SHINOBI: Art of Vengeance is Awesome: Review

SHINOBI: Art of Vengeance is the latest entry into Sega’s SHINOBI franchise. Released August 29 for all major platforms, the game is a 2-D side-scrolling beat ’em up featuring beloved ninja Joe Musashi. The last time we saw Joe Musashi was in the 2018-2020 mobile game Sega Heroes. SHINOBI: Art of Vengeance is part of Sega’s efforts to revive old franchises such as Jet Set Radio, Crazy Taxi, and Golden Axe. The following is my review of this truly sick and creative game.

SHINOBI: Art of Vengeance’s Story

Joe’s pregnant wife, Naoko, instructs him to go to the Oboro clan dojo to check on his students. Naoko was Joe’s fiancée from the 1989 Genesis game The Revenge of Shinobi. On the way to the dojo, Joe meets Tomoe, one of his students. After a tutorial sequence, Joe and Tomoe are ambushed by members of the ENE Corp., led by Lord Ruse. A battered Tomoe leaves to protect Naoko, and Tomoe instructs Joe to hurry to the dojo, thus beginning the game.

Joe meets enemies from ENE Corp., who ransacked the dojo and turned the Oboro clan’s ninjas into stone. Without spoiling the story too much, Joe is not alone in his quest to avenge the Oboro clan. The story, based on what I’ve played, is simultaneously phenomenal and straightforward.

SHINOBI: Art of Vengeance’s Gameplay

Joe can double jump, wall climb, and flip over obstacles. He has ninpo, ninjitsu, and secret arts he uses to defeat waves of enemies. Joe isn’t without his sword and shurikens, however. You can upgrade your health, increase the maximum number of shurikens and collect secret arts and passives in order to get through the game. The game has Metroidvania elements, such as completing level layouts and save spots that restore health. For those who aren’t good at platformers, the game has accessibility settings to make the game easier.

First Impressions

This game is awesome. I love the art; I love the music; I love how Joe Musashi is a man a few words. I also love that legendary composer Yuzo Koshiro returned to the franchise to work on a few tracks. Yuzo Koshiro composed for the arcade and Sega Game Gear SHINOBI games. He’s often mistakenly credited for composing SHINOBI III’s soundtrack.

If you like ninjas, SHINOBI: Art of Vengeance is for you. If you like fast-paced action accompanied by hand-drawn graphics that make every scene look like a painting, this game is for you. If you like games that call back to previous games in its series without it being in-your-face, then SHINOBI: Art of Vengeance is the best game for your library.