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<p class="">Hello everyone. This is Fumihiko Yasuda, Development Producer/Director from Team Ninja , the creator of Rise of the Ronin, an open-world action RPG set during the end of 19<sup> </sup>century Japan.</p>
<p class="">We are very pleased that so many players have been enjoying the game since its release on March 22, 2024. We have collected fun play data from all over the world. Here’s a sneak peek at choices players have made while playing Rise of the Ronin.</p>
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<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Story Choices</h2>
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<p class="">The event after the battle with Gonzo is the first time players are faced with making a decision. Either choice have their own benefits, why don’t you explore both options?</p>
<p class="">I thought that the choices at Mibu-dera Temple would be dominated by the pro-Shogunate faction, due to the activities of the Shinsengumi, but it seems that many players chose anti-Shogunate faction. At the beginning of the story, players meet many characters from the anti-Shogunate faction, including Ryoma Sakamoto, so I think many of them have progressed to the anti-Shogunate faction from there.</p>
<p class="">If you are curious to explore different outcomes, you can re-visit past missions through the Testament of the Soul available in the Longhouse. </p>
<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Forging your fate</h2>
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<p class="">One of the important themes in this game is bonding. Strengthening a bond with a character will give you various benefits, such as acquiring new combat styles and opening new dialogue with characters, allowing you to get to know them on a deeper level.</p>
<p class="">Also, the Veiled Vow is a special relationship status that can only be built with certain characters. Some players may have formed a Veiled Vow with only one character, while others may have formed a Veiled Vow with multiple characters.</p>
<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Combat</h2>
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<p class="">While the use of Countersparks can disrupt the opponent’s posture, it can also put you at a disadvantage if the timing is off. It acts as a double-edged sword, with both an advantage and a disadvantage. I’m sure many of you have used it in battles against powerful opponents. I was surprised to hear that more than 1.9 billion countersparks have been performed.</p>
<p class="">We wanted as many players to enjoy Rise of the Ronin, so we included a selection of difficulty settings. We are very happy to see that a wide range of difficulty levels are being enjoyed across the community. The highest difficulty setting, Midnight, is unlocked after clearing the main story. You can enjoy challenging battles, so please give it a try.</p>
<h2 class="wp-block-heading">World Exploration</h2>
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<p class="">Some of you who have completed the cat collection trophy may be sad that you can no longer meet new cats while exploring the world, but you may be able to meet them again at various shrines and at Usugumo Dayu’s place. In the latest update, we have made it possible to pet the collected cats near Usugumo Dayu as often as you want, so please continue to enjoy searching for cats.</p>
<p class="">The fugitives are not just enemies but skilled characters who lived during the Bakumatsu era (late 19th-century Japan) with various backgrounds, just like a ronin. Our development team has carefully designed each fugitive, from their names to their weapons and combat styles, and put a lot of thought into their placement in the game. When facing them, we hope you will pay attention to the details that went into making these fugitives.</p>
<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Free demo now available</h2>
<p class="">After collating player data, we realized that many of you around the world have been enjoying Rise of the Ronin. For those who have already completed the first playthrough, we hope you will continue to enjoy the game by seeing alternate paths when accessing the Testament of the Soul, or when challenging yourself through higher difficulty settings and Midnight. </p>
<p class="">A free playable demo of Rise of the Ronin is now available for download on the PlayStation Store. You can enjoy the battle with Gonzo, which was mentioned at the beginning of the article, and your save data can be carried over to the full game. For those of you who have not yet played Rise of the Ronin, we encourage you to explore its vast and beautiful world.</p>
<p class="has-small-font-size"><em>*These results are as of June 20, 2024 </em><br/><em>*This is data for players who are connected online.</em></p>
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