“Yoshida Shoin is a figure comparable to Socrates in Japan.”
The director’s remarks, which heated up ‘Rise of the Ronin’ even before its global release date, by saying that there were no plans for an official release in Korea, created an uproar in the domestic community. In addition, the news that Hirobumi Ito would participate as a colleague was added right before release, and the likelihood that Team Ninja’s new work, which had been anticipated since the announcement, would be welcomed in Korea was almost zero.
However, on the other hand, I also had this thought. If it is a game that is not only released in Korea but has already been made, I would like to be given the opportunity to try it out before praising or criticizing it. If, as everyone feared, his ideas, which had hurt many neighboring countries, had been ‘glorified’, I thought it was right to see this with my own eyes and make it known.
Coincidentally, on March 22nd, when the game was released, the Game Developers Conference (GDC 2024) was being held in San Francisco, USA. In order to experience for myself a game that had raised concerns among domestic gamers even before its release, I purchased a copy of ‘Rise of the Ronin’ at a GameStop in San Francisco, a remote area. To try it for yourself, judge for yourself, and see if you can kill Ito Hirobumi.
▲ I bought it after covering GDC and before my flight.
Game Name: Rise of the Ronin
Genre name: Open world action RPG
Release date: 2024.3.22
Review version: 1.002.000 Developer: Koei Tecmo, Team Ninja
Service: SIE
Platform: PS5
Play: PS5
※ This review was written based on the North American version.
Open world meets Nioh… ‘Samurai Creed’?
First, before talking about the most sensitive characters and story, let’s take a look at the gameplay of ‘Rise of Ronin’. This game can be said to be Team Ninja’s first attempt at a traditional ‘open world action RPG’. Although many say that the graphics are disappointing compared to previous games, the scenery seen while traveling around the vast field was quite impressive. Completely historical. Although it does not fit the criteria, some buildings show the realization of real-life landmarks.
In line with the story set just before the Meiji Restoration, the game implements areas where historical events occurred, such as Yokohama, where Commodore Perry’s Black Ship arrived, Edo, and Kyoto. Each area is divided into chapters, and in addition to the main story, there are side quests to progress with characters you build bonds with, and smaller-scale quests within the area. Since I was able to complete about 120 quests until reaching the ending, it has a certain amount of volume.
In addition to quest-type activities, there are also many additional activities that can be expected in an open world. There is a training center where you can practice flying using a glider, archery on horseback, and marksmanship, a dojo where you can spar with NPCs you have built relationships with in the game, and an odd-even gambling house that always appears in movies set in this era. That’s it. Compared to other open world games, the scale of the map cannot be said to be large, but even though it was the first challenge, efforts were made to include a good amount of content.
▲ If you go to Kyoto’s Blue Water Temple (Kiyomizu-dera), they also make spring water that you must drink.
However, excluding the factors mentioned above, you can feel from the beginning of the game that existing open world games have not improved significantly in the points that have been consistently pointed out. Aside from doing quests, most of your play time is just finding objects scattered randomly across the map.
In particular, the number of open world contents such as finding cats or executing criminals is beyond imagination, so no matter how much fun you play in the beginning, you will eventually feel bored. By the time I reached the end, I had found about 70 cats and sent them to the geisha in the brothel, but I still don’t know how many more I need to find. The criminal sent about 80 people to the underworld, but there was still a long way to go to achieve 100% map progress.
Team Ninja’s unique actions, which will be described later, are the mainstay of the fun, but repetitive open world activities like this quickly lose interest. The development team may have been conscious of this, but there were NPCs that provided rewards for each activity accumulated, but I couldn’t shake the feeling that they were constantly trying to find a boring cat in order to strengthen the character.
What is counterproductive to this open world exploration is the game’s unique equipment farming system. I’ll go into more detail when I talk about combat, but it feels like it takes too much from the developer’s previous Nioh series. Some elements have good synergy with the open world, but not all.
