Rise of the Ronin or Dragon’s Dogma 2 – Which one should you play?

Both releasing on March 22, Rise of the Ronin and Dragon’s Dogma 2 will prove a pivotal decision for many, so we’re here to dissect each title’s case to help you make this all-important choice.

Time is money, and equally, money is time. Both philosophies apply to the dilemma about whether or not to buy Rise of the Ronin or Dragon’s Dogma 2. Both are full-price titles and are expected to be very long games with a myriad of content to keep you engaged for hours.

While they share similar characteristics in some respects, both are wildly different experiences in terms of their thematical approach, gameplay, and even stylistic choices. Only one can come out as the victor, so let’s see who it might be.

Why should you play Rise of the Ronin?

Rise of the Ronin is the new soulslike from Team Ninja, but don’t let the word “souls” put you off. Even though the word is considered ugly to many and has a negative stigma attached, Rise of the Ronin adds an interesting twist that many in the genre don’t—you can change the difficulty in Rise of the Ronin.

This means this fascinating insight into the dark times of 19th-century Japan is the most accessible Team Ninja title in some time. Rise of the Ronin is a spiritual successor to its predecessors, which means that combat and gameplay are at the forefront of its content. Expect intense physical combat, time-relevant secondary weapons, and accessories and items to enhance your ronin’s chances in battle.

Trailers have shown off the simply glorious world of Edo—now known as Tokyo—and Rise of the Ronin distances itself from the linearity of Wo Long: Fallen Dynasty and Nioh by providing a fully open world to explore filed with side quests and other distractions to eat away at your time. Rise of the Ronin will still be a difficult endeavor and perfect for those seeking a challenge and tough boss fights, and its new accessibility settings make the RPG title very inclusive.

Why should you play Dragon’s Dogma 2?

On the other hand, Dragon’s Dogma 2 is a follow-up title 12 years in the making after Capcom decided to leave the Dragon’s Dogma IP dormant for over a decade. This dragon has arisen from its slumber, and it looks like an absolute beast.

Like Rise of the Ronin, Dragon’s Dogma 2 is another contender in the open-world RPG space. Your “Arisen” needs to traverse the game’s world—said to be four times bigger than the original’s—and level up, get stronger, and complete quests to ultimately bring the demise of a dragon.

One of the key differences with Dragon’s Dogma 2 is the diversity of its gameplay. Ronin sees you mainly operating as a samurai specializing in swords and other weapons. But Dragon’s Dogma 2 offers a fuller range of spells and magic in addition to traditional combat. Capcom’s RPG also incorporates more fantastical, fictional theatre, and the spectacle of gigantic boss fights akin to Shadow of the Colossus.

Should you play Rise of the Ronin or Dragon’s Dogma 2?

When all is said and done, I think Dragon’s Dogma 2 has the potential to be the better game and achieve that Game of the Year feel that Baldur’s Gate 3 captured in 2023. Likewise, do not sleep on Rise of the Ronin at your own peril.

This is just my opinion; it’s not a cut-and-dried decision—not even close. These are two games that easily have the potential to be in the running for many awards come the end of the year.

Analyzing them in a vacuum, though, Rise of the Ronin will be a very grounded, specific game with a steep learning curve by default, even with its accessible difficulty additions. Dragon’s Dogma 2, meanwhile, feels like a more general and innate experience to appeal to the casual gamer.

Rise of the Ronin’s combat still looks like it requires precision and skill for you to progress and offer deep, rewarding gameplay. But Dragon’s Dogma 2’s varied combat options and a friendly world filled with enchantment and mystery lean into the idea of being an all-encompassing open-world RPG.

Reviews and sales will be a big indicator of how each game will succeed from release day and beyond, so make sure to keep an eye out. In the meantime, check out how to preload Rise of the Ronin or check out the Dragon’s Dogma 2 fps to see what you need to watch out for.