Frog
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Post by Frog on Mar 23, 2024 10:36:42 GMT
Cheers Decks, saved me a purchase I would end up regretting.
Prefer more options with my combat as I'm shit at parties.
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Ulythium
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Post by Ulythium on Mar 23, 2024 10:40:22 GMT
Cheers Decks, saved me a purchase I would end up regretting. Prefer more options with my combat as I'm shit at parties.
Maybe have a drink to loosen yourself up?
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Frog
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Post by Frog on Mar 23, 2024 10:41:40 GMT
I prefer crack.
That was clearly a case of my phone being a little scamp.
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Post by JuniorFE on Mar 23, 2024 10:44:05 GMT
Cheers Decks, saved me a purchase I would end up regretting. Prefer more options with my combat as I'm shit at parties. I haven't unlocked any of the other styles yet (of which there are many, if the menu is to be believed) but honestly parrying isn't nearly as necessary as you'd think. You do usually want to parry the red attacks a la Nioh but otherwise you don't have to, you can just block and/or dodge and attack normally. Basically it's rough early on when you don't have much, par for the course for TN games. I'm expecting it to open up quite a bit, even without the other styles there's still a skill tree to go through and multiple weapon types. I just cleaned up an entire temple area using just my bow, stealth and grappling rope assassinations, for instance. I'd say you'd be doing yourself a disservice if you give it a miss just because you're worried about parries. |
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Post by JuniorFE on Mar 23, 2024 10:57:15 GMT
Also the parry is an attack in its own right (part of why I'm thinking other styles might have different options)
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Ulythium
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Post by Ulythium on Mar 23, 2024 11:23:29 GMT
How are you guys finding the open-world aspect of the game?
Watching Cowboy's gameplay videos, that's probably the thing that's putting me off the most right now.
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Post by FlexibleFeline on Mar 23, 2024 11:46:12 GMT
I'm really enjoying it - I haven't felt like anything is a chore. Each area is reasonably sized, there are not that many icons per area and they can be 100%-ed fairly quickly. You don't know where everything is you need to do but stuff is revealed as you progress other aspects of the area. You can fast travel to previously unlocked Banners very easily and even without this the horse appears really quickly and moves fast (the one I just bought is a beast). Small QoL things like automatically mounting the horse make a difference. Other things you can do in each area include tracking and killing fugitives, which can be more challenging depending on your level. I really relish the chance to do these, especially as completing them can unlock skill points and / or styles. There's a lot to unlock and try out - for now at least. I've got to say I'm not finding the combat one-note at all. But them I'm juggling weapons, trying them out, levelling my proficiency in them, testing out the different martial skills (L1 + face buttons). Parrying as JuniorFE mentioned is not essential but it is really enjoyable trying to get them down as it improves the efficiency of fights, making enemies vulnerable to finishers much more quickly. I'd take everything I say with a pinch of salt as I've fallen in love with it - one of those games that feels tailor-made for you. The graphics can be rough (they can also be quite lovely, it's a mixed bag) and the AI is dodgy but the world, story and combat have really sucked me in. Also: cats. |
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Post by starchildhypocrethes on Mar 23, 2024 12:03:36 GMT
As someone who found GoT’s open world very pretty but very dull, this already seems a lot more interesting and with a lot more to do. It’s a lot fuglier though.
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Ulythium
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Post by Ulythium on Mar 23, 2024 12:07:09 GMT
Thanks, FlexibleFeline ! Much appreciated. While it's obviously harder to analyse a game by watching than by playing, the combat in Ronin looks fun to me - streamlined by comparison to Nioh/Wo Long/Stranger of Paradise, sure, but still fun.
Cowboy disparagingly refers to Ronin as a "checklist RPG", but I kind of enjoy crossing items off a 'To Do' list... sometimes, at least.
The lack of enemy variety (i.e. all humans, no monsters) is a bummer, especially as I loved the yokai in Nioh; then again, Dragon's Dogma II will probably give me all the monster-fighting hijinks I need for the foreseeable future.
I do wish they hadn't gone open-world with it, though. Very much a matter of personal preference, but I much prefer linear games these days, and nothing I've seen about Ronin's world design excites me in the least. It all seems very Ubisoft.
I'll keep an eye on this thread to see how you all fare as the game progresses  |
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Post by JuniorFE on Mar 23, 2024 12:13:01 GMT
It strikes a balance between Ubisoft-y and Breath of the Wild-y, in the sense that you can do missions and sidequests, unlock banners and quell unrest in areas, which raises your bond with that area (and the more bond you have with an area the more markers you can see in it)... But the stuff itself is still there even if the game hasn't told you that it is, so you could also just explore and find things on your own
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Post by FlexibleFeline on Mar 23, 2024 12:13:38 GMT
Edit: this was in response to starchildhypocrethesI think that's fair - for sure it's uglier but I'm enjoying how you go about things and what you have to do a lot more. One other interesting thing: I did a quest with a blade twin and at the end of it spared the bandit leader. When I entered a new region a couple of hours later, I noticed a new quest had appeared in my main quest list. It turned out to be the former bandit leader. I agreed to do that quest with him (you're given quite a few dialogue choices at points in the game - I haven't unlocked persuasion yet but can now just brazenly lie if I want to), completed it and it seems like he'll become a blade twin for me I can ally with at my longhouse. If I've understood this correctly, that is pretty damn cool, not least as my previous companion though I was an idiot for sparing him. Now if you'll excuse me I've got to make my way back to Yokohama take some photos for a Geisha. |
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Post by JuniorFE on Mar 23, 2024 12:18:07 GMT
And graphics-wise, Tsushima it may not be (few are) but it's still very pretty and picturesque all the same. Certainly far from "fugly"  |
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Post by FlexibleFeline on Mar 23, 2024 12:19:13 GMT
Thanks, FlexibleFeline ! Much appreciated. While it's obviously harder to analyse a game by watching than by playing, the combat in Ronin looks fun to me - streamlined by comparison to Nioh/Wo Long/Stranger of Paradise, sure, but still fun.
