NIOH follows William, an Irish sailor stranded in feudal Japan, as he battles yokai and rival warriors in punishing, souls-like combat set against a supernatural retelling of the Sengoku era. Multiple stances and weapon types allow for deep, flexible combat customization.

Players master timing-based dodges and stance-switching to overcome demanding enemies and bosses across a loot-driven mission structure. It's built for fans of challenging action RPGs steeped in Japanese history and folklore.