Rise of the Ronin

Rise of the Ronin was the near-perfect samurai/ronin open-world RPG that I have been starving for, and offers players a lot of choice in their playstyle.

72%Game Brain Score

story, graphics

optimization, stability

68% User Score Based on 2,413 reviews

Critic Score 75%Based on 52 reviews

Platforms

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About

Rise of the Ronin is a single player and multiplayer role playing game with a historical theme. It was developed by KOEI TECMO GAMES CO., LTD. and was released on March 22, 2024. It received mostly positive reviews from both critics and players.

"Rise of the Ronin" is an action-packed game set in 1863 Japan, where a lone warrior must navigate through turmoil and make critical decisions that will shape the country's fate. With deep and accessible combat, players can engage in close-quarters combat or fight from a distance using authentic period weaponry. The story is dynamic, offering multiple choices and alliances that lead to different outcomes.

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68%

Audience ScoreBased on 2,413 reviews

story278 positive mentions

optimization330 negative mentions

Engaging combat system with a variety of weapons and styles, allowing for fluid and satisfying gameplay.
Rich historical setting in 19th-century Japan, with interesting characters and a compelling narrative.
Extensive character customization options, including a transmog system for outfits and weapons.

Poor optimization leading to performance issues, including crashes and frame rate drops, especially in populated areas.
Repetitive open-world design with a lack of meaningful side quests and activities.
Inconsistent story pacing and character development, making it difficult to connect with the narrative.

