With publisher Tecmo Koei shadow-dropping Ninja Gaiden 2 Black in January, recently releasing Ninja Gaiden: Ragebound, and scheduling Ninja Gaiden 4 to drop in October, 2025 is easily the year of the ninja. With that in mind, there's no better time to reintroduce Sega's classic assassin series, Shinobi. Developed by Lizardcube, the Parisian studio responsible for the eye-catching remake of Wonder Boy: The Dragon's Trap and the incredible Streets of Rage 4, Shinobi: Art of Vengeance ($29.99, reviewed on PlayStation 5 Pro but also available on Switch and Xbox) reinvents the long-dormant series with terrific hand-drawn visuals, fast-paced action, and razor-sharp platforming. In true ninja fashion, I didn't see Shinobi: Art of Vengeance coming, but I'm glad it's here because it's one of the best action games of the year. 

Beautiful Graphics and Blood-Pumping Music

It's been 14 years since the last entry in the Shinobi series, and good ol' Joe Musashi is taking it easy. Naoko, the titular ninja's pregnant wife, waves goodbye to Musashi as he heads down to the Oboro Clan village to train his students. Life is easy for the Oboro Clan—until it's not. Forces from ENE Corp, led by Lord Ruse, decimate the village while Joe is distracted. With his village destroyed and his clan turned to stone, the vengeful shinobi sets out for revenge.

(Credit: Sega/PCMag)

Right off the bat, you'll notice Shinobi's terrific graphics. Streets of Rage 4 was a gorgeous game, but Shinobi is even more beautiful. It just oozes style. Every animation flows like water, and the hand-painted art gives every action flourish. Musashi's gi bounces as he runs, while elements pop out from the background and foreground, adding depth to the 2D stages. That goes for the music, too, which features tracks from Sonic Mania composer Tee Lopes. It also features works from the legendary Yuzo Koshiro, who scored countless video games over the decades, including all four Streets of Rage games. The music is full of high-energy beats with Japanese flourishes. It pairs perfectly with the fast-paced action on screen.

Tight Controls, Customizable Gameplay

Shinobi: Art of Vengeance continually pushes you forward with a momentum rarely seen in 2D games. I especially like how, with a press of a button, Musashi leaps over obstacles without pausing. He's quick and agile, which gives you movement options when platforming, whether that's hopping between walls or double jumping and dashing between platforms.

The combat is deliciously smooth and easy to pick up. If you thought Streets of Rage 4 was a satisfying brawler, Shinobi doubles the intensity and unleashes it in the form of 100-hit combos and screen-filling finishers. Juggling enemies, chaining attacks, and wrapping it up in one smooth, slow-mo finisher is incredibly satisfying.

(Credit: Sega/PCMag)

Speaking of finishers, once you've done enough damage to an enemy, the foe's tagged with a symbol. When it appears, you can trigger a quick and deadly finisher, delivering the final, bloody blow. So, if you tag multiple enemies with that symbol, Musashi bounces across the screen with bloody purpose, cutting them down in style. 

Musashi is equipped with a sword and projectiles in the form of kunai. But as you traverse through levels, you’ll earn new moves in the form of Ninpo, special moves that let him shoot flames or parry attacks. He also learns Ninjutsu, which are big, screen-clearing special attacks. Coins earned in battle are used at an in-game shop to purchase additional moves to expand Musashi’s basic moveset.

(Credit: Sega/PCMag)

In addition to learning moves, you can adjust Musashi's abilities to match your playstyle by using amulets, items that offer passive and active buffs. For example, the passive Medic Lite amulet slightly boosted my healing capabilities, while the active Combo amulet increased my overall strength during combos featuring 15 hits or more. These simple additions add depth and replayability that keep the hacking and slashing from getting stale.

Expertly Crafted Levels

As you explore levels, some areas remain inaccessible until you unlock the right Ningi move. Ningi are mobility actions that let you climb or break through obstacles to find a level's secrets—and there are many mysteries. Collectibles and combat challenges litter the levels, as well as unlockable outfits, amulets, and weapons waiting to be unlocked. Unlike the typical Metroidvania, Shinobi's backtracking is easy, thanks to fast travel.

(Credit: Sega/PCMag)

These light Metroidvania elements expand the surprisingly large levels and encourage replayability. However, in later levels, you’ll likely have what you need to bust through the obstacle upon its discovery. But unlike a proper Metroidvania, these levels aren't interconnected. Instead, they’re broken out in distinct stages, with each stage typically ending in a boss fight. There are plenty of callbacks to Shinobi's arcade roots, and moments when the encounters are more aligned with a beat 'em up.

You'll fight along rooftops, on a moving train, in a desert, and at a military base, among other locales. Some levels task you with getting from point A to B in larger maps, while other levels give you a clearer objective, like saving orphans scattered around different points. These levels are expertly crafted, and I knew where to go without a large arrow flashing on the screen. Some levels have chase sequences that really test your reflexes, and I came across more than a few platforming challenges that would make Super Meat Boy blush. These moments are when Shinobi shines the brightest. 

Despite modernizing Shinobi, the developers didn't ease up on the difficulty. Although certain enemy encounters are frustrating, I never felt like the difficulty slipped into unfair territory. If you find it too challenging, check out the game's wide range of accessibility options. You're free to tweak several elements, including enemy damage and health. You can even lower the hit count required for Combo amulets. Still, Shinobi has a few pain points. Later stages, in particular, are filled with environmental traps that instantly kill you if you're not careful.