Nioh 3 review – Elden Ring but with better combat
One of the Best Soulslike Games Ever Made
One of the best Soulslike games ever made is also distinctly different to Dark Souls and its cousins, although there are some obvious similarities to Elden Ring.
Dark Souls’ Lasting Impact
It’s 15 years since Dark Souls first arrived and forever changed the industry’s attitude towards gameplay difficulty. Prior to its appearance, mainstream publishers had been slowly and steadily removing any hint of challenge or complexity from their games, convinced that it was putting off more casual players. But Dark Souls proved that people don’t like to be mollycoddled and that, at least on occasion, they relish a challenge.
Nioh: A Distinct Approach
As a result, not only have many unrelated games changed their approach but there have been legions of clones as well, most sticking so frustratingly close to the originals as to be almost pointless. First appearing in 2017, the Nioh series has always been the best of copycats, not just for its overall quality but because by focusing on more complex combat it offers a notably different experience to all the other wannabes.
The Franchise’s Third Installment
The only problem is that neither of the two previous games seem to have been that popular and we assumed 2020’s Nioh 2 was going to be the last one. We’re glad to see that’s not the case but if the franchise’s luck runs out with this one then developer Team Ninja can be satisfied that they’ve created a game that even Dark Souls creator FromSoftware would be proud of.
Given how sloppy the storytelling is, you’d never guess that the original game was based on an unfinished Akira Kurosawa script, based on the life of English navigator William Adams – the basis for the character of John Blackthorne in the Shōgun novel and TV series. How much of that unfinished script ever made into the game we’re not sure though, considering Adams was transformed into an Irishman and the story involves ancient Japan being overrun by evil yōkai.
Nioh 3’s Narrative and Setting
Nioh 2 was a prequel, but this third game is set after the events of the original and has you playing as a grandchild of the former shōgun, locked in conflict with your evil brother. It’s very basic stuff and adds absolutely nothing to the experience, other than providing a thin excuse for a spot of time-travelling, across four distinct eras of Japanese history.
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