Dark Souls-style samurai game Nioh gets a demo, 12 years after it was announced

Originally announced in 2004 and planned for release in 2006, Nioh (AKA NiOh, AKA Ni-Oh) from Dead or Alive and Ninja Gaiden developer Team Ninja has been a long time coming. But late is better than never, and a new demo available on the PlayStation Store suggests that Nioh is finally going to happen.

If you're having trouble recalling a game in development for more than a decade, allow me to refresh your memory. The game stars a blond-haired samurai who must fight off undead and various demons in vicious melee combat. If you've been longing for another entry in the Onimusha series, well… Nioh isn't that, but it's probably the closest we're going to get.

Beating the demo will let you download something called The Mark of the Conqueror and earn an in-game reward when the final version is out, though publisher Koei Tecmo doesn't specify what, exactly, the Mark or the reward are. The demo will only be available from April 26 to May 5, so be sure to get your demon-slaying fill during that time.

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Sam Prell

Sam is a former News Editor here at GamesRadar. His expert words have appeared on many of the web's well-known gaming sites, including Joystiq, Penny Arcade, Destructoid, and G4 Media, among others. Sam has a serious soft spot for MOBAs, MMOs, and emo music. Forever a farm boy, forever a '90s kid.