Ninja Gaiden: Ragebound is a new 2D action platformer in Koei Tecmo’s traditional franchise that has been around since the 1980s. Trying to blend the traditional style of the 2D games in the series with the fast-paced action and intense challenge that the 3D versions of the series have come to be known for, the title is a notable and compelling experience from developer The Game Kitchen and publisher Dotemu.

Two Ninjas Find Themselves as Unlikely Allies

Ninja Gaiden: Ragebound tells the story of Kenji, a young ninja from the Hayabusa Clan who sees himself in a pinch when demon forces attack right after Ryu has left. As he fights to protect his friends and loved ones, he ends up having to ally himself with Kumori, an assassin from the Black Spider clan.

In the game, we control the two of them and have to use their skills to advance through various stages that offer significant challenges thanks to demon hordes, traps and bosses. Though the game’s not easy, there’s fairness in its difficulty, as the player always has the tools to deal with whatever is thrown their way as long as they don’t give up and make use of all their skills, strategic caution and pattern recognition.

If the player truly finds it too hard, however, the game offers an Assist Mode, which allows for a variety of adjustments. It’s possible to reduce damage, to make the game slower and to remove knockback. On the offensive side, players can increase how long the hypercharged state lasts and increase the size of a specific move called Guillotine Boost to make it easier to hit enemies.

When it comes to the characters themselves, Kenji attacks from a short distance while Kumori’s range is generally broader as she throws her kunai around. Kumori also has access to a “Spider Weapon,” which at first can do an arc and hit enemies beyond walls. Both of them can also grab ceilings and walls, roll to dodge incoming attacks and use Guillotine Boost to hit enemies midair. The latter technique allows them to use the extra impulse of the impact to reach higher areas.

Once the two are fighting together, it’s possible to use all of their movesets, with Kumori’s attacks costing energy, which can be restored through Kenji’s slashes and Guillotine Boost. Mastering the use of both movesets becomes an important asset to advance through the various areas. Not only do enemies spawn in conditions of distance and positioning that may be easier to deal with by using specific moves, but they may have different triggers for Hypercharges.

Though the game’s not easy, there’s fairness in its difficulty.

Some enemies have a colored aura, which can be blue or pink, and defeating them with the correct attack will lead to the player character becoming hypercharged. Thanks to this, the next attack will be powered up and kill even strongly guarded foes, making it an asset to keep in mind whenever complicated enemies show up. Playing the game well is like a beautiful dance of using the right skills at the right time, using what the stages throw at you as a stepping stone and quickly moving forward.

A Delight in Graphics and Sounds

As a 2D title, Ninja Gaiden: Ragebound is an accomplished experience in its visuals. It’s vibrant, well-animated and masterful in its execution, which complements its tight platforming action and challenging combat. Rather than feeling like only a throwback to the old days, it’s the kind of stylish experience that feels like it will never get outdated.

Stages are detailed and colorful and there are unique interactions that can make some of them evolve over time. Even the interface is slick and there’s a thoughtful choice behind every animation. One great example is how coming back from death is represented by a sword strike that cuts the black screen once the player returns to the previous checkpoint.

This “sword strike” is also greatly affected by the sound effects, which are greatly used to give extra impact to the attacks and make the experience as a whole feel more alive. The soundtrack is also notable, with all the tunes hitting the right tone for the high-octane action and elevating the stages so that they feel more remarkable. There are even a few points that may change the track dynamically during stages.

The Other Pieces of the Experience

There are other elements that the game consistently gets right as well. One of them is the fact every stage has three special challenges, along with collectibles and hidden spots that may take some effort to find. At the end of the stage, the player's performance is evaluated according to the time taken to clear it, the amount of kills and max combo reached during the stage. There are no limits to how many times the player can start again.

The challenges are dynamically shown to the player, so whenever one of the missions is completed or failed entirely, a notification shows up on the left corner of the screen. If the player wants, it’s possible to start the stage again by just picking the option in the pause menu, making it a simple affair for perfectionists to try to correct mistakes.

One of the collectibles, the golden scarabs, is also a currency to use in Muramasa’s Store. With them, it’s possible to unlock talismans which can bring various benefits, like restoring more life on checkpoints or making the character stronger when they’re near death. There are also options that increase the challenge, like cancelling checkpoints or increasing the damage taken, in exchange for a better rank evaluation at the end.

It’s also possible to spend those points to buy secret arts which change the effect and range of Kumori’s Spider Weapon as well as the duo’s special skill called Ragebound Art. For instance, it’s possible to change the default option, which is a barrage of kunai attacks that can be helpful when dealing with tough enemies like bosses, to a Healing Fountain that restores life over time. More options can be unlocked by reaching certain ranks on the stages.

There’s only one issue that comes to mind when taking everything into account. As the game doesn’t have a strict direction for the stages and a few stages can be lengthy and have the player move in a non-linear way, it can sometimes be confusing to see where the player should be going. This is sometimes alleviated by a sign pointing to the correct direction and the fact we’re cut from going back to previous portions of a stage, but it can still get confusing at specific moments.

Closing Comments:

With challenging stages of frantic combat and an epic style in both visuals and soundtrack, Ninja Gaiden: Ragebound is a masterful example of 2D platforming action. It’s a strong experience throughout its full length, and both old-time fans and those new to the series are highly likely to enjoy it if they give it a try.