This morning, Koei Tecmo unveiled new Nioh 3 footage in a 17.5-minute gameplay showcase. As you know if you've read our roundup article on the game, Nioh 3 actually takes place across multiple time periods, including the early Edo period, the Sengoku period, the Heian period, and the Bakumatsu period.
Today's gameplay showcase begins in the second one, also known as the Warring States period. In the game's version of the era, the Yōkai (demons) freely roam the land, and a horrifying realm known as the Crucible has manifested. The player explores a large, open field while seeking a way to the Crucible.
The protagonist, the historical figure Tokugawa Takechiyo (Iemitsu), can switch between the classic samurai style and the new ninja style at any time during combat. Switching is particularly useful whenever there's a need to adapt to certain enemies and situations, or simply to shift to the player's preferred play style.
Samurai mode lets Tokugawa confront enemies head-on, utilizing martial arts and deflecting attacks while switching between stances to unleash a variety of strikes. On the other hand, Ninja style aims to outmaneuver enemies with Ninjutsu, evading with mid-air and behind-the-back attacks.
Not everyone or everything is hostile in Nioh 3, though. The developers from Team Ninja highlighted that Tokugawa will encounter friendly characters and even friendly Yōkai on his journey. Interacting with them may bring useful rewards.
Ultimately, Tokugawa's journey heads to the aforementioned Crucible, a treacherous area ruled by dangerous, hostile Yōkai. Players should expect even more challenging fights in this area. According to the developers, those who summoned the Crucible are heroes who have lost their way, succumbing to their own ambitions and misguided causes.
The gameplay video then switches to the Heian period, where the land is entirely frozen. Here, as in the other time periods, the protagonist must cleanse the Crucible to restore the land, purging it of Yōkai corruption.
Nioh 3 is set to launch on February 6, 2026 for PC and PlayStation 5. Eager fans can jump in early to sample the free demo, which will be released on January 29. Its save data also carries over to the full game, so in essence it's a bit like having early access to the initial portion.
About the author: With over two decades of experience in gaming journalism, Alessio Palumbo has led the gaming vertical at Wccftech since August 2015. He started working at a young age for Italian websites like Everyeye.it, Gamestar.it, Nextgame.it, and Multiplayer.it before kickstarting the indie English-language publication Worlds Factory as its founder and Editor in Chief. In the last decade, he has coordinated the overall output of Wccftech's gaming section, managed PR relations, assigned reviews, produced daily news coverage, edited gaming content as needed, and delivered game reviews. Arguably, his trademark content is the long series of exclusive developer interviews that have been cited by Wikipedia and by the biggest news media and gaming publications. His passion for technology also makes him knowledgeable when it comes to gaming hardware and tech. His favorite genres include RPGs, MMORPGs, and action/adventure games.
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