Sony Interactive Entertainment and Koei Tecmo revealed new details involving gameplay, exploration, and player choice in Team Ninja’s new action adventure game, Rise of the Ronin. This game sees players explore the tumultuous Bakumatsu Era.
Rise of the Ronin was announced during the September 2022 State of Play, surprisingly many fans around the world. The game’s March 22, 2024 release date was revealed at The Game Awards 2023 alongside a new trailer. At the January 2024 State of Play, Team Ninja game producer and director revealed new details about Rise of the Ronin in a new gameplay trailer.
Rise of the Ronin Gameplay Overview
The player character (the Ronin) may equip Japanese spears and ranged firearms alongside their katana in Rise of the Ronin. Hybrid weapons are also an option, but timing still remains key in a Team Ninja-developed action game. Players will explore late 19th century Japan with a handy grappling rope and a trusty horse, make important decisions with their Ronin, and shape history in the Bakumatsu era in Rise of the Ronin.
The latest details are available below, via PlayStation Blog:
Fighting like a Ronin
A variety of weapons are available for battling your enemies. In addition to Team Ninja’s signature swordplay, you can wield Japanese spears and ranged firearms, including foreign pistols.
Hybrid Japanese-western weapons are also options. Use the the flamethrower-like Fire Pipe to roast groups and ignite flammable barrels or wield the bayonet to deflect blades and counter rifle blasts. Choosing your combat style and keeping your enemies’ armaments in mind is key to gaining advantage in battle.
As Team Ninja fans know, timing is key in melee combat. The new trailer showcases a heated battle between swordsmen where stance selection, blocking, and timed parries are critical to defeating foes. You can also wield a versatile Grappling Rope to pull distant enemies in during fights or perform a stealthy takedown on an unaware sentry. Players can also use the rope to launch themselves towards foes and close the gap.
Prepare to use every tool available to overcome the fearsome threats facing our fated Ronin.
Traversing Japan
Plenty of choices are available when covering ground in late 19th century Japan. Your grappling rope is useful outside combat to scale rooftops and other heights, allowing you to gain leverage in a flash. Mounting a trusty horse also allows you to gallop across open fields to mission objectives faster.
The ingenious Avicula is one of the traversal options we at Team Ninja are most excited about. This marvel of engineering allows you to instantly deploy a lightweight set of wings, perfect for gliding through the air. Players can sprint across rooftops, grapple to a distant height, and deploy their glider in midair, using the upward momentum to soar through the air. You can adjust your direction, speed, close wings at any moment, and get a stealthy drop on unsuspecting enemies.
A sea side scene. Day break. In the far distance, ships sail towards a nearby port. At the front of the image, a character with the Avicula glider deployed soars towards a nearby island.
Player choice
In addition to choices of combat and traversal styles, players can also impact Rise of the Ronin’s world with their actions during story missions.
At one point in the new trailer, we see the player choose to help a character named Igashichi fight a group of hostile guards. This choice to help establishes a bond between these characters, lets players get to know Igashichi more deeply, and unlocks other game features. You’ll be able to make these choices with additional characters, such as Ryoma Sakamoto highlighted in a previous trailer.
Who you choose to develop a relationship with impacts how the story unfolds. However, there are no disadvantages to bonding with a character at the expense of another. Consider it even more variety for your next playthrough.
Gameplay Overview Trailer
Lastly, Rise of the Ronin launches on March 22 for PS5.
