Ninja Gaiden: Ragebound Review – Pixel-Perfect Punishment

Ninja Gaiden: Ragebound Review
After being dormant for over a decade, Ninja Gaiden is finally back. While the fourth entry in the 3D series is set to release in October, Ragebound sees the fast-paced action-adventure return to its 2D roots. Developed by the talented team behind Blasphemous, The Game Kitchen aims to capture the frantic and challenging ethos of the originals while adapting it for a modern audience. Will this be the revival longtime fans have been waiting for, or just a nostalgic throwback that struggles to keep up with today’s standards?

Ryu Hayabusa, the franchise’s protagonist, leaves the village to avenge his father, leaving you, his apprentice, Kenji, to defend the rural area from demons slipping through the broken veil. Kumori, an assassin from the Black Spider Clan, is captured by the invading demons, and the two of you merge to survive. Together, you combine your abilities to fend off the evil assailants and protect the village. There are a few cutscenes, but most of the story unfolds through dialogue boxes, giving purpose to your adventure. While the tale is serviceable, it mainly exists to support the truly enthralling gameplay.

Test Your Might
Ninja Gaiden is renowned for its precise, challenging gameplay and Ragebound captures that notion perfectly. You can use your katana to slice through creatures, roll through attacks and throw kunai from a distance. Enemies flood the screen from every direction, so you must remain alert. Most only require a single hit to defeat; however, each type has a specific movement and attack pattern, necessitating thoughtful and deliberate action. Learning and perfecting this leads to swift and slick sequences where you eviscerate anything that crosses your path.

Larger foes lurk in the environment and emit powerful attacks, which you’ll need to avoid. While you can defeat them with several regular hits, using the Hypercharge attack takes them down in a single blow. In order to gain the ability, you will need to defeat regular foes that are glowing. If blue, strike with your katana, and when pink, hurl a kunai. This adds an additional layer of strategy as you must consider how and when to attack, as skill has a time limit. If you are unable to attain the ability, you can also sacrifice some health; however, this does place you closer to death.

Platforming is also a large part of the game, as you must climb walls, dangle from ceilings and leap to safety. The Guillotine Boost is a feature that ties the combat and platforming together. While in the air, you can press jump when you’re about to make contact with an enemy or projectile to jump again. This leads to wonderful scenarios where you bounce off several hazards in heart-racing sequences to reach your destination. You can also use this as a form of attack, jumping from foe to foe in order to continue your combo.

Two Become One
At points, you divide and play solely as Kumori, in fast-paced puzzle platforming challenges that require you to collect items to remain in spirit form and unlock areas for Kenji to progress. Here, you will need to use all the skills in your arsenal to reach the objective. There are also optional paths that lead to collectables that you can use to trade for upgrades that aid you on your adventure. These segments are a nice change of pace, allowing you to assess and retry sections in order to advance.

The controls are tight, allowing for precise and methodical movement so that you can leap out of the way of projectiles and expertly counterattack. This becomes essential in boss battles, where the game pushes your skills to the limit. Here, you must read your opponent’s attack pattern and learn when and how to respond. Combining the Guillotine Boost and Hypercharge Attacks helps ensure that these moments are an absolute thrill.

While the game is challenging, it doesn’t quite reach the same level of difficulty as the originals. The Game Kitchen has struck an excellent balance, respecting the source material while also making the game more accessible. Enemies deal significant damage with a single hit, which can make you approach encounters more cautiously. However, the presence of well-placed checkpoints creates a satisfying sense of progression as you overcome difficult areas and reach new segments. There were times when I got stuck, but it wasn’t due to unfair design, but rather a lack of skill on my part. Pushing through these moments brings a strong sense of achievement and contributes to an addictive gameplay loop.

Come Back Stronger
Optional challenges, such as avoiding damage from specific enemies, encourage you to revisit levels. Each stage features scattered collectibles, and your performance, measured by stats like enemies defeated and damage taken, determines your end-of-level rank. While shop items can support your journey, you also have the option to purchase modifiers that increase the difficulty. Throw in some unlockable missions and you have a game where you can personalize your experience, enhancing the game’s replayability.

The pixel artwork is beautiful, capturing the essence of classic 2D adventures. The animation wonderfully brings Kenji’s movements to life, giving each motion the feel of an agile ninja. The music also echoes the style of games from that era, with sound effects and catchy tunes that perfectly carry the spirit of the originals.

Ninja Garden: Ragebound is the perfect return to the franchise’s 2D roots. Each area, encounter, and boss fight is meticulously crafted to challenge players while letting them fully embrace the fantasy of being a ninja. The gameplay flows effortlessly, making every segment feel exciting and rewarding. With its gorgeous pixel art and retro-inspired soundtrack, this is a must-play for fans of the genre.

***Steam code provided by the publisher***

The Good

Slick, Fast-Paced Action
Tight Controls
Fantastic Pixel Art
Captures the Spirit of the Originals

90

The Bad

Some May Struggle with the Difficulty
Missing Ryu Hayabusa
Conventionalco Story