be. You knew how far it reached, how fast it flew it when thrown, which stances were more advantageous depending on the situation. You both always had the same weapon and had familiarity with its functionality. Instead, they give Nidhogg 2 an extra ounce of strategy.īefore, you and your opponent stood on even ground at all times. With how carefully balanced the last game was, adding more weapons seems like it would upset that balance. The bow has impeccable range and is devastating in the right hands, but it also leaves you open while preparing your shot and arrows can be easily reflected. The dagger has limited range, but it also pushes you forward with each thrust and when thrown, travels much faster than any other weapon. The broadsword can only move between high and low stances, each swing changing your stance while also almost always disarming your opponent. ![]() ![]() Your fists are also a bit more effective now as well. Where before you could only use rapiers, in Nidhogg 2 you have access to broadswords, daggers, and bows and arrows. How, then, do you make a sequel? Apart from new stages, how could you iterate on something so excellent? The answer: new weapons. The point is Nidhogg was already flawless. Every single aspect felt deliberate and extremely fine-tuned the care that went into its design apparent at every turn. But even with the lower player count, it was just as tense and thrilling - both to play and to watch - its game of tug-of-war. Where most of its peers focus on four-player mayhem, Nidhogg was more interested in tense one-on-one duels. Nidhogg was a perfect distillation of local competitive multiplayer games at their best. ![]()
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