Rise of the Ronin review – Keep on Ronin

A Team Ninja label on a video game is a guarantee of three things: Fast-paced combat, a flair for style, and at least one challenging boss fight that will make you exhibit Hulk-levels of anger after restarting it yet again. Rise of the Ronin feels like Team Ninja going back to basics after several years spent in the Soulslike genre, stripping that influence back to its bare essentials and plonking you in the middle of an open-world Japan for a history lesson set in the infamously turbulent Bakamatsu period.

And that’s a great pitch right there! A sandbox full of locales to explore, people to slice up like sticks of salami full of blood, and plenty of swordsmanship to master. It’s a pity that Ghost of Tsushima already exists–and is headed to PC next month–but there’s still plenty to fall in love with here. If you’ve always been interested in hopping into a Team Ninja game, Rise of the Ronin serves as a solid entry point to the developer and its signature blend of stylish action.

Rise of the Ronin’s Bond system forms an emotional core for the game, although don’t expect this to be an ability to call in Pierce Brosnan or George Lazanby to lend you a hand in combat with their fancy gadgets. Instead, bonds are formed throughout the game as you take on all manner of quests, building relationships with a vast cast of characters as you search for your Blade Twin, a partner who was thought to be dead after a failed assassination attempt on a dual-wielding Commodore Perry. Oh yes, Rise of the Ronin gets wild with its liberal interpretation of history.

As a warrior without a master, it’s not long before you become a sword-for-hire during a period where Japan was being forced to open its borders or risk getting its political teeth kicked in by America and England’s fleets. With the politics of Japan changing, powerful figures in the court of the Shogunate making their move, and other historical legends vying for your attention. As a master of the blade with no true allegiance to anyone but yourself, you’re the one person who can truly make history, if you don’t mind getting your hands dirty.

Like Ninja’s Nioh and Wo-Long games, Rise of the Ronin focuses primarily on close-quarters combat with a sharp Souls-like edge. Every fight is a dance where you’ll juggle attacks, defense, and parries, similar to Sekiro and its system of draining your enemy of stamina so that a powerful killing blow can be unleashed. Rise of the Ronin leans heavily into the idea of upsetting an opponent’s rhythm, leaving them vulnerable and then following up with lethal counters – pretty standard stuff to anyone who has played anything inspired by From Software in the last decade.

Where Rise of the Ronin changes up the formula is with Countersparks, quick attacks that function like parries but are attacks that introduce a new flow of combat cadence to the mix. It takes some getting used to, especially when you’ve been taught to deflect attacks in a specific way in other games like Sekiro and Lies of P, but the Counterspark system works well with Team Ninja’s fast and furious gameplay. A combo of blocks and Countersparks works well in preserving your health while chopping an enemy down to size. When mastered alongside powerful Martial Attacks, you’ll feel like a true swordmaster.

Of course, getting to that point is the real challenge. There’s a lot of trial and error to struggle through, with wrong moves resulting in your health bar being smashed apart. Alongside boss fights with unfair difficulty spikes, getting a read on the combat pacing can be a Herculean ordeal, but once it clicks, it’s something to behold in action. Cycling through equipable weapons, styles, and skills is just part of the perilous puzzle, but doing so to counter your enemies makes your Counterspark ability more effective.

All of your skills will be put to the test in Rise of the Ronin’s sandbox, a world with a frankly uninteresting story, a bland protagonist, and a habit of sending you on a handful of repetitive quests to level up and form closer bonds with people. Fortunately, the supporting cast is exponentially more interesting as the story unfolds across several years and you’re eventually forced to pick a side.

Arguably the biggest letdown, the sandbox in Rise of the Ronin feels like it was pulled straight from the 2010s, as its full of uninspired activities and checklist items to work through. Typically, you’ll be opening up more sections of the map by murdering local bruisers, infiltrating strongholds, assassinating cannon fodder enemies, and wondering why the game has incredibly undercooked stealth mechanics. At least the boss fights are the saving grace here, as these are showdowns that’ll keep you on the edge of your seat as you look out for telegraphed attacks, analyze the best approach, and put your skills to the test.

With dozens of hours of content, this new Sony-published release – a PS5 exclusive – has plenty to offer if you can see past its shortcomings.