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Nioh 3 plunges players into a dark, historical journey spanning Edo, Sengoku, and Heian Japan. Chaos erupts as yokai infest the land, and the malevolent Crucible threatens humanity. Players must combine strategy, skill, and supernatural powers to survive and ultimately purify this realm of despair.
A Tale of Brothers and Darkness
Set in Genna 8 (1622), Edo Castle braces for Tokugawa Takechiyo’s rise as shogun. His younger brother, Kunimatsu, consumed by jealousy, gains dark powers and commands hordes of yokai. Amidst the turmoil, Takechiyo channels the guardian spirit Kusanagi, transcending time to confront the onslaught. Players follow his epic journey across centuries to face legendary foes, challenge the Crucible, and restore balance.
The Crucible: A Realm of Malevolent Energy
The Crucible is a hostile domain born from negative energy, isolating all who enter. Ordinary humans cannot escape, while those trapped must battle relentless yokai. To purify the Crucible, players must locate and destroy its core, the Crucible Spike. Each encounter demands tactical thinking, precise timing, and mastery of diverse combat styles.
Master Two Combat Styles: Samurai and Ninja
Nioh 3 introduces the new Ninja style, alongside the classic Samurai style, giving players unprecedented combat freedom.
Samurai Style:
The Samurai style focuses on high-powered martial arts. Players enhance their attacks through Arts Proficiency, block with precise Deflect timing, recover Ki via Ki Pulse, and switch stances to alter moves, damage, and Ki usage. This style rewards calculated aggression and mastery of timing in every encounter.
Ninja Style:
The Ninja style emphasizes agility, evasion, and aerial mobility. Players can dodge swiftly, perform Footstool Jumps to stagger enemies, and chain aerial attacks. Ninjutsu allows ranged attacks like shuriken, while Mist temporarily diverts enemy attention after striking. Evading replenishes Ki and both Arts and Ninjutsu Gauges, letting players chain movement and offense fluidly. This style introduces a fresh strategic layer, requiring timing, positioning, and creativity.
Open-World Exploration and Systems
Open fields combine freedom with tension. Guardian Spirits enhance combat and traversal, enabling leaps over cliffs or crushing obstacles as Living Artifacts. Onmyo Boxes let players create talismans from yokai souls, adding magical versatility. Online features include co-op expeditions, summoning Benevolent Graves for aid, and battling AI Revenants in Bloody Graves for rare rewards. Nioh 3 encourages experimentation and mastery across both combat styles.
Legendary Characters
Players meet Takechiyo, Kunimatsu, Himiko, Yagyu Munenori, Hattori Hanzo, Saito Fuku, Honda Tadakatsu, Takeda Shingen, Minamoto no Yoshitsune, and Minamoto no Yoritomo, each shaping the story through alliances, rivalries, and lore.
Platforms and Release
Nioh 3 launches on PlayStation 5 and Steam on February 6th, 2026. Audio is available in Japanese and English, with menus in French, Italian, German, Spanish, Korean, Russian, and Chinese.
