Nioh 3: Hell Rising DLC Review – Half-Hearted Expansion Offers Mixed Results

Developer Team Ninja and publisher Koei Tecmo have released the first major downloadable content for their soulslike action RPG, titled Nioh 3: Hell Rising. Aimed at alleviating some of the base game's flaws regarding enemy variety and story, the expansion arrives just over half a year after the launch of the original title. However, a closer look at the content reveals that the expansion falls somewhat short, offering a mixed experience for players returning to the game's loot-based gameplay loop.

On the positive side, Hell Rising introduces an entirely new weapon archetype: the Hoko & Shield, which pairs a short spear with defensive capabilities. Both Samurai and Ninja styles support the new weapon, allowing for aggressive play styles where timed strong attacks mitigate incoming damage much like a Guard Point in the Monster Hunter series. Players gain access to the weapon early on, and the addition expands buildcraft options alongside new pistol ninjutsu techniques, water-based elemental abilities, and aerial movement options for Ninja players.

Furthermore, the DLC's new zone does significant heavy lifting for the overall experience. Featuring a colorful, large open field that transitions from a war-torn take on Edo's castle to villages, creepy underground levels, dense forests, and libraries reminiscent of Bloodborne, the exploration is praised for pacing and visual variety. Performance testing on a PC equipped with an RTX 3080 Ti and Ryzen 9 5950X showed stable frame rates with only occasional drops at maximum settings.

Despite these highlights, the expansion struggles in other areas. Hell Rising recycles numerous enemy types from the base game—such as Nuribotoke and Jakotsu-Baba—adding extra mob hurdles to freshen encounters rather than introducing entirely new creatures. Boss encounters lean heavily toward humanoids like Berenguela the Whimsical, and the narrative has been described as a major disappointment. Following Takechiyo's time travel to Edo in 1651 to stop the return of the Crucible, the story relies on a series of fights with minimal character development, ultimately concluding on a cliffhanger that sets up the upcoming second story expansion, Bloody Insurrection.