Team Ninja’s Rise of the Ronin swings for the fences, aiming to be a historical epic with brutal combat.
Is it the winner or does it collapse under its own ambition?
This review explores Ronin – its action-packed but formulaic combat, its sprawling but bloated open world, and its forgettable plot. So buckle up, samurai, as we review Rise of the Ronin’s successes and failures.
Gripping Combat Marred by Repetition
Ronin’s combat system is one of its strengths. Based on Team Ninja’s past games such as Nioh, the core gameplay is about timing enemies perfectly to dodge attacks. The timing is perfect for staggered foes and devastating critical hits. The parry mechanic feels rewarding and skill-based.
Unfortunately, the repetitive nature of encounters eventually dampens the thrill. You’ll find yourself fighting nearly identical groups of sword-wielding enemies over and over.
The lack of enemy variety makes combat start to feel stale by the endgame. Additionally, while different fighting stances mix things up, the heavy emphasis on parrying makes battles feel one-note.
A Generic Open World Bogged Down by Bloat
Set in 19th-century Japan, Ronin takes place in a fairly standard open world. You’ll complete main story missions while tackling side activities littered across the map. These range from collecting photographs and foreign books to cuddling stray cats.
At first, these diversions provide some freshness, but they quickly devolve into tedious busy work. Worse yet, the open world suffers from the same affliction plaguing many modern games – filler bloat.
You’ll constantly acquire mountains of meaningless loot and incremental stat boosts. Managing your ever-growing inventory of junk becomes a mind-numbing slog. The open world feels padded with superfluous tasks solely meant to extend playtime artificially.
An Intriguing Yet Forgettable Story
Ronin’s narrative revolves around the historical Boshin War that toppled the Tokugawa shogunate.
You play as a highly trained assassin caught up in this pivotal conflict. The premise of blending fact with fiction is alluring, especially with real historical figures involved. However, the story struggles to make a lasting impression. Your customizable protagonist unfortunately lacks personality, and their relationship with their twin sibling feels undercooked.
Side characters are also hit-or-miss, with some being memorable but most being forgettable.
The intriguing themes of nationalism and societal upheaval get overshadowed by generic storytelling.
Visuals Show Promise But Fall Short
On a positive note, Ronin’s vistas of feudal Japan are quite lovely at times.
Sweeping landscapes and dynamic weather effects create a striking aesthetic. However, the visuals are inconsistent – character models often look outdated, and the performance can chug when too much is onscreen.
The graphical fidelity is lacking compared to other major releases.
The Final Verdict
Rise of the Ronin is still a winner. It isn’t a bad game, but it isn’t a masterpiece either. It has numerous redeeming qualities – tense combat, a captivating historical setting, and memorable high points in its story and visuals. Yet it also suffers from bloat, repetition, forgettable characters, technical hiccups, and an overall lack of focus.
Ultimately, Ronin feels like a game pulled in too many directions. Its ambition is admirable, but its inability to properly balance its disparate elements holds it back from greatness.
The core experience can be extremely fun, but the sheer amount of clutter and tedium surrounding it prevents Ronin from truly rising above its peers.
