I Didn't Expect This PS5 Exclusive to Be so Much Fun
Rise of the Ronin delivers in ways more than one, Dragon's Dogma 2 and FF7 Rebirth sales successes, and more.
At first glance it's easy to write off Rise of the Ronin as a bootleg version of Ghost of Tsushima. The reality however, is rather different. While Sony's first-party open-world samurai slasher is an entertaining romp through feudal Japan, Rise of the Ronin is a grittier, darker premise complete with deep combat systems and choices that matter. And with a wealth of great games out now, this isn't one that I expected to be having so much fun with.
Killer combat
From a combat perspective, Rise of the Ronin wears its competency on its sleeve. Early on you're schooled in its parry system or Counterspark as the game calls it to stun foes, deplete their stamina (or Ki as it's known in-game) and best them in combat. You have your own Ki gauge that depletes as you block, parry, and stab your way to victory so you'll need to pay attention to that as well. Coupled with generous doses of over the top decapitations and blood galore, it ends up being a precise and satisfying affair.
Welcome weapons
Even secondary weapons like rifles and pistols have been crafted with attention and care that they're just as fun to use as the assortment of katanas and spears that serve as your primary weapons. Throw in a grappling rope that lets you close in on enemies or lob exploding barrels on them as well as three unique combat styles and Team Ninja have done enough in way of spectacle, depth, and variety to keep combat extremely enjoyable.
Do it for the plot
Along with this, there's an interesting story to boot. After the opening missions give you an idea of the premise, you find yourself as a masterless samurai — a ronin. Without spoiling much, the game's story unfolds based on the choices you make. From sparing your would be attackers to winning favour of fellow ronin, your actions define the plot and how subsequent missions play out.
Choices matter
For example: sparing a foe in a specific quest gives you an ally in future fights or cutting them down outright grants you more loot. Granted this isn't a new gimmick by any stretch, but it's nice to see Team Ninja implement it in a grand open-world game like this. As for the world itself, Rise of the Ronin is set in the Bakumatsu period of Japan. A time which heralds the end of the Shogunate and Western influences make themselves felt. You'll meet and battle historical figures and unveil a plot steeped in political intrigue as you make your way through its many locales.
I'm about five hours in and ways to go so this isn't a full review just yet. So far it's surprised me with how much there is to do, how much combat depth exists, and how little it has to do with soulslikes in terms of difficulty (a false perception created by Team Ninja's recent output such as the Nioh games and Wo-Long: Fallen Dynasty). It's nice to see difficulty options that cater to different audiences. Add in some helpful time-saving features such as endless running out of combat and plenty fast-travel points among other things highlighted by Game File and it's a blast to play.
Interesting insights from the Indian games market
Dragon's Dogma 2 on for PS5 and Xbox Series X will likely sell out on launch day. Most retailers speaking to me have confirmed that they're either running low or sold out of day one stock of Capcom's latest blockbuster. As expected there were a surge of pre-orders following the game's 87 score on Metacritic.
Sony continues to discount the PS5 with yet another discount this month. Sources in the supply chain tell me of a possible May 2024 launch for the PS5 Slim and this is an attempt to keep inventory at "reasonable" levels. Considering we haven't had PS5 imports since the middle of last year, safe to say Sony's India team is trying its best to make shelf space for the PS5 Slim.
Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth continued where Final Fantasy 16 left off equalling its pre-order total of about 5,000 units. I've finally finished it and I have a lot of thoughts, expect those in my next newsletter.