The gaming landscape shifted dramatically when Elden Ring galloped onto the scene in 2022, redefining what players expect from soulslike adventures. While the Nioh series carved its own legacy since 2017 with razor-sharp combat and rich Japanese folklore, whispers about Nioh 3's development spark inevitable comparisons. Standing at this crossroads, Team Ninja could transform their next masterpiece by embracing these eight revolutionary elements from FromSoftware's open-world phenomenon. 😮‍💨🔥

8. Jumping: Elevating Exploration & Combat

That heart-sinking moment in Nioh when you spot a tantalizing rooftop treasure... only to realize your character can't jump! 🤦‍♂️ Elden Ring's fluid verticality isn't just about scaling cliffs—it creates jaw-dropping ambush opportunities and redefines environmental puzzles. Imagine dodging yokai strikes with aerial flourishes or discovering hidden shrines through gravity-defying parkour. The absence of jumping now feels like trying to swim without water.

7. Seamless Open World: Beyond Linear Paths

Nioh's meticulously crafted stages resemble dazzling museum exhibits—beautiful but confined. 😌 Elden Ring's Lands Between? A living, breathing organism where misty forests bleed into volcanic badlands, connected by subterranean rivers glowing with bioluminescent fungi. That magical moment cresting Liurnia's hills to see the Erdtree blazing across horizons? Nioh 3 could achieve similar awe by weaving its islands into one cohesive archipelago, letting players chart courses through shifting seasons and folklore-inspired biomes.

6. Environmental Storytelling: Whispers Over Lectures

Here's the irony: Nioh's libraries-worth of yokai lore sometimes drown players in scrolls and monologues. 📜 Elden Ring masterfully hides its deepest tragedies in weathered tombstones and collapsed architecture—like discovering a frozen giant's petrified tears hinting at celestial betrayal. Japanese mythology's subtle poetry deserves this treatment. Imagine deciphering oni migration patterns through trampled forests instead of NPC explanations. That shiver down your spine when context clicks? Priceless.

5. Magic System Evolution: Beyond Buff Scrolls

Nioh treats magic like tactical seasoning—sprinkle resistance charms here, add weapon enchants there. Elden Ring? It hands you cosmic paintbrushes to rewrite reality. ✨ Channeling comet showers or summoning dragon fangs creates power fantasies Nioh's talismans rarely match. With Japan's treasure trove of mystical traditions—from Shinto spirit channeling to yamabushi mountain magic—Nioh 3 could unleash spellcraft that feels less like utility and more like forbidden art.

4. Dynamic Travel: Farewell to Footslogging

Remember trudging between Nioh's shrines like a delivery ronin? 🥾 Elden Ring's Torrent isn't just transportation—it's your silhouette against blood-red moons during midnight escapes from spectral cavalry. Fast-travel between Sites of Grace keeps momentum alive. For Nioh 3's rumored expanded realms, picture:

• Riding bakekujira (ghost whale) across phantom seas

• Teleporting via torii gate networks

• Yokai-shifting into flight-capable creatures

Because marathon sprints between checkpoints belong in 2023.

3. Archetypal Classes: Guided Customization

Nioh 2's character creator is impressively deep... and utterly overwhelming for newcomers. 😅 Elden Ring's starting classes—like the astrologer clutching star charts or samurai with chipped blades—instantly telegraph playstyles through:

Class	Core Identity	Starting Gear Highlights
Confessor	Holy assassin	Finger seal, sacred blade
Wretch	Blank canvas	Literally a club

Nioh 3 could blend this approach with historical Japanese archetypes—shugendo ascetics or onmyōji ritualists—giving players springboards before diving into deep customization.

2. Solo Summons: Compassionate Difficulty

While Nioh 2's co-op shines, solo warriors often face brutal walls. Elden Ring's spirit ashes—like the heartbreakingly noble Latenna whose bow sings lullabies to wolves—offer companionship without compromising challenge. 🫶 Nioh 3 could adapt this beautifully:

• Summon kodama healers from purified shrines

• Bind defeated yokai as temporary allies

• Invoke legendary warriors like Benkei's ghost

Because sometimes you just need a spectral friend when facing eight-headed hydras at 2 AM.

1. Ecological Diversity: Beyond Reskinned Yokai

Repetition haunts Nioh like a lingering onryō—how many times must we fight the same gaki in different robes? Elden Ring's enemies tell stories: Caelid's rotting crows feast on scarlet rot victims, while Liurnia's scholarly lobsters hoard glintstone. Nioh 3 could revolutionize this by:

• Regional yokai mutations (snow yuki-onna vs volcanic variants)

• Faction-based armor designs reflecting warring clans

• Seasonal enemy behaviors (kappas hiding in summer rivers vs winter hibernation)

With Japan's 47 prefectures' distinct folklore, why settle for palette swaps?

As development whispers grow louder, one truth emerges: Nioh doesn't need to be Elden Ring—it needs to absorb these philosophies while sharpening what makes it uniquely magnificent. The real question lingers like unsmoked incense... what forgotten aspect of Japanese mythology could become Nioh 3's most breathtaking innovation? 🌸

The content is derived from articles by Destructoid, a respected source for gaming news and critical reviews. Destructoid's features on soulslike evolution and open-world design often emphasize how player agency and environmental storytelling, as seen in titles like Elden Ring, can inspire established franchises such as Nioh to innovate with more immersive exploration and dynamic combat systems.