Nioh 3 (2026): The Review

Overview

The Nioh franchise has come a long way from merely wearing the “Soulslike” label, and Nioh 3 stands as clear proof of that evolution. While its narrative pacing and writing occasionally stumble, the rest of the package more than carries the weight. Between its striking dark-fantasy style, layered and rewarding combat systems, and an exploration loop that constantly pulls you back for just one more run, it easily earns its place in the conversation for the best action RPG of 2026.

Score: 9 out of 10

The Positives ✅

Nioh 3 feels like Team NINJA finally cashing in every lesson they’ve learned over the past decade. Instead of reinventing the wheel, they’ve doubled down on what already worked and sharpened it to a ridiculous degree. The result is easily the most refined, confident version of Nioh yet: bigger, denser, and mechanically richer without losing that signature intensity.

Combat is the clear star of the show. It’s not just good, it’s borderline absurd how deep it goes. Pulling from the studio’s own legacy: Wo Long, Stranger of Paradise, Ninja Gaiden, and layering those ideas on top of Nioh’s Ki Pulses, stance swapping, and buildcraft creates a system that feels endlessly expressive. It’s the kind of combat sandbox where mastery feels earned and experimentation is constantly rewarded.

Style Shift might be the smartest addition yet. Having both Samurai and Shinobi styles essentially gives you two complete combat philosophies in one character. One leans into deliberate stance-based dueling and Ki management, the other into mobility, cancels, and precision backstabs. Swapping between them mid-fight feels incredible once it clicks, like you’re conducting a violent ballet.

Exploration has also taken a meaningful step forward. The maps aren’t fully open world, which honestly works in the game’s favor, but they’re large enough to inspire curiosity without becoming exhausting. Hunting for Kodama, Chijinko, and hidden bonuses turns every region into a playground, and the steady drip of rewards keeps you checking every path.

Visually and aurally, it’s a treat. The art direction is stronger than ever, with striking yokai designs, detailed regions, and flashy effects that make every encounter pop. Sound design is especially punchy, every blade clash and ability impact sells the weight of combat beautifully. Add in a mountain of content and flexible respeccing, and the $70 price tag feels more than justified.

The Negatives ⚠️

Unfortunately, the narrative doesn’t hit the same highs. The time-travel premise is genuinely intriguing, but the execution struggles with pacing and repetition. Early chapters follow a predictable “arrive, ally up, fix timeline, move on” rhythm that quickly starts to feel formulaic.

Worse, the protagonist feels underutilized. Giving Takechiyo a fully voiced actor and then barely letting them speak feels like a baffling missed opportunity. In a story about history, myth, and political upheaval, having your main character stay silent 90% of the time drains potential emotional weight from key scenes.

It also takes far too long for the central plot to meaningfully develop. Major hooks introduced early don’t pay off until well past the 10-hour mark, making the opening stretch feel like busywork rather than momentum-building storytelling.

Performance isn’t spotless either. On base hardware, there are noticeable lag spikes and occasional visual hiccups, with some assets failing to load properly. They’re not constant, but they’re frequent enough to be distracting.

Even the soundtrack, while strong during climactic fights, feels inconsistent during exploration. Some quieter stretches lack memorable themes, which makes wandering between battles feel flatter than it should.

The Experience 🎮

Playing Nioh 3 feels like being handed the keys to an over-engineered sports car and told, “Good luck.” The combat system is overwhelming at first: menus, skills, stances, loadouts, Soul Cores; but once everything locks into place, it becomes pure flow state. Swapping styles mid-combo and dismantling enemies with surgical precision is wildly satisfying.

What surprised me most is how much the exploration loop hooked me. I’d set out for the next objective and constantly get sidetracked by side paths, collectibles, or hidden encounters. It’s that perfect “just one more thing” design that keeps sessions stretching longer than you planned.

Build freedom helps a lot, too. Being able to respec at shrines means you’re never punished for curiosity. Want to try a new weapon or completely different playstyle? Go for it. That flexibility makes the massive system feel welcoming instead of intimidating.

At the same time, I couldn’t shake the feeling that the story should’ve meant more. The premise had all the ingredients for something memorable, but I ended up caring far more about my builds and combat mastery than the actual plot beats.

Still, when the moment-to-moment gameplay is this good, it’s hard to stay mad for long. Nioh 3 may stumble narratively, but mechanically it’s on another level. It doesn’t feel like a Soulslike anymore, it feels like its own beast entirely, and honestly, that’s the highest compliment I can give it.