▲ Fun to see the scenery
▲ It’s fun to jump around on rooftops, but it feels like it’s lacking something different.
Just as From Software showed an open world that adopted some of the grammar of the Soul series through ‘Elden Ring’, Team Ninja can be said to show an open world that borrowed the grammar of ‘Nioh’ through this game. What they have in common is that with the addition of an open world, games have become much more accessible. In particular, in the case of ‘Rise of the Ronin’, the experience points required to level up and the ‘karma’ element that is lost upon death are completely separated, so the penalty for death is relatively minor.
Thanks to this, the overall gameplay itself can be quite interesting for those who enjoyed the battle system of ‘Nioh’. Even as you explore the open world and engage in various activities, each battle requires a great deal of concentration. Because in the beginning, you might mindlessly snoop around a bandit camp and end up getting horribly killed by two or more enemies.
A combat system that has both advantages and disadvantages
As mentioned earlier, most of the fun of ‘Rise of the Ronin’ is driven by the battle system proven through ‘Nioh’. There are various types of weapons, various styles and stances, and the fun of attack and defense is taken advantage of based on ‘ki’, a type of stamina gauge. This also means that it doesn’t deviate too much from Team Ninja’s previous works.
Like previous games, ‘ki’ is a gauge used for attack, defense, and evasion, and if you are attacked by an enemy when your ki is exhausted, there is a gap where you can suffer fatal injuries. Since the enemy is the same, the key to fighting is to exhaust this ‘ki’ and look for an opening.
As expected, like the previous game, it has a combat system where ‘parrying’ and timing are important, but just because you block enemies’ attacks does not immediately create a gap. If you parry while the enemy is attacking continuously, you may end up receiving a follow-up hit. The key is to destroy the enemy’s attack at the right time and exhaust energy to create a large attack, but because of this, the overall difficulty was quite high.
▲ Even though quest missions proceed like Nioh,
▲ Is the taste of sword fighting in an open world refreshing? No, let’s attack them one by one.
This combat system fits the open world format and is refreshingly fun. This is the part that creates synergy. However, in ‘Rise of the Ronin’, not only combat, but also equipment farming and training took the same format as the previous work. And the noise that occurs here is more serious than you might think.
For example, the ‘Nioh’ series was a type of game where you played the series repeatedly until you completed your own build. The pleasure of finding a useful one among the random options that appear in numerous equipment was such that some people compared ‘Nioh’ to ‘Diablo’. However, since this farming system was combined with the open world, even if you just took a breath and walked around, your inventory would soon be overflowing with trash.
There are no useful equipment or options that stand out among them. The first priority of equipment options in the game is basic performance (attack power and defense power), and the next few lines of options are very additional. All it does is increase various numbers by a few percent. Of course, you may be able to differentiate yourself at higher difficulties after the ending, but because completely new high-level equipment is dropped at higher difficulties, the numerous pieces of equipment accumulated in your inventory before the ending are literally nothing more than trash.
Also, are there fewer types of weapons? Japanese swords, dual swords, spears, naginata, Chinese swords, large swords, nodachi, bayonets, sabers, long guns, bows, and pistols. The odds of getting my preferred weapon from the piles of junk threatening my inventory at every moment are also very slim. You can increase the probability of obtaining the desired weapon by 0.2% through base decoration, but it is not as noticeable as other equipment options.
▲ I really don’t like inventory that turns into a trash can just by breathing.
Therefore, players who expect ‘Nioh’ style equipment farming are likely to be greatly disappointed in ‘Rise of the Ronin’. However, in other words, it could also mean that you can fully enjoy the action without having to worry about farming or building.
Personally, the battle system of ‘Rise of the Ronin’ shines in the ‘Dark Night (midnight in English version)’ difficulty level, which is unlocked after the ending. This game does not support a separate New Game+, and you will encounter the ending around level 50 on normal difficulty. From then on, it is designed so that you can raise your character’s level by completing more difficult existing missions and quests through the Dark Night difficulty level.
