NINJA GAIDEN: Ragebound – Everything You Need to Know

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In 2025, enthusiasts of ninja-themed games are in for a treat. Following the success of “Assassin’s Creed: Shadows”, a Japanese subterfuge fantasy, comes the 2D side-scrolling revival of “Shinobi” titled “Art of Vengeance”. While “Shinobi” is well-known, it might be argued that the “Ninja Gaiden” series holds even more iconic status. Interestingly, not one but three new “Ninja Gaiden” games are set to release this year, promising a promising future for this legendary gaming series. “Ninja Gaiden: Ragebound” is a modern take on the original trilogy’s side-scrolling action, ensuring that it’s not just nostalgia-bait by providing essential information before purchase.

Where it fits, chronologically

Reflect, if you will, on the year 1988. In this time, Ryu Hayabusa embarks on a journey of vengeance following his father’s demise, leading him to a futuristic United States. Simultaneously, in the village where he originates, a mysterious portal opens, allowing demonic forces to invade the world. With Ryu away on his quest, his disciple Kenji Mozu, the main character of “Ninja Gaiden: Ragebound,” steps up to defend the village from the threatening demons. It appears that the events taking place in “Ragebound” transpire concurrently with Ryu’s adventures in the 1988 games “Ninja Gaiden.

There is a prologue

Introducing players to the story of Ragebound, a playable prologue is provided that showcases Ryu’s father’s command and ultimately his demise. This was a groundbreaking approach in video games, as seen in between-level scenes of the Ninja Gaiden series, where cinematic moments like Ryu Hayabusa’s father’s epic duel (as depicted in the 1988 original intro) were not commonly found. In Ninja Gaiden: Ragebound, players can live through these pivotal events leading up to Hayabusa senior’s death and Hayabusa junior’s escape.

Extreme difficulty

An essential aspect of the enduring reputation of Ninja Gaiden – from its arcade and NES days to its groundbreaking 3D transitions at the turn of the century – lies in its intense difficulty. The 8-bit and 16-bit side-scrollers were merciless in their challenges, requiring near-perfect timing for every slash during encounters. While modern gamers might not have had to hone these skills, if you’re up for the challenge, Ninja Gaiden: Ragebound includes an extremely difficult mode that can be unlocked once levels are completed.

Base difficulty not too challenging

Stepping into the world of Ninja Gaiden: Ragebound, let me tell you, this isn’t a walk in the park for any gamer. However, true to its roots, it merges the notorious difficulty of the series with contemporary refinements like swift controls and meticulously designed levels that dance under your fingers. The gameplay in Ragebound is as smooth as a ninja’s blade, making any missteps squarely on us players – it’s so responsive! Once you’ve got the hang of the level layouts, timed down to muscle memory, even casual gamers won’t feel too beaten up.

Gameplay and combat design

In the game Ragebound, advancement follows the conventional format of levels, requiring a mastery of both flawless platforming and tactical combat. Upon concluding each level, players receive evaluations based on the time spent completing it, the number of enemies eliminated, and the style or finesse employed in their kills, such as utilizing combos and power-ups.

In the game ‘Ninja Gaiden: Ragebound’, combat isn’t about dealing more hits making it harder, quite the opposite. Enemies are often defeated with a single katana stroke or kunai throw. The combat design wouldn’t be realistic if Kenji had to hone his blades excessively, considering he is a student of Ryu’s. His equipment is capable, so yes, every enemy can be swiftly dispatched with one strike. However, the difficulty increases through precise timing and an overwhelming number of enemies. An additional challenge arises from the enemies’ glowing auras, which suggest – not command – the weapon to use for their defeat. Blue auras indicate katana kills, while purple auras signal ranged kunai attacks. You can kill enemies with whatever weapon you prefer, but matching the weapon to the aura color grants access to a Hypercharge powerup attack. We’ll delve deeper into Hypercharge in its own entry later on.

Hypercharge

Incorrect versions of Ragebound’s enemies can’t be defeated with just one hit. However, some of Kenji’s adversaries pose more challenges. But don’t worry, Kenji has a secret move – Hypercharge! He can increase his power by absorbing some of his own health or by killing enemies according to their aura color. This allows him to launch a stronger attack that can even knock down tougher opponents. On screens with various enemy types, quick thinking and precision are key; you need to strategically target larger enemies based on their auras and take them down with single powerful strikes. It’s like solving a dance of destruction!

Two playable characters

In the game “Ragebound,” players aren’t limited to controlling only Kenji. At certain points in the story, another character named Kumori, who is a member of Hayabusa and an adversary of the Black Spider Clan, appears. Despite having opposing ideologies, both Kumori and Kenji share a common destiny. They team up, and thanks to her spectral abilities, Kumori can traverse an underworld that Kenji cannot, even teleporting with kunai projectiles. This ability is particularly useful for solving time-based puzzles and opening new paths for Kenji’s progression. Moreover, she provides Kenji with some new weapons such as a throwing sickle and powerful Ragebound Arts, which can clear the screen.

Guillotine Boost

This novel mechanic maintains the smoothness of gameplay for Ragebound, once you’ve grasped its rhythm. In essence, Guillotine Boost allows Kenji to bounce off anything airborne (or near the ground as he prepares to land). This includes enemy heads, projectiles, specific enemy attacks, environmental elements, and obstacles. By utilizing these objects, Kenji can remain aloft. Multiple Guillotine Boosts can be linked together to access otherwise unattainable areas or, as demonstrated in Ninja Gaiden: Ragebound so far, to maintain a rhythmic flow to combat, combining it with aura kills and Hypercharge for seamless level progression without any pauses.

Replaying levels is rewarding

The side-scrolling action game, Ninja Gaiden: Ragebound, leverages its mostly linear structure to deliver an engaging experience reminiscent of its original trilogy. Repeating levels in this game offers a satisfying reward system – learning enemy patterns, mastering level design, pursuing better scores and faster completion times. Additionally, straying slightly off the main path can lead to intriguing platforming puzzles, hidden collectibles, or even currency that can be saved up and used at Muramasa’s shop.

Platforms, release date, price

The action game “Ninja Gaiden: Ragebound” is set to launch on PlayStation, Xbox consoles (old and new), as well as Nintendo Switch and PC via Steam on July 31st. The digital price has not been confirmed yet, but taking the prices of newly announced physical copies into account, fans can anticipate spending around £34.99 / $39.99 for the standard game. Physical versions of the game will be available for PS5 and Nintendo Switch, with a more expensive special edition also up for pre-order. Priced at £59.99 / $69.99, this special edition includes a cloth map, four metal pins, double-sided medal, poster, collector’s box, and will be available on September 12th. At the moment, there is no news about a physical Xbox version or a release on Nintendo Switch 2.

No plans for DLC

Currently, there are no DLC plans announced. It can’t be ruled out, however.

PC requirements

To play Ninja Gaiden: Ragebound on your computer, it’s essential to have a processor such as the Intel Core Duo E8300 or AMD Phenom II X2 550 (minimum requirement) or an upgraded one like the Intel Core Quad Q8300 or AMD Phenom II X3 710 (recommended, confirmed for 60FPS 1080p). Graphics-wise, a NVIDIA GeForce GT 220 or AMD Radeon HD 4550 with 1GB VRAM (minimum) or NVIDIA GeForce GT 640 4GB or AMD Radeon R7 250 2GB GPU (recommended) is needed. Additionally, ensure your system has at least 6GB of RAM for optimal performance.

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2025-07-11 17:14