7 Games To Play If You Like Rise Of The Ronin

Highlights

• Rise of the Ronin builds on Team Ninja’s legacy of intense action games with challenging combat systems.
• Fans of the samurai theme in Rise of the Ronin may enjoy similar games like Way of the Samurai and Samurai Warriors 5.
• Looking for a challenge? Games like Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice offer punishing gameplay for players seeking a tough experience.

Rise of the Ronin is far from an original game. It builds upon what Team Ninja has been doing for decades, which are intense action games with challenging combat systems. Ninja Gaiden’s original Xbox reboot took the developer to new heights and there are certainly plenty of ninja elements in their latest game.

Rise of the Ronin is also an open-world game with a samurai theme. As such, fans may be interested in other similar games after completing Rise of the Ronin. Some recommendations may seem outside the box, but experimentation and exploration are part of the fun of the gaming medium.

1 Way Of The Samurai

Players Make Interesting Decisions Just Like In Rise Of The Ronin

The Way of the Samurai series began on the PS2. While it never made a huge splash in the gaming market, its dedicated fans kept it alive. The series was known for short, samurai-themed adventures that offered players a lot of choices.

The first game could take about three to four hours while subsequent playthroughs could be shorter or even longer depending on the path taken. Beyond the samurai theme, Rise of the Ronin has some Way of the Samurai DNA present, such as the choice system.

2 Samurai Warriors 5

A More Fantastical Take For Rise Of The Ronin Fans

Samurai Warriors 5 is the latest iteration in the series, which also began during the PS2 generation. It’s a more fantastical samurai game than Rise of the Ronin with magic-adjacent influences among the flurry of historical figures.

There are tons of characters to choose from and they all have varying degrees of weapons, from swords to spears to sickles. Samurai Warriors 5 is worth recommending beyond other entries because it’s more readily available on current platforms and looks nice thanks to the cel-shading. That was a first for the franchise.

3 Wo Long: Fallen Dynasty

Offers A Similar Challenge From The Same Developers

Wo Long: Fallen Dynasty is the last game from Team Ninja. While brutal at first, the difficulty evened out thanks to the introduction of the AI-driven party members. That element was reused for Rise of the Ronin but so was the idea of toning down the difficulty levels, as they can be adjusted, unlike most Team Ninja games.

However, for beginners in the Soulslike genre, Wo Long: Fallen Dynasty is a good choice because of that more even challenge that Rise of the Ronin players may be used to.

4 Bushido Blade

A PS1 Classic For Players Looking For More Challenging Swordplay

Bushido Blade is a PS1 classic that only spawned one sequel despite great reviews between the two of them. They are fighting games with heroes falling under the ninja or samurai variety. Players can choose a variety of weapons to tackle their opponents, so no one is set with their weapons, unlike fighting games akin to Soulcalibur.

The gimmick behind these games is that opponents die in one hit, so there is a lot of strategy involving counters. It’s one of the most intense fighting games of all time and both of them deserve a second look.

5 Ghost Of Tsushima

A Similar Open-World Samurai Game

Ghost of Tsushima is an obvious recommendation as a modern open-world samurai game. It also skirts the line on whether it is a samurai game or a ninja game as the main character, Jin, can sneakily take down enemies from the shadows besides honorably facing them in battle.

The first game was successful enough that it even got optioned for a movie. Movie aside, this game is also based on history, although it takes plenty of liberties just like Rise of the Ronin to give fans an exciting adventure through feudal Japan.

6 Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice

A Much More Punishing Experience For Fans Looking For A Challenge

Rise of the Ronin incorporates a few Soulslike elements, such as the strong countering system. In this regard, Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice makes the most sense to recommend. It’s a ninja game that is probably the most challenging in FromSoftware’s catalog because it is devoid of most RPG elements, unlike Demon’s Souls.

To get through this game, players have to master the flow of combat and become familiar with their opponents’ attack patterns. The challenge is worth it just to see all of the interesting levels and bosses that are present in Sekiro‘s rendition of the Sengoku era.

7 The Legend Of Zelda: Breath Of The Wild

For Players Who Want More Beautiful Open Worlds To Explore

The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild has been an inspiration for a lot of games post-2017. Rise of the Ronin is not alone in this. Whether games feature gliders or free climbing, Nintendo made a big impact with this one and it’s an obvious recommendation along with its sequel, The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom.

Getting lost in either of these worlds is easy courtesy of the vast open world. PS5 owners may not have a Switch at the moment, but these games are worth the $300 entry level. The hype is indeed worth it even seven years later.