In the dark, enemies’ health and damage increase significantly, and parrying timing becomes tighter. Just one mistake and you’ll be faced with a red-hot screen. In the field, there are named characters you meet in the game guarding the camp. One time, they were mistakenly caught by Sakamoto Ryoma and were brutally killed by being struck ten times.
One of the impressive points was that content for those who enjoy Team Ninja’s unique, high-level action was provided after the ending. It appears that it will deliver a satisfying experience to both those who enjoy the story without pressure and those who prefer a difficult journey.
▲ Exciting action (?) where you will die immediately if you let your guard down due to the mob.
So what is the story of this game?
▲ The two ronin partners who made their own karma are the main characters of this game.
▲ In the flow of history, the conflict between the two reaches its end.
Of course, if ‘Rise of the Ronin’ was a game as described above, it wouldn’t have been the subject of criticism even before its release, right? I also wouldn’t have had to buy this game from the San Francisco GameStop, which had so many suspicious graffiti on the walls. The problem is that the game’s story, which deals with the period just before the Meiji Restoration, and the characters that appear in it, were extremely sensitive topics in Korea.
Just before launch, the most talked-about topic in the community was an incident revealed through a making video in which Team Ninja director Fumihiko Yasuda referred to a character named Yoshida Shoin as “Japan’s Socrates.” Yoshida Shoin is notorious in Korea as a person who advocated the so-called ‘Seong-Korean theory’, which called for making up for what was lost from Russia and the United States through Joseon, Manchuria, and China. In addition, it is true that it was a controversial statement given that Japan’s right-wing figures still regard him as their spiritual leader.
Even before the game was released, the director said in the making video that he wanted to depict the character’s way of life and his words in the game, so there was no way that domestic gamers would view it favorably. When the overseas media embargo was lifted and the news that Ito Hirobumi would appear as a colleague reached our country, there was no longer any way to reverse the negative perception of the game.
Nevertheless, the reason I decided to review this game was because it was personally too shocking to ignore. I’ve never imagined a game featuring Ito Hirobumi in my entire life, but since it actually happened, I thought I had to face it squarely and criticize it if I had anything to say. Even if it is inevitable that those who laid the foundation for later imperialism appear in works dealing with Japan’s modernization process, glorifying them would be another story.
▲ The main character in the flow of the story is Sakamoto Ryoma.
To conclude, the story of ‘Rise of the Ronin’ was somewhat simpler than we had feared before release. It can be summarized as a kind of historical drama covering about 15 years of Japanese history, from the time the Black Ship arrived in Yokohama to the end of the Boshin War, when the shogunate’s power, the shogunate, transferred power to the imperial new government army. It’s the same.
True to the game’s title, the protagonist is a ronin who does not belong to any faction and rides the winds of change. To be more precise, he is like an assassin from a fallen domain (a fiefdom ruled by a lord during the shogunate era), and after losing his colleagues and teacher for some reason, he arrives in Yokohama with a dream of revenge. There, he meets Sakamoto Ryoma, a figure who is like a symbol of Japan’s modernization.
Several factions appear in the game’s era, but Sakamoto Ryoma and the main character go in and out of all factions with the intention of opening a ‘new era in Japan’ and become embroiled in various incidents. It can be said that it is similar in many ways to ‘Nioh 2’, where the nameless samurai, Tokichiro (Toyotomi Hideyoshi), traveled through the Warring States Period infested with monsters. As the player follows the story, he or she encounters various modern Japanese events well-known through various media such as movies, dramas, and comics.
