Ninja Gaiden: Ragebound TLDR Battle Card Review
This TLDR battle card might be the most interesting one I’ve tried to do yet because most of my Pros might very well be someone else’s Cons.
I’ll start by saying that Ninja Gaiden: Ragebound is pretty much everything fans of the classic series could’ve hoped for. It’s arcade-y, classic, and nostalgic but also new and revived for 2025. It takes a beloved IP and puts it in the extremely adept hands of a talented indie dev, The Game Kitchen (known for the Blasphemous games).
Aside from Sabotage Studio’s The Messenger, no game I can think of has even come close to evoking this feeling of old school 2D Ninja Gaiden. Unlike the upcoming Shinobi: Art of Vengeance - another fantastic ninja revival - this 2D action game has less in common with things like sidescrolling Metroidvanias. Rather, it shares more DNA with tough as nails run n’ gun games and precision platformers.
And given the need for precision, I’m happy to report that Ragebound has some of the best feeling controls that I’ve ever encountered in a video game. Add to that some gorgeous pixel art, bopping music, fast-paced levels, and cool boss fights and you’ve got a recipe for a great time.
What’s more, the satisfaction I got from going back to replay levels to grab collectibles I missed or complete certain challenges was immense. It hit me that the sense of progression in this game comes from mastering what seemed impossible at first, going from 30 minutes to clear a level down to 5 (although the same can’t really be said for a consistent feeling of reward coming from the abilities you unlock).
I also really enjoyed the dynamic leading duo in Kenji and Kumori. Sure, it’s very stereotypical love/hate, enemies to friends with a heaping helping of playful sarcasm. But it’s a great fit for the turn-off-your-brain, dumb action plot that has you fighting both demon lords and the CIA. It’s all wonderfully cheesy.
But one man’s cheese is another man’s… well cheese. Same could be said of the level of challenge. What I enjoyed here might very well turn someone else off.
Same goes for other factors like the game’s total run time (10-15 hours on average, but with the opportunity to double that if you go for all the challenges and the true ending) or even the level of accessibility on offer.
Sure, the game has some really mindful options that I love to see - like not only a more readable modern font vs. the default retro text, but a dyslexic-friendly font too. Also, rather than just an “easy” mode, it gives players options to tweak individual gameplay elements like damage received and knockback.
But given the need for really precise platforming in the midst of punishing action, the game’s design inherently limits its accessibility for certain motor disabilities. Plus, given the nature of the pixel art, some of its “readability” may be hindered for blind/low vision players.
Overall, my review could be summed up as this: Ninja Gaiden: Ragebound is an awesome game. The kind of retro revival fans hope for. But it’s a polarizing niche of action platformer that may be too retro in its approach to gameplay, difficulty, and level design to have a wide appeal for modern audiences.
It really is the kind of game that merits a personal recommendation based on what you like, what you’re in the mood for, and what your accessibility needs are. That said, for the game’s reasonable asking price ($25 USD), it might be a worthwhile gamble if you’re even moderately inclined to check it out!
