Platform: PlayStation 5, PC
Publisher: Koei Tecmo
Developer: Team Ninja
Release: February 6, 2026
Rating: Mature

Team Ninja’s Nioh series capitalized early on the rising popularity of Soulslikes, establishing itself as arguably the best non-From Software spin on the subgenre. The franchise’s faster-paced, loot-driven formula has earned it a dedicated fanbase, so much so that Nioh’s blueprint has been applied to similarly designed Team Ninja games such as Wo Long: Fallen Dynasty and Rise of the Rōnin to varying results and some diminishing returns. Instead of resting on these laurels, Nioh 3 thankfully shakes up this reliable template with a new ninja-focused class, more open level design, and an intriguing time-hopping premise.

I traveled to Koei Tecmo’s San Francisco office to play roughly four hours of Nioh 3’s mid-game sections and speak to the game's principal leads. The game unfolds during Japan’s Sengoku period and stars Tokugawa Takechiyo, a warrior positioned to become the nation’s next Shogun. However, Takechiyo’s power-hungry younger brother conspires to overthrow him by leading a force of yokai against the entire country. With Japan now morphed into a demonic hellscape, Takechiyo must make things right in a story that, somehow, spans hundreds of years of Feudal Japanese history thanks to the mysterious presence of time-travel.

In a chat with game director and Team Ninja head Fumohiko Yasuda, he says he felt the evolution between Nioh 1 and 2 was “lacking”, and wanted a third entry to take a bigger leap forward. “When we wanted to do Nioh 3, I think I really wanted to make sure that we had something that had a new kind of gameplay as well as a new kind of gameplay experience, in addition to just evolving the action as well,” Yasuda says through a translator.

I play this demo using a pre-built character (that I still get to customize using the series' character creator, which seems largely unchanged). Nioh 3’s biggest change in regards to combat is that players can now switch between two fully fleshed out gameplay styles: Samurai and Ninja. I begin by using the Samurai style, which, to be blunt, offers the standard Nioh gameplay experience. I have four sword stances to swap between, one of several guardian spirits to call upon for a supernatural assist, and combat remains the fast-paced assault of flashy weapon attacks interspersed with well-timed uses of the Ki Pulse mechanic to regain stamina. Ninja style offers a stark contrast by emphasizing evasion and overall speed. Hitting the right shoulder trigger switches between Samurai and Ninja styles on the fly, and timing this button press before enemies land crimson-tinted attacks triggers Burst Break, which offers a powerful counterattack on top of the style change. It's a supremely useful and fun mechanic I enjoyed trying to master. 

In terms of what inspired this new gameplay style, Yasuda says the Ninja offers another recognizable facet of Japanese culture while also providing the visual and gameplay contrast he desired. “When you kind of think about [it], samurai are very sort of feet on the ground, they have very like solid, powerful attacks,” Yasuda explains. “In contrast to that, ninjas are quite speedy and have the ability to use Ninjutsu, which is a little bit of tricksterism inside of there as well.”

The Ninja style became my preferred style as someone who generally favors speedier characters, and while the gameplay is similar, there are key differences. For one, Ninja style replaces the signature Ki Pulse mechanic with Mist, a spinning dodge-like maneuver that still replenishes stamina. Even better, I like how this move positions me behind enemies to take advantage of the Ninja’s increased back attack damage, ensuring I make constant use of it. Ninja style also replaces the sword stances with tools such as shuriken, caltrops, and a ninpo-style fireball. Although I don't make as much use as the shurikens and fireballs, which only deal minimal damage, I unexpectedly gravitated towards caltrops; spreading them on the ground during fights dealt helpful chip damage while occasionally staggering enemies long enough to dish out offense. 

