From the team behind the excellent Blasphemous series comes Ninja Gaiden: Ragebound — a side-scrolling throwback to the series’ roots — and it seems it’s a big success.
The reviews have been rolling in for the action platformer today, and they’re offering extremely high praise.
Many critics are championing the game’s fundamentals, with tight, responsive action and engaging combat that constantly challenges your skills — much like the original 2D titles.
Praise is also doled out for Ragebound’s presentation, which features fantastic pixel art throughout and some great music.
Let’s take a look at what some of the critics have to say:
Ragebound is tough to complete and even harder to master, but it’s hardest to put down. It’s demanding with little frustration, engaging with few lulls, and ultimately, a reminder that while Ryu’s modern-day adventures can be great, there’s still Ki to be found in Ninja Gaiden’s original dimensions.
Ninja Gaiden: Ragebound is so damn good that I would have been sad when it ended, no matter how long that took. The Game Kitchen has done an incredible job mixing the best elements of both generations of Ninja Gaiden, while adding enough new to make it stand out as its own take on the series. It’s easily one of the best games in the series, and Ninja Gaiden 4 (as well as Shinobi: Art of Vengeance) is going to have a hell of a challenge surpassing it.
IGN – 9/10
Ninja Gaiden: Ragebound is a game I’m going to be replaying for a long time. It looks and sounds incredible, and the fast but thoughtful combat is so damn satisfying that I had a hard time putting it down long enough to write this review. Juggling different types of attacks and powerful abilities as I break auras, time Hypercharges against intimidating foes, and bounce off of demons’ heads is a blast that is challenging and rewarding in equal measure. It just feels right.
That Ragebound’s story runs concurrently to the events of the first Ninja Gaiden is fitting, as Ragebound is the best the series has felt in 2D since that iconic 1989 classic, and it’s more than deserving of being talked about in the same breath as one of the greatest action-platformers of all time.
Ninja Gaiden: Ragebound is an incredible revival for a venerable series. Pitch-perfect controls, fantastic encounter design, and a tough-but-fair challenge elevate this well beyond a sea of other retro action games. If there’s any room for complaint, it’s that I simply want more – more levels, and more reasons to come back to them.
If you’re wondering where our review is, you’ll need to find your inner peace and wait a little bit longer. It’s coming very soon.
In the meantime, let us know your thoughts after the flood of reviews in the comments section below.