There are free hidden items waiting on your Nioh 2 map screen between missions, and they’re easy to find — if you know to look for them.
Nioh 2 returns players to a Japan rampant with mystical creatures called Yokai, and it’s a huge improvement over the original in every way that matters most. It’s a Soulsborne style game, an action-RPG with a focus on fighting deadly bosses and exploring tricky, detailed environments. If you’re not a master at swordplay, you’ll need the very best equipment you can get.
And some of the most hidden equipment can only be collected from the map itself. As you progress through the game, you’ll find loads of loot. Most of it is junk that isn’t worth hanging onto. Some of it is super valuable, and the more you can get the better. If you’re looking to grab a little extra loot every chapter, all you have to do is search the map. If you have any knowledge about old-timey Japan, that certainly helps. But it isn’t required.
More Nioh 2 guides:
12 Tips To Help You Get Started Slaying Yokai | Beginner’s Guide | 8 Extremely Useful Advanced Tips | Healing Fast, Instakill Attacks, Invisibility & More | How To Farm Proficiency & Earn Skill Points Faster | How To Beat Every Boss | Ch. 1: Mezuki, Enera & Yatsu-no-Kami | Ch. 2: Imagawa Yoshimoto, Kamaitachi & Saito Yoshitatsu | Ch. 3: Tatarimokke, Magare Naotaka & Azai Nagamasa | Ch. 4: Gyuki, Kasha & Ryomen Sukuna | Ch. 5: Shibata Katsuie, Tokichiro & Daidara Bocchi
Between missions, you’ll be sent to the Map Screen. Every Chapter has a different region on the map, and at first glance, it doesn’t seem to hold any secrets. There are missions and sub-missions you can select, or you can travel to your homebased to chance your current look, do some training, or read tutorials.
To find bonus items on the map screen, simply move your cursor around until you find a historical site. Your cursor will turn red, indicating that you can interact with the spot — you’ll get a short message with information on the area you’ve selected, and earn an item for your troubles. There are different historical spots to check all over Japan, and you really don’t need to know where they are — just slowly scan the map with the cursor and you’ll find them all.
The real trick with this is just realizing it’s even a feature in the game. I stumbled into this by accident. I can see most players not even realizing there are free items up-for-grabs every chapter. All it takes is a little bit of patience, and that stuff is all your’s.