Performing well fills a new spirit meter that activates Living Artifact, a new mechanic that temporarily transforms players into a destructive deity-like force. While in this powerful form, I’m encouraged to go off with devastating, wide-sweeping attacks. After taking down numerous foes in carefully executed duels, it feels liberating to wildly smash enemies like a yokai-powered Hulk. However, Living Artifact lasts as long as a dwindling meter allows, and taking hits removes chunks of this meter, shortening the transformation’s already fleeting duration.

Samurai and Ninja styles sport individual loadouts, so they're equipped with separate weapons, armor sets, and even the powerful spirit guardian special attacks. This makes it feel like swapping between two wholly different characters. Keeping in mind that I was dropped into a mid-game build, I felt overwhelmed by how much there is to keep up with. Nioh is already a mechanically dense series, and players now have double the moves, tools, and skill trees to manage. But Team Ninja assures me that Nioh 3 doesn’t require players to master every mechanic to succeed. In fact, I’m told it is absolutely possible to beat the game using only a single style, so if you favor the Ninja style, for example, you can treat Nioh 3 as a shinobi-focused adventure. That's good to hear, because I occasionally felt guilty for not remembering every tool and ability at my disposal.

Speaking of juggaling a lot of abilities, each weapon type has its own individual skill tree. You can unlock new moves to add more robust options for your two equipped weapons, be they katana, dual axes, spears, and many more. Nioh already encouraged players to settle into their favorite weapons early and stick with them to gain complete mastery. This new progression system hammers that philosophy home more than ever, as each weapon has a deeper-than-expected tree of skills that players will only see the end of if they're not spreading their upgrade points across multiple other tools. 

In another significant but welcome departure, Nioh 3 ditches the antiquated, mission-based level selection of previous entries. From what I saw while playing, players transition between areas in a more cinematic and direct fashion. Levels themselves sport what Team Ninja describes as an “open-field” approach, which is their way of saying environments are more expansive and feature multiple paths. The most surprising addition is a traditional map, a feature almost unheard of in this genre, but one I’m also not complaining about. In addition to tracking your location, the map also displays missed collectibles for easy cleanup while backtracking. You can also freely fast-travel between shrines at any time. 

As someone who enjoys the interconnected level design of most Soulslikes, I’m on board with this approach, and alternate routes can yield secrets, such as hidden Kodama spirits. One of the coolest destinations is Crucibles, gated areas filled with deadlier foes who reward greater loot drops, like rarer armor and weapons.  One crucible transported me to a devastated Kyoto circa 1864. To say it's seen better days is an understatement. Kyoto has been torn asunder, with spires of demonic mountains protruding from the landscape amid a crimson red sky. As I look above, I see a massive centipede snake across the sky; it’s a beautiful, if horrific, sight. I’m tasked with heading toward the city's center, and plenty of demonic opposition wait to cut my adventure short. 

Nioh 3 is, by design, going to kick your butt, but it was hard to gauge how much so using a pre-made, kitted-out character. When I ask how difficult this new entry is, Team Ninja compares it to the quite hard Nioh 2 while noting that the larger zones can help players mitigate any hardships. “I think the opportunities to be able to overcome those difficulties, we've given the players a lot more options of how they can go about doing that,” producer Kohei Shibata explains through a translator.” I one-shotted most of the smaller mid-bosses, though I attribute this more to my late-game build than anything else. One proper boss battle against the gun-toting swordsman Takasugi Shinsaku gave me the blistering yet entertaining challenge I expect from the series. Dodging his bullets and deliberate sword strikes while also contending with his guardian spirit, a fox-masked maiden, sent me to the Game Over screen more than once.

Although I couldn’t get Team Ninja to spill more tea on the game’s story, which sees players mysteriously time-traveling across roughly 600 years of Feudal Japanese history, what I do know about Nioh 3 has me excited. It's Nioh in the ways that matter, but I'm eager to master the new Ninja style (despite having to deal with even more of the game's overabundance of loot), and the action is as sharp as the series has ever been. When it was first announced, I tipped my hat in acknowledgment that it would likely be a good but extremely familiar threequel. Having played it, I’m genuinely enjoying its changes and am far more interested in seeing how it ultimately shapes up. 

