The soulslike genre in 2026 is close to two decades old at this point in time, so we’ve seen a lot in the space. It has become one of the most beloved types of games, and an absurd amount of games in the genre come out on a yearly basis. Now, the second most prominent franchise in the genre returns as Koei Tecmo and Team Ninja have released Nioh 3. The original Nioh is what drew me into the genre and after a six year wait since Nioh 2, crazy that it’s already been that long, I finally get to dive back into one of the best out there. Thus, let’s dive in to see what Team Ninja cooked up for the third installment after all this time.
The Nioh games have always been lauded for their fast paced hardcore action gameplay and challenging difficulty even in a genre known for its difficulty. While Nioh 3 retains the top notch gameplay the series is known for, it is easily the most accessible,varied, and far more forgiving entry in the series. One reason for this is the introduction of the Ninja Stance which can be switched to at any time and presents a completely different playstyle compared to the traditional Nioh experience. However, fans shouldn’t fret as the classic style of combat is still present and is now known as the Samurai Stance.
The duality of the two stances only goes to increase the variety of combat. You can forego one stance entirely and just play in the style you prefer as they both have their pros and cons or switch up at any time to mix up how you take on enemies with even the counter this time around being a stance shift between the two. As aforementioned, the Samurai Stance is classic Nioh as it features Ki Pulses, stances, and hard hitting attacks. Ninja Stance, on the other hand, features faster attacks, more focus on ki damage, and puts more emphasis on skills and items. The different stances combined with the insane amount of weapons, armor sets, and guardian spirits (all of which are different for each stance) gives you so much build variety to find the perfect style that fits you best. Plus, the game lets you reset skill points and level distribution for free at any time, so if you aren’t enjoying the build you have, you can switch it up at ease.
The other reason the game is more accessible is Team Ninja finally moved away from the mission based structure of the first two games, and instead goes with bigger open areas to explore and each area having multiple questlines to complete. Throughout the game, there are three major areas with their own subareas to explore. If you get stuck on a particular mainline boss you can go explore and level yourself up or unlock new skills, onmyo magic, or gather enemy soul cores which can either be equipped for summons or provide buffs and debuffs. Thus, giving you the opportunity to take on the boss again with more knowledge and a higher skill level.
While this is a big improvement and something fans have been wanting since the first game, the open areas don’t offer a whole lot of variety in the things that you can do. There are enemy bases to capture, some overworld bosses to discover, minor side quests to do, combat arenas, or, my favorite, chase scampusses around. The open areas are fun to run around in, but the extra content starts to feel bit samey as you progress through the game. There are a few instances such as a side quest resulting in taking on a boss as part of that quest instead of in the main story. However, that’s just one instance, and most side quests are much simpler with no overarching plotlines.
Then there is the story of Nioh 3. Unfortunately, the game features the weakest story of the series. While the first two games are more connected as historical Japanese fiction, Nioh 3 doesn’t have much of a connection to the first two aside from some returning characters. This time around you play as Tokugawa Takechiyo who is set to be the next shogun. However, when you are attacked by yokai at the start of the game, your younger brother betrays you to take the role of shogun for himself. The story then sees Takechiyo transported through time to different eras of Japan’s history. While the story may not be the best, it makes it an easy jumping in point for new players who don’t need to know the history of the series to understand what is happening.
The biggest downside to Nioh 3, which has also plagued the series since its inception, is the enemy variety. Most enemies return from the first two games with a few new ones introduced. For the first entry in six years, you would expect a bit more variety in enemies you encounter. This is highlighted the most with the bosses in the game. The previous games have had some incredibly challenging and unique bosses in both yokai and human bosses encountered. Nioh 3 features an absurd amount of reused bosses from the first two games especially when it comes to overworld bosses you encounter. While it was cool to see a boss return at first, by the time you encounter that same boss for the third time, the repetition becomes glaring. This even expands to mainline bosses you encounter. While most mainline bosses are new, there are still plenty of reused bosses you still have to fight as part of the narrative. This all makes it feel as if this game features the weakest slate of boss encounters which could’ve been so much better had the developers even just brought in a few more different bosses from earlier games instead of just using the same few throughout of this game.
Overall, Nioh 3 is succeeds with its fantastic gameplay and strong build variety. It being more accessible and not as hardcore as the previous games means anyone who is even tangentially interested in the series can jump in to experience one of the best soulslike franchises. Despite a strong foundation, the weak story and poor enemy variety hold the game back from being something truly exceptional.
Score: 9 out of 10
Reviewed on PlayStation 5