Nioh 3 Hands-On Preview: Will You Play as a Ninja or Samurai with the Exciting New Combat Style?

by

The Nioh games are known for giving players a lot to manage. The first game featured a constant stream of loot from enemies, requiring players to frequently update their equipment. The second game expanded on this, adding powerful Yokai abilities – including special attacks and a challenging parry system – to give players even more options in combat.

Nioh 3 builds on the previous games with an exciting new addition: a completely new combat style. Players can still fight using the traditional sword-based combat they’re familiar with, now called ‘Samurai’ style. But Nioh 3 also introduces ‘Ninja’ style, which focuses on stealth, quick movements, and using various tools.

Nioh 3 isn’t just improving its battles; the game world itself is much larger now. The new levels are more open and offer players several ways to approach challenges, letting them explore different historical periods of demon-filled Japan.

TopMob recently got a sneak peek at Nioh 3 before its release on February 6th. Having thoroughly enjoyed the first two games, we wanted to see if the third installment could offer something new, or if it would fall behind.

So, I got to play an early version of Nioh 3, and it’s looking really promising! There were a few rough edges, mostly with me falling through the levels sometimes – apparently, they’re still working on making sure that doesn’t happen. The developers said they’re fixing those kinds of glitches before the game officially comes out, so I’m not too worried about it. It’s definitely still being polished, but even with those small issues, I’m super excited for the full release!

Nioh 3’s Going Back In Time


Image Via Team Ninja

Similar to previous games in the series, Nioh 3 features a historical figure with an over-the-top anime style. This time, players control Tokugawa Takechiyo, who will eventually become the Shogun of Japan. However, his younger brother betrays him, joining forces with demons to conquer the country and plunge it into a war against supernatural creatures known as Yokai.

I’m so hyped! Tokugawa actually makes it through that awful betrayal, and it turns out he’s helped by this incredible spirit called Kusanagi. Kusanagi can actually travel through time! So now, Tokugawa and Kusanagi are going on this epic journey, hopping through different eras to find anyone – people and powerful spirits – who can help them save Japan from this new, terrible ruler. It sounds amazing!

Nioh 3 takes place across different eras, each featuring a large, unique environment. The demo I played was set during the Bakumatsu period, in a city infested with Yokai. A huge, crimson structure called the Crucible loomed in the background – it was the source of the Yokai’s power and the player’s ultimate goal to destroy.

Nioh 3 Expects Players To Master Two Styles At The Same Time

The biggest new feature in Nioh 3 is the ability to switch between two distinct fighting styles: Samurai and Ninja. Each style has its own weapons, skills, and gameplay mechanics. What makes this really special is that you can switch between them instantly with a single button press, giving you access to both movesets throughout the entire game.

Players of the first two Nioh games will recognize the Samurai fighting style. It focuses on changing between different combat stances to unlock various attacks, carefully timing Ki Pulses to recover stamina during battles, and precisely blocking to reduce damage that breaks your defenses.

I’m really excited about the new Ninja style they added! It’s totally different from the other fighters – they focus on being super quick and using weapons like tonfas and hatchets instead of just raw power. They can’t do the usual Ki Pulse, but they have this amazing dodge called the Mist that’s almost instant. Plus, they’ve got all sorts of cool tools they can throw at enemies – things like caltrops, shurikens, and even bombs! It really changes up the gameplay.

These two fighting styles are very different. The Ninja is best for quickly getting close to enemies, disrupting them with attacks, and then dodging away. Players can switch to the Samurai when they need to stand their ground and deal significant damage with powerful weapon attacks.

These two fighting styles are very different. One excels at quickly getting close to an opponent, dealing a lot of damage that disrupts their attacks, and then moving to safety.

Nioh 3 features a revamped parry and counter system. Instead of the previous one, you can now counter attacks by switching stances just as an enemy’s attack lands – indicated by a red flash. While the timing is challenging, particularly with fast or unpredictable enemies, successfully landing a counter feels very rewarding.