Smooth-talking dice rolls, turn-based car combat, and more on show in new trailer for narrative RPG set in alternate 1930s New York 

Seismic Squirrel have released a new trailer showcasing the atmospheric world awaiting players in their upcoming narrative-driven RPG, Aether & Iron, coming to PC in 2026. Take on the role of Gia, a smuggler in an alternate 1930s New York that has been transformed into a vertical city after the discovery of “aether”, a key component to the newfound anti-gravitational technology. Build your crew, upgrade your skills, and dive into a compelling mystery with a customized car to help you survive in turn-based vehicle combat battles.

Aether & Iron’s new trailer offers a taste of the compelling systems and intriguing characters that await you. Take a look at how you can charm and bluff your way out of trouble, recruit new allies, customize your ride, and engage in tactical car combat as you make your mark in a city where your choices matter.

Wishlist on Steam Now!

In a world that blends a hardboiled-inspired 1930s New York with futuristic technology, crafted by a writing team with credits on Mass Effect, Assassin’s Creed, Far Cry, and Sovereign Syndicate, your choices will define the future of the city and how you take on the challenges this shady and dangerous place will confront you with. Upgrade skills like “Hustle”, “Smarts”, and “Brass” to smooth-talk your way through conversations (with the luck of the dice on your side) or beef up the damage you can deal out in strategic combat encounters.

As a smuggler, your car is key to your trade. You will not only use it to smuggle goods throughout the city, but also as a weapon in turn-based battles that take place as you speed through the city’s streets. Upgrade and customize your fleet of vehicles with weapons and armor that you can unleash on opponents. In battle, you’ll need to be mindful of the strategic opportunities offered by traffic hazards coming your way - ramming your opponent into oncoming obstacles is often worth it for the damage your vehicle will take!

Explore diverse and immersive locations and meet a fascinating cast of characters on the course of your adventure. As a simple job draws you into a conspiracy that threatens the whole city, you will find allies and make enemies, reconnect with old friends pushed away by your troubled past, orchestrate betrayals, and more in a game full of stories where you control the outcome.

Wishlist on Steam Now!

Key Features

• Muster Your Crew: Recruit unique and resourceful companions to watch your back and follow their stories.
• Turn-Based Vehicular Combat: Assemble a wide range of incredible aether-powered vehicles and unlock new tactical options to try out in an interesting twist on strategic, turn-based vehicular battles.
• Dive into An Underground Life: Navigate secret paths, dodge enemies, hide contraband, and stay ahead of the big bosses out to get you.
• Your Choices Matter: Your decisions will shape the unfolding history of New York and the lives of its citizens, determining whether they will be able to find hope in a corrupt world of manipulation and violence.

• Grow your Talents: Level up your Hustle, Smarts, and Brass abilities to improve your chances in combat and social situations. But no matter how good you are, you’re always a dice roll away from success or failure.
• Drive in Style: Upgrade your aether-powered rides to suit your playstyle. Enhance your cars with every trick in the smuggler’s toolkit - hidden compartments, smoke dispensers, and flamethrowers of course.
• Fascinating Visuals: Inspired by 1930s detective comics and the Art Deco period, Aether & Iron brings a unique visual identity to gameplay.
• Full Voice Acting: Experience an alt-history 1930s New York directly through the voices of its inhabitants. Learn their stories; sometimes funny, sometimes philosophical, usually tragic.

Wishlist on Steam Now!

Tides of Annihilation raised a lot of eyebrows when it debuted during a PlayStation State of Play in February, and the promising dark fantasy action game got another showing today, this time on the Xbox side during its Partner Preview. Curious fans were treated to a four-minute gameplay trailer showing off a titanic boss fight that, frankly, looks awesome. 

