With “Rise of the Ronin,” the developers at Team Ninja are sweetening our spring with a cracking action role-playing game. This time our journey takes us to 19th century Japan, where different factions fight for dominance in the turmoil surrounding the forced opening of the Japanese heartland.
So that you know what to expect with Team Ninja’s next big project, we have summarized the most important information about “Rise of the Ronin”.
Table of contents:
When will Rise of the Ronin be released?
“Rise of the Ronin” is one of the big highlights in the spring and will be released on March 22, 2024. After Team Ninja relied on a multiplatform release for “Wo Long: Fallen Dynasty,” the Japanese studio worked closely with Sony Interactive this time Entertainment together.
Consequently, “Rise of the Ronin” will be available exclusively for the PS5. In addition to the obligatory Standard-Versionwhich is offered for 79.99 euros, the action role-playing game also appears in the form of a digital deluxe edition.
The following bonuses are available here at a price of 89.99 euros:
Copy of the game Iga Ninja’s Staff Toyokuni Dual Swords Bando Warrior Armor Set Formal Japanese Attire (Set) Digital Artbook Digital Soundtrack
What is the story of the action RPG about?
Just like with Wo Long: Fallen Dynasty, the writers of Team Ninja decided to focus on a specific historical period for Rise of the Ronin. The story begins in Japan in 1863.
After ruling the country with an iron fist for more than three centuries, the Tokugawa Shogunate’s reign of terror is suddenly coming to an end. When one fateful day the Black Ships of the West land on the Japanese coast, major political upheavals quickly occur.
These ensured that Japan, as its residents had known it until then, sank into chaos and new bloody conflicts.
In the political turmoil, three factions – the anti-shogunate forces, the pro-shogunate forces and the western invaders – are fighting for dominance and political influence. You take on the role of a so-called Ronin, a warrior without a master who actively influences the further course of the story with his decisions.
According to the developer, a historical and diverse game world awaits exploration in “Rise of the Ronin”. The Bakumatsu period heralds the end of the shogunate and ensures that the life philosophies of East and West collide.
In addition to ordinary citizens and merciless warriors, in “Rise of the Ronin” we will meet well-known historical figures from the Bakumatsu era.
When designing the locations, Team Ninja also placed great emphasis on historical authenticity in order to create a coherent and believable gaming experience in ancient Japan.
So don’t expect any demons or monsters like those that appeared in “Nioh” or “Wo Long.”
Team Ninja stays true to itself in terms of play
Developers who have already proven their skills in the past with titles such as the “Ninja Gaiden” series or “Nioh” worked on “Rise of the Ronin”. Fans of Team Ninja will already have an idea of what this all means for “Rise of the Ronin”.
Once again, the Japanese development studio is giving us a complex and demanding combat system in which we use different weapons. The focus is of course on the close combat, in which the eponymous Ronin relies primarily on his katana.
But you can also use various historical firearms to attack your opponents from a safe distance. Skill trees provide the necessary complexity and versatility, enabling you to learn new skills and tailor your character to the challenges that lie ahead.
In “Rise of the Ronin” we explore an open game world and, among other things, visit the metropolis of Yokohama. Thanks to gadgets such as the grappling hook or the glider called “Avicula”, the protagonist swings onto roofs or glides through the air. It was also important to the developers to have exciting secrets and varied side missions that are waiting for you all over the world.
Whether you tackle this alone or cooperatively with other players is up to you thanks to the online co-op component.
What about the level of difficulty?
With a title from Team Ninja, the question of difficulty always arises. After all, the Japanese studio is known for mercilessly hitting you with mistakes in combat. But don’t worry: Even if you are one of the less skilled or experienced players, you shouldn’t let yourself be put off.
In order to appeal to the broadest possible target group, Team Ninja offers three different levels of difficulty in “Rise of the Ronin”. The first mode is aimed primarily at newcomers or players who primarily want to experience the story without being confronted with major gameplay challenges.
Added to this is the standard difficulty level, designed for anyone familiar with game concepts of this type. The classic Team Ninja experience, however, awaits you in “Challenging Mode”. The battles with the numerous opponents are about completely internalizing the combat system and skillfully avoiding enemy attacks.
The parry mechanics are also of crucial importance in combat, with which you can counter attacks and go on the offensive or regain the initiative in combat.
If you ever die in battle, you will be sent back to one of the checkpoints, regardless of the difficulty level chosen, which you can unlock anywhere in the game world.
Furthermore, the developers pointed out in previews that the death of your protagonist does have consequences, but the resulting consequences should not be as nasty as in the various “Soulslike” titles, for example.
Will there be a demo for Rise of the Ronin?
A demo for “Rise of the Ronin” has not yet been officially announced. However, in the past, Team Ninja liked to use demos or betas for their games in order to collect important feedback before release, which in turn led to gameplay improvements in the full version.
So it’s quite possible that the studio will do a similar thing with “Rise of the Ronin”. If a test version or possible beta for “Rise of the Ronin” is announced, we will of course update the article with all necessary information.
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