Elden Ringhas a lot of weapons. Built up across FromSoftware’s entire Soulsborne catalog, over three hundred weapons filling more than twenty broad categories leaves no Tarnished without at least one combat option to their taste. The nine primary weapon types inRise of the Roninsound underwhelming in comparison, though each one supporting multiple distinct combat styles goes a long way toward evening the odds. Still,Elden Ring’s fantastical armaments and spells give its fighting an edge in visual variety over the somewhat groundedRise of the Ronin, and that will only become more pronounced over time.
It’s currently unknown ifRise of the Roninwill get Team Ninja’s typical post-launch DLC.Elden Ring, meanwhile, has eight new weapon categories coming in its Shadow of the Erdtree expansion, and that’s not even getting into its new spells, Ashes of War, and unique additions to old weapon types. This greater variety stems from FromSoftware’s detail-oriented Souls design fundamentally differing from theloot system Team Ninja has used sinceNioh, butRise of the Roninhas proven that the latter has FromSoftware checked in one high-demand weapon group: guns.
Gunplay In FromSoftware’s Soulslikes Has A Lot Of Untapped Potential
Bows, Greatbows, and Crossbows frequently rank among the worst weapon types inDark SoulsandElden Ring. If players want ranged options to give them an edge, magic is usually the better option. The only time FromSoftware’s long-distance armory saw widespread use wasBloodborne, and its guns served a special purpose. Mostly used for parries or burst damage,Bloodborne’s firearms and hybrid Trick Weaponsrequire resource management and careful build planning to unlock their true effectiveness, and even then, it’s hard to say that jumping from scratch damage to a one-shot build is their intended design.
Despite all of that,Bloodborne’s guns are still a beloved part of its identity, and fans have taken to modding some of them into other FromSoftware titles. There is an unmet demand for satisfying gunplay in Souls-style games, andRise of the Roninjust served a fresh helping of it. Its firearms include:
Fire Pipes are best for particular scenarios, but the remaining weapons are useful enough to fill asurprisingly strong gun-basedRise of the Roninloadout. Bayonets are a primary weapon class with unique ranged abilities, while rifles and handguns add options for burst damage, assassinations, combo extensions, and more, creating a surprising amount of mechanical coverage.
What Rise of the Ronin’s Guns Can Teach FromSoftware
Although its rifles were inherited fromNioh,Rise of the Ronin’s handguns add a new dimension to its combat, and could inspire better guns in FromSoftware’s future games. While rifles employ third-person aiming and arecomparable toBloodborne’s burst damage Cannons, handguns can be rapid-fired, shot while dodging, used for stronger critical hits, and even interrupt unblockable attacks in place ofRise of the Ronin’s usual parry. They serve as the ultimate sidearm, being fast and loose enough that players can weave them into any approach, and probably hit foes who normally dodge rifle shots. All that’s limiting them is their ammo, making handguns perfect for aBloodbornesuccessor that wants its small arms to do more than parry.
Rise of the Ronin’s Bayonets Should Inspire Future Souls Games
Bloodborneseems to have answers toRise of the Ronin’s Bayonets in its Reiterpallasch, Rifle Spear, and Simon’s Bowblade Trick Weapons, but the similarities don’t last. Not only do Bayonets enjoy multiple stances and the use of status effect Whetstones like any melee weapon, they can also shootdifferent bullet types, likeMonster Hunter’s Bowguns. Most importantly, Bayonets do not use ammo to shoot. Paying stamina for weaker, but readily-available bullets could give main-hand guns a place in FromSoftware’s action-RPGs. Copying the versatility found inRise of the Ronin’s firearms would make for a fun and viable play style in any Soulslike.
Rise of the Ronin
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FORGE YOUR FATE IN THIS EPIC NEW SAMURAI ACTION ADVENTURE Embark on an epic journey across war-torn 19th-century Japan in this combat-focused open-world action RPG from Team NINJA, the veteran studio behind Nioh and NINJA GAIDEN.Japan, 1863. After three centuries of the Tokugawa Shogunate’s reign, the Black Ships of the West descend upon the nation’s borders and the country falls into a state of turmoil. Amidst the chaos of war, disease, and political unrest, a nameless warrior forges their own path, holding the very fate of Japan in their hands
