Shinobi: The Art of Revenge is 2D Action Right – Final Preview
Blog Andrew Joseph 29 Jul , 2025 0
When it comes to 2D action platformers, I don't necessarily need them to be revolutionary. But I do want excellent execution of fundamentals – speed, control and challenge – all of this upcoming Shinobi: Vengeance Art of Vengeance all pinned against a two-hour hands-on demonstration I played. It's not that it doesn't have new ideas for knitting, but that all I came out was just impressed with how this reboot was like a greasy machine.
If you haven't seen it in action yet, consider it a classic Shinobi franchise that can be obtained in the streets in Rage 4 Therapy. A vibrant and expressive hand-painted art style that looks great or even better in a still state. Many of the developers at LizardCube work on the streets of Rage's reboot, and ultimately fits perfectly because it incorporates life into the 2D world in the way other games. A horizontal background can give a significant sense of scale and the illusion of distance in this new shinobi – the potentially monotonous shipyard level can feel huge when you see the details of the huge cranes, ships and containers in the background. The interior is painted with neon signs, new modern shops and stalls, making the Bateways persona full of personality. A huge sense of style pops up in a smaller but effective way.
An explosive electronic trip soundtrack that blends with traditional Japanese folk instruments can also balance its classic and modern sensibility, vaguely reminiscent of what is in Samurai Champloo. The artistic look and sounds effortless.
I went through the opening level I played at the Summer Competition Festival earlier this year, and the show reintroduced series lead Joe Musashi as his village and clan got attacked the moment you started. His wife Naoko and Tomoe, who studied, were introduced as he had to leave it behind to pursue a military invasion led by his rival Lord Ruse and his Demonic Minions. You teach basics like combo, dodge, jump and special abilities and quickly mix you with the platform section to enhance your mobility and combat encounters to test with blades and ninja specials.
However, this preview circle, I cleared two full levels near the middle point, where I had many new abilities and tougher enemies. I had to play both in arcade mode to reconfigure their time-attack versions, and although checkpoints are generous, arcade mode is all about running seamlessly to win the premium end. The aforementioned shipyards have nasty drones, guards of riot gear and enemy ninjas, and have dark spells that cannot be blocked – any combination of these guys constitutes some tough normal encounters, which can overwhelm them if you don't know who to prioritize. With a clever but trial-and-error platform challenge, death-free is a high task (at least in my first attempt).
I know that on paper this may sound like what you expect from a proper 2D action platformer, but the flow and fluidity of the gameplay make my time with Shinobi so enjoyable. When I can slice a bunch of enemies into healthy states and press the shoulder button to perform execution with a quick and dramatic multi-strike, I will be pulled out like I'm hitting a series of glory kills in the new Doom Games. Novelty isn't thin because like Glory Kill, it won't hinder the flow of fast movements and you'll get health and ninja energy as a treat. It's great to play light combos, but I nod with satisfaction when I perform a counterattack ninja on a dime to cut off the health of a powerful enemy. Joe's ultimate ability accumulates through injury, just burns everything on the screen and everything on the screen is in a sticky situation, which makes me pop up as I finish my boss. Even the simple thing that starts my combo strings from the platform part to the diving enemy starting to start my combo string in the battle sequence is a small but effective thing that shows LizardCube knows what makes 2D action tick.
There is no real story content to be collected from these levels later, but boys are these stages Long. And, arcade mode can really disappoint you when they are capped by fierce boss battles – it's not a derogatory mark, but a sign of demanding shinobi.
However, this is not all from left to right. The second floor I played with was in neon-soaked slums, with three sections in the west, east and south, where I had to find and save the captured children. This stage tends to explore more, where connecting Ziple and jumping to avoid hazards and lurking enemies makes me move more precisely. The sniper lurking in the distance may shoot at one time, so that I can shoot one shot first, gooppy slimes can pop up toxic damage under the ground, and these damn riot guards challenged at close range is another challenge. The boss fight here is my favorite, which makes me think more about the air combo because he can fly over the battlefield – if I don't do enough damage in time, he also has a stage where he will recover.
I think balance depth and achievable is one aspect: the art of revenge is getting the right effect from my performance. I only have enough tools to feel its most intense battles, not overwhelming, nor shallow. So the focus is on your mastery of the tool set and reacting to some of the enemy's devastating combat mechanics. Since it can be controlled very smoothly and has a proper rhythm at a speed that suits its challenging style, the fundamentals of a good 2D action platformer seem to be here.
It's so nice to get back with our Ninja-themed action game – maybe just this and Ninja gaiden Ragebound (also owned by publisher Dotemu's streets). But in the years since the heyday of both series, we have seen countless others get higher and higher standards. Speaking specifically for the ninjas, the art of revenge feels like an old man coming back and showing Youngins what they still get.
When Shinobi: Vengeance's Art of Vengeance launched PlayStation 4 and 5, Xbox One and Series X|S, Nintendo Switch and PC via Steam on August 28 this year, is the series still available for juice?