Mortal Shell II vs Nioh 3
Both are punishing action-RPGs, but Mortal Shell II asks you to gamble on an unpatched open world while Nioh 3 bets on 27 hours of refined stance combat.
Updated 3d ago
Mortal Shell II nails crunchy, weighty combat with the Shell-class system — but wait for the bug fixes if you're not already a Souls vet.
Punches above its sequel weight — Nioh 3's Samurai/Ninja stance system is Team Ninja's sharpest combat to date, despite empty-zone pacing.
By the numbers
Prices checked Sep 11; they move faster than we refresh, so confirm on the store page.
Recent-review figures are Steam's own last-30-days window, read Sep 11.
| Measure | Mortal Shell II | Nioh 3 |
|---|---|---|
| Value Nioh 3 wins on value | ||
| Price now | $49.99 Steam | $33.95 −51% · GameBillet |
| All-time low | $49.99 | $33.95 |
| Cost / hour | — | $1.25/hr $33.95 · 27 h main story |
| Off its low | At its low low was Jul 2026 | At its low low was Sep 2026 |
| Main story | — | 27 h |
| Health | ||
| Steam reviews | 79% 20k reviews | 78% 19k reviews |
| Recent reviews | improving trend only | 57% 317 votes · vs 78% lifetime · souring |
| Peak players | 27,995 Aug 2026 | 10,863 Aug 2026 · ↑ 377% MoM |
| Launch peak | — | 12% of Feb 2026 launch peak · as of Aug 2026 |
| All-time peak | — | 87,778 Feb 2026 |
| Support | ||
| Last patch | 8 days ago | 6 days ago |
| Patch cadence | 3 in last 90 days | 4 in last 90 days |
| Steam Deck | Gold | Gold |
Shared scale — same months across the bottom, same player-count axis up the side, so the two lines are directly comparable. A shorter line means a younger game.
What players say
Patterns from long-haul reviewers, taken from each game's verdict. Not live sentiment — each side is dated below.
Mortal Shell II
Crunchy, weighty combat with distinct Shell playstyles is what keeps 100-hour fans hooked, with every weapon and sidearm offering a different build.
Game-breaking bugs and hitbox inconsistencies are the friction that erodes trust for the 60+ hour crowd, especially in endgame bosses.
from our September 2026 verdict
Nioh 3
Build flexibility between ninja and samurai stances without rerolling is the combat loop 100-hour veterans praise, alongside polished Team Ninja action.
The open world structure, described as a big mission map with collectibles, is the friction that long-time Nioh fans flag as a step back.
from our May 2026 verdict
Key differences
Which one is for you?
Pick Mortal Shell II if
- You played the first Mortal Shell and want a shorter, tighter follow-up.
- You love Sekiro's parry focus and want a Dark Souls-style world around it.
- Soulslike retry loops energize you instead of wearing you down.
Pick Nioh 3 if
- You loved Nioh 2's stance-shifting combat and want it in open-field traversal.
- You can tolerate mid-bosses one-shotting you for 30 hours.
- You own a PC or PS5 with steady 60fps headroom for parry-window timing.
Bottom line
Pick Nioh 3 if you want Team Ninja's sharpest stance combat backed by 4 patches and a 27-hour main story; pick Mortal Shell II only if you already finished the first game and accept its bug risk for a compact world.