Rise Of The Ronin Review

I’ve always had a soft spot for samurai and shinobi games. There’s something about the calm before a katana clash—the tension, the precision, the discipline—that hits different. So when Rise of the Ronin was announced, I was hyped.A samurai open-world game by Team Ninja? Sign me up.

Coming from the studio behind Ninja Gaiden and Nioh, I expected polished combat mechanics, tight swordplay, and beautiful, atmospheric visuals. Unfortunately, Ronin didn’t quite deliver.

The Good: Alternate Timelines & Stealth Moments

Let’s start with what I liked.The timeline system is a cool feature. It gives you reasons to go back in a New Game+ (NG+) playthrough, and the added Midnight difficulty mode brings more challenge to the table.

There were a few duels and stealth missions that really landed for me. Those quiet, sneaky sections reminded me of old-school Tenchu—something I always welcome in shinobi-style games.

But beyond that… this game struggled to find its rhythm.

The Combat Feels Off

Here’s the thing—when a game puts a katana in your hands, the combat has to feel sharp. And this? It didn’t.The parry system felt clunky, and even after hours of play, I couldn’t quite get into the flow.

Now don’t get me wrong—I’ve played Sekiro. I’ve played Ghost of Tsushima. I know what responsive, clean sword combat feels like. So when I say the mechanics here felt off, I’m not just salty for missing a parry or two. It’s not about "git gud"—it’s about feedback, timing, and animation polish.

Visuals That Don’t Match the Era

For a next-gen samurai game on PS5, I expected more visually. The environments lack detail, the animations feel stiff, and the lighting never quite captures the beauty of Meiji-era Japan.It’s not unplayable—it’s just underwhelming, especially in a world where we’ve seen what Tsushima can do.

Score: 4

I wanted to love this game. I really did. But Ronin feels like a missed opportunity.It had potential—a great setting, decent world-building, and some cool moments—but it just didn’t land the final blow.

If you're a hardcore fan of samurai games, you might still find a few moments to enjoy. But for me, the combat never clicked, the story was just okay, and I didn’t even bother finishing NG+.So yeah, this one gets a 4/10 — mainly for the effort, the timeline concept, and the stealth missions.

But if you're looking for precision combat, polish, and immersion, this one might leave your katana craving unsatisfied.