KOEI TECMO showed off Nioh 3 at Tokyo Game Show 2025, and it’s shaping up to be a worthy follow-up to the series. The game launches on February 6, 2026, and based on our hands-on time, fans of challenging action games have plenty to look forward to. During the preview session, we got to try two different demo stages. One featured a battle against Takeda Shingen, while another was set in a snowy landscape. With only about 15 minutes of playtime available, we focused on the Takeda Shingen stage to get a feel for how the game plays.

You play as Tokugawa Takechiyo, who’s meant to become the next Shogun during Japan’s chaotic Sengoku period. Things go wrong when his jealous younger brother, Tokugawa Kunimatsu, teams up with dark supernatural forces to try and overthrow him. Kunimatsu leads an army of yokai creatures that throw Japan into chaos. With help from his guardian spirit Kusanagi, Takechiyo travels through different time periods to restore order and claim his destiny.

Combat Gets Two Fresh Approaches

Nioh 3 introduces two distinct combat styles that let players tackle battles in their own way. The Samurai Style will feel familiar to anyone who played previous Nioh games. It includes new mechanics like Arts Proficiency, which boosts the power of martial arts moves, and Deflect, a technique that lets you block attacks at the last moment for tight, fast-paced duels.

The Ninja Style takes a different approach altogether. It focuses on being quick and hard to hit, with plenty of dodges and aerial moves. Ninjas can attack from a distance using various Ninjutsu techniques that fit different situations. Abilities like Mist, which creates a clone after you attack, and Evade, which helps you slip past enemy strikes, let ninjas outmaneuver opponents and hit back with powerful attacks.

Don’t expect Nioh 3 to go easy on you. Even regular soldiers can end you in seconds if you’re not paying attention. The real lesson here is patience. Running straight at enemies will get you killed fast. Success means watching how enemies move, learning their patterns, and adjusting your strategy on the fly.

The Takeda Shingen boss fight showed just how intense Nioh 3 can get. Shingen appears as a huge, tiger-like monster with serious power and surprising speed. Despite his size, he moves quickly and can shoot fireballs from far away. To have any chance against him, you need to switch between both combat styles — using the Samurai’s close-range power and the Ninja’s ranged attacks. The fight was thrilling and punishing, though we ran out of time before bringing him down.

Final Thoughts on Nioh 3

Nioh 3 feels like a natural evolution of what came before, but it also brings back the atmosphere and pacing of the original game. The gameplay rewards players who watch enemies carefully, time their moves right, and push through the demanding difficulty. With new mechanics, two fighting styles to master, and a story that spans multiple eras of Japan, Nioh 3 looks to blend the best of what made the first game special with the refined action that fans expect from KOEI TECMO.