A month after release, Nioh 3 remains one of the more interesting action RPGs to talk about this year. Team Ninja didn’t play it safe with this sequel, pushing the series in a different direction through a more open structure and a new combat style that changes how fights play out. In case you missed our full review, you can also check that out now.
Why Nioh 3 Still Stands Out a Month Later
That approach gives Nioh 3 a different feel from the earlier entries. The game still has the demanding stamina-based combat the series is known for, but now it’s paired with larger areas to explore and new mechanics that shift the rhythm of each encounter. It’s a noticeable change for a series that already felt confident in what it was doing.
Combat Still Carries Nioh 3
The strongest part of Nioh 3 is still its combat. Team Ninja continues to excel at making every dodge, block, and attack feel important, and that tension carries through much of the game. Boss fights still deliver that pressure fans expect, and the overall action remains sharp enough to hold everything together even when other parts of the experience don’t hit the same level.
The Open Structure Changes the Flow
The move to open areas also gives the game a better sense of movement and discovery. Exploration opens up combat options, and the structure helps the game feel broader without losing its identity. At its best, that design gives Nioh 3 a fresh sense of flow that helps separate it from what came before.
Still, some of those bigger ideas feel uneven. The story doesn’t leave much of an impact, and parts of the world lack the kind of atmosphere that could’ve made this setting stand out more. There are good moments throughout, but not all of them come together in a way that feels fully realized.
Ninja Stance is one of the clearest examples of that. It adds mobility and gives players another way to approach combat, but it also comes with limitations that may leave some players favoring the more familiar style. It’s an interesting addition, even if it doesn’t always feel as strong as the rest of the game’s combat design.
A Strong Action RPG That Doesn’t Fully Come Together
That’s what makes Nioh 3 worth breaking down a month later. It’s a game built around big changes, and those changes give it plenty to talk about. Some of them work really well. Others feel like they needed more time. But even with those rough spots, Nioh 3 still lands as a strong action RPG and another solid release from Team Ninja.
Nioh 3 is now available on PlayStation 5 and PC via Steam.
