Team Ninja has revealed the three key factions that are vying for dominance in the world of upcoming action RPG Rise of the Ronin.
The game will be set in the turbulent Bakumatsu period of Japanese history (just like a certain other action-adventure game), and its core factions will reflect the conflicts at the heart of Japanese politics during that era.
Our first faction is the Sabaku, supporters of the Tokugawa shogunate. They're looking to "uphold the existing political order", and their key players are chief minister Naosuke Ii and witty geisha Taka Murayama.
Next up, it's the Tobaku, an anti-shogunate faction that wants to restore imperial rule.
The two core characters of this faction, according to Team Ninja, are legendary ronin Ryoma Sakamoto and Choshu retainer Kogoro Katsura, both highly skilled warriors.
You might recognize those names from Like a Dragon: Ishin!, where both characters appear, memorably "played" by a couple of old Like a Dragon favorites. Of course, all of these interpretations are loosely based on real historical figures.
Finally, there's the Obei, otherwise known as the Western forces.
The Bakumatsu era represents the transition between Edo-period Japan and Meiji-era modernized government (broadly speaking), and the Western forces in Rise of the Ronin are looking to Japan as a potential trade partner.
Their key players are the United States Commodore Matthew Perry (no, not that one) and the British diplomat Rutherford Alcock, who harbors a "profound fascination for Japanese craftsmanship".
Of course, you'll likely meet many other characters belonging to these factions throughout Rise of the Ronin, but these are some of the most important figures you'll come across during the story.
Each of these characters also has an associated PlayStation avatar you can grab for free via the official website. You're not limited to just one, so make sure to grab 'em all if you want to rep Rise of the Ronin on your profile.
If you're unfamiliar with Rise of the Ronin, it's an upcoming action RPG developed by Nioh and Wo Long: Fallen Dynasty studio Team Ninja.
Unlike those games, Rise of the Ronin will be an open-world title, and you'll be able to explore historic cities like Yokohama and Edo (the latter of which would later become Tokyo), as well as swathes of the Japanese countryside.
Rise of the Ronin is set to arrive exclusively on PlayStation 5 on March 22nd. Stay tuned for more.
