How Ninja Gaiden: Ragebound Crushes Blasphemous in Speed and Style

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Beyond the thrill of a fresh 2D Ninja Gaiden, what truly ignited my enthusiasm during the unveiling of Ninja Gaiden: Ragebound was the news that The Game Kitchen would be at the helm of development. This studio has been steadily carving out a reputation as a masterful craftsman within the Metroidvania genre, with their works like Blasphemous and its sequel earning them widespread acclaim. One of the many mysteries surrounding Ninja Gaiden: Ragebound was whether it would lean towards the Metroidvania style or stick to traditional action platforming. While Ragebound seems to follow in the footsteps of the classic Ninja Gaiden games on the NES, The Game Kitchen has taken valuable lessons from their time on Blasphemous and is bringing that expertise to this new title.

After having a chance to try out an early version of “Ninja Gaiden: Ragebound” at a pre-release event, we had a chat with the game’s director and lead artist about how this new title matches up with The Game Kitchen’s previous work on the “Blasphemous” series. One key point was the advancements made in the company’s art systems and design methods between “Blasphemous” and “Blasphemous 2,” which allowed “Ninja Gaiden: Ragebound” to maintain a classic feel while incorporating contemporary elements, creating an action-platformer that should resonate with fans of the original 2D “Ninja Gaiden” games, the “Blasphemous” series, or both.

Why The Game Kitchen Opted to Make Ninja Gaiden: Ragebound a Traditional Action Platformer

It appears that the team behind the game “Blasphemous” seems perfectly suited to develop a Metroidvania game within the world of “Ninja Gaiden.” As per director David Jaumandreu, they recognized early on during development that maintaining a more conventional, level-structured format would be crucial for preserving the legacy of the “Ninja Gaiden” series. In discussing their choice to make “Ninja Gaiden: Ragebound” a traditional action platformer instead of a Metroidvania game like “Blasphemous,” he emphasizes:

Ragebound” decided to stick with a more classic structure for their game, similar to the level-based format found in “Ninja Gaiden,” rather than opting for the exploratory, interconnected world design of games like “Blasphemous.

From the outset, we decided to return the game to its 2D origins, opting for a conventional stage-based layout over the Metroidvania style we experimented with in Blasphemous. The Ninja Gaiden series has always been characterized by its rapid movement and combat, urging players to keep moving forward, and we aimed to maintain that pace. Although our work on Blasphemous impacted certain aspects of the level design, our primary objective was to embody the spirit of the originals while making them relevant for today’s gamers.

In contrast to the leisurely and meticulous tempo characteristic of the Blasphemous series, encompassing both its combat and advancement, such pace might feel excessively sluggish in a Ninja Gaiden game. Consequently, the approach to combat is one aspect where Ninja Gaiden: Ragebound represents a shift for The Game Kitchen from their work on Blasphemous. Jaumandreu acknowledges that transitioning from a heavier, more measured rhythm to something quicker was indeed a significant challenge. He further explains:

– In the original text: The slower, more methodical pace of the Blasphemous games that applies to both its combat and progression would have potentially felt too slow for a Ninja Gaiden game. Accordingly, combat is another area where Ninja Gaiden: Ragebound marks a departure for The Game Kitchen from its work on Blasphemous, with Jaumandreu admitting that the switch from a weightier, more deliberate flow to something faster-paced was “definitely a challenge.” He elaborates:

The leisurely tempo found in Blasphemous games, which extends to both combat and progression, could have seemed overly slow for a Ninja Gaiden game. Thus, combat is an area where Ninja Gaiden: Ragebound distinguishes itself from The Game Kitchen’s work on Blasphemous, as Jaumandreu admits that moving away from a more substantial, thoughtful pace to something faster was indeed challenging. He expands on this:

To make our battles quicker and more responsive, we shifted our strategy, emphasizing animation canceling and ensuring every player action felt immediate. We refined the character’s attack animations numerous times to achieve a seamless flow between moves, resulting in a combat system that feels both smooth and impactful.

In Ninja Gaiden: Ragebound, battles may seem to happen quickly, but they maintain the same smooth movements and vivid pixel art that The Game Kitchen’s Blasphemous series is recognized for, thus confirming it as yet another creation by this studio.

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2025-04-16 22:10