Highlights
- Rise of the Ronin features parkour mechanics reminiscent of classic Assassin's Creed, such as its sprint animation and rooftop traversal.
- The game also features stealth gameplay inspired by Assassin's Creed, bringing a return to the series' roots.
- Rise of the Ronin is an ambitious project that combines elements from popular franchises, and it should be on the radar of Assassin's Creed fans in particular, as it could kill the time until Codename Red debuts.
Assassin's Creed fans have been requesting a Japanese-themed installment for years, so naturally, the news of the upcoming Assassin's Creed: Codename Red installment set in feudal Japan has had them chomping at the bit to experience Ubisoft's take on Japan. However, apart from a recent leak detailing a possible release window for Codename Red, news regarding Codename Red has largely been kept under wraps, so fans may need a placeholder until it arrives. Judging by what was just revealed during PlayStation's 2024 State of Play, it appears they might have one in Rise of the Ronin.
Team Ninja's Rise of the Ronin is one of 2024's most anticipated titles, so fans were genuinely thrilled to witness a gameplay overview for the upcoming action RPG during this year's State of Play. The gameplay overview showcased several of Rise of the Ronin's features, including its open world, traversal mechanics, and combat. In some ways, Rise of the Ronin appears reminiscent of classic Assassin's Creed titles. While it certainly conjures elements of games like Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice, Ghost of Tsushima, and Nioh, there is an undeniable Assassin's Creed influence at play, particularly in its parkour and stealth.
PS5 Exclusive Rise of the Ronin Could Give Ghost of Tsushima a Run for its Money
Team Ninja's Rise of the Ronin might be perfect for PlayStation fans looking for an action-packed follow-up to Ghost of Tsushima.
Rise of the Ronin's Parkour and Stealth Resemble Classic Assassin's Creed
Rise of the Ronin Appears to Mimic the Parkour Mechanics of Classic Assassin's Creed
Aside from Assassin's Creed's often accurate representations of historical settings, Ubisoft's longstanding franchise is known for its satisfying parkour mechanics. While the series' parkour has continued to evolve over the years, it remains one of Assassin's Creed's most iconic features. As such, it's fairly easy to discern when other games are inspired by it, and it appears Rise of the Ronin is no exception.
As soon as the gameplay portion of Rise of the Ronin's State of Play gameplay overview begins, there are noticeable similarities between its parkour and that of the early days of Assassin's Creed. However, even before the protagonist begins engaging in parkour, longtime fans of the Assassin's Creed franchise will likely notice the character's sprint animation is nearly identical to Assassin's Creed's — an animation that has remained fairly consistent throughout the series.
When Rise of the Ronin's protagonist begins engaging in parkour, he grapples onto a roof and then proceeds to traverse the city, either by rooftop, a glider, or on foot. The most significant difference between the parkour shown in Rise of the Ronin's gameplay overview and Assassin's Creed's is that while players can climb up most walls in Assassin's Creed, it can be assumed that scaling any walls taller than Rise of the Ronin's protagonist can jump will require a grappling rope, as the developer says, "The protagonist can climb onto rooftops using a grappling rope."
Rise of the Ronin's Stealth Gameplay May Appeal to Assassin's Creed Fans
Historical settings and parkour are only two of the three iconic features the Assassin's Creed series is known for, with its stealth gameplay being the third. In recent years, however, the franchise has largely abandoned its stealth origins — that is, until the release of Assassin's Creed Mirage, which revived the series' roots. It appears Rise of the Ronin will also feature stealth gameplay, though it's impossible to determine the extent of its mechanics in the gameplay overview alone. Still, if Team Ninja was inspired by Assassin's Creed at all in Rise of the Ronin's parkour mechanics, the same will likely be true of its stealth.
Rise of the Ronin certainly looks like one of Team Ninja's most ambitious projects yet, especially considering the wide variety of features it seems to be pulling from other popular franchises. At the very least, classic Assassin's Creed fans who may be waiting for the release of Assassin's Creed: Codename Red should keep an eye on Rise of the Ronin as more information regarding it is divulged before its release in March.
