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GAMING FEATURE

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history of Japan, including the darkest and ugliest chapters that many will shy away from.

What can we look forward to in the way of weaponry? Rise of the Ronin will bring together its renowned combat action with Katanas and the like, with new firearm weaponry – including foreign pistols - that depicts the unique personality of its time period.

Hybrid Japanese-western weapons are also options. Use the flamethrower-like Fire Pipe to roast groups and ignite flammable barrels or wield the bayonet to deflect blades and counter rifle blasts. Choosing your combat style and keeping your enemies’ armaments in mind is key to gaining advantage in battle. How will we travel around this vast world that you’ve recreated? Plenty of choices are available when covering ground in late 19th century Japan. Your grappling rope is useful outside combat to scale rooftops and other heights, allowing you to gain leverage in a flash. Mounting a trusty horse also allows

New PS5 exclusive Rise of the Ronin is set to combine the historical settings that we expect from KoeiTecmo with the red-hot combat action that we love fromTeam Ninja. Game producer and director FumihikoYasuda tells us more. Words Bec Summer

you to gallop across open

and whether you decide to side with or against them… each decision you make will matter. Who you choose to develop a relationship with impacts how the story unfolds. However, there are no disadvantages to bonding with a character at the expense of another.

Will you please give us more of an idea about what we should expect from Rise of the Ronin ? Rise of the Ronin is a combat focused open world action RPG that takes place in Japan at a time of great change. It is the very end of a 300-year long Edo Period, commonly known as ‘Bakumatsu’. Set in the late 19th century, Japan is facing the darkest of times as it struggles with its oppressive rulers and deadly diseases while western influence permeates as civil war continues to rage between the Tokugawa Shogunate and the Anti

fields to mission objectives faster. The ingenious Avicula is one of the traversal

• Rise of the Ronin is out on Mar 22

options we at Team Ninja are most excited about. This marvel of engineering allows you to instantly deploy a lightweight set of wings, perfect for gliding through the air. Players can sprint across rooftops, grapple to a distant height, and deploy their glider in midair, using the upward momentum to soar through the air. You can adjust your direction, speed, close wings at any moment, and get a stealthy drop on unsuspecting enemies.

How long has Rise of the Ronin been in development? It was nine years ago when we first began this project. And since then the development has progressed slowly and freely, much like the spirit of a Ronin.

THE GHOST WITH THE MOST!

Shogunate factions. Here in this time of mayhem, you embody a Ronin character, a warrior bound to no master and free to make choices of its own. Can you please elaborate on the story? Beyond the action elements, we have been steadfast in our efforts to create a multilayered story that showcases the world of the Bakumatsu period and the revolution that took place. The characters that you will meet all have their own brand of justice and motivations,

KoeiTecmo is renowned for its historically set games. What’s different about Rise of the Ronin ? Yes, at Koei Tecmo, we have had many titles in the past that were based on history. But with Rise of the Ronin , we set out to take the next big step. By harnessing all the skills and knowledge we’ve gained over the years we really wanted to take things to the next level by attempting to thoroughly portray the most critical revolution in the

If you haven’t had the pleasure already, Ghost of Tsushima is another stunning PlayStation exclusive Japanese historical action RPG that is well worth checking out.

How are you feeling about the imminent launch of Rise of the Ronin ? We can’t wait for everyone to immerse themselves in this world inspired by a compelling time in Japanese history.

MARCH 2024

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