Nioh 3 received its biggest post-launch update, update 1.05, earlier today, introducing new mechanics and content that address one of the biggest complaints the community had since its release: its low challenge level compared to its predecessors.
Update 1.05, whose complete patch notes can be found on the game's official website, introduces, among balance changes and fixes on both PC and PlayStation 5, a new gameplay mechanic called Stone of Penance, which is unlocked from the opening mission Escape from Hitokoto Slope onward in the Shogun's Journey difficulty level. Available at Shrines, this mechanic allows users to exchange an accessory for a Stone of Penance, which increases the drop rate of high-rarity equipment, but also makes enemies more powerful.
While the update notes do not specify how much enemies are strengthened by the Stone of Penance mechanics, a new quick look at how the optional boss Demon of Pride is enhanced by a Stone of Penance +5 over regular New Game + has been provided in a new video by Reddit user EternalFlareUltra. From their testing, enemy stats, including HP, Ki, and attack power, are roughly tripled, resulting in more intense fights where every mistake could be fatal. It is expected that overpowered builds will still be able to decimate bosses, but still, in terms of challenge, this seems like a significant improvement over the launch game.
Those looking to push their Nioh 3 skills and build further will also be able to do so starting today with five new Battle Scrolls missions:
- Within Time Everlasting in "1622 CE - Final Battle of Edo" (Unlocked by completing the main game.)
- Rampant Temptation in "1622 CE - Final Battle of Edo" (Unlocked by completing the main game.)
- Supernatural Shrieks in "1622 CE - Final Battle of Edo" (Unlocked by completing one of the new missions.)
- Gathering of the Greats in "1622 CE - Final Battle of Edo" (Unlocked by completing three of the new missions.)
- Demonic Duels in "1622 CE - Final Battle of Edo" (Unlocked by completing three of the new missions.)
Hopefully, the Stone of Penance mechanics will only be the beginning to make Nioh 3 as challenging as its predecessors. Although I wasn't too bothered by the low difficulty during my first playthrough, it definitely felt like the third entry in the series, much like Wo Long: Fallen Dynasty, was way too forgiving. With the DLC expansions likely introducing additional difficulties in proper Team NINJA fashion, I'm really looking forward to seeing what the developer is working on to further improve what I still believe to be their best game to date.
About the author: Francesco De Meo has been covering video games and technology since 2012, starting his career at small outlets like Gamersyndrome and GeekSnack. After joining Wccftech gaming section in 2015, he quickly expanded his video gaming coverage with in-depth reporting, interviews with iconic industry figures such as Grasshopper Manufacture founder and No More Heroes creator Goichi "Suda51" Suda, Resident Evil series creator Shinji Mikami, Team NINJA's president and Nioh series director Fumihiko Yasuda, and Silent Hill creator Keiichiro Toyama, reviews and on-the-ground coverage of major industry events such as Gamescom and E3. When he's not reporting or reviewing, Francesco can be found playing the genres he loves most, spending time with his six cats, reading, writing music, playing guitar and drumming for his progressive rock band.
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