NIOH 3: TEAM NINJA OPENS THE MAP AND KEEPS THE TEETH
8.5 of 10 bananas. Team Ninja's samurai soulslike moves to open field maps and lets you swap between Samurai and Ninja styles mid fight. Critics call it the best Nioh yet. The loot flood, rough visuals, and a softer difficulty curve keep it from the top shelf.
By the Alpha. Full review. Updated Nov 13 2026.
Honest note: This is not a fresh hands-on playtest. I built this verdict from critic reviews, player reviews, the store listing, and the official game pages linked below. If I put real hours in on stream, I will update the score and say so.
Platforms: PlayStation 5 and PC via Steam. Released February 2026, developed by Team Ninja and published by Koei Tecmo. The Amazon button is the PS5 disc, Standard Edition. At my Nov 13 2026 check the new copy came from a third-party seller, BEST SOURCE 365, shipped by Amazon, at 36.69 dollars.
Get Nioh 3 for PS5 on AmazonStore check, Nov 13 2026: new copies on offer from a third-party seller, BEST SOURCE 365, shipped by Amazon, at 36.69 dollars. That is a third-party seller, not Amazon itself, so check the seller before you pay. Prices and sellers change, so look before you pay.
Sit with me a moment. The first Nioh taught me to respect a stamina bar. The second taught me that a loot screen can be scarier than a boss. Nioh 3 asks a new question: what happens when Team Ninja takes the walls off and lets you wander? The answer, from the critics, is mostly good news.
What It Wants To Be
A dark samurai action RPG set in an alternate Warring States Japan full of yokai, where you hop between eras of Japanese history. The big swing is what Team Ninja calls an open field: several large maps you can explore freely, still built around the classic Nioh shortcut paths. The second swing is combat. You can switch between a heavy Samurai style and a quick Ninja style in the middle of a fight, and respec freely. Story co-op is in for anyone who wants a partner.
What Works
The numbers hold up: 86 on Metacritic for PS5 at my check, with 96 of 102 critic reviews positive. GameSpew called it the best entry in the series, and PlayStation Universe praised combat that is precise, expressive, and endlessly rewarding. GameSpot liked how the open field lets you park a hard boss, go explore, and come back stronger. Polygon still calls the bosses creative and unforgiving. On Steam, 79 percent of 4,921 English user reviews are positive.
What Breaks
Listen well. The loot is a flood. GameSpot says the sheer amount makes most of it feel inconsequential, and Polygon says exploration runs dry under piles of duplicate weapons and armor. Rogueliker goes further and says Team Ninja mistakes excess for depth. Digital Foundry found the Katana engine rough on PS5 and PS5 Pro, with pop-in, shadow flicker, and dips into the mid 50s in the 60fps mode. Rice Digital and Polygon both say regular enemies get easy once you explore, so the challenge lives almost only in the bosses. Recent Steam reviews sit at Mixed, 65 percent of 126 in the last 30 days.
Who Should Play
Play it if you love Nioh, Sekiro, or any soulslike where combat depth matters more than story, or if past Nioh games felt too walled in. It is also the friendliest Nioh for newcomers. Skip it if loot menus already wear you out, or if you need a clean, modern looking game.
STRENGTHS
- Samurai and Ninja style swaps
- Open field maps you can explore
- Creative, tough bosses
- Friendlier to newcomers
HONEST COSTS
- Far too much loot
- Rough visuals and pop-in
- Regular enemies get easy
- Third-party seller at my check
Affiliate note: this Amazon link supports the troop at no extra cost to you. One CTA per review. Platforms listed honestly above. At my check the offer was sold by BEST SOURCE 365, a third-party seller, and shipped by Amazon.