Ninja Gaiden: Ragebound – A Thrilling Return to 2D Action!

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2025 promises exciting times for enthusiasts of the Ninja Gaiden series, with two highly anticipated releases on the horizon – Ninja Gaiden: Ragebound and Ninja Gaiden 4. The collaboration between Team Ninja and PlatinumGames on Ninja Gaiden 4 will introduce a fresh 3D installment to the series since 2012’s Ninja Gaiden 3, while Dotemu and The Game Kitchen’s Ninja Gaiden: Ragebound serves as a thrilling comeback to the classic 2D style of the franchise. Having had a sneak peek at an early version of Ninja Gaiden: Ragebound, it appears that The Game Kitchen is more than capable of delivering on their promise.

In the game Ninja Gaiden: Ragebound, Game Rant initially played through the prologue level and the first stage, followed by a later point in the narrative where gamers are given command over both of the game’s fresh protagonists – Kenji, apprentice to Ryu Hayabusa, and Kumori, a member of the Black Spider Clan. The characters in Ninja Gaiden: Ragebound provide players with distinct toolsets, a classic feature that sets the Ninja Gaiden series apart, along with an extensive variety of novel platforming and combat mechanics.

Ninja Gaiden: Ragebound’s Story Runs Concurrently to the Original NES Ninja Gaiden

One fascinating discovery during our playtime with Ninja Gaiden was delving deeper into its storyline, which mirrors the occurrences in the original NES version of Ninja Gaiden. The prologue level uniquely lets players assume control of Ryu’s father, Jô Hayabusa, reenacting the memorable opening fight scene from the original Ninja Gaiden and their tragic moonlit duel. This initial stage isn’t merely a tribute to Ninja Gaiden enthusiasts; it also functions as an effective tutorial for the new features introduced in Ragebound while introducing the game’s new hero, Kenji.

Right after wrapping up the prologue in that tutorial, we find ourselves in Hyabusa Village, where Ryu is training a fresh ninja named Kenji. After a grueling combat tutorial disguised as a training gauntlet, Kenji squares off against Ryu in a fierce one-on-one battle. However, their match is abruptly halted by the devastating news of Kenji’s father’s demise and the demonic siege on the village. With a heavy heart, Ryu embarks on the journey that will unfold as the original NES “Ninja Gaiden” storyline, leaving Kenji (and indirectly me) to defend Hayabusa Village against the demon attack.

In our limited playtime with Ninja Gaiden: Ragebound, we’ve only caught a glimpse of the game’s complete storyline, but it’s already looking promising as a fresh addition to the Ninja Gaiden series. For dedicated Ninja Gaiden fans, it’s intriguing to discover what occurred in Hayabusa Village when Ryu was away, protecting the world from the wicked Jaquio. We also get introduced to Kumori, a member of the Black Spider Clan who was once an enemy but has become an ally. Her skillset centered around platforming offers a compelling contrast to Kenji’s focus on combat, and she serves as a significant narrative character, offering tension and intrigue.

Ninja Gaiden: Ragebound’s New Combat and Platforming Abilities Shake Things Up

In the spirit of ninjas, Kenji and Kumori’s typical skills will feel familiar to anyone who’s delved into a 2D Ninja Gaiden-style game. They can still scale walls and leap from them for extra reach, crawl along ceilings to bridge gaps, and engage enemies effectively with both grounded and airborne attacks. However, in the upcoming Ninja Gaiden: Ragebound, these fresh characters introduce unique skills that distinguish them significantly from the series’ long-standing hero Ryu Hayabusa. Their combat and movement styles are not just variations but distinct offerings in this new adventure.

In the arsenal of skills that Kenji possesses, the standout addition is the Hypercharge attack. As gameplay advances and challenges in Ninja Gaiden: Ragebound become tougher, this one-shot kill move becomes a vital tactical choice. Players have two ways to employ this attack. Firstly, they can target glowing enemies within the environment to gather energy boosts for either the sword’s Hypercharge attack or a distant Kunai Hypercharge attack, which is ideal for taking down powerful foes. The type of pickups dropped depends on the weapon used to defeat those glowing enemies. Once the Hypercharge gauge is fully charged, players can swiftly launch a destructive barrage against formidable opponents that would otherwise require multiple hits to defeat. Alternatively, players can choose to sacrifice some of Kenji’s health to instantaneously generate Hypercharge, introducing an intense risk-reward scenario in situations where no glowing enemies are available to gather energy.

In a similar vein, showcasing Kumori’s unique skills, which primarily revolve around platforming, has revealed an intricate connection to this aspect of gameplay. Kumori wields a special Kunai that enables her to instantly teleport after throwing it, providing The Game Kitchen with ample opportunities to innovate in the design of the game’s platforming obstacles. Being the sole character able to navigate the demon realm, players can anticipate a variety of challenges in this domain. In essence, Ninja Gaiden: Ragebound presents a fresh and exhilarating experience within the 2D Ninja Gaiden universe, with its new protagonists and their distinctive abilities serving as the main source of novelty.

Ninja Gaiden: Ragebound is a New Chapter in the Series

Additionally, it’s noteworthy that the visuals and art direction in Ninja Gaiden: Ragebound stand out as among the finest in the series. Much like the games created by The Game Kitchen, such as Blasphemous, Ninja Gaiden: Ragebound showcases intricate pixel art and smooth animations that accentuate the frenetic action on-screen. Indeed, the term ‘intensity’ seems fitting, as the game’s speed and fluidity are strikingly different from the slower, more deliberate combat found in both Blasphemous and its sequel.

In addition to an engaging gaming experience, Ninja Gaiden: Ragebound provides ample opportunities for repeat playthroughs. Scattered throughout the game are Golden Scarab collectibles to seek out, and at the end of each stage, your performance is ranked which awards points that can be spent in Muramasa’s shop. This incentivizes players to pay attention to their surroundings, strive for top rankings, and revisit levels. Based on our brief exploration of three levels, it seems poised to become a memorable adventure for fans of Ninja Gaiden or platforming games.

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2025-04-16 18:07