Nioh 3: Hell Rising is a masterful microcosm of everything that made the base game great

Nioh 3: Hell Rising is a masterful microcosm of everything that made the base game great. Released in August 2026, it's the first of two major expansions to the highly acclaimed soulslike game. While not as expansive as some other games like Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree or Lies of P: Overture, Hell Rising offers more Nioh 3 in the best way possible. If you enjoyed Nioh 3 and completed it, Hell Rising has a lot more to love.

Hell Rising takes place in 1651 during Japan's short-lived Keian era, where protagonist Takechiyo, now appointed Shogun, learns of a resurgence of the Crucible and demonic forces. New allies join Takechiyo, including Yagyu Jubei and Rodrigo, a swordsman and politician from Spain. The DLC introduces new enemy types, challenging boss encounters, a new weapon archetype (Hoko and Shield), and a sprinkling of added skills, ninjutsu, and onmyo magic.

The DLC takes place in various locations, such as water-logged villages, an active volcano, and a laboratory staffed by foreign alchemists. Levels have a surprising amount of verticality, making the new map feel suitably dense. The DLC's gatekeeper boss, Yagyu Jubei, is among the hardest new bosses, with fast movements and elemental attacks. New weapon archetypes like Hoko and Shield add a defensive approach to combat, providing high-risk, high-reward gameplay.

Despite the DLC's bite-sized nature, it's excellent and provides more build variety options for Samurai or Ninja players, along with new skills, ninjutsu, onmyo magic, and yokai Soul Cores. These can also be used in the base game on higher difficulty settings. However, some issues include the reuse of base game bosses and occasionally unfair enemy ambushes in tight spaces. Overall, Nioh 3: Hell Rising is highly recommended for fans of the base game and those seeking more content within the series.