Nioh 3, the most recent entry in Koei Tecmo Video games’ darkish samurai motion RPG collection from Group Ninja, is ready to launch on PlayStation 5. I had the possibility to go hands-on with the sport at Tokyo Recreation Present 2025. I explored the newly revealed snowfield space and confronted the daunting yokai incarnation of Takeda Shingen. Right here’s the way it went.
Journey by open fields and have interaction in thrilling battles
Considered one of Nioh 3’s defining new options is its open discipline, which I used to be capable of expertise firsthand throughout one of many demo’s predominant missions.
The scale was smaller in scale because of it being a demo, however the snowfield space was nonetheless filled with discovery. I started by unlocking a shrine to function my central hub, and from there, I uncovered treasure chests containing tools, darkish partitions that unlocked new Guardian Spirit skills when destroyed, misplaced Kodama spirits, and enemy outposts that stay sealed till the Darkish Realm is cleared. The brand new leap motion additional opened up the battlefield, permitting me to scale rocky cliffs and leap throughout floating stone islands. This addition of vertical exploration vastly broadens an space’s potentialities.
Grasp the humanities of two new combating types: Samurai and Ninja
One other spotlight of Nioh 3 is the flexibility to grasp two completely different combating types: Samurai and Ninja. A easy press of the R2 button swaps between the 2, altering stats, weapons, ability units, and even visuals — successfully giving your character two distinct builds in fight.
The Samurai fashion intently mirrors the traditional Nioh expertise. It enables you to wield weapons similar to katanas, twin swords, odachi, and spears to ship devastating blows. Urgent R1 with precision after an assault triggers the Ki Pulse, which restores a portion of your spent stamina (Ki) and dispels the Darkish Realm created by yokai that in any other case disrupts Ki restoration.
A brand new mechanic known as Arts Proficiency introduces a gauge that fills up as you assault and guard. As soon as maxed out, you’ll be able to unleash a robust strike or martial ability to spice up its energy. Assaults enhanced by Arts Proficiency don’t devour Ki, making them notably helpful for managing stamina.
The Samurai’s defensive prowess stands out with its guard mechanic. By guarding proper earlier than an enemy’s assault lands, you set off a Deflect that not solely restores Ki but additionally prices the Arts gauge and Ninjutsu gauge. The Ki restoration impact is very highly effective. Nailing the timing on an ideal guard is difficult, however the payoff is deeply rewarding and satisfying.
In distinction, the Ninja fashion excels with agile motion and environment friendly Ki consumption. Its arsenal consists of tonfa, kusarigama, tekko claws, and reverse-grip twin swords, all targeted on chaining speedy combos. Assaults from behind deal additional harm, empowering gamers to grasp a playstyle constructed on agility, flanking, and relentless chains of assaults.
Two signature mechanics set the Ninja aside: Evade and Mist. Evade is actually an ideal dodge that restores Ki and boosts the Ninjutsu and Arts gauges. Mist summons a phantom clone if you press R1 on the proper second after an assault, drawing enemy focus to the clone and opening alternatives to strike from behind. Mist’s crafty transfer is an ideal showcase of ninja fight.
Ninjutsu provides one other layer to the Ninja fashion and is available in many varieties. Some ninjutsu ship immense energy, whereas others present exact homing capabilities, permitting gamers to take care of an edge from a distance. In contrast to the earlier video games, the place ninjutsu had restricted makes use of, abilities might be activated repeatedly in Nioh 3 so long as the Ninjutsu gauge is charged.
Use Fashion Shift to counter lethal enemy strikes
Switching between Samurai and Ninja types with the R2 button is known as Fashion Shift. Utilizing Fashion Shift in fight unlocks a variety of tactical choices.
Fashion Shift also can interrupt crucial enemy assaults. When an enemy glows crimson, it alerts an incoming unblockable assault. Executing a wonderfully timed Fashion Shift at that second triggers a Burst Break, turning imminent hazard into a robust counterattack. This mechanic is important for dealing with robust bosses, and it stands out as one of many core fight methods in Nioh 3.
Dealing with the good tiger yokai, Takeda Shingen
Subsequent, I confronted a high-stakes battle in opposition to Takeda Shingen, who had remodeled right into a colossal tiger demon. He unleashed speedy four-armed claw combos that transitioned into devastating, wide-area slam assaults.
Shingen additionally summoned the Darkish Realm, twisting the battlefield right into a chilling underworld the place a discipline of crimson spider lilies shortly blossomed and withered, plunging the realm into darkness. Inside this realm, his assault grew much more vicious, mixing aerial feints, plunging strikes, and large fireball projectiles.
Even with the total time restrict, I did not convey Shingen down. I used to be slashed, crushed, burned, and defeated extra occasions than I might depend. There have been occasions I got here shut, solely to falter beneath the immense strain. But this very battle is what makes Nioh so rewarding and enjoyable to play.
Nioh 3 launches February 6, 2026 for PS5. Watch the most recent trailer direct from State of Play beneath:
