Nioh 3: Jaw-Dropping First Look! Is This The Best Soulslike Yet?!

Alright, folks, buckle up. We finally got our hands on Nioh 3, and let me tell you, it's a beast. I'm not talking about the Yokai; I'm talking about the sheer depth of this game. Max Blumenthal and I, Erick Tay, spent a good chunk of time wrestling with the mechanics, and honestly, the initial impression is…overwhelming, in the best way possible.

Nioh 3: Jaw-Dropping First Look! Is This The Best ...

Now, I'll be the first to admit, I approached Nioh 3 as a relative newbie. Sure, I dabbled in the previous entries, but never truly mastered the combat intricacies. Max, on the other hand, is a seasoned samurai slayer. So, coming at it from basically square one, the sheer number of systems felt intimidating at first. Ki pulsing, stances, soul cores, Yokai shifts…it's a lot to take in.

But here's the thing – and this is crucial – the game doesn't just throw you into the deep end without a life preserver. There's a clear progression, a learning curve that, while steep, feels manageable. You start to piece things together, experiment with different weapon types, and gradually unlock the potential of the combat system. And that, my friends, is where the magic happens.

What really struck me was the level of customization. It's not just about finding better gear (though that's definitely part of it). It's about crafting a playstyle that suits you. Do you want to be a nimble ninja, dancing around enemies with swift strikes? Or a tanky warrior, absorbing blows and unleashing devastating counterattacks? Nioh 3 gives you the tools to do either, and everything in between. I personally started gravitating towards a dual-sword build, focusing on quick combos and Ki management. It felt really good once I began to get the hang of it.

Honestly, the biggest compliment I can give Nioh 3 after this hands-on session is this: I desperately want to play more. I want to dive deeper into the skill trees, experiment with different soul cores, and truly master the combat. The feeling of finally understanding a complex system and then unleashing it on a challenging enemy is incredibly satisfying. It's that "aha!" moment that keeps you hooked.

Of course, we’re still early in the game. There's a whole world of content we haven't explored, and plenty more Yokai waiting to be vanquished. But based on what we’ve seen so far, Nioh 3 is shaping up to be a worthy successor to its predecessors – a challenging, rewarding, and incredibly deep action RPG that will keep players engaged for hours on end. Stay tuned for our full review closer to launch!