In the process, you can see the homages in the movie along with the feeling of closely following history. Like the incident outside Sakurada Gate (the incident in which Tairo Ii Naosuke was assassinated), which was also made into a movie, and the anecdote of Ryo Narasaki who, when Sakamoto Ryoma was attacked at Teradaya, rushed out from his bath to announce the emergency. The content has been carefully included. In addition, by utilizing the open world nature of the game, people suffering from cholera, Kusumoto Ine (the first Japanese female doctor) who strives to treat it, and Jigoro Kano, known as the founder of modern judo, were also featured outside of the main story. I was able to get a glimpse of the efforts made to promote Japan.
▲ After Yoshida Shoin’s death, his disciples each interpreted the ‘teachings’.
▲ Sometimes my eyes wander
So, the way the Yoshida Shoin in question is portrayed ends up being beheaded in the very first chapter of the game. Even after that, ‘Shoin’s teachings’ only functioned as a catalyst for the remaining disciples to move forward, and there was no sense that they were implying any grandiose ideas. The two governors represented by the Choshu clan, Kogoro Katsura (Takayoshi Kido), Kenzui Kusaka, Shinsakuna Takasugi, Hirobumi Ito, and Aritomo Yamagata shout, “Follow Shoin Sensei’s will!”, but rather their distorted interpretations. Because of this, there was also a production where a disappointed Ryoma Sakamoto left the Choshu Domain.
Of course, seeing Yoshida Shoin’s death staged in a solemn and meaningful way, and his disciples developing different ideas for a ‘new Japan’ according to his teachings, some may judge that he is ‘glorifying’ his achievements and ideas. There is a possibility. However, the history covered by this game is longer than expected, and it is safe to say that Yoshida Shoin is only mentioned in the beginning. Personally, I was rather relieved to feel that ‘Yoshida Shoin’s teachings’, which had been causing a stir in the Korean community even before its release, were only used as a superficial device.
▲ What’s more serious than that might be the aimless story told by a spineless protagonist?
However, that is not the problem with ‘Rise of the Ronin’ as a game story. What’s even more serious is that, like the main character, a former ronin who has nowhere to go, he can’t figure out where to go. The choice between factions that was introduced before launch does not have a significant impact on the overall story, so the player’s experience ends up being just a brief taste of Japan’s rich history.
From the beginning, the game presents several points asking the player whether to help the Choshu clan overthrow the shogun’s forces, or to help the shogun’s forces to punish the two governors. I make a decision after much thought, thinking that the outcome will be different, but every time, Ryoma Sakamoto comes forward and says: “You have made a choice, but we have not completely decided on a faction. We must head towards a new era!”
The result of such ambiguous choices ultimately results in the protagonist being placed in an ambiguous situation. It is said that he may join the Shinsengumi and annihilate the Choshu clan through the Ikedaya Incident, and then join the Choshu faction. Moreover, no matter what choice the protagonist makes, the great flow of history cannot be stopped. Fighting against the Shinsengumi does not mean that the Ikedaya Incident will not occur, and siding with the Shogun cannot lead to victory in the war.
Therefore, what can actually be confirmed as a result of the player’s choice is very minimal. It mainly involves killing or saving a specific character. Even so, it is impossible to kill a ‘non-dead person’ in this era. All that is said is that there is an option to somehow save Shinsaku Takasugi and Soji Okita, who were historically known to die from tuberculosis, and Ryoma Sakamoto, who was dying at the Omiya Inn.
I tried everything to kill Hirobumi Ito, but it didn’t work in the end.
▲ We decided to place significance in the fact that even if we couldn’t kill, we could beat up.
In the end, the story of ‘Rise of the Ronin’ and the significance of the game itself were nothing more than watching the existing system endangered by the appearance of foreign powers and the actions of characters who appeared in the wind of change just before the Meiji Restoration. Another thing that is appealing is that it contains a lot of elements that are quite welcome for users who like Japan in this era.
The romance of a bodyguard samurai, which originated from director Akira Kurosawa’s ‘Yojimbo’, using numerous Goryu school sword techniques to solve battles, and punishing members of the group after discovering deception while gambling. Like learning ‘Adol’ from Shinsengumi Saito Hajime, who became famous for Rurouni Kenshin. I think gamers who like those things will have plenty of fun.