The biggest improvement in Nioh 3 is the new Ninja style, which dramatically changes how you fight. Older games had fewer options, so getting stuck on a boss or level could be really frustrating. Now, with more ways to approach each fight, it’s more fun to experiment with different styles and try again, as you have a wider range of abilities at your disposal.

Nioh 3 Is Packed Full Of Combat Options


Image Via Team Ninja

Nioh 2’s Yokai powers are back in the sequel, and there are some new ones too. Players can use a Guardian Spirit to unlock two unique abilities – typically an attack and a summon. You can also fully merge with your spirit for a powerful transformation that significantly boosts damage. However, this transformation uses a special meter that drains over time, and depletes even faster if you take damage.

The game features an Arts Gauge that fills up as you attack enemies. When full, using a charged attack or special martial art move will give you temporary benefits, like using less stamina.

The game features two different ways to fight, offering tons of options. You can use special attacks, items, and powerful Guardian Spirits, even transform into a spirit yourself! Plus, you can dodge, parry, or block, and utilize gauges for martial arts and spirit energy. Helpful Yokai offer blessings, and a system from the previous game lets you gain extra buffs. All of these abilities are easily accessible with a single button press.

This game is demanding, and you’ll need to master all its features to succeed. Every enemy in Nioh 3 is tough and can quickly overwhelm you. Sadly, a frustrating issue from previous games returns: enemies have fast, hard-to-react-to grab attacks that can deal significant damage if you’re caught nearby.

How Nioh 3 Has Changed The Game World


Image Via Team Ninja

The earlier Nioh games followed a straightforward structure, dividing gameplay into distinct stages with suggested character levels. Many optional missions reused existing levels, so players often found themselves replaying familiar areas.

Nioh 3 is taking a new approach to its level design. Initially, many players thought the game would be fully open-world. However, the developers have explained it’s more accurately described as ‘Open-Field’ – meaning levels are larger and offer greater freedom in how you explore, but are still divided into distinct areas rather than being one continuous, seamless world.

Nioh 3 is redesigning its levels. Each area now features a Crucible – a challenging zone filled with powerful monsters called Yokai. The deeper you go into a Crucible, the tougher the enemies become. Because these areas are part of the Yokai realm, getting hit causes a ‘Life Corrosion’ effect, slowly draining your health. However, defeating enemies removes this effect, and also quickly fills your Amrita Gauge, letting you use special abilities more often. It’s a risk-reward system: take damage and lose health, or fight back and gain power.

Nioh 3 expands on its level design by offering more optional routes and opportunities to prepare for boss battles. Unlike the first two Nioh games, which featured fairly straightforward paths with unlockable shortcuts, Nioh 3 lets players explore a wider variety of routes.

Each level includes optional challenges that can make it simpler to complete. These come in a few forms: Lesser Crucibles are small arena battles against groups of enemies, Crucible Spikes are targets you can destroy, and Enemy Bases contain enemies you can defeat using either stealth or direct combat.

Finishing optional goals will reward you with better equipment, make enemies easier to defeat, and open up new locations. In Nioh 3, you can now use a new ability called “Spirit Veins” – essentially, yellow paint – to run on walls or fly through the air, letting you reach previously inaccessible areas.

You’ll encounter both helpful and hostile Yokai in Nioh 3, and some returning favorites! The Scampuss will give you items if you catch it, Kodama offer helpful bonuses when returned to shrines, and Sudama acts as a merchant if you have money. Nioh 3 also introduces the Chijiko, friendly weasels that float around with balloons. Listen for the bells on their balloons to find them, and shoot them down with an arrow or bullet to earn a reward.

This new feature lets players explore levels in more ways. Although you might be tempted to go straight for the boss, it’s better to take your time – that’s something best left to those trying to beat the game quickly. If you want to succeed, you’ll need to complete the smaller challenges to get better equipment, which is essential for surviving the dangers ahead.

Nioh 3 now lets you fast travel anywhere on the map, even during fights, which is a huge improvement. You don’t need to find shrines to move between areas anymore. This change was really needed because the levels in this game are much larger than before.

