Rise of the Ronin Review

From the developer of Nioh and Nioh 2, Team Ninja is back. Rise of the Ronin aka RotR is the indirect sequel of the ARGP games. The retro storyline, warriors with katana and rage in their eyes. This is how I see the battle between two opponents in RotR. As for a PS5-exclusive game, the combat mechanics are iconic. Here is the Rise of the Ronin Review from my perspective. Storyline, gameplay, protagonists, and everything you should know before you get the game. So let’s check it out.

Rise of the Ronin Review: Storyline

The storyline of The Rise of the Ronin has its roots in its prequels. This time, the battlefield game is all set in Japan. Bakumatsu timeline as in the mid-19th century. It’s set in the final years of an Edo era when political instability between the West and East is present undercover.

The game storyline revolves around two ill-fated kids who survived the bloodshed by Shogunate forces in a small village. These kids grew up to be professional assassins. Both twins work for a clan named Veiled Edge.

The storyline takes a shift of 360 degrees when they go on a mission to assassinate an elite American, Commodore Matthew Perry. Your twin will cover you to escape while he dies for you. As its 1860, the Veiled Edge clan is now clean sweeped by the Japanese officials. There is nowhere to go. But soon you will sniff a rumor of your blade twin being alive. This is the turning point of your journey to find your sword partner.

I must say an interesting storyline with good twists and turns. Of course, it has to be. Having a vulnerable rival such as FromSoftware, the game punch line needs to powerpack. But gamers like me are not just the storyline we look forward to the most important and interesting part of the game – mechanics.

Combat & Mechanics in classic Samurai fight

Gamers and fanbase have their eyes on game mechanics. In this aspect, Team Ninja has never disappointed its fans. The classic Samurai warriors, with swords clashing and blood rushing to kill their opponents, are what the enthusiastic gamers internally want. And the most favorite mechanics for Nioh – Ki gauge is here.

Ki gauge is alike a protein bar. It boosts every hit, dodge, blow, and every attack against your opponent. And if it finishes then you will bewildered for a couple of seconds and then be ready to be punished. But it’s interesting to see your opponent lack Ki. If any ordinary enemies lack Ki then they will be terminated. But in the case of tough guys and bosses, they take a big hit and get back their Ki. Just like any other Soulslike game.

The combat in Rise of the Ronin relies on two factors: Martial Attacks and Countersparks. Martial Attacks are power-pack moves. While Countersparks is the last card of parry moves. An excellent explanation would be like this: Block your way by serving a chain of attacks and use Counterspark as the last option. At first, you might think the parry system is useless. But in battles with tough guys, you will learn that you need to understand your enemy and then read their moves to attack them efficiently.

Impressive Gameplay with Other Activities

Rise of the Ronin is not just samurai sword fighting. The Rise of the Ronin review is incomplete without its mention. There are a bunch of other activities that you can do. Like customizing your character. You can entirely change your character in its creator. It can be changed at any moment you like. You can change your weapons, armor, and everything related to your character. So you can design your own Ronin.

The next thing that I think is pretty amazing is the relationships. After the rumor spreads, there are times when you are in need to be bonded. You can connect with other people for any sake. These are the Bond missions to build connections. Every character has their own story which later on blends into the main storyline and makes sense.

The Ruling

RotR aka Rise of the Ronin review is about an amazing game to play for katana lovers. There are exceptional mechanics and combat styles to try. Many other activities to try. But it wouldn’t say it’s perfect. As it has its own pitfalls like low fantasy-based content and a map fully cluttered. Maybe it’s just me who likes simple and meaningful designs. To find it, I recommend giving it a try. If you want to go with other game guides, then our Guide archives will be a great resource for you.