Three boss fights were enough. NiOh 3 confirms Team Ninja's craftmanship

NiOh , a soulslike series by Team Ninja, began in 2017. From the first installment, it was clear that the studio wanted to distinguish its game from other imitators of this sub-genre started by FromSoftware. They succeeded by incorporating a plethora of armor and weapons, reminiscent of the Diablo series, and by offering a very dynamic combat style that provides significantly more possibilities and moves than, for example, the Dark Souls series or Elden Ring. This latter aspect has been improved and developed with each installment – the difference between NiOh 1 and 2 was noticeable, and the same will be true for 2 and 3.

Open maps, but only to some extent

The demo featured a later segment of the game – Tokugawa Takechiyo, the main character we created (either male or female), had to make their way through a pleasure district. This particular mission took place during the Bakumatsu era. Throughout the game, we will visit different periods, which is one of the changes in NiOh 3 – main and side missions are no longer selected on maps where we move the cursor and, upon selecting a task, are then transported to a designated location. However, this does not mean that NiOh 3 is moving towards an open world like Elden Ring. Each historical period will have a separate map, but they will be significantly larger than those in previous installments of the series. I mention this because the creators themselves emphasized during the presentation that NiOh 3 is not an open-world game, a belief that could be observed among gamers online. We move along designated paths, sometimes encountering more open areas; despite the "corridor" structure of the locations, we can reach hidden corners where we can find item chests, optional mini-bosses, or shortcuts. Thanks to this solution, I did not feel that the map was too small, as was sometimes the case in previous parts.

Another new element added to the exploration is enemy camps. Upon approaching such a location, the game will inform us how many foes we need to defeat to "clear out" the area. The reward for our efforts might be a chest with items or a Kodama - small, green creatures known to fans of the series, which we will send to shrines. Although it may not sound particularly exciting and might remind some of Ubisoft productions, each liberated camp raises our exploration level, which translates into various bonuses - such as increased stats or revealing locations. If I had to compare the structure of the location available in the demo to something, it most closely resembled those from the Dark Souls series or the castles or fortresses from Elden Ring.

Quick change

The second evolution is an even more developed combat system. The NiOh series is known for its more dynamic approach to battles compared to competing titles, even when wielding heavier weapons. An additional distinguishing feature of these games is the stances - high, medium, low, and with the weapon sheathed, allowing for different combinations or special attacks. NiOh 3 takes this a step further and offers players two combat styles called "samurai" and "ninja."

The first one does not differ from what could be seen in previous parts, so players who have played them will immediately know what to do. The ninja style, on the other hand, is a complete novelty – the character in this form is faster, their attacks and dodges consume less stamina (referred to here as Ki), and strikes aimed at the enemy's back deal increased damage. Mist, a move available only for the ninja style, has several uses. During an attack, it allows for quick movement, for example, to get behind the enemy to continue the offensive and deal more damage. Mist can also be used to increase the distance from the opponent more than a regular dodge would allow. However, to balance this, Team Ninja decided that only the samurai style can use the Pi pulse, which allows our character to regain a significant portion of stamina after performing an attack. The ninja style also does not have access to stances but can use ninjutsu, which includes, for example, ranged attacks with shurikens, or techniques that allow you to quickly get close to the enemy.

Several types of weapons are shared by both styles (although their attacks look different), nevertheless, the samurai is the only one with access to two-handed axes or giant odachi swords, while the ninja can use the kusarigama or the new addition to the NiOh series – the talons, reminiscent of Falcon’s Talons from the Ninja Gaiden series (also developed by Team Ninja). I spent too little time with the game to say whether it can be completed using only one style. It seems to me that skillfully switching between them and utilizing their strengths, as well as knowing their weaknesses to gain an advantage over the opponent, will be more important. Especially since now countering burst attacks (the enemy is surrounded by a red aura during an attack) is performed by perfectly switching styles, rather than, as in NiOh 2, pressing R2 + circle. Although we can quickly return to the preferred style after the counter, it would be better to use this time and the opponent's stun to deal more damage.

Our character is also more mobile, as both styles have gained the ability to jump. This means that not only can we cross chasms or other obstacles, but we can also perform jump attacks and deal more damage or reach an opponent or a part of a boss's body that would normally be out of our reach. Here, the ninja style also shows its higher mobility, as after purchasing the appropriate skill, it will be possible to perform a dodge in the air.

The devil is in the bosses

A responsive and satisfying combat system is one thing, but you also need to have someone to use it on. In the provided segment, I faced three bosses, and if the rest of them in the game maintain a similar level, I will be very pleased. The enemies' attacks did take a lot of health points, they are bosses, after all, but their animations were easy enough to read that I could quickly learn them during one attempt. This should be good news for fans of soulslike games, as bosses quality can vary in such games, and unclear attacks can determine our defeat. I don't want to reveal too much about these encounters here, as they were really enjoyable, and it would be a shame to spoil the fun for you.

After what I was able to personally check, I am confident about NiOh 3 – it's clear that Team Ninja wanted to take another step with the series and consistently develop it, rather than just resting on their laurels and taking the easy way out. The game is unlikely to win over those who are unconvinced, because if NiOh or the better second part didn't win you over already, NiOh 3 won't suddenly make you like the series. However, fans can rest easy and count down the days until the release.