I didn’t enjoy the addition of traps in the main game world. The Bakumetsu stage was full of difficult-to-see tripwires that caused a lot of damage. I much preferred battling demons than constantly searching for nearly invisible lines on the ground.

How Does Nioh 3 Feel Compared To Its Predecessors?


Image Via Team Ninja

That covers all the new features in Nioh 3. But how do they actually play out in the game? Nioh has always been compared to FromSoftware’s popular titles, so how does it stack up?

Nioh 3 introduces a lot of new features, and they all improve the game. From my hands-on preview, it’s already the most enjoyable entry in the Nioh series I’ve played so far.

The new combat styles are a big step up from the old ones, offering a noticeably different feel and changing how you tackle battles. They also make replaying fights less annoying – if you’re struggling with a particular style, you can simply switch to the other and try again.

The differences between the two combat styles really showed up during the final boss fight. The boss was a huge stone statue that attacked slowly but hit incredibly hard. Once we weakened it enough, the battle shifted to a new dimension, and the statue dramatically changed into fast-moving, black tentacles, completely changing its attack pattern to cover a much wider area.

Okay, so my first try against this boss was a disaster. I went in as a Samurai, thinking I could tank it, but I was not ready for phase two! I just couldn’t block or dodge fast enough. But then I switched to Ninja for my second attempt, and it was a total game changer. Dodging was so much easier, and my faster attacks drained the boss’s Ki way quicker. It let me actually prepare for each phase, which was awesome.

Changing between different combat styles significantly enhanced the gameplay. Although mastering all of Nioh 3’s tools and knowing when to use them can be challenging, it’s incredibly rewarding when you finally get the hang of it.

Changing between fighting styles reduces frustration when you keep losing the same fight. If you fail while using one style, you can simply switch to the other and try again.

The new features significantly reduce the harsh difficulty of Nioh 3, particularly because the combat is faster-paced than in games like those made by FromSoftware. Nioh 3 now feels more similar to Stranger of Paradise: Final Fantasy Origin, offering players a lot more options and flexibility during battles compared to earlier Nioh games.

I’m torn between the two styles. The Samurai style feels more comfortable since it’s similar to what I’m used to from earlier games, but the Ninja style is incredibly enjoyable thanks to its fast pace and quick responses.

The main drawback of the Ninja playstyle is that its tools don’t feel very effective. Things like shurikens and caltrops are only useful in specific situations and don’t do a lot of damage overall. It’s generally more efficient to simply attack enemies directly than to rely on these tools.

The larger levels, which offer extra things to discover, are a great addition. Previous Nioh games could be discouraging because tough bosses and difficult levels often led to frustrating deaths and players giving up.

Nioh 3’s open-world design keeps things fresh and focuses on making the game enjoyable. I never felt bored or stuck while playing; the new additions made combat more engaging, and there was always a clear path forward with new things to discover and achieve.

The Wrap-Up

The Nioh games are often mistakenly compared to the Souls series, even though they play very differently. Nioh has its own unique style, with a faster, more combo-focused rhythm and a bigger emphasis on collecting gear.

Playing Nioh 3 for the first time really highlighted how much the series has improved. This third game is a significant step forward, taking the best parts of the previous games and polishing them into a smooth, focused experience. The combat feels fantastic – it’s much more forgiving and fluid than before, and responds to your actions beautifully.

This installment represents a significant improvement for the series, polishing the rough edges of earlier games into a focused and refined experience.

Is Nioh 3 finally breaking free from comparisons to games like Dark Souls and Elden Ring? It’s possible. The demo started with a fully equipped character, which was helpful. As someone who’s played the previous Nioh games, I really enjoyed it, but a new player might find there’s a lot to learn and keep track of.

As a huge fan, I can tell you Nioh 3 is absolutely worth playing! The gameplay is incredibly addictive – I just can’t stop, and it feels so good when you succeed. I’m already counting down the days until February 6, 2026, when the full game comes out so I can really dive in and forge my own legend!

Read More

2025-11-21 16:15