Summary
Team Ninja’s action-adventure/RPG mashupRise of the Roninwas recently released, sending fans on an epic excursion through the last days of Japan’s Edo period, during the mid-19th century.Rise of the Roninis a more realistic take on a samurai-styled adventure, incorporating many real-life aspects, characters, and nuances of the time and setting. And while it may bear some surface resemblances to Sucker Punch Production’sGhost of Tsushimain this regard, beneath that,Roninactually shares much more in common with another developer it has taken many cues and ideas from: FromSoftware.
FromSoftware has built its reputation as one of the originators and subsequent forerunners of Soulslikes. The developer’s most recent entry, 2022’sElden Ring, was widely hailed as a masterpiece of the genre, and an evolutionary achievement in open-world design.Elden Ring’s Lands Between setting showed more often than it told, beckoning fans to explore every inch of its massive map. And asRise of the Ronin’s Soulslike inspirationsare evident, there is another way it pays direct homage to both its own roots and FromSoft’s philosophy, and that’s in the form of secret and powerful optional bosses that are well-hidden within its world.
Rise of the Ronin Calls Back to FromSoftware and its Own Soulslike Heritage With Secret Bosses
Secret Bosses Have Long Been a Core Component of Soulslikes
Though tons of games across a wide range of genres have had optional/hidden bosses for years, they have been more of an integral part of Soulslikes and adjacent titles, as such games are particularly suited to incorporating them. The inclusion of secret bosses tucked away in the farthest nooks and crannies of the world, waiting for diligent players to find (or accidentally stumble upon them without warning) has been present going back to the genre’s early days. And though it diverges a bit as more of a Soulslite, there are still a number ofaspects of FromSoft’s works that are apparent inRise of the Ronin, like minimal hand-holding/signposting, which certainly holds true forRonin’s collection of secret enemies. These foes can be completely missed, going undiscovered over the course of a playthrough, unless players take the time and effort to scour for them. For fans who do unearth them, though, the rewards are enticing and worthwhile.
Rise of the Ronin References Past Team Ninja Titles and Soulslikes With its Special Enemies
Hidden throughoutRise of the Ronin’s expansive mapsare a handful of unique and powerful bosses. These “special enemies” are naturally completely unmarked, with the game providing no hint or indication that they exist at all. While there are only a small number compared toElden Ringetc., the spirit of secret bosses is still encapsulated inRise of the Ronin, and players who meticulously seek them out will also be rewarded with some Easter eggs on top of the accomplishment of finding and defeating them. For example, fans may note the “Blue-Eyed Samurai,” who, upon closer inspection, is a clear reference to William Adams, the main character from Team Ninja’s 2017 release,Nioh.
Fans have found and identified sevenhidden bosses inRise of the Roninat the time of writing.
Par for the course as well, these enemies present a challenge beyond what most of the other fights and scenarios in the main campaign provide, and drop some of the rarest/unique high level gear along with an extremely valuableitem that boosts all skill traits inRise of the Ronin. All of which are quite helpful indeed when tackling other difficult portions or secret enemies, or simply just for bragging rights. With these hidden bosses, Team Ninja imparts a nice salute to both its own previous works, and the genre overall, while rewarding players with tangible benefits for sniffing them out and overcoming them.
