Nidhogg
Gameplay 8
Graphics 8
Sound 8

If single player games are your thing then you can probable give Nidhogg a miss. Gather around a few friends and start a tournament if you really want to experience what all the fuss is about. The frantic combat will test your luck and reflexes while the low system requirements means the game will run smoothly on just about any hardware.

Gameplay: The single player is good practice but the real fun lies in multi-player.

Graphics: Retro pixel art with smooth animations.

Sound: A brilliant electronic soundtrack composed by Daedelus

Summary 8.0 Great
Gameplay 0
Graphics 0
Sound 0
Summary rating from user's marks. You can set own marks for this article - just click on stars above and press "Accept".
Accept
Summary 0.0 Terrible

Nidhogg

Developer: Messhof | Publisher: Messhof | Release Date: 2014 | Genre: Action / Indie / Sports | Website: Official Website | Purchase: Steam

In case you are wondering what a mythological Norse dragon has to do with a game about fencing, the answer is rather simple; the victor becomes its dinner. It might sound unorthodox but then again there is very little about Nidhogg that can be considered normal.

Nidhogg is a game about fencing but forget what you have seen about the sport on television. You and your opponent face each other in a neutral zone with the aim of reaching the end zone a few screens further. To reach the end zone and the glory of becoming dragon chow you have to kill your opponent which causes an arrow to appear pointing the way. There is no life bars so a single well placed stab or thrust is enough to end your opponent’s life. They will however respawn ahead of you so you have to press your advantage while the arrow favors you.

Of course if your character gets snuffed the tables are turned and your opponent can make a run for their scoring zone which lies in the opposite direction. This turns matches into a tug of war where the balance is constantly shifting and you have to earn each victory. What makes the matches even tenser is that neither player has any advantage over the other when it comes to moves or abilities. Each player starts with a sword and while there are only two buttons, one to attack and one to jump, the combat system is surprisingly deep.

Because of the one hit kills you have to make every move count and use the environment to your advantage. You can attack high or low, parry attacks and even disarm your opponent if your timing is correct. Losing your sword whether through disarmament or a badly timed throw still leaves you with your repertoire of jump kicks, punches and leg sweeps until you manage to regain your weapon or if both players are sans weapons you can engage in some fisticuffs. You can even kill an opponent with your bare hands if you manage to knock them down first but nothing beats impaling your foe on a sword and wiggling it around a bit as their pixilated blood sprays over the arena.

There are only four levels which might not sound like much but each comes with their own set of challenges and obstacles. The level set in the mines has pits and conveyor belts to make things trickier and the low ceilings mean flinging your sword is impossible. The cloud level has disappearing platforms while the wilds feature tall grass that conceals your opponent.

Nidhogg uses retro pixel art for the visuals so modern players might be put off by the game’s aesthetic but give it a chance and it will grow on you. The graphics might be retro but the animation is smooth making for lightning fast gameplay. The game also features an electronic soundtrack by Daedelus which perfectly matches the frantic gameplay. The game can be played using either a keyboard or Xbox 360 controller and there is a tutorial that teaches you the basics.

While Nidhogg features a single player mode it can be completed in about 30 minutes and serves only as practice for the main event which is the multiplayer. You can fight opponents online but this mode was a bit unstable and filled with lag at the time of writing. The local multi-player, however, is some of the most fun that I have had with a game in recent times. Apart from straightforward matches you can also enable some variants such as boomerang swords or low gravity which can change the whole dynamic of fights. Depending on the skill level of your opponent rounds can be over in a matter of seconds or drag on for ages. It is one of those games where you will be laughing with glee over every kill and shouting at your friends when they manage to best you. For players that can still remember playing against friends that are sitting next to you instead of halfway across the world this game will be a real treat.

Nidhogg is immensely entertaining but obviously if you don’t have accesses to two controllers, a big television and some friends whenever you feel like a match the fun factor drops a bit. The single player mode is great for speed runs but unlikely to hold your interest for too long and the online multiplayer lacks the smoothness of local matches. Local multiplayer games may have fallen out of favor in this day and age but Nidhogg is a nice blast from the past that comes highly recommended if you are able to play it as it was designed to be played.

*Review originally published February 2014.

