Nioh 3 review: Reaches for Elden Ring and almost pulls it off

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Rather than simply making another similar game, Nioh 3 completely changes how the series plays. It moves away from smaller, focused missions and introduces a vast, open world to explore. This is the biggest change Team Ninja has ever made to the Nioh formula, and for the most part, it works really well.

The original Nioh became known as a challenging action RPG, praised for its skillful combat and unique take on the Souls-like genre. While Nioh 2 improved upon that foundation, Nioh 3 aims much higher, attempting a significant leap forward.

Nioh 3 clearly aims high, but it’s held back by overly complicated gameplay. Strong concepts are lost in a tangle of systems, and the game’s world feels less immersive due to unconvincing voice acting.

Nioh 3 is the strongest game in the series so far, thanks to its clever gameplay choices, though it does make a few of the older problems more noticeable.

Nioh 3 screenshots

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What is Nioh 3 about?

Tokugawa Ieyasu, the current shogun, wants to ensure a smooth transition of power. He’s chosen you, his grandson Takechiyo, to be the next leader.

As Takechiyo traveled to the ceremony where he would become shogun, he was ambushed by a massive wave of demons. In a predictable yet shocking turn of events, his brother revealed he was behind the attack, driven by envy that Takechiyo was chosen to lead instead of him.

After a quick introduction to samurai skills, you’re guided towards your first major challenge: defeating a boss and truly beginning your journey.

The game rushes through explanations of its many systems – like Burst Breaks, Guardian Spirits, and Blessings – using quick tooltips. This doesn’t give players enough time to understand them, especially before they can even appreciate Nioh 3’s most significant improvement.

Style Shift feels like a smooth and logical step forward for Nioh’s fighting system. Previous games struggled to successfully blend challenging, methodical combat with faster, more action-packed gameplay, but Team Ninja has finally achieved that balance in this third installment.

Nioh 3 draws inspiration from games like Elden Ring and Ninja Gaiden by offering distinct playstyles: one focused on careful, strategic fighting, and another on quick, combo-driven action. It separates these approaches into different character classes.

Best of both worlds

Okay, so in Nioh 3, they didn’t make me pick one style to play. Which is awesome! I can switch instantly between a Samurai and a Ninja – seriously, just a button press. It’s like playing two different games in one because each one feels totally different, has its own special moves, and I need to collect separate gear for each. It’s a game changer!

One version offers the classic Nioh gameplay – deliberate, powerful sword fighting and switching between combat stances. The other focuses on a faster, more mobile style, using weapons like tonfa and chains, and relying on quick attacks and tools like shurikens and traps instead of traditional stances.

The ability to switch between playing as a stoic samurai or a quick ninja never felt forced or artificial. I naturally chose whichever style best suited the enemy I was facing. While enemies seemed designed with a specific style in mind, you could still beat the game using only one if you preferred.

The Style Shift system alone offers RPG fans deep customization options, effectively combining two game types within a single character. When Nioh 3 introduces these exciting new features, it’s incredibly engaging and makes it easy to lose track of time.

However, the game frequently interrupts you with lots of menus and tasks related to managing resources and making progress, which can become tedious and time-consuming.

Systems on systems

Nioh 3’s battles are perfectly balanced, but the game as a whole focuses a bit too much on RPG elements. Whether you’ll like this depends on what you enjoyed about the first two Nioh games, as it shifts the overall feel of the experience.

The open world isn’t the issue at all – in fact, it’s one of Nioh 3’s best features, along with the Style Shift system. Similar to Elden Ring, the ability to explore different areas when you get stuck on a boss makes the game more accessible and encourages exploration, rewarding players with experience, improvements, and useful items.

Nioh 3 really focuses on collecting items – it’s almost an obsession. Even after playing for 15 hours and exploring Japan, I kept finding new items, each with lengthy descriptions detailing their significance.

Soul Cores, which can drop from any enemy, are used to create Onmyo Magic items. These items have different abilities depending on whether you place them in the Yin or Yang equipment slot.

I could detail all eight (or more!) of the game’s progression systems, but that would be a tedious task, much like endlessly searching for better weapons in the challenging Crucible areas of Nioh 3.

Nioh 3’s biggest flaw is that it includes many small, unnecessary systems. While each one has a minor use, they often distract from the core gameplay that makes the game enjoyable, feeling like added content just for the sake of having more content.

The issue with the voice acting in Nioh 3 – and now this game – is deeply distracting. Hearing a major historical figure like Tokugawa Ieyasu speak with a British accent and in an unnatural way instantly breaks your immersion and makes it hard to get lost in the game.

While not disastrous, these issues still hold Nioh 3 back. It offers the most detailed and customizable character creation I’ve seen in a samurai or ninja game, but it’s bogged down by too many features and suffers from a lack of strong voice acting, which hurts its otherwise compelling story based on Japanese folklore.

Verdict

Nioh 3 perfectly blends RPG elements with fast-paced, action-packed combat. I’m eager to explore every corner of its expansive world, though I anticipate some challenges along the way.

I’m only focusing on the core elements needed to create a great Samurai/Ninja character, and I’ll be ignoring the tedious management aspects to concentrate on perfecting the Style Shift system.

While Nioh 3 isn’t the most visually stunning game, it’s not a major issue. The biggest drawbacks are the uninspired voice acting, which makes it hard to get invested in the story, and the game having too many unnecessary features.

Look, Nioh 3 has its flaws, sure, but honestly, it’s an incredible game. Be warned though – it’s seriously addictive! Once you get the hang of the combat, which is still the best part of the whole series, it’s so rewarding. It’ll eat up all your free time, but you won’t even mind!

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2026-02-04 20:21