The Early Rise of the Ronin Previews Prove That It's A Tough Sell Amidst Fierce Competition

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.