The 2024 year is expected to be a big year for the gaming community. With several new titles expected to drop in just the first quarter of 2024, one that stood out for us was Rise of the Ronin. The game was announced at this year’s The Game Awards, where publishers Team Ninja revealed the March 22, 2024 release date. That might be closer than expected for some people, so let’s get right into everything we know about Rise of the Ronin.
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All We Know About the Rise of the Ronin
We’re going to be pretty frank here. Considering the release date is less than four months away, Team Ninja has still been pretty secretive about everything going on in the studio. However, there are some key aspects of the game that have been revealed and we’ll be going over those one by one. They include the storyline, gameplay, characters, and some fun talking points about the publishers themselves.
Before diving into the deep end of the game, we think it necessary to give you a basic overview of the game, just so you don’t get lost in the sea of information. Rise of the Ronin is a single-player, third-person role-playing game. It is set in the late-Edo period and encompasses various real-life consistencies you’ll learn about ahead.
Its developers are the infamous Team Ninja, well-known for their samurai-themed titles like Ninja Gaiden, Wo Long: Fallen Dynasty, and Nioh. The game is set to release on March 22, 2024, and will be a PlayStation 5 Exclusive. The pricing will be the standard $70 with an additional $10 if you’re going for the deluxe version, including some extra goodies as incentives. That’s about it for a general introduction. Now, let’s get into the real crux of it.
Rise of the Ronin Storyline
The first thing that stands out for any game is the storyline, and Team Ninja has not disappointed in the least. The plot unfolds in the late Edo period when we see the end of the militaristic Tokugawa Shogunate. The Shogunate’s entire rule was characterised by oppression and tyranny throughout the land of Japan. This was brought to an end by the Western powers, specifically the American black ships led by Commander Matthew C. Perry.
Players are in control of a rogue Ronin, also known as a masterless samurai, who is on his quest for vengeance. Now, while we don’t know too much about the character’s backstory, the official trailer for the game shows flashbacks of his childhood where he and another unknown character are escaping from a village that is burning down. We could speculate that this was his childhood village that was burned down by the Tokugawa Shogunate, but we don’t know anything as of yet.
In another cutscene, we see that the character is about to be executed but somehow survives. All of these could lead to how his story unfolds. The interesting part about Rise of the Ronin’s plot progression is that players can dictate which path the story takes in response to their choices. You could either be a good guy and fight for justice and peace. Or there’s always the villainous route that allows you to wreak havoc and act out your heart’s darkest desires. Regardless of what you choose, Team Ninja have tried to place minimal restrictions on the player.
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Rise of the Ronin Gameplay and Character Creation
You should have a solid idea about the game by now. With the storyline out of the way, it’s time to move on to things you’ll be directly interacting with, i.e. the gameplay and characters.
As for the gameplay, game director Fumihiko Yasuda has stated that the game will include some Soulslike characteristics. Previous games from Team Ninja, like Nioh, have seen some pretty impeccable fight scenes as well as epic boss battles that aren’t for your average gamer. However, one core difference between Rise of the Ronin and previous titles is regarding progression. Rise of the Ronin is set to be Team Ninja’s first open-world game, while previous games followed linear progression systems with pre-set questlines for players to follow.
This might’ve caught some readers off-guard, considering we don’t see many Soulslike games with open-world mechanics, but Team Ninja seem to be set in their way. Glancing at the gameplay trailer, though, there’s not a shred of doubt that the action scenes will be up to the mark. The other part we were to talk about was character creation. There won’t be much to customise as far as your character goes, but you can choose how they look. This is primarily because your avatar’s characteristics don’t play a huge role in how the game progresses.
Rise of the Ronin Weapons, Bonds, and Karma System
The last part we really think everyone should know about is the particularities that go into playing Rise of the Ronin. So, first of all, weaponry. Now, this is a samurai-themed game, so of course, there are going to be swords and katanas of every type, including firearms like pistols and rifles.
Aside from the modern twist on weapons, Rise of the Ronin also sees various modes of travel. Players can ride on horseback to zip around the countryside or choose to glide down from the mountainous areas to launch sneak attacks on unsuspecting enemies. Other than that, the introduction of a grappling hook really makes for some amazing plays.
Next, we talk about Bonds and the Karma system. The Karma system, in short, is related to the Soulslike aspect of the game where if you die, you lose a certain progression resource called Karma. This is different from your traditional XP system, something you do retain permanently. Bonds are related to different characters you meet on your journey. With each character, it is up to you how you interact with them and how, in turn, their story continues with you. These characters also include some historical figures like Ryoma Sakamoto. That’s all we know for now.
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Parting Thoughts
This newest title from Team Ninja looks to be loaded with amazing content, from a captivating storyline to thrilling gameplay with lots of action. It’s still to be seen what audience they’d like to appeal to most with all of these fight scenes and open-world exploration, but whatever they’re doing, it’s definitely gaining popularity fast.