When I first saw Nidhogg I wasn't expecting much. This was mainly due to the rather lackluster (and sometimes psychedelic) graphics and the fact that it first appeared to be a game where you fenced a bit and, eventually, somebody died. However, this turned out to be a veil for what is a pretty in-depth game with some superb gameplay opportunities.
I've so far only had a go at the singleplayer mode but it's definitely been good so far. In Nidhogg, you have to fight one opponent in a fencing match with some extra moves thrown in. Disarming? Check. Low Sweep? Check. Diving Kick? Check. Throw your sword? Check. Diving underneath someone's lunge, grabbing a sword and throwing it into their back? I'm still attempting it but I'm fairly sure it's possible. Oh, and normal fencing? Check.
In order to progress, you have to kill your opponent which enables your side of the screen to scroll, therefore, letting you progress to the next area. Once you reach the final screen you will get eaten by the titular Nidhogg to the sound of your fan's cheers. Makes the whole thing seem rather pointless if you think about it. If your opponent kills you then you can no longer progress to the next screen on your side and, instead, have to concentrate on killing your opponent before they reach their final screen.
As for the screens themselves... they're okay. The graphics are still lackluster, full of flashing animations and flat backgrounds (although the 8-bit-y player sprites are quite good and effective) and some of the stages make it hard to see your sword due to the colours used. However, some of the stages (namely the castle and grass ones) are pretty good. And the music's superb anyway.
Overall, Nidhogg is a game that lives and dies on your ability to use its gameplay to your advantage as well as your ambition of how far you want to take the different moves and combinations. I expect co-op play will be hilarious especially if your opponent happens to be sitting next to you...
Goodbye for now, Harry
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