Summary
Games with a historical Japanese setting seem to be popular among game developers at the moment, with titles likeSekiro: Shadows Die Twice,Ghost of Tsushima, andLike a Dragon: Ishinall releasing in the past few years. Joining the ranks of these titles when it releases next month is Team Ninja’sRise of the Ronin, an open-world Soulslike action game set in 19th-century Japan. While the game has drawn comparisons to FromSoftware’sSekiro: Shadows Die Twicedue to its combat and traversal mechanics,Rise of the Roninfinds itself sharing a similar story and setting toLike a Dragon: Ishin.
BothLike a Dragon: IshinandRise of the Roninare set during Japan’s tumultuous Bakumatsu Era, which saw the end of the feudal shogunate that had dominated Japanese governance for nearly 200 years. This period is often cited as one of the darkest eras in Japanese history, and both games explore the bloodshed and brutality associated with the fall of the Shogun and the Meiji Restoration. However,Like a Dragon: IshinandRise of the Roninpresent this era in different ways, showcasing two different styles of recounting an iconic historical period.
Like a Dragon: Ishin and Rise of the Ronin Paint Different Pictures of the Same Historical Era
The Bakumatsu Era of Japanese history lasted from 1853 to 1867, wherein anti-Shogun sentiments began to spread and groups like thenationalist Ishin Shishi factionbegan to gain popularity. Under the Tokugawa shogunate, Japan was infamous for its extremely isolationist foreign policy, forbidding most Western countries from conducting trade with the nation. As many citizens wished to adopt modern Western technology, groups like the Ishin Shishi rallied around the rightful heir to the Japanese throne and supported a return to imperial rule under Emperor Meiji.
Opposing the Ishin Shishi were pro-Shogun groups like the Shinsengumi secret police composed of low-ranking samurai enlisted to protect important figures in the Tokugawa government.Like a Dragon: Ishinsees players take on the role ofSakamoto Ryoma as he infiltrates the Shinsengumito uncover the mystery behind his father’s murder, ultimately having to navigate tensions between the Shinsengumi and Ishin Shishi.Rise of the Roninis also set to feature characters like Ryoma, who were key players inLike a Dragon: Ishin’s story given that they were real-life historical figures that played important roles in that period.
How Rise of the Ronin Differs from Like a Dragon: Ishin
While both of these games are grounded in the common setting of Japan’s Bakumatsu era, they take different approaches to presenting the events of that era.Like a Dragon: Ishinfollows the typicalYakuzaandLike a Dragonformula of action-brawler combatmixed with a handful of side activities and substories for players to uncover. Conversely,Rise of the Roninleans heavily into its Soulslike combat, challenging players with unforgiving battle mechanics that will test their skills while also giving them an open world to explore using a variety of traversal methods like a grappling hook and glider.
There also appear to be some story differences between these games as well, despite being set within the same basic time period.Rise of the Roninlargely takes place in Edo, whileLike a Dragon: Ishinputs players in Kyoto, and somecharacters like Nagakura Shinpachi, who was an ally inLike a Dragon:Ishin, appear to be bossesRise of the Roninplayers will battle as shown in a recent trailer. It also seems likeRise of the Roninwill put a greater emphasis on Western forces thanLike a Dragon: Ishindid, as it features Commodore Matthew Perry as a major character, whom Western scholars often credit with negotiating Japan’s opening up to the Western world.
