Rise of the Ronin Review (PS5)

Brace yourself for a wild ride through history with a side of epic gaming in Rise of the Ronin. Hardly do video games take a historical approach, where you are in for insane fun and a history lesson. The few that do either hit the target or swap factual accuracy for an enjoyable gaming experience. Team Ninja is the latest studio to revisit the fabric of history in their new ARPG, Rise of Ronin. After nearly a decade of development, the title is out. The ambitious project dives into the critical ‘Bakumatsu' era, unveiling the fragments of history that shaped the nation's modern empire. 

Despite it being their first foray into the historically-backed gaming realm, Team Ninja shows no signs of rookie nerves. Especially since the studio is well-versed in samurai and ninja titles such as Nioh and Ninja Garden. The studio admitted that an open-world title was a hard-to-grasp concept, but this didn't deter their vision. So, is it worth the hype? Buckle up, folks, because we're about to slice through the details in our Rise of the Ronin review!

Through The Reins Of History

Rise of the Ronin takes you on a wild historical ride during one of Japan's darkest times, the 19th century. This timeline was the height of deadly diseases and oppressive rulers, and the looming shadow of the West marked the winding stages of the Edo era. The once-isolated nation with a tranquil backdrop now faces internal threats, with a political upheaval brewing after the Tokugawa Shogunate's fall. 

In this chaotic landscape, various factions are duking it out for control. You will encounter both loyalists of the previous regime and anti-loyalists, meaning it won't be an easy takeover. And, as you might have guessed, the player is in the middle of everything. This brewing political friction and the permeation of Western influence set the stage for the game's two protagonists.

At the height of the violent attacks stemming from the nation's outliers, two siblings are caught smack-dab in the massacre madness. As kids, they are on the front lines of witnessing the violence engulfing their country together. Just when things are looking grim and a fatal attack threatens to end their lives, a nameless assassin from the Veiled Edge unit swoops in the nick of time. 

With the assassin saving the day, our boys are thrust into the world of the Veiled Edge faster than you can say “ninjutsu.” Now renowned as the legendary “Blade Twins,” these siblings aren't your average pair – they're trained, lethal, and prepared to face whatever challenges this tumultuous world presents. Moreover, with history at the heart of this game, you'll encounter real-world characters who hold pivotal roles in feudal Japan. 

Choose Your Ninja

After the dramatic wind-up of the narrative, the game thwarts you to the character creation mode. Taking cues from the epic Nioh 2, Rise of the Ronin brings you an insanely detailed character creator. As alluded to, you will be customizing two hero characters, the Blade Twins. There is no gender restriction on the siblings. You can make both twins rock the same gender or mix it up with a female and male duo.

The game gives you various options when customizing your character's appearance. You can twerk their body type, hairstyle, facial features, color, voice, and makeup to add that extra flair. Keep in mind that all these are aesthetics and have no direct influence over your character's play style. If character creation is not your best suit, you can use a Character Creation Code from another player. Basically, it's a saved version of a created character. All you need to do is input the code, and voilà! You have a customized avatar.

Now that your character's appearance is sorted, it's time to sharpen the blade by choosing their Blade Sharpening Origin. Ideally, this dictates what skills your character endows. Think of them as your character classes. You can select from a list of four (Breaker, Sapper, Killer, and Seducer). Each origin is starkly different, with a unique distribution of the four base skills (Intellect, Dexterity, Charm, and Strength). Moreover, different special abilities and weapons solidify the unique identity of these origins. 

Now, here's the kicker. Even though the game introduces us to two characters, you won't be able to switch between them forever. Sure, you'll have a fun time during the initial minutes of the game. However, later on, you'll need to pick one hero to continue the rest of the journey as the main protagonist. 

The Ways Of The Ninja

Rise of the Ronin represents the studio's ambition to sway from their comfort zones. As an action RPG, the game takes place in an open-world environment. Now, comparisons to The Ghost of Tsushima are inevitable from the get-go. Sure, they share a timeline, but Ronin takes you centuries beyond the samurai epic tale, carving its own path in history.

Beyond the similarity in the timeline, the gameplay, open-world environment, and combat mechanics place both games on a comparable pedestal. But does Ronin live up to the standards set by Ghost?

Visually, Ronin struggles with a modern design amidst a historical backdrop. The graphics appear outdated. However, I am willing to cut Team Ninja some slack. Whatever they fell short of in the game, they certainly made up for it in the gameplay. If you've played any of the studio's games before, you'll feel right at home with this new title.

Bursting into the scene is the game's generous combat feature. The battlefield becomes your canvas, with ten primary weapon types and six sub-weapons. Of note is that these weapons have their own play styles, refining the diverse approach to combat. You can alter these combat styles mid-battle to match an enemy's fragile points. The key to defeating your opponent is the precise timing of parry attacks. Parrying or countersparking damages your enemy's Ki meter as you block an attack. With nothing to show on their meter, your enemy is vulnerable to attacks, and you can execute a classic ‘Finish Him' critical hit. 

However, there is a clunkiness to this system. Unlike other games where a missed block might just cost you some stamina, in Ronin, it's open season for your foes to dish out severe damage. So, keep your wits about you. Time those parries just right.

Allies And Foes

Perhaps one of Rise of the Ronin's most remarkable features is the freedom in its gameplay. Its well-crafted dialogue choice lets you chart the game's path. You will encounter allies and foes through missions as a nameless assassin under the Veiled Edge. It's up to you to choose who to befriend and who to keep a close watch over. The game gives you the option of gifting allies, which, in due time, will prove valuable. 

Moreover, you can improve relationships through dialogue. As part of the open-world activity, you encounter run-of-the-mill tasks to forge allies with civilians. All in the name of teaming up with character. Getting lost in the trove of side quests is pretty easy, which are ideally repetitive.

However, in theory, this sounds incredible. In practice, it doesn't execute as well as you would expect it to. Despite the allure of being the architect of your own story, Rise of the Ronin often funnels you towards predetermined outcomes, regardless of your choices. Putting my theory to the test, I switched my approach from Mr. Nice Guy to the despicable villain. And besides the bad taste my actions left in my throat, there wasn't much difference in how the game played out. 

The Good

Taking the win is the game's customization features. Right off the bat, the game knocks it out of the park with its customization features, staying strong all through. Moreover, the co-op mode is a delightful boatload of fun, where you can rope in two more players. Alternatively, you can play against AI buddies. But there's a tiny downside – you're limited to missions, so there's no free-for-all in the open world. But hey, who needs open-world chaos when you've got mission mayhem with your crew?

Beyond this, the game's actual captivation lies in its ambition to appeal to newbies and veterans of the ninja ways. With three difficulty settings and a broad base of options in the menu, you can't afford to turn down this game. 

Additionally, despite the clunky combat feel, the game provides different play styles, including stealth. Despite its grand execution in fighting foes, this tactic may not last you the entire game. Again, this paves the way for the variety the studio ambitiously sought.

Verdict

Rise of the Ronin treads in deep, historically murky waters and surprisingly resurfaces at the shore. Sure, some features could be better. For starters, the graphics feel outdated, and the game's repetitive nature becomes overwhelming. NPC side missions may add variety to the gameplay with actions such as eavesdropping or gliding to various locations. But in a heartbeat, you are thwarted back to the repetitive combat with the same enemies. All in the name of game progressions.

But still, Rise of the Ronin emerges as a good game. For a studio that pushes its boundaries, dipping its feet into different waters, you must give them credit. It is a good start for Team Ninja. It showcases a studio bravely exploring new territory and laying the groundwork for future endeavors.