Team Ninja is one of the most popular game developers today, responsible for such hits as Ninja Gaiden, and Wo Long: Fallen Dynasty. So, it's unsurprising that its upcoming open-world samurai game, Rise Of The Ronin, is one of 2024’s most anticipated titles. Set in Japan’s Bakumatsu period, Rise Of The Ronin promises a dark decision-driven plot, a rich open world, and plenty of swordplay.

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As PlayStation fans prepare for their next samurai experience, it is clear that there are many surprising details yet to be revealed.

The setting and gameplay have all given gamers plenty of reasons to be excited. After all, games with elements similar to Rise Of The Ronin are quite popular. For fans who can’t wait to unsheathe their katanas in Rise Of The Ronin, there are plenty of games that can help to get them in the right mindset.

10 Hakuoki

A Visual Novel That Immerses Players In The Bakumatsu Period

In terms of gameplay, Hakuoki could not be more different from Rise Of The Ronin. Ronin is a fast-paced open-world action game, while Hakuoki is an Otome visual novel. What the two games have in common is their setting.

Both games take place during the Bakumatsu era, a time of political upheaval when people were starting to reject the traditionalist shogunate. Hakuoki focuses particularly on the real-life members of the Shinsengumi, allowing players to get to know them and their culture. Fans who are excited about Ronin’s setting should try Hakuoki to fully immerse themselves in the Bakumatsu period.

9 Nioh

Team Ninja’s Other Feudal Japan Game

When it comes to getting hyped for a Team Ninja game, it’s hard to go wrong with another Team Ninja game. Particularly one that has a similar setting. Before Rise Of The Ronin, Nioh was Team Ninja’s hit feudal Japan game.

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Though Nioh takes place in a different time period and has more fantasy elements, it touches on real-world events and figures just like Rise Of The Ronin. One of Ronin’s biggest themes seems to be the melding of Eastern and Western ideologies, and Nioh’s protagonist is the real-life English Samurai William Adams. Even if the gameplay and setting don’t completely match up, Nioh is an excellent way to prepare for Rise Of The Ronin.

8 Starfield

A Game Where Choice Influences The Experience

One of Rise Of The Ronin’s biggest selling points in its marketing is how important choice is to the narrative. The alliances the player makes or breaks can greatly alter the game experience. As unlikely a comparison as it seems, it has this in common with the sci-fi RPG Starfield.

Like Ronin, Starfield gives players a huge amount of choice, with certain decisions affecting the characters the player can meet and the missions they can undertake. Players eager for Ronin’s approach to decision-making should try Starfield. In addition, both games share a composer in Inon Zur.

7 Trek To Yomi

A Dark, Action-Packed Samurai Game

Trek To Yomi is a side-scrolling action game where players control an Edo-period samurai out for vengeance. Players must master swordplay in intense duels against merciless opponents. The game is most famous for its black-white art style, clearly meant to invoke classic Akira Kurosawa films.

Though the gameplay is different from Rise Of The Ronin, Trek To Yomi won fans for its dark story and its great sword-based combat. Those happen to be two elements that many fans are anticipating in Rise Of The Ronin. For fans who can’t wait for a dark tale full of samurai action, Trek To Yomi is sure to help pass the time.

6 Batman: Arkham City

An Open-World Game With Grappling And Gliding

Batman: Arkham City is considered by many to be one of the greatest superhero games ever made, not least of all thanks to its big open-world and traversal mechanics. While this sounds like it couldn’t be further from the grounded Samurai drama of Rise Of The Ronin, the two games actually have some key traversal mechanics in common. Mainly: grappling and gliding.

Ronin’s protagonist can use a grappling hook to climb atop buildings and use their Avicula flying machine to glide. These traversal mechanics are similar to how Batman navigates the Arkham City skyline. For players who can’t wait for Rise Of The Ronin’s traversal, returning to Arkham City would be a good way to scratch that itch.

