Nioh 3 Alpha Demo Impression

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Right, finally after playing around with new IPs, and working on Final Fantasy prequels, it's been awhile since we finally got a third installment of this amazing series. They've learned a lot and tried new things while borrowing from others. Nioh 3 has the makings to be something exceptional.

Open world traversal, newly introduce combat system switching between Samurai and Ninja form with their own different attacks, and fluid mechanics. Yokai abilities, pick-ups that'll help passively, summoning, like so many approaches to fighting, especially in Spirit Guardian ultimate. It's all over the place, but in a good way, as expected from a Team Ninja title.

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Captured in PS5

• Returning to the unforgiving land

Returning to the Sengoku period, with Nobunaga featured this time, Nioh 3 places a supposed relative of Tokugawa Iewasu. This isn't to say what character I make is depicted truly in history, but sure will juxtapose the story and characters of prior games to it.

Daimyo Shingen, Tokugawa, and Takeda rivalry is pretty real, but these story based circumstances are just there to create this intense atmosphere and crazy premise of Japan's turbulent period where leaderships are being contested, and powers that be of the Yokais are put to use. Though, their presence being more chaos into the land, effecting the people.

The demo is pretty limited, there's a tutorial teaching to shift between two forms, the Samurai form has multiple stances, but the more important aspect is Ki recovery. Every attack costs Ki (stamina), but like that Gears of War reload button, timing it can recover your Ki faster.

Attack combinations depend on the weapons you use, each with their combos, all it takes is some paced approach mixing aggression and defenses right. Skill issue? Just practice till you get it right. Then there's the Ninja form. You're far more nimble here, and Ki recovery casts a Mist and acts as a side dodge too. It's good for taking out enemies that are too fast for your own good.

The issue is, compared to how combat effective Samurai can be, Ninja form requires well-timed execution of its attacks, some of its skills requires using limited throwables, which you need to replenish by killing enemies or exploring areas even to the point of backtracing. Most of the time I use Samurai due to the heavy damage I could sustain, depending on the stance.

After playing Stranger of Paradise and Wo Long: Fallen Dynasty, it's clear they want the players to feel like combat should be flexible and easy to approach. It's brisk, fast-paced, while rewarding skill with aggression. Enemies, when launching their ultimate, can have these countered simply by changing form. Spirit Guardians gives you ultimates and magic skills based on each form too.

Dodging at times isn't enough, you have to parry attacks too. Anyone experienced in playing Soulslike, and the older Nioh games will get plenty in offer. Including archery, which also helps find trinkets. Some areas you can sneak around crouching and stealth kill.

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• Magic, spirits, powers, repertoire galore
  

The entire demo is based around this village area, encouraging exploration, since multiple areas hold a lot of loot. I mean, a crapton of loot. Both Samurai and Ninja forms can have skills unlocked simply by finding hairpieces of deceased warriors. Spirits of the land will lend help too.

Map has sections that need to be also liberated, some occupied by bandits requiring to be cleared, others going on finding hidden loots, ones that cat spirits will even guide you long as you pet them. Covering these parts of map provides rewards, including luck. What I love about all this, is how characteristically defined these areas are. Giving me a lot to do.

It's a captivating world, there are side quests given by spirits of the death, where their lost ones are suffering due to the war and Yokai invasions. You see so much of the chaos ravaging the land, and sort of paints a perspective, as well as contemplating your part in it.

Not everything's a breeze, some of the areas have enemies so tough, I had to summon help from friendly AIs, that are based on other players. Help I summon is limited through coins, which can be earned by killing revenants. Sadly, my co-op experience with actual players are pretty mixed.

I had one guy helping me get through the Crucible area, this is the city part infested with Yokai and turns out they can forever effect my permanent HP unless I hit them back. Backtracking is a thing done a lot, because again, loot based economy is a factor in the experience. Plus, these Crucible areas give a lot of souls to farm and level up.

Last boss battle was super hard to kill, and that's sadly because my co-op partner was gone, and no one else was willing to come and help. But in the end, it came to honing in to my mastering of the game. It feels like after Elden Ring, soulslike now complements the environments more. While it's not next generation appealing in visual fidelity, it works plenty in fluidity.

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Above screenshots and GIFs are from personal recordings only

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