5 things Rise of the Ronin does better than Ghost of Tsushima

As Rise of the Ronin is approaching its PC release date, it will be almost a year since the game officially launched on the PS5. Since its release, we have seen several comparisons of the game with Ghost of Tsushima, where many have inclined towards the latter because of its pleasing visuals and storyline. The two titles are compared mainly because they both have you play as a Ronin in Japan.

While Ghost of Tsushima titles have gotten several gameplay aspects right, Rise of the Ronin does a few things better, which this article will cover.

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Everything Rise of the Ronin does better than Ghost of Tsushima

1) More verticality in exploration

The glider added verticality to the exploration (Image via KOEI TECMO)

While both titles let you use grapple hooks to reach high-up places, Rise of the Ronin adds more verticality to its exploration with the inclusion of a glider. You get this equipment early in the game's first chapter, allowing you to glide from one point to another to cover large distances faster. Using the glider will deplete your Ki fast, but it can be upgraded using Foreign Books to glide for longer durations.

There are also specific points on buildings around the map where you can use your grapple hook to lift yourself above the ground and immediately equip the glider. Apart from traversal, this equipment also comes in handy for assassinating enemies, as it lets you drop above them while entering battlefields. The glider adds a significant degree of vertical exploration, which is missing in Ghost of Tsushima.

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2) More varied combat styles

More combat styles for each weapon (Image via KOEI TECMO)

Ghost of Tsushima offers four combat stances tied to the katana, which are used throughout the game. Each stance is used to defeat a specific type of enemy, which can feel repetitive sometimes. In contrast, Rise of the Ronin brings a plethora of weapons to the mix, with each one featuring its own set of stances. This adds variety to the combat, keeping things fresh during the entire playthrough.

You can even switch between weapons whenever you see fit, without being forced to use enemy-specific stances during combat, like in Ghost of Tsushima. There are also special moves tied to each weapon in your arsenal that can be pulled off mid-fight; however, they use up a significant amount of Ki. This adds a level of flexibility to the combat in Rise of the Ronin that Ghost of Tsushima often cannot match.

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3) Much harder difficulty

Parrying will be your best friend (Image via KOEI TECMO)

Ghost of Tsushima features a variety of difficulties to test your skills. However, once you get familiar with the enemy attacks and master their timing, even the hardest setting can feel like a cakewalk. Rise of the Ronin, on the other hand, can feel really punishing even on the easiest difficulty. Every enemy has a different moveset, and it can be troublesome to remember them all.

Since parrying is a challenging mechanic in the game, remembering the enemies' attack patterns becomes necessary. Even then, if you mess up your deflection timing, you're locked in a string of unstoppable strikes that will eat your entire health bar and eventually kill you. This adds a level of challenge and unpredictability to Rise of the Ronin, which the Ghost of Tsushima often struggles to keep up with.

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4) Better personalization options

The game features a character creator (Image via KOEI TECMO GAMES CO., LTD.|| YouTube/@ScereBro PSNU)

Since Ghost of Tsushima gives you a protagonist, the freedom for customization is limited. This is because you can't change his looks, but only his outfits and sword kits that you find in the game's open world. However, Rise of the Ronin lets you create your character from the ground up, allowing you to modify everything from facial features, body type, voice, hair, and even skin tone.

These customization options add a personal touch to the character, which is not present in Ghost of Tsushima. This gets even better when you realize there are more clothing options spread around the open world than you can count. This elevates the amount of customization Rise of the Ronin already offers, giving your character a much-appreciated personal touch.

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5) Control over storyline

Your choices impact the storyline (Image via KOEI TECMO GAMES CO., LTD.)

Ghost of Tsushima is pretty linear, with the game offering you only one choice to make in the final mission. The decision you have to make is whether to kill or spare Lord Shimura. However, choosing either option only changes the cutscene you get, as it doesn't impact the endgame results in any way.

Rise of the Ronin, on the other hand, offers dialogue options from time to time that can impact the strength of your relationship with certain characters. The decisions also impact the storyline, as they can determine whether you are Pro-Shogun or Anti-Shogun. This control over the narrative is missing in Ghost of Tsushima.