Ninja Gaiden: Ragebound (2025)

Like shinespark, I was having a decent time with Ninja Gaiden: Ragebound at the start (as it picked up after some initial lows) but the rigidity of the game’s mechanics eventually lead to a very flat overall experience. And without the incredible atmosphere and thematic weight that The Game Kitchen brought to its two Blasphemous titles, I think I have to accept that I’m just not a fan of their actual game design. As much as I liked the Blasphemous games well enough for their gorgeous visuals and Catholic allegory and symbolism, I found the games simply fall flat on the mechanical side, both in terms of overall movement and combat, and in overall challenge. If not for the fact that the games are oozing in style, I don’t think I’d have a lot to remember them by.

I was hoping Ninja Gaiden: Ragebound would be a departure, something with snappier movement and challenging bosses. But it didn’t deliver on either front. The game is laser focused on hyperboost and guilotine boost attacks that it funnels everything you do towards the two, providing little in the way of variety. It’s quite fun in bursts but when you spend the entire game repeating these two actions, and knowing to expect a mob that will grant you a hyperboost each time you see a heavy enemy, the game begins to feel like it has tunnel vision. I really wish the Game Kitchen had built more options into their combat system and not leaned on something that grows to be one note carried across an entire game.

And as much as the pixel art is pretty, it lacks the thematic weight that the imagery in Blasphemous to carry the game in the wake of its limited combat options. Which worries me, because after three games I’m starting to feel The Game Kitchen’s strength is style over mechanical substance. But if that style is heavily bound to interesting themes that they can’t bring to an existing franchise like Ninja Gaiden, will their competent yet routine mechanical design start to wear thin. I hope I’m wrong, but given I’ve had reservations about their mechanical design as early as the first Blasphemous I’m not overly surprised this game isn’t as much fun as I hoped it would be.

I know this game was gonna be good, but it was excellent. Amazing pixel art, great music inspired by the chiptune melodies of the classic Ninja Gaiden and PERFECT gameplay that keeps the simple, elegant style of the old game with new ideas that create really interesting gameplay moments. The level of challenge is also perfect, with a lot of optional harder challenges and accesibility options for those who just want a chill ninja adenture.

The story is mediocre but some will say that it doesn't matte in this kind of games. Even with that issue, is one of the best games of 2025. Read my full review in spanish here.

Also, the CIA are the bad guys. That's on point.

I enjoyed this one more than the first two Ninja Gaiden's(Sigma and Black 2) I played earlier this year, although its hard to compare 2d action to 3d action. Very tight and fun gameplay, with some cool twists on the genre. Game can be quite tough and even reach "NES Hard" but never goes too overboard, except maybe in some of the optional content. There was one specific secret challenge I tried for over an hour and I'm not convinced it's possible without pixel perfection.

For what little the story is, what's presented is pretty nice. The main character(s) are quite enjoyable and charming, and the bosses are great. I saw another review here pointing out art style isn't great, and I agree. This feels like a game from a previous era, but if it were released during the SNES years it would be considered one of the best,

8.5/10