Does Rise of the Ronin live up to the hype? This action RPG gains interest from the community for its intense combat set in 19th-century Japan. See what they have to say about this game in this Rise of the Ronin review.
Combat Excellence in a Historical Setting
Inarguably, the Rise of the Ronin strength would have to be its combat system. It takes after the impressive combat of Team Ninja’s Nioh series. Hence, Rise of the Ronin has an extensive weapon variety including traditional Katana and Western sabers and spears. Moreover, this complements their featured mechanics like counterspark to build on strategic play.
With a deflection system, players can stagger opponents and open up for counterattacks to create high-risk, high-reward play. The boss fights were also challenging, forcing players to learn attack patterns and maximize combat mechanics. It’ll really require skill improvement to progress through the game. Further, Rise of the Ronin allows players to switch between different fighting styles mid-combat.
An Open World of Possibilities
Rise of the Ronin also attracts attention with its open-world setting that provides plenty of exploration and mission opportunities. It allows players to storm into opponents’ strongholds with swords or across rooftops or alleyways. Their added grappling hook and glider offered players more traversal options, making it more engaging.
With Rise of the Ronin set in the late Edo period, players can meet fictional characters of historical figures. This includes names such as Genzui Kusaka and Sakamoto Ryoma. Moreover, it touches on serious themes like nationalism, xenophobia, and societal advancement. Hence, creating an entertaining yet intriguing narrative in the game.
The Burden of Bloat
However, one thing that this Rise of the Ronin review noticed is how overwhelming the content was. The map feels cluttered with multiple icons for various activities which makes it seem more a busywork than a creative experience. They also have a problematic loot system as enemies drop absurd equipment but have minimal differences from one another.
Then, their bloat appears more as checkboxes than its initial purpose of enhancing the gameplay. There are side activities that will catch your intrigue like visiting landmarks or interacting with pilgrim dogs. However, the tasks and loot are consequent which distracts players from combat and exploration. So, in the end, players just spend most of their time sorting the menu through gear.
Co-op and Quality of Life
What sets this game apart from other cooperative titles out there? Rise of the Ronin allows friends to join specific missions to create a team. This brings fresh dynamics to their gameplay since it’ll have few people teaming up for a strategy. However, it is not always clear whether these missions accept co-op or not unless you’ve started it.
Besides the multiplayer play, they also featured Testament of Souls which revisits the previous missions and decisions. The good thing with it is that you won’t have to worry about any missing content. Then they also have bond missions to help in building your relationship with other characters.
The bond missions also reward players for improving combat styles and their equipment. Most notable will be the Longhouse which plays as a customizable home base for them to change looks, equipment, and interact. So, it helps establish the role-playing aspect of the game.
Is It Worth Your Time and Money?
So what does this Rise of the Ronin review say? Well, it is a decent game with variety and plenty of content to explore. Certainly, it’ll be worth your $69.99 if you enjoy playing any combat RPG similar to this. Moreover, it is really fun and unique since it takes players back to the historical time along with the challenge. Yet, some may see the game to be intimidating with its overflowing contents that range from easy to tough.