Cowboy disparagingly refers to Ronin as a "checklist RPG", but I kind of enjoy crossing items off a 'To Do' list... sometimes, at least.
The lack of enemy variety (i.e. all humans, no monsters) is a bummer, especially as I loved the yokai in Nioh; then again, Dragon's Dogma II will probably give me all the monster-fighting hijinks I need for the foreseeable future.
I do wish they hadn't gone open-world with it, though. Very much a matter of personal preference, but I much prefer linear games these days, and nothing I've seen about Ronin's world design excites me in the least. It all seems very Ubisoft.
I'll keep an eye on this thread to see how you all fare as the game progresses One thing I'll say is that each area quite literally has a checklist. I personally love this as it allows to see what you still have to do to increase your bond with the region, even if you don't know (yet) where everything is. So he's not wrong, but seems to have meant it pejoratively but that's very much a question of taste. The thing is, there's real purpose to doing most of this stuff - unlocking NPCs, skills, skill points, styles, equipment etc.. None of this sounds fresh or new but my feeling so far is they've got it just right - by which I mean the way I like it. |
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Post by FlexibleFeline on Mar 23, 2024 12:23:56 GMT
And graphics-wise, Tsushima it may not be (few are) but it's still very pretty and picturesque all the same. Certainly far from "fugly" Definitely not - it can look quite lovely at times. Tsushima is an exceptionally beautiful game; to some extent an unfair comparison but nowt wrong with hoping for the best. Oh, and one last thing: I hate pressing an input to collect things in the world (plants, ores, shells etc.) and just realised I can automate this in the settings by running through / next to them. Joy! |
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Ulythium
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Post by Ulythium on Mar 23, 2024 12:28:36 GMT
I put 70+ hours into Ghost of Tsushima, based almost entirely upon loving its combat, so if that aspect of Rise of the Ronin were to click with me (how I wish it had a demo!), I could easily see it being a worthwhile purchase.
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zisssou
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Post by zisssou on Mar 23, 2024 12:53:25 GMT
The major plus point for me is that it is roughly 20 hours long.
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Decks
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Post by Decks on Mar 23, 2024 13:16:37 GMT
Started switching up the weapons a bit and having much more fun with the combat. Samurai sword is a bit bland. Enjoying the Uchigatana, absolutely mulches people.
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Ulythium
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Post by Ulythium on Mar 23, 2024 13:56:30 GMT
I do like the fact that there are Nioh-style missions alongside the open-world stuff.
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Post by JuniorFE on Mar 23, 2024 13:59:45 GMT
Started switching up the weapons a bit and having much more fun with the combat. Samurai sword is a bit bland. Enjoying the Uchigatana, absolutely mulches people. Wait, aren't those the same weapon class? 😅 |
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Decks
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Post by Decks on Mar 23, 2024 13:59:52 GMT
Yeah just did the first Nioh style gated level and it was pretty great. Too much fucking loot thrown at you though.
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Post by starchildhypocrethes on Mar 23, 2024 14:02:46 GMT
I’ve got into the flow a bit more with this now. It’s good.
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Post by starchildhypocrethes on Mar 23, 2024 14:08:46 GMT
Wandering round Yokohama in the mishmash ensemble I have on is a bit embarrassing. I look like a Japanese vagrant.
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Post by FlexibleFeline on Mar 23, 2024 14:42:59 GMT
The fashion element is pretty important to me. I'll almost always go for something weaker stats-wise than something stronger but fugly. Sets are starting to drop more regularly too - and the option to change appearance seems to be there in the longhouse in Yokohama.
I'm definitely not into the western clothes. Bowler hats and pork pies? Nope.
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zisssou
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Post by zisssou on Mar 23, 2024 15:00:32 GMT
God damn westerners.. coming over here, trying to change our ways.
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Post by UncleLou on Mar 23, 2024 16:08:23 GMT
There are only human enemies, right? Does it feel varied enough?
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Decks
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Post by Decks on Mar 23, 2024 16:59:46 GMT
I've only played a few hours but I've killed about 80 dogs as well. And a giant pig.
Seems quite a few different human enemy types so far though
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zisssou
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Post by zisssou on Mar 23, 2024 17:34:15 GMT
There are only human enemies, right? Does it feel varied enough? You have different stances to vary things up. |
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Post by starchildhypocrethes on Mar 23, 2024 18:58:42 GMT
Anyone tried the Gennai Inoko bounty in Yokohama?
Holy shit, that guy is straight up murdering me.
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Post by starchildhypocrethes on Mar 23, 2024 19:01:16 GMT
20th time’s the charm.
/flex
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zisssou
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Post by zisssou on Mar 24, 2024 6:54:16 GMT
We need more games like this. This isn’t a 10/10 masterpiece. Sure has flaws, particularly the AI at times, but what it does right is the combat is absolutely stellar. The setting is cool, and visually fairly interesting. The story is fairly average and I want to get to every enemy, because the combat is so fucking good.
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