Rise of The Ronin Review Scores are out, but what does everyone think of Team Ninja's latest action role-playing game? The developer is certainly no stranger to the genre, developing many other classic titles like Nioh and several Ninja Gaiden titles. However, Rise of The Ronin separates itself, set in a historically inspired world featuring both swords and guns. So, how did it end up working out?
Rise Of The Ronin Review Scores – 76 On Metacritic
The PlayStation 5 exclusive title, Rise of the Ronin, currently averages a 76 critic review score on Metacritic, based on 109 Critic Reviews. Out of all those reviews, 69 were positive, 37 were mixed, and only one negative. Furthermore, as of writing, the game currently owns an 8.2 user score based on 484 user ratings. The game released on PlayStation 5 on March 22nd, 2024.
PlayStation Universe gave the game a 9.5. “Though the visual presentation might be comparatively a little rough around the edges, Rise of the Ronin nonetheless is simultaneously the most accessible and ambitious game Team Ninja has done to date and one that both hardcore action RPG fiends and open world adventure aficionados will surely embrace.” Overall, the reviewer enjoyed the expansive open world, gameplay, combat, and characters. However, their only major critique went towards the visual style of the game.
CGMagazine gave the game a 9/10. Overall, the reviewer praised the game's open world full of content. Additionally, they appreciated the depth of replay ability, thanks to the ability to make several choices in-game. Furthermore, they said that “Rise of the Roninrose to the occasion and might be the most fun I have had in a while for a samurai/ronin-heavy game.”
Screen Rant gave the game a 9/10. Overall, the reviewer found Rise Of The Ronin “suitably rich and distracting”. From the soundtrack, writing, and acting all impressed the reviewer. Furthermore, they ended their review, saying “Rise of the Ronin is an immersive open-world historical epic that values its players' time, and it’s also Team Ninja’s best game in recent memory.”
Twinfinite gave the game a 4.5/5. To the reviewer, “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.”. Overall, they listed several pros, including the arsenal of weapons, open world, and fun interactions with other characters. However, they did state the co-op feels limited when not exploring with friends.
Eurogamer gave the game an 4/5. The reviewer felt that “[Rise Of The] Ronin isn’t quite Team Ninja’s Elden Ring, even if it does evolve its Nioh-like formula, with the help of existing open world formulae.” While the reviewer enjoyed the combat and open world, they found boss battles lacking in variety. Nevertheless, they generally enjoyed the game.
Dexerto gave the game a 4/5. Overall, the reviewer felt that the visuals did not match titles like that of Ghost of Tsushima. Nevertheless, they said that the combat and open world traversal definitely makes up for it. “Team Ninja’s samurai epic successfully forges a new path – blending adrenaline-fueled combat, fun traversal mechanics, and a loveable cast of characters, wrapping them all together in a world ripe for exploration.”
Dot ESports gave the game a 7.5/10, saying that “The linearity of Team Ninja games gives its titles a sense of personality and a niche that few other developers fill.” Overall, they enjoyed the story and combat. Additionally, they liked how the game offered a lot of content, along with diverse playstyles. However, they felt like Boss battles were lacking in presentation.
IGN gave the game a 7/10. Overall, they enjoyed the world and setting, saying that it was “full of cool little touches, whether it’s throwing something at an enemy with the grappling rope or dropping from your glider onto your horse”. However, at the same time, they believe the game was littered with “map clutter, bloated systems, and a truly absurd amount of junk loot”. Nevertheless, they enjoyed the game, but felt the game was “torn between what it wants to be and what it feels it’s expected to be”.
GameSpot gave the game a 7/10, saying “Rise of the Ronin is a game that might take a bit to get good, but the commitment is worth it”. Overall, the reviewer listed the combat, characters, and narrative as some of the pros. Furthermore, they enjoyed the amount of choices and great boss fights around the game world. However, they felt mission design became repetitive after awhile. Additionally, the same also applies to some of the open-world activities.
Game Informer gave the game a 7/10. While they didn't find any particular aspect bad, they also said “For all the inspirations the game wears on its sleeve, it never rises above them”. They enjoyed something about each aspect, whether visual or gameplay-related. However, for each positive, there was something holding the game back from being even better for them.
Push Square gave the game a 6/10. Overall, they believe that “Rise of the Ronin isn't a bad game; it's something debatably worse: completely forgettable”. They enjoyed the depth of the combat system and bonding system with the allies. However, they listed the game's narrative and dated open world design as some of the game's flaws.
VGC gave the game a 3/5. The reviewer wrote, “In 2024 it feels profoundly dated, and while there is fun to be had in a solid combat system, there’s not much in Rise of the Ronin that you haven’t seen before.” Overall, the reviewer did enjoy the combat and setting of the game. However, they did not enjoy the content within the open world, nor the lackluster visuals.
VG247 gave the game a 3/5. Overall, they felt that “Much of what you can experience in Rise of the Ronin has been done better elsewhere.” In terms of combat, the reviewer felt the AI “was not smart enough” to create a challenge or at least interest in combat. Overall, while not bad, this reviewer believed there's better games to be played from Team Ninja.
Lastly, Variety gave the game a 5/10. “Unfortunately, “Rise of the Ronin” is a much better game in theory than it is in practice, falling short with outdated graphics, hackneyed combat and painfully generic characters.” However, despite low score, the reviewer did state that there is some fun to be had. However, for the price tag, they felt the game should have offered more.
Rise Of The Ronin Review Scores Verdict – Is It Worth Your Time & Money?
Overall, Rise Of The Ronin seemed to gain generally favorable reviews, with most reviewers at least finding the game relatively fun. Furthermore, the combat and amount of content seem to be the game's biggest highlights. Additionally, Rise Of The Ronin seems to be a decently packed game, with tons of content, characters, and even an online mode to explore.
However, Rise Of The Ronin did receive criticism for its lackluster visuals. The fact that Ghost of Tsushima, released in 2020, apparently looks way better, doesn't bode well for Ronin's visual scale. Additionally, it seems boss battles and story missions become repetitive over the course of the game.
However, it's also worth noting that audiences seemed to enjoy the game. Out of 484 user reviews (as of writing), over 385 were positive. So if you're someone who's opinions align more with user reviews, then maybe you'll like Ronin.
To end it off, Rise of The Ronin seems like a solid exclusive for PlayStation. With great combat and a rich open-world, it offers, at the very least, a long experience. However, if you're not into open world titles, then maybe it's not for you. That said, we don't think you'll entirely regret picking this game up somewhere down along the line.
Latly, check out our recent Rise Of The Ronin guide on how to unlock all Allies.
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