Ninja Gaiden Ragebound review: A masterclass in 2D action platforming

Tecmo’s Ninja Gaiden games are infamous for their difficulty, from the NES era trilogy of punishing side-scrolling action platformers to the modern Team Ninja games. The latest entry in that franchise, Ninja Gaiden: Ragebound, doesn’t strive to be that hard; instead, it focuses on offering a compelling set of combat tools, tight platforming and action, and a strong case for the Ninja Gaiden series to continue in 2D.

It’s a perfect entry point for new fans of Ninja Gaiden and a must-play for fans of 2D platforming action.

Ninja Gaiden: Ragebound stars Kenji Mozu, an apprentice of series star Ryu Hayabusa and a member of the Hayabusa village ninja clan. While Ryu is off adventuring in America, Kenji’s village is attacked by demons with designs on world domination by bringing their demon lord to power over humanity.

Kenji is a capable ninja on his own; he can dispatch most enemies with a slash of his katana, and overcome dangers and reach great heights using a somersault move called the Guillotine Boost that evokes Ryu Hayabusa’s 8-bit flips. That Guillotine Boost technique sees Kenji jump and bounce off enemies using his drawn sword. It’s instrumental in platforming challenges when leaping across bottomless pits, in boss battles, and when dealing with flying enemies.

Kenji’s abilities also include moves like a dodge roll, which offers brief invincibility, and Hypercharged Attacks, which let him power up for a deadly slash that can bisect foes and stun bosses. Hypercharge can be gained by killing certain enemies (who are noted by a glowing aura) or by sacrificing a sliver of health. And certain enemies and obstacles are best overcome with Hypercharge, which adds a strategic layer to combat. When faced with a hulking enemy, or one with a big shield, you’re going to want to, well, aura farm.

But Kenji’s abilities become much more interesting when he fuses with the spirit of a rival ninja clan member, Kumori. You play briefly as Kumori in Ragebound to learn her move set, which is more range-focused — she throws kunai, and has most of Kenji’s abilities too. The Kenji-Kumori coupling supercharges our hero, giving him a more complex and compelling set of tools. That includes multiple projectile options and a screen-clearing super move called a Ragebound Art.

Kenji and Kumori’s toolset continues to expand throughout Ninja Gaiden: Ragebound’s six to eight hours. There’s an in-game shop where you can purchase talismans that alter Kenji’s abilities and perks, and even swap out Kumori’s projectiles for different kinds of throwables. Even Ragebound Arts can be customized to fit your playstyle; you can swap the mass-damage attack for one that refills Kenji’s health or gives him a whirling shield of death, for example.

While Ninja Gaiden: Ragebound offers variety to play style, its levels are firmly structured. Enemies are placed or appear reliably, offering a clear critical path to pursue and a rhythm to the action. Even when experiencing each level for the first time, and playing sloppily, I could see very clear ways to improve, and a well-designed cadence with which to play. Ragebound is built with perfecting runs through levels in mind. And while I scored a solid B rating on many levels, I could see pathways to earn A and S rankings with practice and patience.

There’s plenty of replay in Ninja Gaiden: Ragebound, plus optional ways to make the game harder for Ninja Gaiden enthusiasts/masochists. The in-game shop offers talismans that debuff Kenji, or make checkpointing less friendly. And Ragebound is pretty friendly in most regards. While some bosses are challenging, checkpointing is frequent and those checkpoints are smartly placed. The game generously grants health refills and spaces to take a breath. Levels reload very quickly, and you need only listen to a demon boss’ anti-human diatribe just once.

In addition to playing spectacularly, Ninja Gaiden: Ragebound is both graphically and aurally delightful. The Game Kitchen’s sprite work is fantastic; Kenji and Kumori animate fluidly and clearly, as do their enemies, which cleanly telegraph attacks. The game’s music stands out as an overall homage to ninja games of yore: There are notes of 8-bit Ninja Gaiden games and a bit of Shinobi’s blend of classic Japanese music and ’90s techno.

I have almost nothing negative to say about Ninja Gaiden: Ragebound, other than that it ends too soon. But there are plenty of hidden secrets, side missions, and challenges to chase down after the story wraps. Ninja Gaiden: Ragebound is a wonderful surprise, a game that captures the heart and soul of multiple eras of Ninja Gaiden games and manages to stand on its own, thanks to solid gameplay, tight controls, and a sharp presentation.

Ninja Gaiden: Ragebound is available on Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Windows PC, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X. The game was reviewed on PS5 using a pre-release download code provided by publisher Dotemu.