Summary
Team Ninja’sRise of the Roninfalls into similar territory as the studio’s more recent games, but it does so with a definitive leaning toward accessibility. While there are elements of bothNiohandWo Longto be found inRise of the Ronin’s gameplay, the title’s featuring of a difficulty slider and more approachable combat see it land in a comfortable middle ground that lies somewhere between open-world action games likeGhost of Tsushimaand the intense, methodical combat of a traditional Soulslike. One area whereRise of the Roninwears its Soulslike influence loud and clear, though, is in its incredible tutorial boss.
Thetutorial bosses in FromSoftware gamesare typically understood as being a great primer for what’s to come, introducing players to the key mechanics they’ll need to master to be successful in future encounters.Rise of the Ronincontinues this tradition with its own tutorial boss in The Bladesmith, whose boss fight concluding the game’s introductory section requires that the player use virtually every tool at their disposal in order to emerge victorious. Not only does the Bladesmith serve as a great skill check for players before setting them loose on the island nation of Japan, it rivals the best tutorial bosses of the studio known for them.
The Bladesmith Fight Underscores Rise of the Ronin’s Counterspark and Martial Skill Mechanics
Players actually fight another, earlier boss inRise of the Roninbefore facing off against The Bladesmith, but the encounter with Matthew Perry is one that mostly serves the game’s story as opposed to its gameplay. In comparison, the fight with The Bladesmith is the true final test to gauge whether the player is ready to face all ofRise of the Ronin’s challenges, which is illustrated through the encounter’s emphasis on two of the game’s major mechanics –Counterspark and Martial Skills. Counterspark isRise of the Ronin’s version of the traditional Soulslike parry mechanic, albeit much more deliberate and methodical in terms of its timing.
Correctly deflecting the Bladesmith’s attacks is paramount to surviving the encounter, as are using the protagonist’s Martial Skills. Just like the Counterspark ability, players get a brief tutorial covering the importance of Martial Skills in the game’s introductory section, emphasizing their utility in draining opponents' Ki. Without correctly utilizing both of these abilities in the fight against The Bladesmith, chances of survival are incredibly low (especially onRise of the Ronin’s higher difficultieswhere the margin for error is slim).Rise of the Roninteaches the player everything they’ll need to know to be successful in the first few minutes and then has them put it to use against The Bladesmith before beginning the game in earnest.
Team Ninja’s Latest Game Learns Important Lessons From FomSoftware’s Library
While Team Ninja has some incredible Soulslike games under its belt and has successfully carved out its own signature niche within the growing subgenre, there are certainly some areas where the studio has traditionally struggled. Aside from the typically uninspiredlevel layouts in Team Ninja games, theNiohseries andWo Longdon’t exactly have satisfyingly thorough tutorial boss encounters. WithRise of the Ronin, Team Ninja isn’t just learning from its own prior experience, as it’s also borrowing some of the best parts of FromSoftware’s past games.
The closest FromSoftware analogue toRise of the Roninis the studio’s excellent one-off title (and 2019 Game of the Year winner)Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice. And, likeRise of the Ronin, thetrue tutorial boss ofSekiroranks as one of the best in the genre, sufficiently preparing players for the road ahead and acting as a skill check for grasping the game’s mechanics.Rise of the Roninis more of a “Soulslite” than a true Soulslike, but it clearly displays an understanding of how to acclimate players to the challenge it’s providing.
Rise of the Ronin
WHERE TO PLAY
FORGE YOUR FATE IN THIS EPIC NEW SAMURAI ACTION ADVENTURE Embark on an epic journey across war-torn 19th-century Japan in this combat-focused open-world action RPG from Team NINJA, the veteran studio behind Nioh and NINJA GAIDEN.Japan, 1863. After three centuries of the Tokugawa Shogunate’s reign, the Black Ships of the West descend upon the nation’s borders and the country falls into a state of turmoil. Amidst the chaos of war, disease, and political unrest, a nameless warrior forges their own path, holding the very fate of Japan in their hands
