The first quarter of 2024 kicks off in style, with titles like Koei Tecmo’s Rise of the Ronin for PS5. Developed by Team Ninja of Nioh fame, it’s the studio’s most ambitious project to date, and thanks to a new preview by Game Informer, we get a better idea of its scale.
Rise of the Ronin is set in 19th century Japan during the Bakumatsu and offers three cities to explore – Yokohama, Edo (later known as Tokyo) and Kyoto. Players can also explore surrounding rural areas and the countryside where bandits and other enemies reside. It’s also where the horse comes into play, though the glider is also ideal for quickly traversing the city and dropping down on targets from above.
Like Nioh, there are several weapon styles, with parrying especially important. You can use katanas, polearms, pistols and rifles, and even the grappling hook, which can throw objects at enemies (like explosive barrels). Interestingly, Rise of the Ronin does feature a system where players lose experience and must retrieve it.
Game director Fumihiko Yasuda called it Karma, which represents people’s destiny carried into the next life. There is more “traditional” XP retained upon dying, but it will be detailed later.
Rise of the Ronin launches on March 22nd, 2024, for PS5. It’s available now to pre-order. Check out the most recent gameplay trailer here.