Nidhogg Review
You killed Alex Mannâs father. Prepare to die. RUNNING THE GAUNTLET >> For years Nidhogg has been circling gaming events, garnering Indie cred with its undeniable style. It could generally be found amidst a crowd of excited spectators, cheering on two brave warriors as they jump, lunge and riposte their way to glory. But after spending more than three years in the forge, developer Mark Essen has finally honed raw steel into a fierce weapon, releasing the game to the general public. THERE CAN ONLY BE ONE >> Two combatants face off, poised for battle. They edge back and forth, shifting sweaty grips on 8bit swords as each one waits for the other to strike first. The canvas behind them explodes in a vast array of colours while Daedelusâ retro anthems build to a crescendo, coaxing the rainbow warriors to battle. The tension is palpable. The first advances. If it were a narrow hallway he would have kept his sword low, backing his opponent into a corner and avoiding any chance of the fiend rolling under. Yet on a bridge he stands, high above the world, so he chooses to line his sword with his opponentâs chest, switching deftly to her head and back again, discouraging any attempt to be leapt over. His enemy gingerly approaches, weapon held high, clearly intending a risky shot at his face. The fool.
As swords meet, the first lifts his blade, knocking his opponentâs sword from her hand. But before he can move in for the kill she cartwheels out of reach, raising her reclaimed weapon overhead before hurling the blade through the air. The last thing he sees is a weaponless opponent running for the goal, his own blood splattered across the stony ground like spilled paint. But he is not defeated yet⌠TUG Oâ WAR >> The goal of the game is to gut your opponent and bolt as far as you can towards the end screen before they have time to respawn. The crux being a player can only proceed once theyâve landed the last kill, placing one player on the offence and one on defense. By doing so, the game creates a fast paced back and forth that cleverly mimics the nature of fencing itself. Each level is mirrored, with an even amount of stages in both directions, and the same set of moves being given to both players. With a sword these are based around three stances, low, middle and high, but once disarmed punching, tripping and dive kicking make up your arsenal. The beauty of Nidhogg lies not only in its retro kitsch, but the simplicity of these mechanics.
BALANCE IS EVERYTHING >> By no stretch is Nidhogg a complex game, quite the contrary really, but in its simplicity lies a competitive edge that has drowned under the weight of most modern games. The stripped back mechanics place the focus on the duel, not confusing itself with character rosters, overpowered weapons, or the ability to spam hadoukens. Nidhogg simply dumps everyone on the same playing field. As a result, the game works best in a PvP environment, hearkening back to a time when your opponent was sitting next to you on the couch, not some faceless stranger on the other side of the world. This is encouraged by the addition of Tournament Mode, in which up to eight players can face off in a series of elimination battles, deciding who the great Nidhogg (the Norse deity who gnaws at the roots of the world) will ultimately deem worthy of snacking upon.
The game also offers online multiplayer, but with no dedicated servers match-making is sketchy at best. This can be avoided by selecting to play someone from your friends list, but if none of your friends have the game, an online match is almost as fabled as Nidhogg himself. Itâs clear that Messhof intend their game to be played from the one computer. WORLD EATER >> Nidhoggâs simplicity comes as its shining glory, yet it also provides its greatest weakness. While the mechanics are incredibly sound and the stripped back combat can lead to hours of strategic swordplay, the lack of diversity in game modes ultimately let it down. Its single player mode consists of the four available levels repeated over 16 matches, with the computer players growing slightly harder as you proceed. The problem with this is that battling AI over and over lacks the adrenaline rush that comes with outsmarting a real opponent, and can quickly become a grind. Whatâs more, there is no final reward for slugging through all sixteen matches, just a trip back to the main title screen. Even a simple âA Winner is Youâ screen would have sufficed.
The addition of a sub par single player almost makes the game feel incomplete, as if Nidhogg perfected its combat mechanic but then forgot to make the rest of the game. Imagine if the Arkham games were completely made up of combat mini games, or if Gears of War was entirely based on Horde Mode (although, being rid of the bromance storyline might actually improve things). Itâs not that every game needs a single player mode - thatâs just the thing, Nidhogg doesnât - and the inclusion of a half arsed attempt detracts from the true PvP experience. For at its best, Nidhoggâs minimalistic approach places the focus entirely on the two combatants, giving it a gladiatorial feel that makes it one of the most exciting spectator bloodsports to date. VERDICT: A beautifully presented retro game that proves less really can be more, but lacks any lasting appeal beyond the immense joys of local multiplayer. As published in Hyper Magazine #246.