If you’ve spent any time in the muddy, blood-soaked streets of 19th-century Yokohama or Kyoto in Team Ninja’s Rise of the Ronin, you know the game loves to force your hand. It’s a massive, sprawling action RPG that captures the "Bakumatsu" period—the final years of the Shogunate—with a surprising amount of historical texture. But let's be real. Most players aren't just there for the parrying mechanics or the glider. They're there for the Bond missions. And one specific choice has been tearing through the community: did you let Renoir kill Gustave?
It sounds like a simple choice. It isn't.
This isn't some throwaway side quest. It involves two characters that represent the clash of cultures during Japan's opening to the West. On one side, you have Hitoshi Renoir, the fiery, idealistic photographer trying to capture the soul of a changing nation. On the other, there's Jules Brunet—often referred to in the context of the "Gustave" conflict—or the specific French military interests represented in the mission "The Men from the East."
Why the Choice Matters
The game sets up a scenario where tensions between the pro-shogunate (Sabaku) and anti-shogunate (Tobaku) factions bleed into the personal vendettas of the foreigners living in Japan. When you reach the climax of the "The Artist and the Soldier" arc, you are forced to mediate. Or not.
If you choose to stay your hand and allow the lethal blow, the consequences aren't just about a "Game Over" screen for an NPC. It’s about how your Ronin perceives justice. Honestly, the first time I played through this, I hesitated. Gustave isn't exactly a saint. He represents a colonialist push that many players find abrasive. He’s arrogant. He’s rigid. Renoir, conversely, feels like a kindred spirit—an artist trying to survive in a world of warriors.
But here’s the rub: if you let Renoir kill Gustave, you’re effectively choosing a path of vengeance over the path of diplomacy. Rise of the Ronin tracks your "Bond" levels with various characters. Letting a major NPC die can lock you out of specific rewards, combat styles, and even future story beats.
The Real History Behind the Characters
Team Ninja loves to blend myth with reality. In the real world, Jules Brunet (the inspiration for many French military characters in the game) was a real guy. He didn't die at the hands of a photographer. He actually stayed in Japan long after the French military mission was officially recalled, eventually fighting alongside the Republic of Ezo in the Boshin War.
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When you ask yourself "did you let Renoir kill Gustave," you’re playing with a distorted mirror of history.
Renoir himself is a nod to the burgeoning field of photography in Japan, which was revolutionized by people like Felice Beato and Baron Raimund von Stillfried. These men weren't just taking "pretty pictures." They were documenting a world that was literally being burned down and rebuilt. By siding with Renoir, you’re siding with the preservation of that memory, even if it’s stained with blood.
What Happens if Gustave Lives?
Most players who are "completionists" tend to save Gustave. Why? Because the rewards are objectively better for your build. If Gustave survives, you maintain a bridge to French military influence. This translates to:
- Access to specific Western-style gear.
- Unique combat maneuvers that are otherwise harder to unlock.
- A smoother transition into the later-game Sabaku missions.
It's a bit of a cynical way to play, right? Choosing life because it gets you a better sword. But that’s the nature of a Ronin. You’re a mercenary. You’re a "Wave Man." You go where the wind and the coin blow. If you kept him alive, you probably noticed that Renoir is initially pissed. He’s an artist; he feels things deeply. But eventually, the game allows for a sort of reconciliation. It’s the "Golden Path" for those who want to see every bit of content the developers tucked away in the 1860s.
The Emotional Toll of Letting Him Die
Let’s talk about the other side. Some people just want to watch the old world burn.
If you let Renoir kill Gustave, the scene is haunting. It’s messy. It feels "right" in a narrative sense if you’ve been playing your Ronin as a fiercely pro-Japanese traditionalist who hates foreign interference. You see Renoir's transformation from a man of the lens to a man of the blade. It’s a tragic arc.
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However, you lose out. You lose a contact. You lose a merchant. You lose a potential ally in the massive battles that define the final act of the game. People on Reddit and GameFAQs have been debating this for a while now, and the consensus is usually: "Save him on your first run, kill him on your 'Chaos' run."
