To be honest, the announcement of Attack on Titan 3 came much later than I expected. The previous title, Attack on Titan 2, was released in 2018, closely aligning with the airing of the anime's second season. With the release of the third season, Attack on Titan 2 also received expansion content, maintaining a similar update pace to the anime.
When Attack on Titan 3 was announced this year, nearly three years had passed since the finale of the anime's final season, which was somewhat unusual. However, Attack on Titan 3 might be the most content-rich entry in the series, as it will comprehensively cover all major plot points from the beginning to the end of "Attack on Titan." This is likely the main reason for the game's relatively "slow" announcement.
During Tokyo Game Show 2026, we were invited to Koei Tecmo's booth, where we played a portion of Attack on Titan 3 and learned about some changes to the game's combat system.
The demo covered the storyline where Zeke sets up a self-destruct trap, escapes using Pure Titans, and is pursued by Levi. The protagonist of Attack on Titan 3 remains the player-created original character, who joins Levi in chasing Zeke during the demo.
The core gameplay of Attack on Titan 3 still revolves around the Omni-Directional Mobility Gear. The sequence of "control the gear → attack the nape of the Titan's neck → slay the Titan" remains unchanged.
However, Attack on Titan 3 has adjusted the controls for the Omni-Directional Mobility Gear. In the demo, holding L2 while using the analog stick to control direction activates the gear. This eliminates the need to frequently set anchor points and adjust actions separately as in the previous game. Furthermore, the game offers two control modes, "Performance-Focused" and "Stability-Focused," further reducing the difficulty of controlling the gear.
Meanwhile, Attack on Titan 3 further enhances the functionality of "Boost" during movement. In the previous game, "Boost" was a simple acceleration feature, but in Attack on Titan 3, it also incorporates direction changes, sliding, and rotation, allowing for more flexible and dynamic character movement.
However, it should be noted that this control scheme in Attack on Titan 3 feels more like "swinging" in terms of handling. While the implementation may differ slightly from the setting, the improvement in gameplay experience is clearly noticeable.
Battles against Titans still center around "part destruction" and "attacking the nape." For smaller, less threatening Titans, players can use the Omni-Directional Mobility Gear to adjust their position and directly attack the nape, achieving a one-hit kill. However, when facing larger Titans, players must choose attack points based on their movements and posture. For example, some large Titans guard against attacks to the nape, so striking there directly won't deal significant damage. In such cases, players must first attack areas like the legs to throw them off balance. Only after destroying specific parts can they effectively attack the nape and slay the Titan.
The game introduces a new "Combat Arts" system—essentially, actively usable combat skills. By filling a gauge through combat, players can unleash powerful skills such as "Spinning Slash" and "Cross Slash." These skills not only damage Titans but also have unique properties, such as dealing extra damage to specific parts or hitting multiple Titans within a wide area, offering impressive visual and practical effects.
Additionally, combo attacks with teammates, present in the previous game, have been retained. In the demo, players could launch a combo attack with Captain Levi, dealing massive damage to enemies. There are many types of combo attacks, each with different effects, but the full range of these features will only be available in the final release.
The highlight battle of this demo was the boss fight against the "Beast Titan," Zeke, at the end of the level. As one of the "Nine Titans," Zeke employs unique combat methods.
Besides regular attacks, Zeke can perform long-range rock throws. When preparing to throw, Zeke emits a red glow and assumes a throwing stance. Attacking his arms at this moment interrupts the throw, significantly enhancing the interactive feel of the battle compared to typical Titan fights.
A major highlight promoted for this game is the battles against the "Nine Titans." These encounters are meticulously designed and are among the most anticipated features of Attack on Titan 3.
Unfortunately, perhaps befitting the "Nine Titans," there was a three-minute time limit for the battle against Zeke—possibly a restriction specific to the demo version. I wasn't able to defeat Zeke within the time limit, which triggered a special cutscene: more Titans were summoned to Zeke's side, and even Captain Levi showed signs of tension. The demo ended here, without revealing the subsequent plot details.
Attack on Titan 2 actually included some minor IF scenarios, and this scene in the demo might hint that Attack on Titan 3 will also feature small branching storylines.
Due to the limitations of the demo, systems involving character progression, such as "Expeditions Beyond the Walls," were not fully showcased. Further details on these aspects will be revealed in future updates.
Attack on Titan 3 is scheduled for official release on December 10, 2026. This new title, which covers the entire story from beginning to end, will reveal how high it can elevate the series.