Nioh 3

Team Ninja · Koei Tecmo · Action RPG

PS5Xbox Series X|SPC2026-02-06

8.4/10

皮肉なサキ's Verdict

“Team Ninja heard 'too hard' and responded by making it harder. Respect.”

The Review

Nioh 3 is what happens when a studio looks at their already punishing combat system and thinks 'not enough.' New stance combos, yokai abilities, and a weapon mastery system that makes the skill ceiling basically invisible.

The loot system is still chaos. You'll pick up 47 swords per mission and compare stats until your eyes bleed. If you love min-maxing, this is paradise. If you don't, it's a spreadsheet disguised as a game.

Boss design is the highlight. Every major fight is a learning experience disguised as a beating. You'll die. A lot. And then the pattern clicks and you feel like a god. That loop never gets old.

The Japanese historical setting continues to be fantastic. Real events, real figures, supernatural twists. It's history class for people who skipped history class.

Co-op is still the best way to survive. Also the best way to realize your friend is way better at this game than you are.

What It Nails

+Combat depth is unmatched in the genre. Stances, combos, yokai abilities, and weapon mastery create near-infinite expression.
+Boss design is incredible. Every fight teaches you something and the victory payoff is massive.
+Performance is rock solid. 60fps on console with no drops during the most chaotic fights.

What It Botches

-Loot bloat is still a problem. Too many drops, too many stats. Inventory management is a second job.
-Difficulty curve assumes you played Nioh 1 and 2. New players will hit a wall in the first hour.
-Level design outside of boss arenas is sometimes repetitive. Corridors and shortcuts start to blur together.

Who It's For

Souls-like veterans who think Dark Souls is too simple. Loot grinders. Anyone who measures fun in deaths-per-hour.

Who Should Skip

If you want a chill experience, run. If loot management gives you anxiety, run faster. If you haven't played Nioh 1 or 2, consider starting there.

Marketing Roast

The trailer opened with 'prepare to die' energy, which is not even subtle at this point. We get it. It's hard. The marketing showed a lot of flashy combat and zero seconds of comparing sword stats, which is actually half the game.