Rise of the Ronin (PS5)

Atmosphärisches Samurai-Abenteuer mit einem hervorragenden und abwechslungsreichen Kampfsystem; das jedoch unter einer etwas ideenlosen Open World und technischen Ungereimtheiten zu leiden hat.

Rise of the Ronin macht wenig neu und dennoch viel Spaß. Das Kampfsystem aus Nioh und Wo Long trifft auf klassische Open World, packt eine entscheidungsreiche Story der Duo-Protagonisten dazu und macht es insgesamt einsteigerfreundlicher. Wer Lust auf das Setting hat und keine großen Innovationen erwartet, bekommt ein unterhaltsames Abenteuer auf der Inselnation.

Nioh goes Assassin's Creed und das nicht ohne Charme. Technisch aus der Zeit gefallen, aber spielerisch trotz und manchmal gerade dank seiner Verfehlungen der KI sehr unterhaltsam. Dazu ein spannendes Szenario und viele Mechaniken, die gut ineinander greifen.

It's not without some flaws, but I finished Rise of the Ronin with much more left to do, and even after 50 hours, I want to head back in to see what I'd missed and attempt to change history. The parts of the game that work more than balance out its weaker elements. And while it took a while to find the rhythm of Rise of the Ronin's combat, its speed, complexity, and intensity make for some phenomenal fights that always feel great to win. Rise of the Ronin is a game that might take a bit to get good, but the commitment is worth it.

Rise of the Ronin is not only a terrific soulslike, but it presents a possible turning point in being the first high-profile entry in the genre to give difficulty choices. Even without that, it is still a fun game that anyone can get into and enjoy, as the combat is worth mastering because nothing beats the feeling of a perfectly timed Counterspark. Plus, this is an excellent way to learn about an important time in Japanese history if you didn't already know it.

Almost nothing in Rise of Ronin is outright bad, but it is Exhibit A in any argument about why action games are not dozens of hours long or why open-world designs do not fit every mold. For all the inspirations the game wears on its sleeve, it never rises above them, and thus feels like a title in search of an identity and desperate for a specific kind of player. It’s sometimes a good time, just not for a long time.

Rise of the Ronin is a massive gamble for Team Ninja, known for its more linear action games, but it's one that has paid off. Rise of the Ronin has a lot of depth to it from the satisfying combat, to all the side activities across three broad regions, and the plethora of excellent characters. This game should mark the start of a grand new era for Team Ninja.

Team Ninja borrows the open-world familiarity and historical tourism of Assassin’s Creed while adapting its own breed of hardcore action for the mainstream.