Nioh 3 is one of the best soulslike games I've played in quite some time, and now that I've completed and reviewed the new Hell Rising expansion, it's only gone up in my estimations. Hell Rising is an excellent start to Nioh 3's two-part downloadable content series, and I can't wait for its follow-up.
Before playing Hell Rising for myself, though, I had the chance to interview key development staff at Team Ninja about the expansion — namely, game directors Masaki Fujita and Atsushi Takahashi as well as producer Kohei Shibata.
The three discussed various aspects of Nioh 3: Hell Rising, including its plot following on from the base game, its new weapon types, and some collectible additions making their debut in the expansion. Read on if you want to learn more from the developers themselves before you dive into the hellish Edo-Keian period for yourself.
Bloody succession
In terms of story, Hell Rising picks up right after the events of Nioh 3.
"The DLC takes place after the main story," said game director Masaki Fujita, "and much of its content assumes that players have already cleared the base game." As such, you do need to have beaten Nioh 3's base game to access the DLC in the first place.
"At the end of the main game, the protagonist became shogun," Fujita continued, "and the events and incidents that unfold during the shogun's reign involve key figures and instigators, as well as people on the shogunate side who worked to resolve them—in other words, the shogun's retainers. Many of the characters appearing in the DLC fill one of those roles."
One character Fujita is referring to here is Yagyu Jubei, a popular historical figure who has been portrayed in countless media. You might know the name from Capcom's Onimusha 2: Samurai's Destiny, in which the main protagonist is named as such. He makes an appearance in Nioh 3: Hell Rising, donning the iconic eyepatch he's often portrayed with.
Curiously, Hell Rising takes place in 1651 — a year after the real Yagyu Jubei's death.
On Hell Rising's premise and setting of the Keian period, Fujita added: "The Keian era comes right after Takechiyo’s [Nioh 3's player character] reign as the third shogun. The events that unfold in that period are heavily shaped by the influence of his rule. In this title, by leaping through time into the future, you come to witness both the light and dark sides of your own reign. We’d like you to see how that experience is reflected in the conclusion across both DLC Vol. 1 and Vol. 2."
Fujita also commented on what Hell Rising's new setting allowed Team Ninja to achieve beyond its efforts with the base game, saying: "In the base game, the Edo period was only represented by a small part of Edo Castle, and Bakumatsu [Nioh 3's final major area and time period] was so devastated that it couldn’t really convey the culture and customs of the Edo period.
"So this is the first time in the series we’ve had a stage that truly feels like the Edo period. We’ve scattered little Edo-period details throughout, and I’m most looking forward to seeing how players react to them."
Shields up
Before playing Hell Rising, I was curious to learn more about its new weapon type: the Hoko and Shield. This versatile weapon pairs a short spear with a large shield, and my feelings of its in-game mechanics seem to reflect Team Ninja's plan for this new archetype.
"There are actually two weapon types: Hoko and Shield and Ninja Hoko and Shield," explained game director Atsushi Takahashi.
"Their defining trait is that they combine offense and defense into one. Normally, you'd deal with an enemy attack by guarding or evading, then strike during the opening that follows.
"With these weapons, however, you can read the timing of an enemy's attack and, by parrying at just the right moment, deflect it and immediately counter with your own attack."
Personally, I found it not to be a parry in the traditional sense; that's something Nioh 3's Samurai style actually already has built into its guarding via the Deflect skill. The Hoko and Shield, meanwhile, more so negate the enemy's attack, allowing you to power through it without taking damage.
"In Samurai style," Takahashi added, "the Hoko and Shield lets you time strong attacks and certain Martial Arts to knock away enemy blows with your shield while driving in with the hoko spear.
"Meanwhile, the Ninja Hoko and Shield is a more versatile weapon. It doesn't just deflect attacks with the shield — it can also be thrown, ridden, and woven together with spear attacks. You can launch techniques, leap into the air, and even hurl the shield from above, letting you move freely and keep enemies off balance."
Takahashi seemed especially proud of this new weapon type, noting that it had "been designed as a high-risk, high-reward weapon, where you throw yourself into enemy attacks and earn a big payoff by deflecting them at just the right moment. I'd love for players to take it up against the tougher enemies in Hell Rising."
Raising hell
I questioned the team on miscellaneous additions and new features players can expect with the release of Nioh 3: Hell Rising. Fujita noted that while there aren't any dedicated new game modes coming with the DLC, "we are adding 'Enlightened One's Journey' for the game's third playthrough, as well as 'Hundred Demon Realms Picture Scroll,' an expanded piece of content built on the idea of the picture scroll mode from previous titles."
Takahashi added: "We haven't added any new traversal options, but the DLC does expand the content through collectible story pieces such as notes and letters in [the form of] 'Nioh Story Fragments'. These not only reveal more about the characters' inner lives, but also let you feel the culture of Edo's townspeople and the reign of Takechiyo."
I also asked if players can expect any improvements to performance, namely with the game's PC port. My experience at launch (and since) has been largely fine, but I know that's not the case for everyone. Fujita said: "We don't have a specific timeline, but we are currently looking into performance improvements to make the game even more comfortable to play. Once we have a clearer path forward, we plan to address them as appropriate."
Finally, given publisher Koei Tecmo's staunch support of the Nintendo Switch 2 platform — including the release of quality ports like Dynasty Warriors Origins, Nobunaga's Ambition: Awakening, and Fatal Frame 2: Crimson Butterfly Remake — I couldn't help but quiz the team on if they thought Nioh 3 would be a good fit for the handheld platform.
This is where game producer Kohei Shibata chimed in, saying: "I can't comment on Nioh 3, but the Nintendo Switch 2 version of Wo Long: Fallen Dynasty Complete Edition, also developed by Team Ninja, is scheduled to launch on September 3. Please look forward to that as well!"
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