Sucker Punch Productions’ Ghost of Tsushima likely inspired many games, but we know Rise of the Ronin was one of them. Japanese developer Team Ninja gave an interview with automation-media. During the interview, they were asked about Ghost of Tsushima and its influence.
In a recent interview, Yosuke Hayashi, the producer of Rise of the Ronin from Koei Tecmo, and Fumihiko Yasuda, the director from Team Ninja, talked about their development process. They mentioned wanting to make Rise of the Ronin different and unique but acknowledged that they took inspiration from Ghost of Tsushima for their first open-world game. Yasuda praised Ghost of Tsushima for its thorough research and mentioned that its success motivated Team Ninja. He also highlighted how the game underlined the global interest in Japanese historical settings.
“Rise of the Ronin is our first open world game, and Ghost of Tsushima was one of the games we used as reference, and I personally enjoyed it. I felt inspired by the fact that a game set in Japan had been researched to such an extent by the developers, and had also received high praise for aspects such as its combat system. At the same time, I wondered why we couldn’t release a game like Ghost of Tsushima back then. Ghost of Tsushima served as good encouragement for creating Rise of the Ronin.”
Fumihiko Yasuda
Despite the influence, Hayashi emphasized Rise of the Ronin’s focus on fostering the unique characteristics of Koei Tecmo and Team Ninja. They aim to provide a distinct experience with elements such as combat mechanics and a focus on intricate details that accurately capture the essence of Japan.
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Rise of the Ronin prioritizes historical accuracy while incorporating gameplay elements for a balanced experience. The development team at Team Ninja conducted research trips and studied period materials to ensure realism. However, they also included gameplay features like a grappling hook and historically-inspired glider for unique movement options. Adjustable difficulty levels cater to both combat experts and story-focused players.
The influence is clear, and it would be hard not to compare the two. They both feature the player going through the world as a Samurai. The time periods may differ, but their similarities will likely be pointed out for as long as the franchises make games.
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