The adventure draws inspiration from Arthurian legend (as in the lore of King Arthur) and centers on an otherworldly invasion of a modernized London. This invasion has fractured the world into distorted mirror realities, and it’s up to protagonist Gwendolyn to travel between two worlds, London and the mythical Avalon, to save her family, the city, and existence itself. 

Today’s trailer shows off an impressively flashy boss battle against Tyronoe, one of the eight sisters of Morgan le Fay. The video, which developer Eclipse Glow Games confirms is captured in-engine, shows how Gwendolyn will enlist the aid of legendary knights, of which there are 10 in total, to augment her abilities and turn the tide (pun intended) of battle. Today's trailer shows her tag-teaming with former rival Sir Lamorak. 

Tides of Annihilation is coming to PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, and PC, but it does not have a release window. 

Dragon Quest VII Reimagined is the latest game to grace the cover of Game Informer magazine, and would you believe that in our 34 years of history, this is the first time we've featured a Dragon Quest game on the cover? That's a wild statement, so during my trip to Tokyo, Japan, to play Reimagined, I interviewed Dragon Quest creator Yuji Horii for 90 minutes about the series, what it's like seeing Dragon Quest VII remade again, game preservation, and more. 

You can read my full deep dive into Dragon Quest history, as told by Horii, here, but in the meantime, let's get into Horii's thoughts on remakes and game preservation. 

A screenshot from Dragon Quest I

He begins discussing remakes by mentioning platform limitations of the past. 

"We were confined by a lot of elements when we developed those games," Horii tells me. "So seeing this new generation of creators [Editor's Note: Horii is seated beside Reimagined producer Takeshi Ichikawa during this interview], reimagining and remaking these titles, it is an interesting sight to see.

"One of the key differences between video games and other entertainment platforms or media – you can always revisit those old mangas, old movies, but for video games, it's getting more difficult to play older games. So to actually offer an opportunity for players around the world to actually play the older titles in a new way in this modern day and age and on the current generation of consoles and platforms, I think it's a really great thing." 

Game Informer video editor Alex Van Aken, who accompanied me on this Reimagined trip, followed up with Horii to ask about his thoughts on game preservation. He says it's a difficult topic. 

"In a lot of ways, it's really something that can't be helped in this day and age," Horii says. "Back then, kids had limited forms of entertainment, or limited accessibility to entertainment. So they would spend tens and hundreds of hours in video games, but nowadays, it's a little bit different. The way people or kids interact and engage with video games is very different from when they did way back then, a few decades ago, since it's not just video games; there are so many different types and forms of entertainment. It's really hard to have a video game take [a piece of that] pie. So yeah, it's a difficult topic."

Dragon Quest VII Reimagined launches on February 5 on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, Switch 2, Switch, and PC. 

While waiting for its release, check out this article breaking down everything in the Dragon Quest VII Reimagined issue of Game Informer, and be sure to subscribe here if you haven't yet to access the Dragon Quest VII Reimagined cover story, our deep dive into Dragon Quest history with creator Yuji Horii, and so much more.

Little Nightmares III came out earlier this year, but fans of the franchise might have noticed it was developed by Until Dawn developer Supermassive instead of the team behind the former games, Tarsier Studios. That's because Tarsier has been hard at work creating Reanimal, a new co-op horror game right around the corner. Today, we learned that the game will drop early next year, on February 13. Check out the trailer from today's Xbox Partner Preview below.

Reanimal follows a brother and sister making their way through Hell to rescue their missing friends. In dimly lit sewers, alleyways, and vaguely industrial spaces, dark creatures chase the protagonists from one location to the next. While what we've seen of the co-op gameplay looks fine so far, the real draw for this studio is the dark, twisted atmosphere and art style, and today's trailer has both in spades.

To check out a glimpse of Reanimal today, you can download the demo on Xbox here or on Steam here. Reanimal is slated to launch on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, and PC.