Topic: RISE OF THE RONIN

Thanks for the heads up so basically RT does look better but its not used often enough to make it worth us choosing it over Graphic mode.

@Max_Headroom According to Digital Foundry it doesn't even look better. The only thing it offers is ray traced reflections in the occasional body of water. Other than that it's worse than the graphics mode.

Going to switch back later.

Good to know. I've been in RT with frame cap off since day one.

Having an incredible time. I'll move to graphics and see what that life is about. Graphics is a locked 30?

I think RT cap off is 50-60 frames.

Bit of a spoiler but if you have watched any review you'll probably already know -

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I somehow managed to miss the room where the glider was hidden after i fought the boss but i managed to get it later using a couple of YouTube videos, what a game changer for me the game has gone up another notch.

After the fight you need to go left and down to find the building where its hidden.

With Dragons Dogma 2 done, I made a start on this. Played for a couple of hours and I am... not loving it, if I can be honest? It is kinda hard not to think about Ghost of Tsushima every second I am playing this, and how this just feels like a not as good version. The controls here are very overwhelming to begin with, and whereas I felt like combat was so tightly tuned in GOT, here I just can't quite figure out the rhythm. I was playing it like a Souls game, waiting for my chance to parry and then attack during that window, but I was getting absolutely wrecked. It seems the better choice is to just have almost constant offence, if you can get a parry in there fine, but if you can't no worries just don't stop attacking. I dunno, just all feels kinda weird. It all looks quite nice though, with the gore and that - and I think the game looks actually a lot better in person than it did in a lot of videos I saw for this, but it isn't wowing me in any way.

I've been playing this and I'm pretty bored now. Just uninspiring. I quite enjoyed running about at first bt now I'm just a bit tired of it.

i've got DD2 as well but I'm playing this whilst waiting for a patch.

Been on quite a journey with this over the last couple of days. When I first started playing I just felt like I was playing knockoff Ghost of Tsushima. But I kept going and started to find a lot more appreciation for this title, mostly in the context of Dragons Dogma 2 which I talked about in the chit chat thread. But then I pushed further still, and I think that Rise of the Ronin actually has a lot going for itself, but it sorta doesn't make its own qualities obvious in those opening hours, so you kinda have to commit to it on a bad opening hand, in the hope you are going to like what it opens out into.

For example, there is a vast amount of weapons, styles and abilities in this game. I can't say whether this'll still be fun at hour 15 or hour 20 or whatever, but as of right now, discovering new weapon types, figuring out how they play, unlocking new styles for weapons and abilities, I am really defining how I play and the experimentation has been a lot of fun. I will admit I thought the combat felt awful to begin with, and hours later I still think the parry is terribly tuned, but you will eventually find a weapon and weapon style that clicks for you, and you'll really start to see how fun the combat here can be.

I also haven't really seen people talk about how much of an RPG this is, with a story and cast of characters full of choices to be made. Again, maybe it is all smoke and mirrors and I'll be tired of it by hour 15, but as of right now I am a lot more interested in this story than I might have otherwise been, because it feels like it is shaped by the choices I have made and the bonds I have formed. And it is cool the two central characters were both designed by me.

I also am someone who loves a character creator and a fashion game in an RPG, and while I don't love how I feel like I am always drowning in trash loot, I do love that the game has basically no limits to transmog and character design. You can literally redesign your character from scratch at any time, even gender and base build, and everything can be changed at any time. I already changed my Blade Twin's gender and entire design once, and my Protag has gone through a lot of changes already too, with a bunch of transmog sets saved up to swap between every time I pass my Longhouse.

. I will admit I thought the combat felt awful to begin with, and hours later I still think the parry is terribly tuned, but you will eventually find a weapon and weapon style that clicks for you, and you'll really start to see how fun the combat here can be.

I didn't compare it to GoT as many have so wasn't put off by the early learning curve and as you say as you push on and gain more combat styles and weapons you find what works best for you.

I also haven't really seen people talk about how much of an RPG this is, with a story and cast of characters full of choices to be made.

I also am someone who loves a character creator and a fashion game in an RPG, and while I don't love how I feel like I am always drowning in trash loot,

I particularly like having the ability to switch characters when in big fights allowing you to get out of sticky situations.

I am loving the story side of things there is loads to do and lots to find i can see me spending many hours on this game.

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This is a very good guide for those starting out -

Ah yeah @Max_Headroom that is a cool shout too, facing the bosses feels less daunting because you basically have three lives, thanks to the character swap mechanic. It is a really interesting way to address difficulty.

27 hours in and just started Chapter 2.

Holy smokes does the story heat up when you get to Edo!

I've really struggled this year with how bloated it feels like every game release is, and so I've been really consciously avoiding as much of the bloat as I can here. I did all the missions and side missions I could find in Act 1 (as some you need to discover or won't show until you level up and liberate parts of the map) in around 8 hours, only really engaging with side content if it ended up organically on my journey to my destination, rather than really seeking out to check it all off like I would do usually. And honestly it's been so nice. I sorta forgot how enjoyable it is to experience hours of continuous story, rather than getting it in dribbles with hours of busy work in between.

@Pizzamorg I sometimes find it difficult to balance between doing the main story missions vs side missions when I play open world games.

If I focus on the side stuff, I can struggle to stay interested in the story. Plus you can sometimes become so OP that the rewards you get from the main story feels like a letdown, and it becomes too easy.

Happens to me with almost every open world game I play to be honest. I get really OCD about clearing the map and that usually means I end up burnt out and resentful of the title by the end. Really trying to buck that trend with Ronin. Like an addict breaking a bad habit 😂

@Pizzamorg @JohnnyShoulder I can relate. I’m another who usually gets caught off in the weeds of side content. If the open world is large enough, then I will end up ignoring a lot of it, but usually I feel the urge to ‘clear the map’ and check off every side quest I come upon.

@Pizzamorg @Th3solution All those pesky markers, inticing me to go off the beaten track! 😂

I do love a good bit of exploration though. One of the reasons why I loved Breath of the Wild and Elden Ring so much, it felt quite freeing to play em.

One thing I will say for Rise of the Ronin is that for as ugly as it seems to often look on video, I actually think they have built a really nice world here, visually. Sweeping Japanese vistas like something straight out of a painting, strikingly detailed landmarks, bustling urban centres, environments laid waste by poverty and disease, and the more modern areas of the map where cultures are literally colliding. Ghost of Tsushima was more of like a fairy tale version of Japan, whereas this does feel closer to say an AC, where it really wants to give you a real sense of place and time in history and make that one of the characters of the game.

Yeah I have been regularly surprised by the lighting in Ronin too @Jimmer-jammer. Fighting at night or in the rain, and the way light reflects off of your blade, really cinematic stuff.

In the RadBrad early gameplay video i watched he started with paired swords i thought i would give them a try but soon moved onto heavier weapons thinking it would be a good move, having spent a good few hours on the game i have switched back to paired swords they may not deal as much damage but i like the speed and they work for me.

Paired Swords: A pair of dual swords that are fast at the expense of power