There are two great things about Ninja Gaiden: Ragebound, especially if you’re a massive fan of the franchise. The first one is that this is a truly fantastic 2D platformer, possibly the best side-scrolling game in the entire franchise (and let’s face it, the first few NES Ninja Gaiden games haven’t aged well at all). The second is that, well, this isn’t even the last Ninja Gaiden we’ll get this year. Nor was it the first. We started off the year with a pretty dope remaster of Ninja Gaiden 2, with the Platinum-developed Ninja Gaiden 4 slated for an October 2025 release. There ain’t no better way to warm up for that brand new piece of insanity than by having a blast with this smaller, but equally awesome appetizer.

So, is this just another nostalgia-infused recreation of the classic NES-era Ninja Gaiden games, a reboot of sorts? Shockingly enough, no. You don’t even play as Ryu Hayabusa to begin with. Instead, you play as another student of the Hayabusa clan, Kenji, who leaves on a mission whilst Ryu is doing his thing in the United States. Yep, this game is a side story to the original 1988 Ninja Gaiden – a gaiden of Gaiden, if you will. In essence, this is a smaller-scale story enhanced by some impressive storytelling, a twist revolving the fact the spirit of a kunai-throwing kunoichi is inhabiting your body, and, of course, some sick gameplay.

My initial expectation (which was also a mild concern) was the possibility of Ninja Gaiden: Ragebound being a metroidvania, considering the fact it was developed by the same team behind both Blasphemous games. Even if the idea sounded great on paper, we kinda already have a Ninja Gaiden-esque metroidvania in The Messenger, and topping it would have been a nearly impossible task. Thankfully, Ragebound is a level-based experience that lets you revisit previously tackled stages in any order. It’s a lot more loyal to old-school Ninja Gaiden than initially expected, but it managed to retain what worked in these older titles, and fix what didn’t.

Some of the retained elements include: a higher-than-average emphasis on cutscenes and storytelling, the fast-paced platforming bliss that made people fall in love with Ninja Gaiden in the first place, wall-climbing and hopping, and a partial recreation of the first few games’ combat. Regarding the latter, there is a clear nod to how those games used to function combat-wise, but your weapons have more reach, you pack a bit more punch, and you have access to a much larger assortment of secondary weapons, which are wielded by the spirit of the kunoichi inhabiting your body. Depending on your loadout, you might even equip yourself with a special amulet that allows you to restore health.

Fixes include a reduction of the obnoxious flinching animation whenever you get hit (you get pushed a bit, but you don’t fly towards another state like before), a slightly reduced amount of enemies onscreen, as well as a more fair and generous amount of checkpoints per level. This doesn’t exactly make Ninja Gaiden: Ragebound a cakewalk. You will still die every now and then due to an endless pit, and boss battles are still very tough. In fact, they are the biggest roadblock between you and the progression of the plot. You will die quite often when fighting bosses, but thanks to fast loading times and checkpoints right in front of their battle arenas, dying isn’t demotivating. It’s the quintessential “keep trying until you succeed” experience.

Even if you’re possessed by the spirit of a kunoichi, the gameplay doesn’t feel that different from older Ninja Gaiden titles. In essence, you’ll mostly play as Kenji, with his spirit pal being playable in select sessions, when she’s able to momentarily explore a side reality with additional platforms and enemies. Elsewhere, the main addition to the gameplay is the possibility to perform a Guillotine Slash – in essence, if you press the jump button atop an enemy while you’re airbone, you can perform an additional jump whilst damaging them. You can chain this jump attack onto multiple enemies at once, basically turning them into pogo sticks. This opens up more level design possibilities at the same time.

To top things off, we’re treated to some top-notch visuals and soundtrack. I wasn’t expecting anything less than fantastic from the makers of Blasphemous, and the publishing team behind Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Shredder’s Revenge. We’ve got some incredibly top-quality pixel art, 2D animation and background environments. To be fair, the only negative aspect I can think of regarding the visuals is that there are just some occasionally really poor cutscenes. Nothing too egregious, but still worth nothing. Furthermore, the soundtrack is just fan-freaking-tastic. When it comes to Ragebound‘s entire sound department, I have no complaints. It’s simply phenomenal.

I don’t think it’s even a hyperbole or a controversy to state that Ninja Gaiden: Ragebound is the best 2D Ninja Gaiden ever made. With the exception of the occasionally tough roadblock in the shape of a challenging boss battle, as well as very occasionally cheap custscenes, this is just fantastic. It’s a lot more balanced, more polished, more enjoyable than any of its side-scrolling predecessors. And the best part about it all, it’s not even the last Ninja Gaiden we’re getting this year. Be it as a perfect companion piece for your portable PC or Switch, appetizer for the upcoming Ninja Gaiden 4, or just your next speedrunning challenge, Ragebound is a resounding achievement.

Graphics: 9.0 Some incredibly top-quality pixel art, 2D animation and level design. It’s only held back by some occasionally really poor cutscenes.	Gameplay: 9.5 An evolved take on the traditional, 2D side of Ninja Gaiden. Responsive controls, pristine collision detection, slight puzzle-solving, and contextual visual cues that pretty much tell you what you’re supposed to do in a level without ever needing to deal with text boxes or tutorials.
Sound: 10 It’s so good, I’m lost for words. Basically every single song in this soundtrack is utterly memorable, epic, adrenaline-filled… I think you got the point.	Fun Factor: 8.5 There’s no denying that this is the best 2D Ninja Gaiden ever made. It’s incredibly well-put. With the exception of the occasional tough roadblock in the shape of a challenging boss battle, it’s also a lot more fair and enjoyable than any of its older counterparts.
Final Verdict: 9.0

Ninja Gaiden: Ragebound is available now on PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series S/X, PC and Switch.

Reviewed on Intel i7-12700H, 16GB RAM, RTX 3060 6GB and Asus ROG Ally.

A copy of Ninja Gaiden: Ragebound was provided by the publisher.