Previously a PlayStation 5 exclusive, Rise of the Ronin has finally made its way to PC. Last year, this title was overshadowed by the somewhat disappointing Dragon’s Dogma 2, as it had the misfortune of launching on the same day. Fortunately, this new PC release could give Rise of the Ronin a fresh chance to find a substantial audience.
Team Ninja’s Most Ambitious Title Yet
Rise of the Ronin marks Team Ninja’s first attempt at crafting an open world. As one might expect, this isn’t a game that pushes any significant boundaries, but the sheer scope of this project is unlike any other title from this studio. From intriguing RPG systems to deep and complex combat mechanics, Rise of the Ronin is trying to do a lot.
On the surface, the game’s structure strongly resembles that of the tired Ubisoft open world. You go through a checklist of repetitive tasks and general busy work that allows you to progress your character. This includes what are essentially Far Cry outposts to clear out. This doesn’t make for particularly imaginative open-world design, and the experience feels a little dated as a result.
If all this sounds offputting, I don’t blame you. However, there are some key aspects that Rise of the Ronin excels at. If it’s not worth judging a book by its cover, then perhaps it’s not always worth judging a game by its structure. This may be Team Ninja’s take on Assassin’s Creed, but don’t let that dissuade you.
Rise of the Ronin‘s Excellent Combat System
Let’s be honest, combat is the primary selling point of most Team Ninja titles, and Rise of the Ronin is no exception. If you have previously played either of the Nioh games or Wo Long: Fallen Dynasty, the combat here will feel incredibly familiar. In fact, the mechanics here are a combination of those two styles.
There is plenty to experiment with and keep in mind here. While there is a fairly large emphasis on Ki management and parrying, the player’s tool set is massive. From different combat styles to a large variety of weapons, there’s amazing potential for build variety.
Even if a particular combat style isn’t effective against certain enemies, that doesn’t necessarily mean that a different weapon is required. By simply switching combat styles or taking control of an ally, it’s an easy problem to deal with.
While the more grounded historical setting prohibits the use of more fantastical opponents found in other Team Ninja games, each combat encounter is an intimate dance. Even some of the weaker enemies are perfectly capable of dishing out some major pain if the player isn’t careful.
An RPG With Deep Customization
Like Nioh 2 and Wo Long, Rise of the Ronin features an excellent character creator. There are so many details to adjust, and the sky appears to be the limit. Considering how much equipment you will be picking up, it is easy to customize the appearance of your gear. This makes it easy to make your character look however you want.
There’s also impressive room for skill expression with all the various gear combinations. You can stick to one weapon or quickly swap between two. It’s a system that invites you to experiment with your play style, but you can also play it safe if you wish.
Rise of the Ronin also happens to be a more casual experience compared to most other Team Ninja games. The difficulty can be adjusted at any time outside of missions, which can help if you find yourself stuck on a particularly challenging boss. It’s a title that prioritizes fun over pure difficulty.
The PC Experience
Admittedly, I was unable to access my primary rig while playing Rise of the Ronin. Despite this, my laptop well exceeds the minimum requirements for this title. So, as such, the technical side of things left quite a bit to be desired, unfortunately.
Nothing about this game appears to warrant the often unstable performance I experienced. The visuals, while not ugly, aren’t particularly impressive for a modern title. To achieve anything close to a remotely smooth 60 FPS, I had to turn every setting down to its lowest, making an already graphically underwhelming game look significantly worse.
Sadly, Rise of the Ronin yet is another example of a PC port relying too heavily on upscaling technology and my least favorite, frame generation, to provide an arguably acceptable experience. I was somewhat more tolerant of Wo Long‘s technical issues back when I reviewed it, but my problems here really did hurt the overall experience this time.
As a PC gamer, I like having numerous graphic options to play around with, but I shouldn’t have to tinker so much to get a desirable result. Along with the absurd 150 GB of space that this game occupies on my SSD, I can’t say that this is an ideal port.
Rise of the Ronin Displays Awesome Potential
Despite my technical complaints and a somewhat generic open world, it’s hard to put down Rise of the Ronin, which is a testament to how much fun it is. Interestingly, despite being a Japanese-developed game, it pulls a lot from Western design habits, for better or for worse.
If you have a middle-of-the-road PC, you may want to proceed with caution. That being said, there’s no guarantee the experience will be ideal on more powerful hardware. If any of what I described sounds fun, however, then perhaps it’s worth the risk.
Rise of the Ronin is far from a perfect game, but it proves that Team Ninja still knows how to craft a thrilling action experience. If you’re looking for an engaging story or beautiful graphics, you won’t find those here. However, if you need an action RPG to keep you occupied for the next few weeks, Rise of the Ronin should do the trick.
Rise of the Ronin will be available for PC on March 11 via Steam. For more reviews, be sure to keep an eye on Final Weapon!
Disclaimer: Koei Tecmo provided Final Weapon with a copy of Rise of the Ronin for review purposes.
