The ‘Souls’ genre was pioneered by one company, and you know which one. It’s hard to separate other franchises from the originators of the sadistic gameplay that keeps everyone coming back for more. 2017’s Nioh originally seemed like another company trying to cash in on the trend rather than buck it.
I was eager to try it, after all, its bizarre-looking Yokai and flashy visuals were enough to pique my interest. Two full playthroughs later, and it swiftly stormed the ranks of my best Soulslike list to reach the number two spot—only behind Bloodborne. Nioh 2 was a more than worthy follow-up, with its ‘if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it’ approach sometimes bordering on laissez-faire rather than innovation.
Nioh 3 is a far bigger shift and a much bigger game than its predecessors. When all was said and done with my journey, any doubts I had about the title’s tonal changes were wiped out quicker than my character’s first health bar within the first few minutes of gameplay.
Nioh 3 Review
I want to discuss the two biggest changes to Nioh 3 that make this a completely different game: World-building and traversal, and the interchangeable dual-Samurai and Ninja gameplay shifts.
The first two Nioh games consisted of many mostly linear levels. You find Shrines to save, make wholesale changes, and level up. There was the odd hidden path and Kodama, where you might need to channel your childhood hide-and-seek skills to find them, and then the customary boss at the end. Nioh 3 dispenses with this cut-and-dry A-to-B formula and does what many contemporaries have shifted to: Open-world design.
The thought of this initially discouraged me as I always enjoyed its predecessor’s simple mission structure. I found that Nioh 3 becomes a much deeper and denser experience as a result. It has multiple huge regions, but they’re not crammed to the rafters with dead space and pretty but empty fields—although the game certainly is pretty.
It feels like Nioh’s usual level design, but welded together to create a cohesive playground of horrors that coalesces beautifully.
Achieving total completion of each region requires you to complete missions, find the ever-lovable Kodamas, bathe in Hot Springs, chase Scampuss Yokai around in hilarious Tom & Jerry fashion; it’s like a ‘best of’ Nioh collectibles spread across the map—with enough variety that it doesn’t feel like a grind.
While you’re trying to help Tokugawa Takechiyo become the next Shogun, you can take a breather to go and clear an Enemy Base and grind some Amrita. The story is quite powerful, though, and it features some of the most impressive cutscenes the franchise has delivered to date.
Nioh 3 jumps every era of shark by having you time-travel, and you come across more famous names from history. There’s enough betrayal and bloodshed to keep you entertained throughout its roughly 40-hour duration.
Hall of Fameplay
This is no exaggeration and no hyperbole: Nioh 3 might be the best combat of any Soulslike.
The core changes might deter and alienate die-hard fans, but this feels like the most accessible the series has ever been. Samurai and Ninja playstyles are still at the forefront of combat, but you can now switch between the two in the blink of an eye with the push of a button.
Samurai focuses on bigger, harder-hitting strikes with the ability to restore Ki—Nioh’s classic stamina feature back and as punishing as ever—and the Ninja stance encourages fast flurries with an emphasis on Ninjutsu: Kunai blades, Bombs; you get the idea. I spent the majority of the game’s opening hours largely neglecting the Ninja style because I’m an openly ignorant Souls player who finds what he likes and rigidly (and foolishly) sticks to it.
This usually consists of finding the biggest, hardest-hitting weapon and delivering demonic blows to demonic foes, but it often works, so leave me alone!
The penny eventually dropped, and I found with the right Ninja setup I could inflict staggering amounts of damage by quickly getting in behind my enemy, dropping combos like they were hot, firing a few Ninjutsu their way to deplete their Ki, and scarpering before I felt the wrath of an angry Yokai.
Ninjutu slowly refills if you deal enough damage, and you can really mix it up. I eventually learned to cycle between the two styles when the right situation or boss fight called for it.
In classic Nioh fashion, there are so many weapons, secondary armaments, Guardian Spirit abilities, Talismans, armor sets with unique bonuses, and Ninjutsu options that you’re spoiled for choice with your build. Resetting skills is easy, and Team Ninja basically gives you the keys to the kingdom.
I could wax lyrical about the gameplay for days, but those moments are interrupted by the game telling me I’ve been slain, drowned, or burned to death for the 3,000th time. For all of Nioh 3’s changes, there’s one thing that won’t budge: The difficulty.
Get Rich or Yokai Tryin’
Is Nioh 3 the hardest Souls game I’ve ever played? No. 2025’s The First Berserker: Khazan genuinely had me retrying boss fights for hours. That’s not to say Nioh 3 doesn’t have its own share of tanky annoyances—or this might just be copium—but the length and depth of Nioh 3’s loot system means you can pretty much get the gear you need to suit your playstyle, or adapt to the weaknesses of a new boss.
Souls games are daunting, and there’s no getting away from that. On the other hand, I still find them to be the most rewarding genre of game I’ve ever played. Nioh 3 rewards me with a mini-pool of loot vomit when I beat a boss and a big screen to say congratulations and pat me on my battered and bloodied back, and I still love this feeling.
I wish Nioh 3 had found a way to move away from the endless streams of loot, leaving you menu-hopping through an already exhausting series of screens. It took me away from Nioh 3’s actual gameplay. If you’re an avid explorer, you will quickly stockpile enough gear to resemble a human katamari.
New QOL features make this micromanaging somewhat more tolerable, but the menu aspects really need to be finetuned for future games—or removed altogether.
But if the new Crucible areas have come at the price of UI improvements, that’s ok with me. They are the complete embodiment of excellent soundtrack placement and unbelievable visual design, and bring a hellish vibe that shows why Nioh is so different than Wo Long: Fallen Dynasty and Rise of the Ronin, and much more interesting.
Nioh 3 Review Verdict
I don’t like using the words ‘magnum opus’ for an ongoing franchise, as it suggests a series has peaked from a creative and production standpoint. But as I sit here writing this review, Nioh 3 is Team Ninja’s best work, and I think it’s masterfully crafted.
If you love a hard Soulslike, demand a challenge, and want flawless combat with countless loadout avenues to explore, a plethora of enemy types, and a simplistic and rich open world, then Nioh 3 is the perfect slice of Yokai pie.
I feel my Nioh 3 review sums up the game perfectly, and long-time fans should see the differences. But are you a newbie who feels compelled to pick up Nioh 3 now? Let me know via our free-to-join Insider Gaming Discord.
Nioh 3
10
