"Nioh" looks like a derivative of "Dark Souls" or "Bloodborne" but albeit gameplay semblance, the game is a worthy PlayStation 4 exclusive nonetheless. Team Ninja unleashed "Nioh" today, Feb. 8 for $69.

It would be unfair to dub "Nioh" as a copy of other notable games because its history can be traced back to 2004 as a multimedia project. The narrative and storyline delves even deeper because it was supposed to be a movie script for renowned director Akira Kurosawa. To simply put, "Nioh" has been in conception far longer than "Dark Souls."

Starting with the plot, "Nioh" appears to be an adaptation of first Western-born samurai, William Adams. The game incorporated colorful myths like Japan being infested with demons, but the historical and pseudo-realism is unmistakable. Players love the mix though, as attested in its 88% score from Metacritic.

"Nioh" offers combat introduction very early in the Tower of London level. There is little room for error as well because players can take only a few blows before dying - about one or two missteps can lead to the death of the character.

One thing that gamers will like is fair gameplay where players need to be conscious of their stamina bar called Ki. Comparably, enemies will also drain their respective Kis, XGN explained. This feature allows tactical planning because lesser enemies can be dispatched without effort by simply tracking their Kis against the player's character.

Things get a bit complicated when it comes to stats, skills and abilities. It is advisable for players to make synergies by matching the skill tree with their chosen weapon or expertise. This careful planning can save a lot of trouble from pouring points just anywhere without mastering anything.

For the final verdict, "Nioh" presents some of the best combat for lovers of the action role-playing genre. The only downside so far are unnecessary replays of some levels while Team Ninja could have added more content instead.