3 ways Rise of the Ronin is different from Wo Long (and 3 ways it is similar)

Rise of the Ronin is Team Ninja’s upcoming open-world samurai-themed adventure title. It is akin to Wo Long: Fallen Dynasty and represents a natural evolution for Team Ninja as it breaks into the mainstream audience. Indeed, there are several similarities and differences between this game and previous Team Ninja titles, making it stand out from the crowd.

The major points of comparison between the two games can be found below.

Note: This article is subjective and reflects the author’s opinions.

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Similarities between Rise of the Ronin and Wo Long: Fallen Dynasty

Both games draw inspiration from the soulsborne style of gameplay

Both games emphasize difficult, soulsborne-styled combat (Image via YouTube/Boss Fight Database)

Team Ninja’s titles have always been compared to the Dark Souls series pioneered by developer FromSoftware - and with good reason. Both Wo Long and Rise of the Ronin borrow elements from the genre, adding their own unique twist to it and creating an identity of their own.

As such, the typical soulsborne formula of tough bosses, long drawn-out battles, and generally high difficulty is a staple of both titles.

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Reliance on parries in combat

Using parries is key to combat for Team Ninja titles (Image via PlayStation)

Both games have adopted a heavy emphasis on parries within combat. Players are expected to counter (almost) all attacks with a perfectly timed press of a button, staggering their enemies in the process and leaving them vulnerable to further attacks.

Rise of the Ronin refines this formula further, allowing players to counter both heavy and ranged attacks with relative ease.

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Access to multiple builds

Wo Long and Ronin both feature loadouts (Image via YouTube/FightinCowboy)

Both Ronin and Wo Long feature RPG-like elements, namely in the form of gear. Players can accumulate all sorts of gears (across varying rarities) as they play through the campaign. These gears can be worn to their liking, providing both aesthetic and stat bonuses.

You can also equip a specific set of gear to obtain set bonuses that offer a series of unique buffs.

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Differences between Rise of the Ronin and Wo Long: Fallen Dynasty

Ronin features an open world instead of a linear adventure

Ronin features an open world (Image via PlayStation)

In perhaps the biggest departure from the usual Team Ninja formula, Rise of the Ronin features a fully explorable open world, making it the most ambitious title from the company to date. In contrast, Wo Long: Fallen Dynasty features a linear game world broken into multiple chapters with almost no backtracking.

As a consequence, Ronin’s world is much larger and teeming with intriguing quests and characters.

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Japanese vs Chinese historical settings with a touch of fantasy

Wo Long features mythological elements (Image via PlayStation)

Perhaps the biggest difference between the two titles is in their setting. Wo Long focuses on the fall of the Han Dynasty, set in 184 CE in China. The game also features fantasy elements with mythological beings and creatures thrown into the mix.

On the other hand, Rise of the Ronin is set in Japan's Bakumatsu era, during the Tokugawa Shogunate's final years. Ronin features historical characters and is more grounded in nature, possessing no fantasy elements of the sort.

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Subtle yet significant changes to combat in Ronin

Rise of the Ronin features guns in combat (Image via PlayStation)

Wo Long’s combat loop is addictive and satisfying, bringing with it a touch of the soulsborne formula. Interestingly, Ronin is the biggest departure from the formula as of yet, bringing subtle yet significant tweaks to the Team Ninja combat loop we have come to appreciate.

For starters, the combat is a lot more streamlined and possesses difficulty settings to make the title more accessible to players. Additionally, Ronin employs the use of period-specific guns, such as bayonets and revolvers, setting it apart from Wo Long, which does not feature firearms of any sort.

Ronin also has a greater emphasis on traversal and stealth in comparison.