Hands-On with Nioh 3: Dual Playstyles, Tough Bosses, and Tense Moments

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Nioh 3 is coming to PC and PS5 soon, and it looks like a great addition to the series. In the game, you play as Tokugawa Takechiyo, traveling through time to protect Japan. You’ll battle hordes of Yokai across different historical periods, including the Edo, Sengoku, and Heian eras.

Like its predecessors, Nioh 3 emphasizes fast-paced action similar to games like Ninja Gaiden and Onimusha, rather than being a typical Soulslike game, though it’s still very challenging. What really makes Nioh 3 stand out is its two distinct playstyles: a traditional Samurai style, complete with the returning Ki Pulse mechanic, and a quicker, more agile Ninja style with unique features. Recently, Game Rant spent three hours playing Nioh 3 at Koei Tecmo’s offices, experiencing a portion of the Bakumatsu era and even battling Takeda Shingen at the Tokyo Game Show – a fight that left us wanting a rematch!

Learning the Ninja

Nioh has always been a complicated game with a lot of time spent navigating menus, and Nioh 3 takes that even further. The game treats the Samurai and Ninja classes as completely separate characters, meaning players need to manage twice as much equipment and spend more time in menus. Surprisingly, it feels quite natural. We picked up the system faster than expected, even though the game immediately gives you a lot of gear and abilities. After the tutorial, we experimented with different weapons to find what worked best for our playthrough.

I built my Samurai character to be a durable, long-range fighter, equipping them with a spear and a large Odachi sword. This felt better than my Ninja build, which eventually focused on dual long swords to emphasize the class’s agile, quick-attack style. The Samurai can recover stamina with a well-timed Ki Pulse, while the Ninja has a similar ability called Mist, letting them quickly reposition and strike from behind – a key strategy, as Ninjas deal double damage when attacking enemies from the rear. While I could still effectively fight straightforward battles with the Ninja without worrying too much about positioning, the Mist ability proved really useful in tricky situations. As expected, mastering the different skills and techniques for each character was complex, but the game’s controls were surprisingly smooth and intuitive, making the action feel natural and responsive.

The game feels familiar to fans of Nioh, but the Ninja character adds a fast-paced, agile style that fits perfectly. Surprisingly, I actually preferred playing as the Ninja. I quickly found a combined playstyle that was really fun. A new mechanic lets you parry attacks and instantly switch characters. When an enemy glows red before a strong attack, pressing the switch button at the right time will parry, damage them, and change your character. I mostly played as the Ninja, waiting for these opportunities, then used the Samurai’s powerful weapons on the stunned enemy before switching back to the Ninja for speed. I think this effectively combines the strengths of both characters, letting you avoid their weaknesses against difficult enemies. It’s risky to time the parries perfectly, but that’s what makes it so exciting.

Exploring the Bakumatsu Era

We began in the Bakumatsu Era, battling through a modified Pleasure District and eventually completing the Crucible. While the level design felt familiar to previous Nioh games, it was a solid showcase of what the game offers, blending straightforward paths with opportunities for exploration. The limited open-field areas seemed to allow free movement between locations. The areas themselves felt a bit more spacious, but still maintained the close-quarters combat and tension players expect from Nioh‘s level design. I often found myself exploring side paths, but eventually reached the final area: The Crucible Realm.

The level was filled with enemies and interesting challenges, including cleverly designed traps. While the open areas sometimes felt a bit more forgiving than in previous Nioh games, there were still plenty of hazards to overcome. This level felt like a great preview of what Nioh 3 could offer, and I’m excited to see more. I believe this combination of gameplay and level design has the potential to create truly memorable and difficult stages.

Despite some difficulties, I’m pretty experienced with games like this, and I was hoping for a real challenge. I managed to defeat several bosses throughout the game world fairly easily, usually in just one or two attempts – likely thanks to the good equipment we had. Each boss felt distinct and engaging, with unique strategies. The final boss in the Crucible looked simple enough, and I expected an easy win. However, it tricked me with its slow, predictable movements, suddenly transforming into a terrifying, vine-covered monster that actually put up a tough fight. The battle was incredibly intense and created a truly memorable gaming moment.

Man, that last fight was intense! I was practically on my last sliver of health, and so was the boss. I knew one wrong move and it was over. The boss started charging up this huge red attack, and I had a choice: play it safe and dodge, or go for a risky parry and character shift. Honestly, I’m a sucker for taking chances, so I went for the shift. Landing it and taking the boss down was so satisfying! If Nioh 3 keeps delivering moments like that when it fully releases next year, it’s easily going to be in my top ten games of 2026. It just felt incredible.

Getting Humbled by Takeda Shingen

I progressed to about the middle of the Tokyo Game Show level and defeated the boss, Takeda Shingen. I was really feeling good and confident at this point. I had mastered the controls, understood my character’s strengths, and had easily won all the previous battles.

Honestly, when I first saw Takeda, I wasn’t scared, I was impressed! I’m a big fan of bosses inspired by lions, and he reminded me a lot of Godfrey from Elden Ring. But let me tell you, he quickly showed me what I was up against! I managed to get him down to almost nothing a couple of times, but most of the fight, he totally dominated me. He really set the stage for the challenge Nioh 3 is going to be, and I’m loving it. I must have fought him around ten times, but I just couldn’t beat him!

I’ve made a promise to myself: as soon as Nioh 3 comes out, I’m going straight for Takeda Shingen! It’s become a bit of a personal challenge for me, and I’m seriously counting down the days until February 6th. I can’t wait to jump back in and finally get my revenge – and then keep playing for a long time after that!

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2025-11-21 16:14