Steel, shadows, and yokai — Nioh 3 perfects the blade.
Since the first Nioh came out in 2017, Team Ninja has slowly made a name for itself in the Souls-like genre. Nioh was different from other games in this genre because it mixed the punishing difficulty of FromSoftware games with the fast-paced fluidity of Diablo-style loot progression. It also had a rich Japanese historical and mythological setting.
The first game took place during the Sengoku period and had monsters that looked like Yokai and complicated ways to fight. It set a high standard for accurate and strategic gameplay. Nioh 2 built on that base and made it stronger by letting players customize their characters, giving them Yokai forms, and making the battle system even more dynamic. This made players feel like real warriors navigating a dangerous and magical world.
People had great hopes for Nioh 3 when it came out. Fans were wondering if Team Ninja would keep doing what they were doing or if they would try something new. Nioh 3 is special because it respects the history of the games that came before it while also moving the series forward in important ways.
It still has the usual level of difficulty, intense combat, and deep loot systems, but it has a bigger scale, new ways to fight, and a more flexible way to explore. Instead of following strict linear tasks, players are encouraged to explore huge, connected zones that cover different times in Japanese history. Each zone has been tainted by Crucinite, a huge mineral that turns people into monsters.
With this big plan, the series moves into a new era without losing sight of what made the first games so great.
In Nioh 3, you play as Tokugawa Takechiyo, who is Tokugawa Ieyasu’s grandson and has to stop his jealous brother, Tokugawa Kunimatsu, from causing chaos. Kunimatsu’s control over the Crucible, which is inhabited by a monster drawn to Crucinite, has upset the natural order, changing people in different times into Yokai. Takechiyo’s journey takes him through these messed-up times and forces him to fight both human and magical enemies with the help of Guardian Spirits, who make him stronger in battle.
The idea is interesting, but the story is probably the weakest part of the game. Characters come and go without getting much deeper, and important plot points can feel confused or forced, as if they were only there to support the combat-heavy experience. Still, some places, like the Eternal Rift (a hub where spirits and traders hang out), offer memorable breaks and story flavor, and the ending of the story makes up for the problems that started early on.
This is probably not a big deal for players who care more about gameplay than story, since Team Ninja’s focus on mechanics, fighting, and exploration is still the main draw. Nioh 3 makes a big change to the way games are designed. Nioh 3 takes a different method than its predecessors, which relied on structured missions and a straight line of progress.
These big areas let players roam around freely, finding treasure, secret paths, and tasks in the environment. Each time period is split into several regions that combine standard mission goals with new chances to explore. The design keeps you interested all the time; you’re never at a loss for something to do, whether you’re looking for secret Yokai, Kodama spirits, or platforming puzzles.
The Exploration Level method in the game lets you see how far you’ve come in a certain area and rewards adventure. Higher levels show collectibles that were hidden before and give buffs, which makes you want to look into every area more thoroughly.
Side tasks and mini-Crucibles, which are smaller, more difficult battlegrounds, make the open-field experience more interesting and give you extra rewards. This design makes sure that no part of Nioh 3 is wasted; even if you get off track, there’s usually an important encounter or drop of loot that makes the detour worth it.
In Nioh 3, fighting is a complex dance between two different styles: Ninja and Samurai.
Each has its own set of weapons, skills, and strategic benefits. Samurai are great at fighting close up. They use poses, Ki Pulse, and parries to control how the fight goes. Ninja, on the other hand, focuses on movement, ranged attacks, and evasive moves that let them fight in a variety of ways from a distance. Players can quickly switch between these styles, and they often do so to block enemy burst hits. If you time these moves right, you can stun enemies, which can help you win the battle.
You can add more depth to the fighting system with Onmyo magic, Guardian Spirits, and Soul Cores. Guardian Spirits give you unique changes and skills for each style of battle, and Soul Cores let you put magical effects in either the Yin or Yang positions, giving you more options for how to play.
