How Nioh 3 compares to FromSoftware's soulslike games like Elden Ring

When a new Soulslike comes out, it's easy to draw comparisons between it and the games made by the subgenre's predecessor, FromSoftware. One of the latest entries in that conversation is Team Ninjas Nioh 3which at first glance appear to be cut from the same cloth. It's hard, its combat revolves around stamina management, death is punishment, and it expects players to learn through failure, all like its FromSoftware cousins. But not all Soulslikes are FromSoftware-like, and there's an important distinction to make here. Where games like Fire Ring encouraging patience, spatial awareness and discovery through the world itself, Nioh 3 tells a bit of a different story.

More than anything else, Nioh 3 feels like a different take on the Soulslike idea as it doubles down on combat depth and tactical variety in places where FromSoftware's games emphasize world interaction and pacing. Its Style Shift system allows players to switch between Samurai and Ninja – two distinct playstyles that open the door wide for build customization. Exploration i Nioh 3 consists of interconnected larger maps rather than the wide-open discovery-first design of games like Fire Ring. The result is a game that challenges players more with what they do in each fight than where they go and do Nioh 3s identity distinct even though it shares some similarities with its genre peers.

Nioh 3 is its own middle ground with its open field experience

Key differences between Nioh 3's Exploration and FromSoftware games like Elden Ring

NO ASSEMBLY BASED TRIPS – Exploration takes place entirely on foot, with smaller traverse loops instead of long-distance movements.
OPEN FIELD ZONES, NOT OPEN WORLD – Large, self-contained areas rather than a seamless map.
STRUCTURED EXPLORATION PATHS – Regions are designed around intentional routes, elevation changes and gated access.
CAPABILITY-GATED FEEDBACK – Guardian Spirits unlock traversal tools that open previously inaccessible areas.
PROGRESSION-DRIVEN EXPLORATION – Finding shrines, chests and bases gives direct access to character growth.
MAP-GUIDED DISCOVERY – Icons and upgrades reduce dependency on blind curiosity over time.

Nioh 3 has been referred to as “open world” by many of its viewers and even its critics, and if it really was, it would be more comparable to Fire Rings open world. However, it is not fully open world, instead adopting what it calls an “open field” approach to exploration. It's not quite the interconnected, branching paths seen in classic FromSoftware games like Dark soulsbut neither are the wide-open, seamless world players end up in Fire Ring. Rather, Nioh 3 is its own middle ground, taking players through large, open spaces where there are collectibles, optional boss fights, and other activities around every corner.

It is worth noting that when exploring Nioh 3 is optional, it is not recommended, as many upgrades, boons and other rewards are an important part of progression.

Where Nioh 3s exploration differs from a game that Fire Ringhowever, is in what fuel it. While Fire Rings map is minimal in what it reveals, thus encouraging curiosity-driven discovery, Nioh 3's eventually becomes inundated with icons that are hard to ignore. It doesn't reveal every single collectible in the game, but it does show where the most valuable items can be found. That said, the map only reveals these things when players reach a high enough exploration level to trigger them. By completing major activities such as finding shrines, opening chests, and capturing enemy bases, the level of exploration in that region increases, and players gain several benefits such as items and increased base stats, and the map can eventually be upgraded to show the location of collectibles and various points of interest.

Nioh 3 also handles traversal differently than games that Fire Ring. There is no attachment and no emphasis on covering large distances. Instead, exploration is built around movement on foot through its dense open field zones, with climbing, elevation changes, and skill-based paths changing how players move through each region. Series staple Guardian Spirits play a key role in Nioh 3 also, unlocking walkthrough abilities that allow access to previously inaccessible areas and encourage backtracking across the different time periods the game is set in. These special areas usually host optional Soulslike bosses that may have been too difficult for players early on, as well as upgrades and other optional encounters, some of which are even tied to the protagonist's backstory.