Breaking Down the "Moral" Choice
Is there a "right" answer? Kinda. Sorta. Not really.
Rise of the Ronin doesn't have a binary morality system like Mass Effect or Infamous. It has a "Bond" system. It cares about who likes you and who owes you a favor. If you let Renoir kill Gustave, you are prioritizing your bond with the Japanese artistic movement over the French military-industrial complex.
It's a heavy-handed metaphor for the entire Bakumatsu period. Japan was forced to choose between its soul (its culture, its art, its isolation) and its survival (Western guns, Western tactics, Western treaties). By the time you're standing over Gustave with Renoir, you're making that choice in miniature.
Tips for Navigating This Choice
If you haven't reached this point yet, or if you're planning a second playthrough to see what you missed, keep these points in mind.
- Check your current Combat Styles. If you are heavily invested in the "Veiled Arts" that rely on Western influence, killing Gustave is a bad move. You'll stunt your growth.
- Consider your Faction Standing. Are you trying to stay in the Shogunate's good graces? Gustave is a key link to their foreign support. Letting him die is a massive middle finger to the Shogun.
- Listen to the dialogue. Team Ninja didn't write Shakespeare, but the banter leading up to the choice gives you a lot of clues about what these men value. Gustave thinks he's bringing "civilization." Renoir thinks he's witnessing "desecration."
The Impact on Discoverability and Community Discussion
The reason why "did you let renoir kill gustave" is such a trending topic is because it's one of the few moments where the game doesn't just give you a "Yes/No" prompt for a quest reward. It feels personal. It’s one of those "water cooler" moments in gaming where you want to know what your friends did.
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If you look at the stats—though Team Ninja hasn't released official percentages like Telltale used to—the anecdotal evidence suggests about 60% of players save him. The allure of the "Best Ending" or the "Best Loot" is just too strong for the average RPG fan. But that 40%? Those are the players who are really role-playing. They are the ones who are letting the story dictate their actions, even if it hurts their stats.
Moving Forward in the Game
Regardless of what you chose, the game doesn't stop. That's the beauty of it. If Gustave is dead, the French mission in Yokohama feels a little colder. If he’s alive, he’s a constant reminder of the compromise you made.
The Bakumatsu was a time of impossible choices. No one came out with clean hands. Whether you favored the camera or the cannon, the result was the same: the old Japan died so a new one could be born. Your choice regarding Renoir and Gustave is just one tiny spark in that massive fire.
Actionable Insights for Players
- Manual Save: Always create a manual save before starting the "The Artist and the Soldier" mission. The game's auto-save is aggressive, and if you regret your choice, you'll have to restart the whole chapter via the Testament of the Soul.
- Testament of the Soul: If you’ve already finished the mission and hate the outcome, remember that Rise of the Ronin allows you to replay missions to change history. You can go back, save Gustave (or kill him), and see how it ripples through your current world state.
- Bond Levels: Max out Renoir’s bond before making the choice. This ensures you get his unique camera upgrades regardless of whether you fulfill his bloodlust or hold him back.
- Check Your Inventory: If you let Gustave die, immediately check the black market merchants in the following area. Sometimes, the unique items he would have provided rotate into their stock, though at a significantly higher price.
Choosing to let Renoir kill Gustave is a definitive "narrative" choice over a "gameplay" choice. If you want the richest story experience, let the emotions of the moment guide you. If you want the strongest character, keep the soldier alive. There is no wrong way to be a Ronin, just different ways to live with your ghosts.
Next Steps for Your Playthrough
- Open the Testament of the Soul in your Longhouse to review your current timeline branches.
- Check your Encyclopedia in the menu to see the real-world historical biographies of Jules Brunet and the photographers of the era to see how far the game diverged.
- Ensure your Appeal stat is high if you plan on replaying the mission to use the "Persuade" dialogue option, which often provides a middle ground that satisfies both characters without the need for a corpse.