System Requirements

  • OS: Microsoft® Windows® XP / Vista / 7
  • Processor: 1.2GHz processor
  • Memory: 512 MB RAM
  • Graphics: DirectX 8-compatible graphics card with at least 32MB of video memory
  • DirectX: Version 9.0c
  • Network: Broadband Internet connection
  • Hard Drive: 100 MB available space
  • Additional Notes: Microsoft Xbox 360 Controller or Direct Input compatible controller
  • OS: Microsoft® Windows® XP / Vista / 7
  • Processor: 1.4GHz processor or faster
  • Memory: 1 GB RAM
  • Graphics: DirectX 8-compatible graphics card with at least 32MB of video memory
  • DirectX: Version 9.0c
  • Network: Broadband Internet connection
  • Hard Drive: 100 MB available space
  • Additional Notes: Microsoft Xbox 360 Controller or Direct Input compatible controller
  • OS: Ubuntu 12.04 or newer, other unsupported distros may work
  • Processor: Intel Core 2 Duo 2.0Ghz or equivalent
  • Memory: 3 GB RAM
  • Graphics: Intel Core HD Graphics 3000/4000, NVIDIA 8800 GT, ATI Radeon HD 4850 or better (Open Source Drivers NOT SUPPORTED)
  • Hard Drive: 3 GB available space
  • Sound Card: lib32-alsa-plugins or libasound2-plugins:i386 and libasound2-plugins-extra:i386 may be required.
  • Additional Notes: NOT SUPPORTED: ATI Radeon X1600, Intel GMA950, NVIDIA Geforce 7050
  • OS: 10.9
  • Processor: 1.2GHz processor
  • Memory: 512 MB RAM
  • Network: Broadband Internet connection
  • Hard Drive: 100 MB available space

Related posts

Koumajou Remilia: Scarlet Symphony

Koumajou Remilia: Scarlet Symphony

Koumajou Remilia: Scarlet Symphony is an action side-scroller based on the Touhou Project that was originally released in 2009. This enhanced version spruces up the visuals and adds brand new Japanese voice acting as well as a few other features. However, it is still a very short game, and the bullet hell-style boss battles can be frustrating for those who want a pure platforming experience. The game is definitely fun but also a niche title that will not appeal to everyone. Gameplay: Levels are short, but the bullet hell elements and tricky bosses can sometimes be frustrating. Graphics: The pixel art visuals have a filter applied when scaled up to modern resolutions, but the results might not be to everyone’s liking. Sound: The soundtrack is great, and the Japanese voice acting is a welcome addition to the game.

The Crow’s Eye

The Crow's Eye

The Crow's Eye might not be a jump-scare-laden horror title like it first appears to be, but instead, it offers a compelling and interesting puzzle experience. The story is more involved than it seems, and if you stick with it, you'll also find that there is more to the university than you might think. There is no doubt that the puzzles sometimes feel a little out of place for the setting and time period of the game, but solving them is a very rewarding experience. Ultimately, this game won't give horror fans the frights they crave, but if you enjoy a good story and love solving puzzles, then you've come to the right place. Gameplay: The Crow's Eye is light on the scares but heavy on puzzle-solving and platforming. Graphics: There's nothing cutting-edge about the visuals, but they set the mood nicely. Sound: The game features decent voice acting and a great soundtrack.

An Assassin in Orlandes

An Assassin in Orlandes

Tin Man Games have done a great job porting over classic gamebook adventures, but this is their first attempt at bringing something brand new to the table. With its fantasy setting and interesting storyline, An Assassin In Orlandes definitely feels like it could have originated from the same era as gamebooks like The Forrest of Doom. However, it is a very enjoyable and gripping tale in its own right. The heavy reliance on dice throws and luck might annoy some players, but thanks to the “Casual” mode, this is an adventure that can be enjoyed by anyone. Gameplay: The story is quite good, but prepare yourself for plenty of dice rolls to test your luck. Graphics: Faithful to the look of the old gamebooks, but we would have liked to see more illustrations. Sound: The audio remains fairly mellow and unobtrusive throughout your adventure.

Jade Empire™: Special Edition

Jade Empire™: Special Edition

Having long been an Xbox exclusive Jade Empire finally makes it onto computers with some nice added extras. It might not be as in depth as your average computer rpg, but it's still a blast to play especially if you favor combat over puzzle solving. Gameplay: Interesting storyline and entertaining combat. Graphics: Not the best, but pretty good. Sound: Some nice voice overs and effects.

STAR WARS™: The Force Unleashed™ II

STAR WARS™: The Force Unleashed™ II

The Force Unleashed 2 is set a few months after the original game but offers a very disappointing continuation of the story. Playing as an overpowered Jedi that can annihilate everything in sight is quite fun initially, but once the novelty wears off the game becomes quite repetitive. Even worse, despite being very short the game has very limited environments and features lots of unnecessary padding. Worst of all the PC port is rife with bugs and annoyances that sap even more fun out of the experience. Hardcore Star Wars fans might still enjoy the game, but it definitely does not live up to its potential. Gameplay: Fun at times, but ultimately very repetitive. Graphics: The game can look great, but has a lot of technical issues. Sound: The soundtrack and sound effects are very authentic.

Aaero

Aaero

Aaero is a rhythm shooter that sees players flying through stylized environments while blasting enemies to the beat of electronic music. It is a very challenging and unforgiving game, but also very addictive, and depending on your musical taste has a great soundtrack. The lack of support for things like Steam Workshop and custom songs limits the replay value a bit, but mastering all the songs should keep most players busy for ages. Gameplay: Challenging, intense, and very addictive. Graphics: Beautiful and varied. Sound: Features a great electronic music soundtrack.

Leave a comment

2 × five =