Nioh 3 came out earlier this year for PC and PS5, and it is the first in the series to introduce an open-world environment. Many months after the game's release, we are now greeted with the first DLC. The DLC in question is called 'Hell Rising'. Read on to find out if this DLC is worth it.
Accessing the DLC
Much like many other games, the 'Hell Rising' DLC for Nioh 3 requires players to meet some prerequisites first before you can access the new gameplay area. The main requirement is to finish the base game's main campaign.
After the main story is completed, a new area on the map is unlocked. Once you travel there, you will have to fight the introductory boss called Yagyu Jubei. After you defeat him, you unlock the new DLC region.
It's also worth mentioning that the recommended level to play the DLC is level 140 or above. I was at level 200 while playing this DLC, and even then it wasn't an easy time! You may have to level up if you're underlevelled.
About the DLC
Now let's talk about the DLC itself, which is called Hell Rising. The story takes place a few years after the end of the base game in the Keian Era of Edo 1651. You are greeted with a desolate landscape that is full of evil Yokai to kill and hard bosses to defeat.
Anyway, this DLC adds a new open-world region to explore, but most of the areas are just reused assets from the base game, which I thought was disappointing. Not to mention, I saw a lot of the same bad guys from the base game, too!
However, the DLC does add a new weapon to wield called the Hoko and Shield. This weapon is available for the Samurai and Ninja classes. This weapon requires perfect blocking whenever an enemy attacks.
It is also worth mentioning that Hell Rising includes a new difficulty setting called 'Enlightened One's Journey'. This difficulty adds tougher enemies that receive random power-ups called 'Curse Buffs'. The mode also adds another rarity for gear drops.
In terms of other new things, you will also receive a new guardian spirit as well as onmyo magic and ninjutsu, including ninpo magic that is from the popular Ninja Gaiden games. If you don't already know, Ninja Gaiden and Nioh share the same developer.
As for bosses, they seem harder and tankier compared to the base game for some reason. Even though I was 60 levels above the recommended level, I hated facing up against the first boss. That being said, I did like the design of the last boss in the DLC.
If you manage to get to the end of the DLC, you will have to watch out for wave after wave of enemies thrown at you in every direction. It's like the last area of the base game, so be ready to fight or run away when needed.
Speaking of enemies, the only new enemy type that I liked was a Chinese dragon. Every other enemy looked the same as in the base game.
Price and length
The length of the DLC is kind of short if we are to compare it to the likes of Horizon Zero Dawn and The Witcher 3's DLC story campaigns. I managed to finish the DLC in three hours, although others may take longer if the bosses require multiple retries.
Despite the DLC being quite short, the price is still steep for those of us living in New Zealand. The Hell Rising DLC currently costs $33.95 NZD on the official PlayStation Store.
Closing thoughts
If you are a hardcore Nioh 3 fan, this DLC might be worth it if you're seeking a hard challenge. Not only are the enemies relentless, but the bosses are much harder than they were in the base game. That said, the DLC is quite short for its price, so others may be better off waiting for a sale instead.