Review: Nioh 'Dragon of the North' DLC offers players more hard levels

Nioh is still the hardest game to be released in 2017, and players are now able to get more action with the recently released 'Dragon of the North' DLC.  If you are unfamiliar with Nioh, it's basically Koei Tecmo's answer to Dark Souls/Bloodborne. It's one of the most difficult games I have ever played, but it's really rewarding if you manage to put the time and effort into it.  As for this new paid DLC called "Dragon of the North" I highly suggest you complete the main game first before you decide to play it. Not only does this DLC take place straight after the conclusion of the main game, but it's really hard if you try and tackle it if you are under-levelled. I managed to muster through this DLC after playing well over 150 hours into the game. I finished the main campaign and also did New Game Plus. You can still try and play this DLC at a weaker level, but you will struggle a lot.  Anyway, this DLC is about the One-Eyed Dragon (and his allies) who are gathering Amrita to wage war on Japan. Just as you thought that peace had been restored, William has to investigate once again to stop war from happening. Standing in his way are some tough new Yokai and more.  Sometimes DLC packs can be a little expensive as they don't offer much content. Thankfully, Koei Tecmo has been quite generous with its offering in "Dragon of the North". It offers three new story levels, some sub missions, four new bosses, two more enemy types plus additional weapons and skills for you to utilise.  To be fair, it's more like two new story levels and one final mission with a boss. Anyway, the first level is quite cool because it takes place on a snowy mountain. You will see some new enemies, plus many familiar faces. The next level is inside a Japanese castle and it too features many hard bosses and enemies. The DLC then concludes with a difficult but epic boss fight. There are also some additional sub-missions you can do after that.  To make life slightly easier for you, some new additions have been made to the inventory. You can now equip two Guardians Spirits as opposed to only one and a new sword has been added. My favourite addition though is the Storm Kunai. This weapon is every effective on taking out enemies from long range.  I don't want to say how long it will take you to complete this DLC, because this is dependent on your personal skill level. For me it took over two hours or so. If you are under prepared and under-levelled, this may take longer if you can survive the onslaught. The story is also good, although sadly it doesn't have a conclusive ending. This means more will be revealed in future DLC.  Overall, I think the "Dragon of the North" DLC is worth it if you are a hardcore fan of Nioh. That being said, you may want to complete the main game first and attain the best equipment if you want to play through this DLC. This DLC pack comes included in the Season Pass, or you can buy it separately on the PlayStation Store for $15.95 NZD.  Verdict: 8.5/10