Rise of the Ronin

Due to some strange technical issues, Rise of the Ronin on PC isn’t exactly the definitive version of the game. However, it’s still a good game with satisfying combat, and generally runs better here than it did on PS5.

The PC port of Rise of the Ronin proves to be solid and highly scalable, thanks to a wide range of graphical options that allow for customization across different setups. However, preset adjustments are necessary to achieve the right balance, and some settings in the options menu feel less intuitive than expected. Since this test was conducted on a pre-release build, improvements may come with the day one update, and we genuinely hope they do.

Rise of the Ronin on PC confirms the strengths highlighted upon its arrival on PlayStation 5: an open world that was perhaps too banal is lifted up by a satisfying combat and progression system against the backdrop of a compelling and exciting narrative, set during one of the most particular periods in Japanese history. The technical limitations encountered on the SONY console are fortunately a bad memory, and this not insignificant element makes Rise of the Ronin on PC the ideal choice for venturing into the Bakumatsu era.

Rise of the Ronin is a challenging open-word souls-like with versatile and dynamic combat and an unused setting.

Team Ninja created a huge open world of historical Japan in Rise of Ronin, and the result is an excellent samurai GTA.

The PC version of Rise of the Ronin offers a solid experience with extensive graphical options and features like DLSS and frame generation, though its 120 FPS cap limits their potential. Performance is generally good, but optimization issues mean lower-end PCs may struggle, and visually, it remains unimpressive. Despite these drawbacks, this is the best way to play the game.

If you missed it on PS5 or are looking for a new adventure to get your teeth into, Rise of the Ronin is worth a shout on PC.

Team Ninja have done an admirable job of transplanting the core Nioh game design into an open-world. Rich and engaging combat let down by average visuals and a heavy performance cost.

Rise of the Ronin does a great job at combining combat and stealth, improved by a vast array of weapons to wield. The characters are memorable, as are the locations, showing off bakumatsu Japan. Regrettably, performance issues sour the experience.

At present, the PC version of Rise of the Ronin isn’t nearly as optimized as it should be, divulging a rather wobbly framerate even on beefier hardware. That’s a shame, because underneath those performance faults, there’s a lot to like about the game. Hopefully, additional post-launch patches allow the responsive combat, spirited storytelling, and sumptuous setting to shine.

Rise of the Ronin is far from a perfect game, but it proves that Team Ninja still knows how to craft a thrilling action experience. If you’re looking for an engaging story or beautiful graphics, you won’t find those here. However, if you need an action RPG to keep you occupied for the next few weeks, Rise of the Ronin should do the trick.

A year after its PS5 debut, Rise of the Ronin arrives on PC with Team Ninja’s combat prowess at its core—fast, fluid, and deeply satisfying. The story is engaging enough, though its pacing can feel slow at times, while the open world is filled with familiar tropes—plenty of icons, bandits, and the occasional stray cat, but also plenty of that great combat to experience. PC performance is underwhelming, and optimisation could certainly use some work, though there’s hope for future improvements. It’s not a masterpiece, but Rise of the Ronin stands out as a game where the real excitement lies in its combat, not the world it inhabits.

Rise of the Ronin is, from many perspectives, Koei Tecmo's most ambitious adventure and its arrival on PC should be celebrated for providing even more enthusiasts of the theme and fans of the studio with access to it.However, between mistakes and successes in the adaptation, here we have yet another proof that PC ports require a lot of attention during their creation.

Rise of the Ronin’s PC release is marred by performance issues which should hopefully be fixed through some patches focused on optimization. Underneath, however, there’s still a game with excellent combat, albeit with a bland story and quest design.

No matter how fun the gameplay is, that doesn’t matter if the game doesn’t consistently work, and I don’t think anyone could realistically say that Rise of the Ronin works as it should on PC. Given a bit of time and patches, I could absolutely see Rise of the Ronin becoming a must-play for anyone who wants to roam around an open-world, exploring 19th-century Japan and slicing down all kinds of enemies. But as of now, you need to wait and see if the game gets there, because it certainly isn’t at the moment.

I have no doubt that after another month or so, this game will be in a much better place but as it is, I cannot in good conscience recommend this to anyone who doesn’t have an absolute beast of a PC. The experience is just too compromised on anything less than the latest and greatest gear.