The protagonist of Rise of the Ronin and Ghost of Tsushima

Is Rise of the Ronin Related to Ghost of Tsushima?

Rise of the Ronin shares many similarities with Ghost of Tsushima, but are they in any way related to each other? Read on to find out!

Much like Ghost of Tsushima, Rise of the Ronin is an open-world action game set in the rich and historical setting of Japan. They both feature slick swordplay, open-world exploration, and a story that features political upheaval and war. On top of that, Sony has published both games and they released exclusively on PlayStation platforms. Bearing such a striking resemblance, you’d be forgiven for thinking they are related.

No, Rise of the Ronin is not related to Ghost of Tsushima. Despite being published by Sony, based in a similar setting, and incorporating Samurai combat, both titles are completely different entities made by different developers. Ghost of Tsushima is developed by Sucker Punch Productions. Rise of the Ronin, on the other hand, is developed by Team Ninja.

However, it’s very easy to see the resemblance between the two games. At first glance, it can be easy to mistake one for the other. They are both set in historical versions of Japan and have you engage in tense combat within a sprawling world. Team Ninja even credited Ghost of Tsushima as an influence when they were developing Rise of the Ronin. However, it isn’t the only influence Rise of the Ronin wears on its sleeve. It also draws upon the open-world explorations employed by Assassin’s Creed and other Ubisoft titles. There’s also clear inspiration from the tense action combat in Team Ninja’s own games, Nioh and Wo Long: Fallen Dynasty.

Rise of the Ronin Gameplay

Despite looking similar, the combat is very different when comparing Rise of the Ronin to Ghost of Tsushima. Rise of the Ronin adopts a faster pace to its intense combat, whereas Ghost of Tsushima has a slower and more methodical approach. The most striking difference between the two games is the time period in which they are set. Ghost of Tsushima is set in Feudal Japan during the Mongol invasion of the island of Tsushima. In contrast, Rise of the Ronin is set far later, during the 19th Century, at the end of the Edo period in the Japanese mainland. This allows players to take advantage of more advanced weaponry, such as firearms.

Either way, it’s great to see so many games set in Japan’s illustrious locales and rich history – we hope there is even more to come. For more on Rise of the Ronin, be sure to check out our Guide Hub.