How Nioh 3 Compares to FromSoftware’s Soulslike Games Like Elden Ring

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When a new game tries to capture the challenging spirit of the ‘Souls-like’ genre, it’s natural to compare it to the games created by FromSoftware, the pioneers of the style. Team Ninja’s Nioh 3 is the latest to be measured against those titles, and initially, it seems very similar. Like its counterparts, it’s difficult, focuses on managing stamina, severely punishes mistakes, and requires players to learn by dying repeatedly. However, not all ‘Souls-like’ games are created equal, and that’s key to understanding Nioh 3. While games such as Elden Ring emphasize patience, understanding the environment, and exploring the world, Nioh 3 offers a somewhat different experience.

Unlike many Soulslike games, Nioh 3 focuses intensely on complex combat and strategic options. While games like Elden Ring prioritize exploring a vast world, Nioh 3 lets you switch between Samurai and Ninja fighting styles, offering a lot of ways to customize your character and approach battles. Instead of a sprawling, open world, Nioh 3 features larger, connected areas. This means the game challenges you more with how you fight, rather than where you go, giving it a unique identity within the genre.

Nioh 3 Is Its Own Middle Ground With Its Open-Field Experience

Key Differences Between Nioh 3’s Exploration and FromSoftware Games Like Elden Ring

  • NO MOUNT-BASED TRAVEL – Exploration is entirely on foot, with smaller traversal loops instead of long-distance movement.
  • OPEN-FIELD ZONES, NOT OPEN WORLD – Large, self-contained areas rather than one seamless map.
  • STRUCTURED EXPLORATION PATHS – Regions are designed around deliberate routes, elevation changes, and gated access.
  • ABILITY-GATED BACKTRACKING – Guardian Spirits unlock traversal tools that open previously inaccessible areas.
  • PROGRESSION-DRIVEN EXPLORATION – Finding shrines, chests, and bases directly feeds character growth.
  • MAP-GUIDED DISCOVERY – Icons and upgrades reduce reliance on blind curiosity over time.

Many people have described Nioh 3 as an “open world” game, drawing comparisons to Elden Ring. However, it doesn’t quite fit that label. Instead, Nioh 3 uses an “open-field” system for exploration. It’s different from the interconnected areas of games like Dark Souls and isn’t as seamless as Elden Ring‘s world. Nioh 3 offers large, open areas filled with things to discover, like collectibles and optional bosses, creating a unique experience somewhere in between these other styles.

Although exploring in Nioh 3 isn’t required, it’s highly encouraged. Many useful upgrades, helpful blessings, and other rewards are key to getting stronger and advancing in the game.

While both Nioh 3 and Elden Ring encourage exploration, they do so in different ways. Elden Ring‘s map is initially vague, prompting players to investigate out of pure curiosity. Nioh 3, however, gradually fills its map with icons, making it harder to miss important items. It doesn’t show everything, but it does point you towards the most valuable rewards. These locations only appear on the map as you increase your ‘Exploration Level’ in each region. You raise this level by completing key tasks like discovering shrines, opening chests, and capturing enemy strongholds. As your Exploration Level grows, you’ll unlock benefits like better items and stats, and the map will eventually reveal the locations of collectibles and other useful points of interest.

Unlike games like Elden Ring, Nioh 3 focuses on detailed exploration on foot. You won’t find mounts or vast open spaces to ride across. Instead, the game encourages players to carefully navigate its intricate levels using climbing, varying elevations, and special abilities. The Guardian Spirits, a core feature of the Nioh series, are key to getting around, letting you reach new areas and revisit old ones. These hidden spots often contain tough optional bosses, upgrades, and secrets that tie into the hero’s story – challenges that are easier to overcome later in the game.

Nioh 3’s Combat Is More Approachable, Its Build-Crafting, More Complex

Key Differences Between Nioh 3’s Combat and Build-Crafting and FromSoftware Games

  • MORE FORGIVING COMBAT CURVE – Challenging, but less punishing than traditional Soulsborne games.
  • FASTER, PRESSURE-DRIVEN COMBAT – Emphasizes mobility and sustained offense, especially with the Ninja style.
  • LESS PUNITIVE DODGE DESIGN – Dodging is discouraged when abused, but easier to recover from.
  • STAMINA MANAGEMENT STILL CENTRAL – Aggression is rewarded, but overextension is consistently punished.
  • FAR DEEPER BUILD-CRAFTING SYSTEM – Gear traits, sets, Guardian Spirits, Soul Cores, and magic all stack.
  • CONSTANT BUILD EVOLUTION – Frequent loot drops and free respecs encourage experimentation.
  • BUILDS ACTIVELY CHANGE GAMEPLAY – Status effects, Ki recovery, and stealth bonuses reshape encounters rather than just numbers.

Nioh 3’s Combat Is Generally More Forgiving Than a Typical FromSoftware Game

Okay, so I’ve been playing Nioh 3, and one thing that really stands out is how it handles difficulty compared to other games like Dark Souls or Elden Ring. Honestly, it feels closer to Elden Ring in terms of challenge – those older Soulsborne games were brutally hard! Nioh 3 definitely isn’t a walk in the park, there’s a lot to learn with all its different systems. But once you get the hang of things, it’s actually way more approachable than something like Dark Souls. It can even be pretty forgiving sometimes, which is a nice change of pace.

FromSoftware games often include boss battles with several stages, but most bosses in Nioh 3 only have one phase, which simplifies the fights.

Unlike many games from FromSoftware, Nioh 3 emphasizes speed and aggression, particularly with its new Ninja style. FromSoftware titles usually feel deliberate and weighty, rewarding careful timing and patience. Nioh 3, however, feels more like Sekiro or Bloodborne, encouraging players to constantly attack. While fast-paced, it still requires smart stamina management. Knowing when to back off, recharge, and reset the fight is crucial to avoid being punished for overextending.

Nioh 3’s Build-Crafting Has More Complexity and Depth Than a Typical FromSoftware Game, By Far

What really sets Nioh 3 apart from games like Elden Ring is how much you can customize your character’s equipment. Nioh 3 offers a far deeper and more complex system for gear customization than most FromSoftware games. Not only will you find a huge number of items—thousands in a single playthrough—but each piece of gear has lots of different properties. Between randomized stats, set bonuses, special spirits, magical abilities, and various passive effects, you can constantly refine and change your character’s build. The game makes it easy to experiment, letting you freely reset almost anything, so you don’t have to worry about making the wrong choices early on.

Compared to games like Dark Souls and Bloodborne, Nioh 3 offers much more flexibility in character building. While Soulsborne games typically focus on a few key choices – weapon, stats, and armor – Nioh 3 lets builds dramatically change how the game is played. Things like increased poison effects, faster stamina recovery, or powerful stealth attacks can make entirely new strategies effective. This level of impact is what sets Nioh 3 apart, offering a deeper and more dynamic character customization experience than many Soulsborne players are used to.

When you compare Nioh 3 to games like Elden Ring from FromSoftware, it’s obvious that Nioh 3 uses some of the same ideas as Soulslike games, but Team Ninja creates something unique. It differs from the usual formula with its expansive levels, more accessible combat, and extensive character customization. While fans of the notoriously difficult traditional Soulslike games might not enjoy Nioh 3‘s approach, it’s exactly what defines Team Ninja’s game and helps it stand out in a genre with a lot of competition.

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2026-02-08 16:06