Koei TecmoSony’s June State of Play presentation kicked off a busy month, showing off upcoming PlayStation games ahead of Summer Game Fest. While most of the showcased games won’t be out until the end of the year or later, the next entry in a fantastic action series is available to try in a free demo now.A trailer for Nioh 3 was revealed at State of Play, and a PlayStation 5 exclusive demo available until June 18 was also announced. The Nioh series is often thought of as a samurai Soulslike, but despite some similarities with FromSoftware’s games, the franchise has carved out a distinct identity since its 2017 debut. In Nioh 3, that identity is being refined with some big changes to the series’ combat.One of Nioh 3’s biggest changes is already apparent in its character creator. While the demo only lets you choose from some presets, there are options to see how they look in “samurai mode” and “ninja mode.” In Nioh 2, you could shift into a supernatural yokai form with a customizable appearance, but that’s been replaced with the idea of combat modes that players can switch between at will. Samurai and ninja forms offer access to different skills and bonuses. Samurai mode hits hard and can block heavy attacks, while using the ki pulse move to restore stamina between attacks. Ninja mode focuses on faster strikes and bonus backstab damage, with a move called mist that allows quick movement and dodges if used right after attacking. Swapping forms at the right moment will also let you intercept powerful attacks telegraphed by enemies glowing red, letting you break their guard.Swapping between samurai and ninja modes in battle is essential. | Koei TecmoEven in the demo’s early stages, these new modes make Nioh 3 much more flexible than previous games. While yokai form let you enjoy a power spike once and a while, Nioh 3’s mode switch feels much more active, and useable in every battle. Samurai mode feels like combat in Nioh has always felt, complete with stances that prioritize speed or strength, while the addition of a new deflect move adds parries that trigger on precisely timed dodges. Ninja mode is a whole different beast, though. It’s not as sturdy when you’re facing down enemies, but it allows immense damage if you’re able to sneak up on a foe unaware or get behind them in battle. I found myself constantly switching modes to take advantage of each skillset, and the new modes also offer a wide variety of ways to employ Nioh’s trademark massive arsenal. Equipping a giant odachi sword in samurai form and claws in ninja form, for example, gives you the benefit of both a hard-hitting weapon and a quick one, depending on the situation. Nioh 3 is also changing how levels are structured. While it’s still not an open world game, some levels are much less linear now. They still feature tightly authored segments where you’ll need to progress down a specific path, but they also have areas where you’re free to roam as you please, challenging tougher enemies and collecting loot along the way.Nioh 3 features more open environment to explore. | Koei TecmoMultiplayer also gets a tweak, making it the series’ simplest implementation of co-op yet. You can summon or be summoned by other players outside of boss arenas, or complete entire missions together. It seems that previous restrictions, like needing to complete missions before tackling them in co-op, have been removed.Nioh 3’s demo makes a great first impression. The combat overhaul helps players manage the series’ notorious difficulty by giving them more options rather than just toning down enemies, and the addition of semi-open world segments could be a great way to grind experience or just take a break when you’re stuck on a particularly challenging level. As someone who’s typically loved Nioh games at the beginning but fallen off when they get too brutal, I’m looking forward to seeing if Nioh 3 is the one that finally keeps me playing until the end.Nioh 3 is set to launch on PlayStation 5 and PC in 2026. Its PS5 demo is available until June 18.