optimization
1,213 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
11%
62%
27%
The optimization of "Rise of the Ronin" has received widespread criticism, with many players reporting severe performance issues, including stuttering, frame drops, and crashes, particularly in open-world areas. While some users with high-end systems have managed to achieve stable performance, the overall consensus is that the game is poorly optimized, making it unplayable for those with lower-end hardware. Players are advised to monitor updates and patches, as the developers have acknowledged the issues and are working on improvements.
- “Despite its great potential, the PC optimization is quite poor.”
- “A great game and love letter to samurai action games, but is somewhat dragged down by iffy performance.”
- “To Team Ninja’s credit, patches have greatly improved optimization (many players now report stable framerates even in late-game missions), but performance can still be uneven depending on your setup.”
- “The performance issues are basically just because my potato RTX 3020, I guess. If you have the same problem, just use a 30 fps cap or 60, just do a max 30 fps and somehow it runs smooth.”
- “First, the PC performance of this game is outright terrible: unsteady frame rates, rough animation, dropped resolutions, and lots of crashes to desktop.”
- “The game is great if you like the combat mechanics, but the performance is really bad.”
story
946 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
29%
65%
6%
The story of "Rise of the Ronin" is a mixed bag, with many players finding it engaging yet convoluted, often struggling to keep track of numerous characters and their shifting allegiances. While the historical setting and character development are praised, the narrative suffers from a lack of meaningful choices, leading to a feeling that player decisions have little impact on the overall outcome. Despite its flaws, the game offers a compelling blend of action and storytelling, appealing to fans of the genre, though it may not reach the narrative heights of other titles like "Ghost of Tsushima."
- “The game offers a strong sense of freedom: you can move at your own pace, shape the story through your choices, and interact with a wide range of NPCs, each with their own personalities and motivations.”
- “The story weaves together real historical figures with compelling fictional characters, and the bond system makes you care about who you ally with.”
- “Rise of the Ronin delivers an amazing story with excellent character progression and deep bond development with the people you meet along the way.”
- “The story and dialogue often have to contort themselves into silly knots trying to reason why some of the characters wouldn't just kill you, as you bounce from one faction to another with almost no consequences.”
- “The story is confusing and it's one of the first times I'm somewhat disappointed by a Team Ninja story, only because you can choose who you want to support but then you still have missions working for other people, contradicting everything all the time until you are confused about what the hell is going on.”
- “The story won't win any awards; the graphics are nice but can't compete with the best looking games out there... it's a 7/10 kind of game, but it's one of those good 7/10 games that winds up being one of your favorites despite the janky and imperfect stuff.”
graphics
562 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
23%
65%
12%
The graphics of "Rise of the Ronin" have received mixed reviews, with many players noting that they feel outdated compared to current industry standards, often likening them to early PS4 or even PS3 visuals. While some appreciate the art style and find the environments visually appealing, others criticize the poor optimization and performance issues, which detract from the overall experience. Despite these graphical shortcomings, many players emphasize that the engaging gameplay and combat mechanics compensate for the visual flaws.
- “The graphics are impressive and the setting is stunning; each map feels like a journey of its own, full of activities, places to explore, and secrets to uncover.”
- “I have had zero bugs or issues with the game at all in 37 hours of gameplay, and the world and graphics look beautiful.”
- “The graphics shine if you crank the settings, but it still feels like a PS4 game.”
- “Considering the game was a PS5 exclusive, the graphics are below average and below industry standard.”
- “The graphics are pretty trashy for how steep the requirements are, so the gameplay is really the only thing holding this together.”
- “The graphics feel last gen, but I am getting pretty solid 60fps.”
gameplay
493 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
42%
52%
6%
The gameplay of "Rise of the Ronin" has received mixed reviews, with many praising its engaging combat mechanics and depth, particularly the parry system and weapon variety, which offer a satisfying challenge. However, performance issues and optimization problems have marred the experience for some players, leading to frustration during gameplay. Overall, while the combat is often described as fun and rewarding, the game's technical shortcomings detract from its potential, making it a title best suited for those who prioritize gameplay over graphical fidelity.
- “The gameplay is engaging, the world is atmospheric, and the story is well told.”
- “Gameplay-wise, this game is hard with its parry system, but successfully pulling a perfect parry is very rewarding.”
- “The combat system is the star of this game; it's a well-balanced blend of Sekiro's deflect mechanic and Team Ninja's typical fast and deep combat systems.”
- “An interesting combination of slower, watered down Nioh/Wo Long combat mechanics with an Ubisoft Assassin's Creed map covered in repetitive objectives.”
- “There are notorious optimization issues that curiously tend to appear mostly on exploration gameplay rather than during combat, so there's little possibility for the game to rob you of a victory, but you will stutter, experience crashes, and repeating sound effects.”
- “The gameplay is worse than Nioh's, and lacks a lot of its depth.”
stability
58 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
38%
62%
The stability of the game has received mixed feedback from users. While some players report a smooth experience with minimal crashes and good performance, others encounter frequent graphical glitches, stuttering, and crashes that significantly impact gameplay. Overall, the game's stability seems to vary widely depending on the hardware used, with many recommending adjustments to settings for optimal performance.
- “Game runs great on a full AMD system, had one crash and it was VRAM hitting max. Consistent 160 frames regardless.”
- “Nobody mentions this, but for me at least the game has been completely bug-free.”
- “But the game runs great and the overall gameplay is smooth.”
- “At the time of writing this review, the game has some major performance issues like long loading times, objects and characters taking a long time to load properly, graphical glitches, and other issues (but that can quite possibly be caused by using an HDD instead of an SSD).”
- “My biggest complaint, and why I give it a thumbs down at the moment, is that this game freezes and crashes a ton.”
- “Fun when you get it to work, but it freezes and crashes too much to be enjoyable at the moment.”
music
38 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
39%
53%
8%
The music in the game is generally described as serviceable and well-performed, but lacks memorable tracks, making it mostly forgettable for players. While some users appreciate specific themes, like the melancholic Yokohama theme, others find the soundtrack to be a good accompaniment to gameplay without standing out significantly. Overall, the music is considered appropriate for the game's setting, with some praising its calming qualities, but it does not leave a lasting impression.
- “The soundtrack is high-tier and truly captures the essence of the game, and some characters, like Ryoma, are very entertaining.”
- “Highly recommend it, it's a great experience and quite relaxing to explore and roam around with its soft soundtracks and world ambience.”
- “The music in this game is surprisingly good, and the world has some beautiful locations and art direction too.”
- “The music is serviceable but lacks any memorable tracks, so it's not great.”
- “The soundtrack is just okay; it's well performed and a good accompaniment to the gameplay, but I wouldn't really seek it out outside of the game.”
