Nioh 3 Review: Is It the New King of Action RPGs? A Deep Dive After 100 Hours

In this review, we’re going to be taking a deep dive into the latest Team Ninja title and my most hyped game of the year so far, Nioh 3. Over the past six years, we’ve been seeing Team Ninja experiment outside their traditional comfort zone of Ninja Gaiden and the original Nioh.

With Wo Long, combat had a much more streamlined system built around parrying, while Rise of the Ronin marked Team Ninja’s first true open world experience, which we reviewed as a solid first attempt back in 2024.

Now, with Nioh 3, we can finally see that experimentation culminating into a grand, ambitious Nioh title, as the series’ first open world, time-travelling entry, while streamlining the aspects of Nioh 2.

So, after playing 100 hours and getting 100% of the achievements, can I confidently say they stuck the landing on their most ambitious project yet, and kept the incredibly high standard that Nioh 2 had set back in 2020? Let’s find out!

Nioh 3

Nioh 3 Review: Story and Setting

Setting & World

Nioh 3 can be seen as a sequel to Nioh 1 due to the time period it covers. With Nioh 1 set in 1600 and Nioh 2 set in 1555, this installment explores the future of the original Nioh timeline, after Tokugawa Ieyasu dies of old age and a new Shogun is chosen to lead Edo Japan.

You play as Tokugawa Takechiyo, a weak artist chosen as the inheriting Shogun. However, on the day of inauguration, Kunimatsu makes a play for power by using Yokai to take the title for himself.

In the chaos, you somehow get sent 50 years back into the Warring States period, fighting alongside Tokugawa Ieyasu himself as he battles Takeda Shingen, who is also using the power of Amrita in an attempt to take over Japan.

The time travel aspect expands the setting ambitiously by adding multiple completely different historical eras of Japan for you to explore, each with period-specific designs, characters, and stories. It is a fantastic way to expand upon their original vision, and I thoroughly enjoyed wondering, "Where could they take me next?"

Story

In typical Nioh fashion, the story can be a little rough around the edges. It’s somewhat predictable, cliche, and very convoluted. All of the exposition is compiled into an encyclopedia rather than delivered in cutscenes.

It almost feels like they expect the player to be well-versed in Japanese history, with very brief summaries leaving it up to the player to read walls of text to actually understand what’s going on.

The only huge peeve I have is our main protagonist, Tokugawa Takechiyo. In Nioh 2, creating a character of any gender or race felt believable. In Nioh 3, you play as a specific historical figure in the Tokugawa Family, so you practically have to pick a male Japanese-looking character if you want to fit the story dynamic. Additionally, the character creator is surprisingly lackluster compared to Nioh 2.

Gameplay in Nioh 3

Gameplay Loop

The game drops you into the middle of the first Open World environment with the game just telling you "go." You’re immediately free to explore, which usually kicks off with the Yamainu in the first village tearing you a new one.

In a way that feels similar to Elden Ring, finding valuables in the open world feels rewarding and exciting.

The design of the open world maps feels like a giant level bursting with opportunities. Unlike Assassin’s Creed, the maps are somewhat linear and don't feel "stuffy," striking a good balance between diverging paths and linearity.

Combat

Combat is the core of any Nioh title, and Nioh 3 is no exception with a massive expansion in depth. The core change is splitting 14 weapons into two interchangeable styles: Samurai Style and Ninja Style.

Ninjutsu has been streamlined: you can now attack enemies to slowly recharge Ninjutsu rather than only replenishing at a shrine. Learning how to switch between these two styles raises the skill ceiling to an absurd limit.

Systems & Build Customization

Onmyo Magic has been streamlined to replace the Soul Core system, and guardian spirits now use Spirit Skills which replace the Yokai Shift skills from Nioh 2.

The new weapon scaling takes an MMO approach, where the highest of your stats is the one that has the most effect, making any build much more approachable.

The player is given ultimate control over builds since you can now easily reset ANY stat allocation or skill points with no cost. There are even saveable Build Slots in the Shrine, allowing players to adapt to basically anything.

Exploration & Difficulty

Every single side activity feels rewarding. Whether it is chasing Scampusses, finding hidden Kodama, or praying at Jizo Statues, you get valuable skills and passive bonuses. My favorite activities are the Lesser Crucibles, which are gauntlets that test your combat prowess.

Regarding difficulty, it is quite similar to Elden Ring. Most challenges are concentrated in huge enemies or boss fights rather than the world itself.

This is a huge change from previous titles which had a massive, persistent skill wall. While veterans might find the exploration "casual," the bosses are exceptionally well-designed and act as a hard check on your abilities.

Design, Visual & Audio

The art style is fantastic; the gritty yet colorful palette brings an ambience no other game can replicate. However, the graphics are dated. Some cutscenes literally look like they are from a PS3 title.

Performance-wise, the PS5 version was stable at 60fps on 4k, but the PC version had major issues. Even on a 3090 setup, it couldn't run a stable 60fps at 1440p without reducing rendering resolution to 70%. There is no reason why a title with PS4-level fidelity should perform worse than Cyberpunk 2077.

On the other hand, the audio is excellent. Deflects are my new favorite sound, and the Japanese voice acting is top-tier, featuring professionals like Koyasu Takehito who takes control of every second he is on screen.

Scale, Replayability and Multiplayer

My playthrough took 100 hours to reach 100% achievements, and I was never once bored. Beating the game is really just the beginning; NG+ introduces new rarities, altered missions, and surprise bosses.

Nioh 3 also adds a "remodeling" system to change weapon scaling, making the build possibilities endless. Multiplayer remains a strong suit, with both synchronous co-op and the Benevolent Grave system providing assistants for challenging portions.

Pricepoint: Is it worth it?

At $70, Nioh 3 gives you the best combat system in years and an endless mountain of content. Despite the shaky performance on PC and mediocre graphics, I 100% recommend this as a day 1 purchase for PS5.

Final Thoughts

Though the story is a typical "Nioh story" and PC performance is shaky, every other aspect has been polished to near perfection. Nioh 3 has exceeded Nioh 2 in ambition and scope, delivering a successful, experimental payoff that shows the massive progress Team Ninja has made over the past 6 years.