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Team Ninja has become synonymous with best-in-class action gameplay. From Ninjagaiden to Nioh 2, the basic act of wielding a sword or spear (or any deadly weapon) is reliably complex and satisfying, often with a challenging but rewarding learning curve accompanied by.
It’s no surprise that Rise of the Ronin continues this tradition, but with the latest installment on PlayStation 5. more and more More than satisfying combat. Team Ninja dives headfirst into a crowded open-world space, sword in hand, and offers something uniquely engaging.
I had a chance to play the game in its opening hours and am excited to share details about the colorful sights, sounds, battles, and traversal of Yokohama during the end of the Edo period.
a whole new world
After finishing the linear prologue (I won’t spoil the events here), I soon found myself thrust into the game’s vast open world. This was a first for Team Ninja. Equipped with a sword, a Western-style saber, a musket, and my trusty horse, I walk the long road to Yokohama, explore the countryside for crafting materials, and climb onto rooftops to pick up cats (the game’s hidden one of his collectibles) and freed the village from evil spirits. The hands of a bloodthirsty bandit. Rise of the Ronin always does a great job of creating something intriguing. Even when he finishes one activity, there is often another that catches his eye, just out of reach.
Of course, the bustling port city of Yokohama is the focal point of this open-world environment (and later Edo and Kyoto), and this is where the game really shines. Yokohama in the late 19th century is caught between worlds, recently influenced by American “gunboat diplomacy.” This is evidenced by the city’s mix of influences, including guns and swords. top hat and kimono. and a fascinating tapestry depicting traditional Japanese dwellings and stately brick buildings.
The bottom line is that this location has plenty of opportunities to explore, and Team Ninja provides players with several tools to take advantage of the city’s verticality. It’s easy to climb up buildings (or use a grappling hook) or jump across rooftops using the prototype glider. Rise of the Ronin drew me in to its uniquely textured world as much as the game’s sharp combat.
You can also get an inn in town where you can hang out, chat, and give gifts to visiting companions, as well as rearrange the furniture, customize the Ronin’s appearance, and reset skill points at will. I could have done that.
parry and riposte
For those familiar with Team Ninja’s recent modern action classics, Rise of the Ronin is heavily focused on dueling. itself. The game accomplishes this by prioritizing a parry called Counterspark, which drains the enemy’s Ki (stamina) and leaves them vulnerable to his deadly critical hits. Optimal play seems to focus on staying within attack range and timing your opponent’s attacks to counterattack, rather than the attack-and-dodge routine typical of this type of game. The combination of the sound of metal hitting metal and bright sparks flying around gives these duels a very cinematic feel, as does the speed with which you defeat your opponent after a successful counter-spark. Critical hits are varied and brutal, resulting in severed limbs and copious amounts of blood splatter, making Counterpsark well worth the risk.
Additional gameplay details that stood out to me:
● Terrifying stealth kills and critical hits will terrify enemy allies, thus discouraging them and making it easier to dispatch them. Similarly, killing a more resilient enemy leader first will reduce the Ki of weaker subordinates.
● Grappling hooks can be used to hurl explosive barrels and other dangerous objects. It can be used to ram enemies or pull down archers from frustrating vantage points (among other uses).
● If you parry an incoming bullet, the sword will burst into flames.gives a temporary damage boost to attacks.
● Rise of the Ronin offers players a ton of content. Flexibility in combat, whether you want to pick off hordes with headshots from a distance or prey on vulnerable lookouts first with stealth strikes. You can also perform surprise attacks while gliding in the sky.
● In certain missions you can: bring a friend The person you have formed a bond with. Of course they attack alone, but you can also control other characters as you wish.
I also got to experience two of the game’s fighting styles. This is a moveset for each weapon that unlocks and evolves as you progress through the game (there seem to be dozens to discover). Each fighting style has advantages and disadvantages to specific weapons, and you can instantly swap them out to gain an advantage over your enemies.
Finally, it’s also worth noting that the game’s strength, dexterity, intelligence, and skill trees unlock new interaction options. In one example, I was able to intimidate a group of troublesome officials before starting a brawl, thereby lowering their ki gauge at the start of the fight.
Ronin’s flight
My time in Rise of the Ronin ended with me and three companions gliding through the air, defeating bosses, and infiltrating an air base to retrieve inventor Izuka Igana’s rudimentary camera. This climactic mission required me to use every tool at my disposal, hurling down environmental hazards and picking off enemies within range before dueling club-wielding beasts. But before I put down the controller, I stood in the bloody wreckage of my first major battle and took a moment to pet a stray cat.
These are just a few of the adventures players will unsheath in Rise of the Ronin, which launches on PS5 on March 22, 2024.
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