# Nioh 3 Review - Rise Of The Shogun Source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lhUjqNCAxtY Recap page: https://rapidrecap.app/video/lhUjqNCAxtY Generated: 2026-02-05T01:33:02.885+00:00 --- ## Quick Overview Nioh 3 - Rise of the Shogun delivers a superb 9/10 experience by successfully integrating and refining the core combat systems from its predecessors, introducing dual combat styles (Samurai and Ninja) that offer distinct, highly satisfying gameplay loops, and expanding exploration with interconnected open-world elements. **Key Points:** - Nioh 3 - Rise of the Shogun earns a 9/10 rating, representing the best game in the series so far. - The game introduces two distinct combat styles: Samurai, emphasizing Ki Pulse and powerful martial arts, and Ninja, focusing on evasion, stealth, and Ninjutsu. - The combat features refined mechanics like the Ki Pulse, Arts Proficiency gauge, and the new Living Artifact mechanic, which allows summoning Guardian Spirits for brief periods to prevent instant death. - Exploration shifts from linear levels to interconnected open-world areas, rewarding players with shortcuts and hidden content, such as the encounter with the giant Yokai, Diaora Bochi, emerging from the ocean. - The Ninja style offers faster, more evasion-focused combat that conserves Ki better than the Samurai style, which still relies on the core Nioh combat rhythm. - The game successfully blends historical storytelling (Sengoku and Bakumatsu periods) with supernatural elements, making for a compelling narrative. - New quality-of-life features streamline inventory management, allowing players to automatically sell gear below a certain rarity or level. ![Screenshot at 00:33: The review displays the title card 'NIOH 3 - RISE OF THE SHOGUN' overlaid on intense gameplay footage, confirming the subject of the positive review.](https://ss.rapidrecap.app/screens/lhUjqNCAxtY/00-00-33.jpg) **Context:** This video provides a review of the game Nioh 3 - Rise of the Shogun, narrated by Kurt Indovina and reviewed by Richard Wakeling, who played for 40 hours. The game represents an evolution of Team Ninja's work over the past nine years, blending elements from Nioh 1 and 2 while introducing new combat styles and a more open world structure set across different eras of Japanese history. ## Detailed Analysis Nioh 3 - Rise of the Shogun earns a superb 9/10 rating, standing as the best game in the series yet, thanks to its successful amalgamation and refinement of the established combat formula. The central innovation is the introduction of two distinct combat styles: Samurai and Ninja. The Samurai style remains familiar, focusing on the Ki Pulse mechanic (recovering Ki instantly after attacking) and powerful martial arts, while the Ninja style emphasizes evasion, stealth, and a larger arsenal of Ninjutsu tools like shuriken and smoke bombs, which consume less Ki than the Samurai's equivalent techniques. Combat is characterized by a rhythmic flow, rewarding precise timing for mechanics like Ki Pulse and Burst Break. New features include the Living Artifact, a temporary summon of the Guardian Spirit that prevents instant death when the Amrita Gauge is full. Exploration has evolved from linear levels to interconnected, open-world areas, encouraging players to find shortcuts and discover secrets, such as the massive, folklore-inspired Diaora Bochi Yokai rising from the ocean. The game's presentation is visually impressive, balancing dense, dark environments with bright particle effects during combat, although the reviewer notes some areas like Ryoton Temple suffer from frame rate inconsistencies. Quality-of-life improvements are present, particularly in the menu system, allowing players to filter and automatically sell unwanted gear based on rarity or level, streamlining inventory management. ### Combat System Evolution - Introduces distinct Samurai and Ninja styles, both retaining the core Ki Pulse mechanic - Ninja style favors evasion and Ninjutsu efficiency, while Samurai retains heavy martial arts focus - Arts Proficiency gauge rewards charging attacks and martial arts. ### New Mechanics - Living Artifact allows temporary summoning of Guardian Spirits to prevent death when the Amrita Gauge is full - Combat features satisfying Burst Breaks and rhythmic flow for Ki management. ### World Design - Transitions to interconnected, open-world maps instead of strictly linear levels, encouraging exploration and shortcut discovery - Features unique environments spanning different historical eras (e.g., Sengoku and Bakumatsu). ### Enemies and Challenges - Features a plethora of Yokai, including giant foes like Diaora Bochi and imposing bosses like Ryomen Sukuna - Boss encounters remain highly challenging but feel more manageable than predecessors. ### Quality of Life - Inventory management is improved with robust filtering options in the Forge menu, allowing selective disposal of low-rarity or low-level gear. ### Aesthetics and Performance - Features superb visual design, particularly in cutscenes and large-scale battles, though performance dips to 60 FPS (on PS5) were noted in specific areas like Ryoton Temple. ![Screenshot at 00:01: The introduction screen showing the game title, 'Nioh 3 - Rise of the Shogun', and review credits.](https://ss.rapidrecap.app/screens/lhUjqNCAxtY/00-00-01.jpg) ![Screenshot at 00:22: Gameplay showcasing the intense boss fight against 'Jakotsu-baba' with high visual fidelity and particle effects.](https://ss.rapidrecap.app/screens/lhUjqNCAxtY/00-00-22.jpg) ![Screenshot at 00:41: The character exploring the expansive, foggy open-world environment, looking towards a distant structure.](https://ss.rapidrecap.app/screens/lhUjqNCAxtY/00-00-41.jpg) ![Screenshot at 01:02: The character level-up screen detailing stat allocation, showing Constitution at level 5.](https://ss.rapidrecap.app/screens/lhUjqNCAxtY/00-01-02.jpg) ![Screenshot at 03:33: Gameplay demonstrating the Ninja's 'Mist' mechanic, creating a shadow clone to distract an enemy during combat.](https://ss.rapidrecap.app/screens/lhUjqNCAxtY/00-03-33.jpg)