Developed by one of my most beloved, Team Ninja and published by Koei Tecmo, Nioh 3 builds on the foundation of its predecessors while taking a bold step forward with an open world structure. It’s the biggest the series has ever been — mechanically and geographically — and that ambition is both its greatest strength and its most exhausting indulgence.
Another excellent Team Ninja title
Let’s start with where this title shines, on PS5, Nioh 3 runs beautifully. Load times are minimal, performance is stable, and responsiveness is exactly what a fast paced action RPG demands. Switching between Samurai and Ninja styles on the fly adds welcome flexibility. Whether you prefer grounded, Ki-management heavy duels or faster, evasive playstyles, the system feels refined rather than bloated.
I have to also highly commend how easy it is for players to respec, found a completely new weapon? or maybe learned a skill that completely changes you perspective on a playstyle? It doesn’t matter why, the game allows you to respec pretty much anywhere and at no cost but time.
Boss encounters and variety in spirit guardians still remain my favourite parts especially since the lack of enemy variety is even more prominent in an open world setting. This is still Nioh at its core — demanding, system-driven, and deeply satisfying.
A loot system you either love or hate
But also since it is still Nioh at its core, the loot system still remains my biggest gripe with the title. It continues the series’ Diablo-inspired design of constantly picking up gear with slightly higher numbers. weapons with +1 or 2 more damage. Armour with marginally better defence. Accessories with another minor percentage tweak. Overall I understand these systems except it never matters in the early game as long as players sift through their gear occasionally. A minor inconvenience for sure, but Nioh 3 has a few of those and collectively, they’re exhausting.
To the game’s credit, though — it does everything it can to reduce the hassle.
- Auto-equip recommendations
- Mass disassembly options
- Clear stat comparisons
- Easy ‘looting’ tools
The amount of options to make life easier and help players enjoy the game is impressive. However I would still need to dedicate an entire article if I wanted to explain the rest of the systems in this title.
My biggest complaint
But if I stop at a shrine and actually start thinking about everything available to me?
- Equipment
- Skill trees
- Combat techniques
- Unlockable abilities
- Titles (extra % to stats)
- Soul Cores
- Collectables ( extra % to stats and buffs)
- Guardian spirits
- And probably a few systems I forgot about
Every now and again I’ll stop to actually sort through everything and lose 10-15 minutes doing so, which throughout the sessions can add up to hours wasted staring at the menus.
The game respects your time mechanically, but the sheer density of options can create mental fatigue if you’re the type of player who wants to optimise everything. Which I am not, and the game did not punish me enough start.
Significant changes
One of my biggest positives however, is the shift to a more open world structure.
Previous Nioh games leaned heavily on mission-based progression. Here, the interconnected open areas create a stronger sense of journey. Exploration feels natural. You’re not just selecting missions from a map. You’re actually traversing through different biomes and interesting sections of the map.
Traversal never becomes tedious. Distances feel intentional. Shrines are placed thoughtfully. Enemy density keeps movement engaging without becoming overwhelming. You’re rarely bored between encounters. There are plenty of collectibles , side content, secrets and tasks but in my opinion they are spaced out in such a way where players aren’t over burdened by everything.
My Conclusion
I don’t love the constant loot treadmill. I probably never will. But I genuinely appreciate how painless the game makes engaging with it. The tools are there to minimize frustration. The open world shift is a clear evolution, one that gives the series room to breathe without sacrificing intensity. Even with procedural blemishes, exploration feels meaningful and well-paced.
If you thrive on deep combat systems, layered progression, and high difficulty, this is easily one of Team Ninja’s most refined efforts. For me, it’s a game I admire as much as I wrestle with. But there is enough there to to make want to go for 100%.
If Nioh 3 peaks your interest and your looking for more maybe check out Team Ninjas heavier souls like khazan the first berserker
