Stalking aboard an American ship and assassinating a small army’s worth of the foreign navy is a strong way to start any game. You’re a mix of ninja and samurai, trained and honed into a deadly weapon, pointed at an interfering force set on undermining your country’s autonomy. Switching between your custom-made main character and their ‘blood brother’ blade twin, as you hunt down your admiral target, the stakes in Rise of the Ronin are clearly defined from the off.
This is a crucial time for Japan. The country stands on the edge of revolution, and the sun is setting on the age of the samurai. You’re a relic, the last vestige of a culture being forced to adapt or die. And in many ways, that theme mimics Team Ninja’s position as it gets ready to release Rise of the Ronin. Like all compromises, the result carries both pros and cons.
I like the Nioh games. In fact, I love them. I think they are determined underdogs that make a good scrap for FromSoft’s action-RPG crown. The flaws of Nioh, Nioh 2, and Wo Long are offset by the tight, adrenaline-fueled combat that comprises so much of the experience. So what if the levels are a bit naff when the swordplay is so excellent? So what if the enemies get reused in uninspired remixes when the boss fights are so extraordinary? The games give more than they take, and I laud them for it.
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