Nioh 3's first DLC expansion is out now

Team NINJA has released the first DLC expansion for Nioh 3, titled Hell Rising, on PlayStation 5 and Steam. The launch trailer dropped today. It shows off the new hoko and shield weapon type alongside a ruined 1651 version of Edo.

Hell Rising sends protagonist Takechiyo forward in time to the Keian era. The setting is bleak. The once-peaceful Edo castle town has been taken over by the Crucible, and the streets are overrun with yokai. You fight alongside historical figures like the one-eyed swordsman Yagyu Jubei and a Spanish envoy named Rodrigo. The trailer shows some of the new boss encounters. One of them is a massive serpentine flying dragon.

A new way to block

The expansion adds the hoko and shield weapon set. It balances the short spear's offense with a shield's defense, and it's usable in both samurai and ninja stances. You can block while thrusting or throw the shield at enemies.

End-game additions

Team NINJA also added a new difficulty mode called the Enlightened One's Journey. It raises the level caps and adds higher plus-value caps for Soul Matching. There is also a new system called Hundred Demon Realms Picture Scrolls. These act as customizable combat challenges that you can play solo or in multiplayer. Beating a scroll unlocks it as an equipment piece with special effects.

The expansion is available standalone or as part of the Nioh 3 Season Pass. The pass also covers the upcoming second DLC, Bloody Insurrection, and includes some bonus charms and a 14-piece Internal Weapons Set. The new difficulty tier and scroll system should give people who already finished the base game a solid reason to grind out some new builds before the second expansion arrives.