Rise of the Ronin is an upcoming PS5 exclusive with many similar elements to Ghost of Tsushima, another Samurai game. The game features RPG mechanics and since it’s being published by Team Ninja, we can expect gorgeous visuals. That said, we’ve watched the demo several times already and gamers at Player.com can’t be more excited.
Hopefully, Rise of the Ronin will spot tons of swordplay, abilities, and enemy types. We’re interested in the haptic feedback for the different moves and actions of our protagonist, who is the Ronin. It’s a PS5 exclusive and allegedly, their developers know their console’s hardware the best.
Also Read: Ghost of Tsushima PC Port: Release Date Speculation
Rise of the Ronin Is an Action Adventure
Rise of the Ronin is an action game where you battle different foes with your sword. Of course, you’ll be able to upgrade your sword and even pick up other weapons such as throwing stars, guns, and spears. There’s also a wingsuit tucked beneath the protagonist’s Japanese equivalent of a battle suit. We expect the wingsuit to come in handy for exploration purposes and assassinations.
Moving forward, Rise of the Ronin is set in war-torn 19th-century Japan, which should be a pleasant experience. After all, it’s being developed by the same studio behind Nioh and Ninja Gaiden. So, you can expect fast-paced combat that involves slashes, stabs, jump slashes, and many more.
The year is 1863 and after three centuries under oppressive Tokugawa Shogunate rulers, Black Ships coming from the West have arrived in Japan. Naturally, the whole of the nation falls into turmoil because its rulers are selling its people’s values and treasures. That makes all the difference in the protagonist’s interests, so it’s up to you to decide Japan’s fate.
Direct Japan’s Fate
You can direct Japan’s fate however you want by siding with different characters on the next playthrough. It’s also possible to choose different dialogue options that lead to new endings and many more. In short, a multi-choice system is at the heart of the gameplay, so the Rise of the Ronin’s replayability is high. Some of the decisions that you’ll be able to make are:
- Face or skip critical missions, depending on your decision.
- Assassinate key figures or act as their bodyguards and deterrents against other assassins.
A Huge Sandbox Is Yours for the Taking
A huge sandbox is on its way to you and yes, it captures the Bakumatsu era in all of its glory. Gore and blood are vivid, the soundtracks use flutes a lot, and the flora and fauna are oriental. It’s already gearing up to be a Ghost of Tsushima rival based on the visuals alone. Above all, Japan is a beautiful country with tons of cultural heritage and despite the harsh regime of the day, you get a taste of its history.
Along the way, you’ll also meet influential figures such as Sakamoto Ryōma and Yoshida Shōin. Also, you’ll meet ordinary NPCs who are just seeking help. We hope there will be fun side content that adds valuable content to Rise of the Ronin. For one, titles such as Elden Ring would reward gamers with a great talisman just for their curiosity; There’s no need to kill a boss.
Still, this is Team Ninja’s first ever sandbox and we’re looking forward to the studio’s game engine. On the other hand, Ninja Gaiden and Nioh spot linear levels with no chance of exploring the fauna or flora. Likewise, the creators mentioned that the sandboxes of previous games were always hostile. With the new game, players are encouraged to choose their enemies wisely while exploring the three major cities of the era. The cities are Kyoto, Edo, and Yokohama.
Ritual Areas Are Available
Walking the rural areas and roads of the sandbox is a treacherous ordeal that requires you to keep threats such as wild animals and bandits at bay. To traverse, you can ride a horse that may serve players the way Roach served Geralt in The Witcher: Wild Hunt. That is, your companions may also be upgradeable, so you may be able to carry more gear while increasing the horse’s health.
Bond Missions Are Tied to the Story Line
Bond decisions will let you improve your relationship with key figures. They’re also the best way to quickly build your rapport with people and gain influence. The studio also said, “So you have a lot of characters that you meet throughout the story that you can develop bonds with”, Yasuda explains. “And a lot of side quests are also tied to these historical figures. And they’re also the system of forming bonds with lands and different locations. So, by helping out people in certain lands, you can deepen your bond with them. A lot of motivation for exploring the world is centred around these systems of bonds with characters and locations”.
Updates and Insider Information
Game director Fumihiko Yasuda said in an interview that Rise of the Ronin will accurately portray unrest and political chaos that were “The most exciting and eventful handful of years” in Japan’s history. The producer, Yosuke Hayashi said, “Nioh was set in what’s called the Sengoku period, or which is sort of the Warring States period, where there were samurai who fought in the very traditional style”.
He also continued, “But we wanted this new Bakumatsu, which is sort of the end of the Edo era, …it’s a lot more modern, so we thought it allows for a unique setting when we were thinking about creating a fiction story inspired by a certain moment in time. It allowed for a very unique setting for us”. Simply put, the experience is totally grounded, meaning you shouldn’t expect supernatural elements like the ones in Nioh. Rather, you get to use mortal weapons to decimate enemies. That, and freakish agility and acrobatics reminiscent of Ninja Gaiden.
An Intricate Combat System Is in the Making
You’ll enjoy combat mechanics that fit all playstyles, which are reminiscent of the combat styles in Elden Ring. The guns we were talking about were Western revolvers, pistols, and rifles. So, you can decide to get up close and personal or simply gun them down from a distance. That said, you should expect a Soulslike experience that requires you to fail multiple times to learn your opponent’s attack patterns. Once you can recognise their moves and the correct counters, destroying all sorts of enemy variety becomes easy.
This is the major sign that Rise of the Ronin is a different beast entirely. For one, the protagonist will automatically lose all the gathered Karma (Called Karma in-game) upon death. We don’t know if players can reacquire the lost Karma after death. However, we hope the popular studio will take a page out of FromSoftware’s recipe book for killer open-world titles. They also hinted at another form of XP that can’t be lost upon death.
Our Final Say: Rise of the Ronin Is More Like Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice
Like Jin, who is the Ghost of Tsushima, Sekiro is also a Ninja-samurai which means he’s a master swordsman. Heck, his primary weapon of choice is a katana, which is another similarity he shares with Jin. However, unlike Ghost of Tsushima’s combat, Rise of the Ronin is completely Soulslike. Following the success of Elden Ring, this new approach is welcomed.