Ninja Gaiden: Ragebound Feels Like The 8-Bit Series Never Stopped

Ninja Gaiden has been on an extended hiatus, and for followers of the basic 2D video games on the NES, it has been even longer. Ninja Gaiden: Ragebound is a basic throwback from writer Dotemu (Streets of Rage 4, TMNT: Shredder’s Revenge) and developer The Recreation Kitchen (Blasphemous sequence). However whereas Ragebound exhibits their respect for retro craftsmanship, it feels extra like an evolution of the 8-bit originals than a broad reinvention. That is nonetheless an action-platformer at coronary heart, serving as a respectful homage to Ninja Gaiden classics that picks up proper the place these left off.

Throughout an prolonged hands-on with Ragebound I used to be capable of strive a prolonged chunk from the early hours of the sport: a playable story sequence, tutorial, after which a number of phases filled with tense fight and new mechanics that match proper into the basic really feel of Ninja Gaiden.

In Ragebound, you play primarily as Kenji Mozu, a protege of sequence protagonist Ryu Hayabusa who’s left to defend their village when Ryu journeys to America. When a barrier between the human and demon realms tears aside, the village is beset by demons and Kenji steps as much as be the brand new protector of the realm. However in the middle of the story, the demo additionally launched a secondary protagonist: the Black Spider ninja Kumori. The Black Spider Clan was a significant antagonist within the later Group Ninja video games, so in a method, that is bridging the hole between the 2 eras of the sequence.

The two additionally supply differentiation to their gameplay types that retains you juggling between totally different skills. Kumori’s spirit fuses into Kenji’s physique, permitting you to modify between the bodily and spirit realms at will. Whereas Kenji makes use of the katana blade with a really related really feel to the originals, Kumori’s specialty is throwable kunai blades. Kenji is an acrobatic melee fighter, particularly with the flexibility to bounce off of enemies and projectiles in mid-air, whereas Kumori is best fitted to ranged assaults. That provides the 2 a really totally different really feel, and lets you change into the spirit realm to resolve platforming puzzles and fight situations that are not potential with Kenji alone.

Kenji and Kumori even have entry to a Hypercharge capability: a devastatingly highly effective assault with particular properties. Defeating enemies expenses up the particular assault, however like a combo counter, it resets in the event you get hit. That heightens the fight rigidity, as you might use the Hypercharge as quickly as you get it or attempt to maintain onto it for a very powerful enemy. Each Kenji’s katana and Kumori’s kunai construct the cost, however if you’re separated, you solely have entry to half of your energy set. It is a intelligent strategy to categorical by means of gameplay that these two are strongest when joined collectively, even when they hate it.

That is a significant supply of strife, no less than within the early recreation, as the 2 historical enemies continually snipe at one another and vent their biases and grudges. Because the title implies, Kenji is the cool and well-centered operator whereas Kumori is extra aggressive and, properly, filled with rage. Enemies who come to depend on one another is a basic storytelling trope however it’s carried out properly right here, in opposition to the backdrop of a fantastical, demon-filled Japan. It helps flesh out the characters and offers a Black Spider ninja the uncommon alternative to step into the highlight as a hero.

Regardless of these modifications and new wrinkles, Ninja Gaiden: Ragebound feels proper at house subsequent to the basic tough-as-nails Nintendo video games. The authentic Ninja Gaiden video games had been identified for his or her tight, unforgiving platforming. Ragebound seems to be to be barely extra forgiving than these originals, however given my expertise with a number of of the early phases, it nonetheless seems to be to be a skill-testing action-platforming problem. The whole lot from the burden of the jumps to the velocity of your blade feels, if not similar to the originals, no less than in dialog with these mechanics in a method that felt instantly inviting and acquainted to me as a longtime fan.

And as you’d count on from this pairing of writer and developer, the pixel artwork is characteristically attractive. The environments are darker than the colourful tones of TMNT however not as gothic as Blasphemous, and the characters themselves are smaller in relation to their backgrounds, however their actions are completely readable. The yokai designs are a selected standout, trying conventional whereas including splashes of shade that look deliberately unnatural in opposition to the extra grounded scope.

Ninja Gaiden: Ragebound is coming this summer time to PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, and Nintendo Change.