And… the discomfort that just couldn’t go away.
▲ The gift I gave you was for Baldosul, there is no other meaning.
A review of a typical game usually ends by summarizing the gameplay and story, but for this game, it is difficult to leave out a story about the ’emotions’ felt while playing. Before playing the game, I thought, ‘Shouldn’t consumers be given the right to try it and think about it?’, but after watching the ending, I came to the conclusion that SIEK’s decision to cancel the official domestic release in advance may have been right. Because it was tilted.
I made a hundred concessions and tried to understand it as featuring historical figures who played a role in Japan’s modernization process, but this game really does feature a lot of ‘all-star’ people. While there are figures like Ito Hirobumi who are never viewed favorably in Korea, there are also people like Yamagata Aritomo who openly laid the foundation for Japanese militarism. Even gamers who are not interested in modern and contemporary history will find it difficult to play a game featuring these characters as companions and view the game as only a game.
Another problem is that you have to constantly improve your ‘bond’ while playing, rather than just being friends, which is a huge barrier to entry. Players can increase their affinity by meeting them at home or on the street, giving them gifts, and sparring with them. The increased affinity is designed to return as a reward for strengthening the protagonist’s abilities or learning the school’s skills.
For example, a player who can’t wait to use Baldojutsu must learn Tatsumi-style swordsmanship by sending gifts to Yukichi Fukuzawa. He is famous for his portrait on Japan’s 10,000-yen volume, but he is also known as the teacher of Kim Ok-gyun, who supported the Gapsin Coup. At that time, it was difficult to find someone who didn’t look down on neighboring countries and say they wanted to become the loser of Asia, so it wasn’t a matter of avoiding anyone. How much more so that I should bring you a gift with my own hands!
▲ The most relaxing game when in a brothel
I don’t think that everyone who gets their hands on this game will feel this kind of ‘discomfort’, and the vague displeasure that comes from knowing what changes in post-modern Japan have ultimately brought about in Asia. However, there is enough potential to feel it as the story progresses and in the process of building ‘bonds’ with the characters to learn the school’s swordsmanship.
This is my honest impression while reviewing the game. Even though I try to make up my mind to ‘see the game only as a game’, I can’t get rid of the question mark that pops up in my head every now and then. Since real people appear in the game, it is inevitable that the ‘Japan of the New Era’, which is constantly talked about in the game, will also reflect on the negative impact it had on neighboring countries.
To sum up, ‘Rise of the Ronin’ is a work that cannot help but be received sensitively in Korea, regardless of the fun or completeness of the game. Regardless of how popular cultural content that deals with the Japanese era at the time is worldwide, it is highly likely that it will remain a sensitive topic in the future in a culture where such complex interests are intertwined.
Nevertheless, if there is one thing that left a deep impression, it is that although Team Ninja’s first attempt at an open world had some sloppy gaps here and there, it was overall satisfactory in completion, and I do not know what era and theme they are planning for their next work. They are solidly positioning themselves based on action, so it is worth having expectations.
It’s a story from a long time ago now, but at the time when Ubisoft’s ‘Assassin’s Creed’ series was at its peak, there were many people in the domestic community who expressed their wish for an open world game set in Korea. The story of assassins fighting against global power against the backdrop of the Japanese colonial era still remains in my memory because I thought it would be fun just to listen to.
A lot of time has passed since then, but domestic developers have now slowly taken their first steps toward building world-class results in the console game market. Although it is a bit of a personal wish, if we take time and wait slowly, wouldn’t something that domestic gamers have only dreamed of become a reality one day? We’re now in an era where Ito Hirobumi can meet as a colleague at a game in the neighborhood next door.
▲ Nioh protagonist William also appears as a hidden boss… but what big meaning does it have?