- “Sound, music, voice acting - all things that exist but are mostly forgettable.”
grinding
29 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
7%
93%
The reviews highlight a mixed experience with grinding in the game, noting that while combat and gear farming can be enjoyable, the overall process can feel tedious and repetitive. Players appreciate the variety in combat and the ability to unlock new abilities, but many find the open-world traversal and item upgrade systems to be unnecessarily grindy. Overall, while some aspects of grinding are engaging, they can detract from the overall enjoyment, leading to a sense of boredom for some players.
- “Regions are subdivided well, progress reveals all the collectibles, your horse is self-driving, and there's no tedious tower climbing to unlock the map.”
- “You'll need a second life for grinding.”
- “I was really looking forward to this game and while I did finish it, there were so many issues that I had no desire to continue with the post-game mega powerful gear grinding.”
- “The result is a rather tedious and boring experience, sadly.”
- “Farming bosses, texts, and gear was part of the Diablo fun, and it's been gutted.”
replayability
22 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
36%
50%
14%
Overall, the game offers significant replayability through multiple choices that lead to different story outcomes, character fates, and combat styles. While some players appreciate the rich narrative and exploration opportunities, others note the absence of a new game+ mode as a drawback. Despite this, many agree that the engaging combat and diverse paths enhance the game's replay value, making it a worthwhile experience for fans of the genre.
- “With different choices leading to different outcomes (like which characters do or don't die, and which will fight alongside you), there's also plenty of replay value for repeat playthroughs.”
- “The story is rich, there's a lot to explore, and very replayable with the challenging midnight mode in the end.”
- “It's fine to have that but the game lacks any real replayability without an actual NG+ system.”
- “Co-op might as well be nonexistent since it's just for some small missions and the endgame replayability is also nonexistent.”
- “The choices made throughout the game lead to multiple endings, encouraging replayability and immersion in the narrative.”
humor
21 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The humor in the game is a standout feature, with players enjoying whimsical writing, funny cutscenes, and amusing AI behaviors that lead to unintentional comedic moments during combat. The blend of engaging gameplay and humorous elements, such as quirky character interactions and absurd enemy pathing, contributes to an overall lighthearted experience, despite some technical issues. Players find themselves laughing at both the game's charm and its performance quirks, making for a uniquely entertaining adventure.
- “The perfect combo of Wo Long and Ghost of Tsushima, such incredibly fun combat and the cutscenes when the protagonist gets a gun pulled in their face and they are surprised are hilarious in all the best ways.”
- “In the open world segments, the enemy AI has these hilarious and obvious hidden leashes on them that tether them to a really tight, enclosed area they're restricted to.”
- “You'll often find yourself right on the edge of one of these enemy pathing limits while engaged in combat, leading to some unintentional funny moments where the enemies run at you to just within a foot of you, then suddenly turn around and run back the other way into their game-approved area.”
atmosphere
19 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
68%
16%
16%
The game's atmosphere is widely praised for its vibrant and immersive world, effectively capturing the historical turmoil of the era. Players appreciate the depth of the characters and the freedom to explore missions at their own pace, enhancing the overall experience. The combination of engaging gameplay, atmospheric sound cues, and attention to detail creates a memorable setting that feels alive and rewarding.
- “Team Ninja and Koei Tecmo have done a wonderful job of capturing the era's atmosphere and allowing you to experience the turmoil of the time.”
- “It’s a vibrant, atmospheric setting that feels alive, and Team Ninja’s eye for detail makes even the quiet moments memorable.”
- “The atmosphere, the fluid combat, the deep historical setting—it all comes together perfectly.”
- “The story & atmosphere:”
- “It's decently challenging but also relaxing at the same time in its open world atmosphere.”
- “Graphically, open world and the atmosphere.”
character development
7 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
43%
14%
43%
Overall, character development in the game is praised for its depth and connection to the world events, with many interesting characters and well-crafted stories. While some players desire more content and combat styles, the existing character arcs are considered strong and engaging, contributing to a positive overall experience despite some graphical limitations.
- “Coming from GOT, ROTR just has more content, more character development, deeper combat mechanics, the bond system, and more.”
- “Character development and the story are really good, and considering the game's issues aside, it is one of the best games I have played in a long time.”
- “Honestly wished there was more story to it... more character development... more combat styles.”
- “Nothing groundbreaking and artistically it's very much in line with other Koei Tecmo games in terms of character design and shader/texture work, but it's also not ugly at all, especially out in the open fields when there is some beautiful low sun casting some soft volumetric light rolling over the valley and dancing over the tall grass.”
- “Character design: a lot of the characters in the game are very interesting, and the devs have done a very good job of setting up their stories in relation to the world events.”
monetization
7 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
43%
14%
43%
The monetization aspect of the game is positively received, with reviewers appreciating the absence of microtransactions and the fair pricing compared to other titles. Players feel that the game offers good value for money, emphasizing its enjoyable gameplay and high replayability without the pitfalls of cash grab mechanics commonly found in modern games. Overall, it is seen as a refreshing alternative to titles that rely heavily on in-game purchases and exploitative monetization strategies.
- “I just think that both are Japanese-themed Ubisoft-tier open world games, but as they are not made by evil frogs who think microtransactions are the best thing ever, this game at least, and I am assuming, is actually good.”
- “Imagine a Ubisoft game but with good combat and without microtransactions, also with a much less cluttered UI.”
- “Kinda like the RPG Assassin's Creed games but with real character creation and without cynical microtransactions.”
- “Plenty of modern titles look good but have fundamental soul problems, like spiritual flaws that eat away at your enjoyment where the fidelity and shiny appeal wears off and you just begin to hate how your time is being wasted, or your money being slowly drained by systems that feature FOMO as a monetization scheme.”
- “You consistently feel like an 'average' superhero who is great against ads and then chugging healing pills whenever someone with actual skill shows up, and when you finally defeat them, they stand back up and go 'heh, nice job, I'll get you next time,' and you let them run away covered in their own blood.”
- “It has a high replayability which is rare in today's cash grab games.”
emotional
6 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The emotional aspect of the game is highlighted by its potential for deep character relationships and impactful narrative choices, set against a visually stunning backdrop of Japan's history. However, while some moments resonate strongly, the overall emotional weight is undermined by pacing issues and predictable storylines, leading to a mixed reception. Technical problems further detract from the experience, making it difficult for players to fully engage with the emotional content.
- “Some of them can even form deeper bonds with you, including romantic relationships, adding an emotional layer to the narrative.”
- “Visually breathtaking and emotionally resonant, the game immerses you in a pivotal moment of Japan’s history.”
- “There are some twists and moments that genuinely made me feel something.”