5 Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice

A Beloved Feudal Japan Soulslike With Similar DNA

While there’s been some fan debate on whether or not Rise Of The Ronin will be a Soulslike or not, its combat system certainly seems to be taking queues from the genre. Fans have noted many combat elements shown off in Ronin’s marketing bear certain similarities to FromSoftware’s beloved Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice.

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The latest trailer for Team Ninja's Rise of the Ronin shown at The Game Awards 2023 showcases just how the Soulslike title could be the next Sekiro.

In addition to utilizing a similar system of parries and backstabs, Sekiro also uses a grappling hook to achieve a level of vertical traversal previously unheard of in Soulslikes. It seems that Team Ninja was taking notes when creating Rise Of The Ronin. For those who can’t wait for Rise Of The Ronin, Sekiro might be the closest thing in the meantime.

4 Assassin’s Creed 2

The King Of Open-World Historical Games

When Rise Of The Ronin’s advertising campaign showed off an open-world historical adventure with rooftop-jumping and stealth gameplay, many fans immediately thought of the Assassin’s Creed franchise. There are many classic Assassin’s Creed games that would scratch players’ itches for an open-world romp through history, but Assassin’s Creed 2 might be the best.

Assassin’s Creed 2 marks a huge turning point for the franchise, and many players hail it as the best. While it has a different setting from Rise Of The Ronin, its sneaking, parkour, and sword fighting are sure to help players get in the right headspace for Ronin. Plus, Ronin’s Avicula bears more than a passing resemblance to Leonardo da Vinci’s flying machine.

3 Way Of The Samurai

Another Choice-Heavy Samurai Game Starring A Ronin

While the series isn’t a household name nowadays, Way Of The Samurai is a beloved cult classic. Just like in Rise Of The Ronin, Way Of The Samurai puts players in the shoes of a Ronin warrior in the midst of a conflict between different factions. Players can take whichever side they wish, which can lead to a different experience each time.

This is similar to the narrative promised in Rise Of The Ronin. While every entry in Way Of The Samurai has fans, the original is most beloved for its excellent story and deep combat mechanics. Anyone who can’t wait to get their ronin on should try to hunt down this beloved classic.

2 Like A Dragon: Ishin!

Like A Dragon Meets The Bakumatsu Period

Most might not think that the Like A Dragon series would be a good match for Rise Of The Ronin, but one of its spinoffs actually shares Ronin’s setting. Like A Dragon: Ishin! takes place in the Bakumatsu period and focuses heavily on the shogunate’s waning power. It even stars Sakamoto Ryoma, who a behind-the-scenes video confirms will be a character in Rise Of The Ronin.

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Like a Dragon: Ishin and Rise of the Ronin are Two Sides of the Same Coin

Rise of the Ronin and Like a Dragon: Ishin follow a common trend within the gaming industry, but take very different approaches with their execution.

Like A Dragon: Ishin! recreates a key moment in Japanese history with beloved Like A Dragon characters playing the roles of historical figures. While the brawling gameplay of Like A Dragon doesn’t quite match up with Rise Of The Ronin, Ishin’s setting and story make it a great way for eager players to get their feet wet.

1 Ghost Of Tsushima

The Game That Repopularized Samurai Games

When thinking of games to compare Rise Of The Ronin to, Ghost Of Tsushima is probably the easiest comparison. While samurai games always had fans, Ghost Of Tsushima brought them to the forefront like never before. It’s impossible not to notice a few small similarities between it and Rise Of The Ronin beyond just the setting.

Ghost Of Tsushima utilizes a wide open-world, stealth mechanics, and combat that encourages parrying. Players also need to choose the right combat style to best counter enemies with specific weapons. All of these are features boasted by Rise Of The Ronin, making Ghost Of Tsushima an excellent primer.

Rise of the Ronin

Platform(s)

PS5

Released

March 22, 2024

Developer(s)

Team Ninja

Genre(s)

Action RPG