Nioh 3's combat is more accessible, its construction, more complex

Key Differences Between Nioh 3's Combat and Build-Crafting and FromSoftware Games

MORE FORGIVEN COMBAT CURVE – Challenging, but less punishing than traditional Soulsborne games.
FASTER, PRESSURE-DRIVEN FIGHTS – Emphasize mobility and sustained attacks, especially with the Ninja style.
LESS PUNITIVE DODGE DESIGN – Avoid squirming on abuse, but easier to recover from.
STAMINA MANAGEMENT STILL CENTRAL – Aggression is rewarded, but overextension is consistently punished.
MUCH DEEPER BUILDING-CRAFT SYSTEM – Gear properties, sets, Guardian Spirits, Soul Cores and magic all stacked.
PERMANENT BUILDING EVOLUTION – Frequent loot drops and free specs encourage experimentation.
BUILDING ACTIVELY CHANGING GAMES – Status effects, Ki reset and stealth bonuses reshape encounters rather than just numbers.

Nioh 3's combat is generally more forgiving than a typical FromSoftware game

Another major difference between Nioh 3 and FromSoftware games is its difficulty. In fact, it falls more to the side Fire Ring when it comes to challenge, while traditional Soulsborne games are much harder to conquer. Nioh 3 is not easy by any means, as it has a pool of systems that players must familiarize themselves with before crossing the difficulty threshold between traditional FromSoftware games and Fire Ring. But it's largely a much more accessible experience than a game that Dark soulsand it can be quite forgiving at times.

FromSoftware games are also known to feature boss fights that have multiple phases, but almost all bosses in the Nioh 3 has only one phase, making these encounters even easier to manage.

Nioh 3 moves a lot faster than most FromSoftware games do too, especially with its new Ninja style. FromSoftware's signature formula is known for making players feel a bit heavier in combat, where success is often achieved through patience, dedication and precise timing rather than agility. Nioh 3on the other hand, is closer to something similar Sekiro or Blood bornewith battles that are faster and more aggressive. Here, players are encouraged to put constant pressure on enemies instead of waiting for an opening. But even then, then Nioh 3s combat is rooted in stamina management, players are still better off knowing when to disengage, reset Ki, and reset the fight before overstepping and getting punished.

Nioh 3's Build-Crafting has more complexity and depth than a typical FromSoftware game, by far

Where Nioh 3 really differs from Fire Ring and other FromSoftware games are under construction. The adaptation potential of gear in Nioh 3 has much more depth and complexity than players typically find in a standard FromSoftware Soulsborne. That difference starts with sheer volume, as players are likely to loot thousands of pieces of gear in a single playthrough – but it doesn't stop there. Between randomized gear properties, set bonuses, Guardian Spirits, Soul Cores, Ninjutsu, Onmyo Magic, Titles, and countless passive effects, build in Nioh 3 is constantly changing. The game regularly encourages experimentation, aided by the ability to respect almost anything for free, removing the fear of committing too soon.

By comparison, the build of FromSoftware games tends to be more restrained, even while offering a wide variety of weapons and playstyles. Soulsborne builds usually only revolve around a handful of choices like weapon type, stat focus, and armor weight, with most of the depth coming from how the build is executed. IN Nioh 3however, builds can change the game completely. When poison procs more often help Ki recovery players be more aggressive, or kill damage turns stealth into a viable primary strategy, the game's build really shines. That is ultimately what gives Nioh 3builds an edge over the more static customization that Soulsborne veterans may be used to.

In the end, when comparing Nioh 3 to FromSoftware games like Fire Ringit's clear that Team Ninja borrows familiar Soulslike characteristics, but it builds something very different from tradition. Its open field structure, more forgiving battle curve, and deep build constructions ultimately set it apart. Those who prefer the more punishing style of traditional Soulsborne games may not be keen Nioh 3s approach, but it's still what gives Team Ninja's latest its own identity and sets it apart from an increasingly crowded genre.