Every so often, the video game industry witnesses a clash of the titans, with AAA titles finding themselves going head-to-head in the quest for critical acclaim and commercial success. Last year, in particular, was a generational bloodbath. Plenty of eagerly awaited blockbuster titles had found themselves releasing just within weeks of each other, which left bodies in their wake.
Now, this year hasn’t been as contentious as the last year but we’re about to witness the first of such a battle when two AAA games come to a head on March 22: Rise of the Ronin and Dragon’s Dogma 2.
While Dragon’s Dogma 2 isn’t necessarily exclusive to PlayStation 5, fans of the first title, a cult classic from 2012 on the PlayStation 3. are looking forward to playing it. Unlike its predecessor, Capcom has no plans of making the sequel fly under the radar. The early previews of Dragon’s Dogma 2 pencil it in as a must-play game, possibly the last big hit of the current financial quarter. This and the fact that it’s exclusive to PS5 put Rise of the Roninin a tough position.
I played Rise of the Ronin on PS5. Here are my initial impressions:
– the open world looks stunning
– loads of side quests and photo ops as you explore and move between missions
– combat is tight, fluid and intense
– story telling and cut scenes are captivating and well written… pic.twitter.com/uQgMTecyBF— SpawnPoiint (@SpawnPoiint) March 11, 2024
Rise of the Ronin PS5 previews are out!
– Game has a lot of different weapons to master like dual swords, spear, katanas, bows etc
– Gameplay is the main focus, with 3 different modes that run good: Frame rate, graphics or ray tracing
– Traversal is a highlight, fun to roam… pic.twitter.com/uYfSsDxp0e— Pyo 5️⃣ (@mrpyo1) March 11, 2024
My #RiseoftheRonin early impressions are up.
-Simplified Combat
-Big open world
-Average graphicsIf you're looking for a big open world samurai game you'll probably be happy.
If you want the high-skill intense combat Nioh 2 had, better reel it in.https://t.co/gshiPjvLHO
— FightinCowboy (@Fightincowboy) March 11, 2024
After distributing press copies last week, Team Ninja has lifted part of the embargo of Rise of the Ronin with the release of the early previews. Critics are praising its engaging plot and its attempt to balance being an open-world title like Ghost of Tsushima while striving have just as compelling of a combat system like its distance cousins, Ni-Oh. This positioning as a middle ground offers a relatively fresh perspective, with early previews noting its difficulty and narrative. Specifically, Rise of the Ronin‘s surprising commitment to historical accuracy could help it cater to the Ghost of Tsushima crowd, which is getting a PC port in May.
However, Dragon’s Dogma 2 is a formidable competitor. It doubles down on gameplay elements and the brutal learning curve that made its predecessor a cult favorite.
With its challenging open-world exploration, Dragon’s Dogma 2 carries the potential to overshadow Rise of the Ronin. Its promise of deep, immersive gameplay, accentuated by classic RPG elements and a vast, engaging world, makes it a heavyweight contender. It has a unique combination of humor in a perilous world that often creates memorable unique experiences, potentially mirroring the misadventures of players in Baldur’s Gate 3, last year’s Game of the Year.
Between the inevitable comparisons to Ghost of Tsushima, Stellar Blade‘s impending if more anticipated release – it also helps that it’s getting a demo – and its relatively high $70 price point, Rise of the Ronin could find itself in a difficult position at launch and the months after.
Already, Rise of the Ronin is struggling to generate significant buzz, with a former Xbox exclusive in Sea of Thieves being the most pre-ordered game on PlayStation right now.
This won’t necessarily mean that Rise of the Ronin will be a bad game. Unfortunately, at a time when AAA titles have become stupidly expensive and time-consuming to make, Team Ninja’s next outing, which has been in development since 2015, doesn’t stand out. It feels like a summary of the previews are saying that Rise of the Ronin is a AA game at a AAA price point. Sure, the positive previews will help and we’re sure critics will have good things to say once the embargo lifts. But the truth is, Rise of the Ronin finds itself with an uphill battle to climb with Dragon’s Dogma 2‘s shadow looming large and the next few months being headlined by games that are either just as good if not better.
