“Rise of the Ronin” is the latest samurai adventure from Team Ninja, the squad behind “Nioh” and “Wo Long”. 

Promising an adventure through 19th century Japan, Rise of the Ronin aims to blend historical intrigue with the sharp edges of action gaming. But does it strike just right like a well-honed katana, or does it stumble in its own ambitious footprints? 

Let’s face it, I was looking forward to this title, and it really left me with a taste of unfinished business. Let’s see why in this review.

Setting the scene: Japan’s turbulent Bakumatsu period

Rise of the Ronin immerses you in the late Edo period, a time when Japan is on the brink of massive change. The atmosphere is soaked in ancient Japan, and every piece of the environment is a loving ode to the era. From busy city streets to serene cherry blossom groves, the atmosphere is the undisputed star of the game.

The charisma of the characters you meet, each carrying the weight of their own story, adds a personal touch to the grand narrative. If there’s one thing that impressed me in Rise of the Ronin, it’s the work on the ally NPC’s. They all have their own personality, and a certain charm. 

Combat: The Heart of the Ronin

When you say Ronin or Samurai, you mean: fighting. “Rise of the Ronin really hits the spot in this respect. I have to admit that I haven’t played either “Nioh” or “Wo Long”, so I’m not really familiar with Team Ninja productions. I started the game on the highest difficulty, and the enemies quickly humbled me: the combat is demanding and tough. If you thought you were just going to go ahead and strike like a beat ’em all, you won’t last long. You’re going to have to turn on your thinking gear, and adapt your style and weapons. 

There’s a lot to like about this game. Combat is fluid, punchy and satisfyingly brutal, offering a variety of fighting styles and weapons to master. Whether you’re swinging a heavy odachi or taking precise shots with a matchlock rifle, each weapon is distinct and has an edge. There are countless fighting styles and every player will find their own. 

Other things you’ll find in abundance are the weapons, as well as the equipment, and that’s no compliment. Similar to Hogwarts Legacy, there’s far too much loot. I didn’t need to buy or craft a single weapon in the game, they’re so many of them. Apart from upgrading certain weapons that you like, the crafting system is of little interest. 

Looting is more overwhelming than rewarding. Managing your arsenal becomes a mini-game of inventory management that undermines the main experience. To Team Ninja’s defense, this tendency to overloot seems to be a – bad – general trend in the industry. 

AI From The Edo Era 

The AI of the enemies does not do justice to the stellar combat system. Opponents sometimes lack the sharpness you’d expect from a clever opponent. They’ll forget you’re there if you’re too far away, or fail to react to your actions in any realistic way. This inconsistency adds to the game’s long list of drawbacks.

Not all that glitters is gold

Although the Japanese atmosphere and thrilling combat hit the spot, the game is hampered by a few obvious shortcomings.

The most beautiful PS3 Game

Frankly, one of the game’s biggest drawbacks is its graphics. Although the game’s artistic style is good, with towns and landscapes that really immerse us in the Japanese atmosphere, the technical implementation is not at all up to the level of current gen games. 

To put it simply: the graphics would have been average on PlayStation 4. I could list a bunch of games on PS4 that are prettier than Rise of The Ronin (like Red Dead Redemption 2, Uncharted 4, Horizon Zero Dawn…)

The panoramas, for example, where you can see the ocean in the distance, are truly heartbreaking for a PlayStation 5 game. I started out playing video games on the Master System, so a graphically inferior game is not something that will derail me, but it’s not what I’ve expected. It’s really annoying that all the trailers before the launch are rather misleading, we’re a long way from the advertised visuals. 

That said, the characters are pretty well portrayed, although there’s some discrepancy between the cinematics and the in-game experience. 

Strangely enough, for a game that’s far from state-of-the-art, the frame rate has a nasty tendency to drop, and I can only recommend playing in Performance Mode. The graphical contribution of Quality Mode really isn’t worth the effort. 

Mission REPETITIVE

The structure of the missions also leaves something to be desired. The formula will seem all too familiar: liberate this camp, collect that item. It often feels like Rise of the Ronin borrows too much from the open-world playbook without adding enough of its own unique flavor.

This repetitiveness can make the game loop feel more like a chore than an exciting journey through feudal Japan. Not to mention that the game is long, taking a good 40 hours to complete (which, generally speaking, is a good thing.) But with all the missions looking the same, the game starts to feel like a drag.

And then there’s the story. What starts out as a gripping narrative quickly loses its way, meandering through historical footnotes without concentrating sufficiently on the player’s journey. The story tries to juggle too many elements and ends up dropping a few along the way. Not to mention the inconsistencies.

Within the game, you’re presented with the option to align with either the Pro-Shogunate or Anti-Shogunate factions. Regrettably, this choice ultimately holds no sway over the storyline, which is so disappointing. While the game promises three distinct endings, only two decisions truly shape the narrative trajectory: one at the beginning and another at the end. I’ll refrain from giving up any other details to prevent spoilers.

Team Ninja had the opportunity to strike hard: if the choices between Pro-Shogunate and Anti-Shogunate had any bearing on the outcome of the game, it would have allowed for a high degree of replayability and greater immersion. 

The Pro-Shogunate want to embrace the influence of the West, while the Anti-Shogunate want to preserve Japanese traditions. I had hoped that choosing the Anti-Shogunate path would restrict access to Western weapons, and vice versa. However, that’s not the case. You can freely switch between Anti and Pro Shogunate missions without repercussions.

Even significant actions, like killing the brother of an important NPC, carry no consequences. Instead, the brother that lived becomes your employer and even joins you on certain missions. This aspect is the most disappointing one in the game for me.

Some may argue that it embodies the essence of being a Ronin, free from allegiance and law, but it ultimately leaves a bitter taste.

FinalBoss Verdict