Weapons have skill trees that change as you spend points on them, and Crucible Arts, which are special ending moves, make the possible loadouts even more varied. Even things in the surroundings, like explosive barrels and shaky ledges that can be used in battle, are used strategically. Combat does take some time to get good at. Samurai parries are strong, but they need to be done at the right time.
To use ninja skills, you need to know about timing and cooldowns. Even though it’s hard, the system encourages you to try new things: you can change your loadouts, move your skill points around, and approach battles in a lot of different ways. This level of detail makes sure that even enemies you’ve seen before need your full attention and skill, which keeps the game loop interesting.
What makes Nioh 3’s fighting stand out is that the player has control over it.
You’re not forced to take a certain path; the game changes based on how you play, whether you focus on learning a single weapon or trying out both at the same time. The smooth transition between Samurai and Ninja forms, along with skill trees and the ability to customize tools, makes for a very personal and strategic experience.
The huge number of systems and loot, on the other hand, can be too much to handle. It can be hard to keep track of two different loadouts, many guns, and dozens of buffs and consumables, especially at the beginning of the game. Some players may also find it annoying that you can only use elixirs once, instead of the reusable Estus-style flasks found in other games like Souls.
This is only the case until later in the game, when drop rates start to increase. Combat is mostly smooth, but there are a few minor bugs here and there where enemies get stuck or can’t find you. These are more fun than game-breaking, though. In Nioh 3, you can move forward in a deep and open way.
You can fine-tune your progress by using character levels, weapon skill trees, Samurai and Ninja skill points, and Onmyo magic upgrades. Items like Kodama and Jizo Statues give passive benefits that grow as you explore, and achievements in Titles let you make the game even more your own. You can change your spec points at any time, which lets you try new things without fear of being punished.
Leveling up and moving forward are directly connected to the game loop and affect both how well you fight and how much you can explore. As you level up, you gain entry to areas you couldn’t get to before and gain stronger abilities and more powerful Guardian Spirits.
This connection makes digging for XP or collectibles always worth it because it boosts your survival right away and provides you with more strategic options. The leveling system in Nioh 3 is fun and adds to the experience, unlike systems that are boring or random.
Nioh 3’s graphics build on the style of its predecessors by combining realistic Yokai forms with historical Japanese elements.
Players are more aware and involved when sound cues indicate Guardian Spirit powers, Kodama closeness, and critical damage triggers. Slashing blades, shuriken going off, and Yokai growls are pleasurable and beneficial, allowing players to respond visually and audibly to dangers in the settings.
In Performance mode on PS5, performance is mostly stable, with smooth frame rates and quick controls. Quality mode, on the other hand, causes stuttering sometimes in crowded areas or during long cutscenes. These problems don’t get in the way of normal gaming, but they are something to keep in mind if you’re a visual perfectionist.
The sound design in Nioh 3 is truly amazing. It combines moody music, battle sounds, and background noises to make the experience completely realistic.
Sound cues let players know about Guardian Spirit powers, how close they are to Kodama, and when critical damage will happen, which makes them more alert and involved. The noises of battle, such as slashing blades, shuriken going off, and Yokai growls, are satisfying and beneficial since they let players see and hear dangers.
The story and historical scenes are strengthened by voice acting and background noise, which gives each time period its own unique sound. Team Ninja has done a great job with Nioh 3. It takes the best parts of the previous games and adds new ones in ways that feel fresh and exciting.
Its open-world layout lets you explore without being too much for you, and the dual Samurai/Ninja fighting system gives you more options and depth than any other system. The game’s visuals and sounds work together to make a world that is both beautiful and scary.
The progression and customization systems encourage players to try new things. The story is fine but nothing special, and there are a few bugs and complicated menus here and there, but they’re not big problems when you consider how good and fun the main game is.
The enemies are wonderfully made, exploring has meaning, and fighting is still hard but fun. Nioh 3 is not only a good follow-up for fans of action RPGs and Souls-like gameplay, but it’s also the best game in the series so far.
