Nioh 3 Review — Team Ninja’s Mastery of Action Reaches New Heights

After many hours of deflecting, dodging, counter-attacking, and slaying countless enemies, yokai, and warriors in Nioh 3, I was reminded of something: few developers understand the essence of action games quite like Team Ninja.

Since its founding in 1995 as Tecmo’s third creative division under Tomonobu Itagaki, Team Ninja has built a reputation for fast-paced, fluid, and brutally satisfying combat. From the steep enemy-filled staircases of Ninja Gaiden to the open world of Rise of the Ronin and their flagship franchise Nioh, the studio has always pursued precision and intensity.

The Return of a Ruthless Formula

I haven’t finished Nioh 3 yet, and I wouldn’t call myself an expert—having only completed the second game—but after about twenty hours, I can safely say this: Nioh 3 is more Nioh, and that’s absolutely a compliment.

The game opens with chaos: an invasion of yokai disrupts the day our customizable protagonist is set to become shogun. Forced to flee, we learn the fundamentals—light and heavy attacks, stamina (Ki) management, and the signature Ki Pulsesystem that purifies yokai corruption while recovering energy.

Mastering this mechanic is once again essential for survival. But there’s a twist this time: the introduction of the Ninja stance, switchable with R2, allowing agile long-range attacks, Ninjutsu abilities like shuriken and fire breath, and a dodge that leaves behind a phantom image to deceive enemies. However, this stance doesn’t purify yokai pools, making it a strategic trade-off.

Switching stances at the perfect moment can also trigger devastating counterattacks, stunning enemies and opening them to stylish finishers. None of that, of course, will stop you from dying repeatedly—but that’s part of the Nioh experience.

A Semi-Open Sengoku Era

Death leads to a mysterious twist: time travel to Japan’s Sengoku era. From atop a hill in the Totomi province, the second major innovation becomes clear — Nioh 3 now features a semi-open-world structure.

Where the first two games used self-contained missions, Nioh 3 introduces large interconnected regions divided by eras. Each area has multiple missions, secrets, and routes, unlocking as you purify corruption from the land.

Exploration is more vertical and diverse — ruined battlefields, villages ravaged by yokai, haunted caves, corrupted temples, and enemy-occupied castles all await discovery. This shift to semi-open design gives Nioh 3 a stronger sense of progression and freedom, rewarding strategy, stealth, and planning on the way to every boss fight.

The Endless Dance of Loot and Customization

And of course, there’s loot. So much loot. Like its predecessors, Nioh 3 showers you with weapons, armor, amulets, and crafting materials. While customization depth is immense, the clutter can be overwhelming.

You’ll spend plenty of time in menus refining builds, enhancing gear, and adjusting skills. The game features dual skill trees for the Samurai and Ninja stances, weapon-specific branches, and a vast system of yokai spirits and transformations that can turn the tide in boss battles.

It’s dense, ambitious, and often exhilarating — but also occasionally exhausting. Team Ninja still struggles to balance quantity with focus. Finding an ideal build feels empowering; managing inventory does not.

Mastering the Flow of Combat

Where Nioh 3 shines brightest is its combat identity. Calling it a simple “soulslike” feels unfair. The rhythm is faster, yet each strike lands with tangible weight. Every swing, parry, and dodge carries intent.

The game’s clarity — even amid chaos — is astonishing. It’s fast without being confusing, technical without being rigid, and layered without losing its core intensity. Few studios combine that level of responsiveness and clarity, and it’s why Nioh fans remain fiercely loyal.

The addition of eras and semi-open exploration feels like the perfect evolution, allowing players to pace themselves rather than face constant fatigue. Meanwhile, the Ninja stance adds flexibility, letting you experiment freely without forcing you into one specific playstyle.

Final Verdict

At its heart, Nioh 3 doesn’t reinvent the series — it refines it. Fans will love it, newcomers may still find it punishing, but for those who already appreciate the precision and artistry of Team Ninja’s design, this is another masterstroke.

Now if you’ll excuse me, I have more eras to cleanse — and plenty more yokai to slay.