Ninja Gaiden: Ragebound grabs you from the first frame. It wears its retro roots proudly, with crisp pixel art and bold animations that echo the series’ 8- and 16-bit origins, but there’s a modern bite underneath the surface. This isn’t just a tribute to the roots of the franchise, it’s a high-paced modern take on a classic.
You step into the role of Kenji, a young ninja trained under Ryu Hayabusa, and from the moment you gain control, the game throws you into that classic Gaiden rhythm: wall-jumps, air slashes, and ruthless enemy placements that demand split-second timing. Guillotine Boosts chaining momentum by bouncing off enemies or projectiles, keep you airborne longer than feels fair, and it’s glorious.
The difficulty is exactly what you’d expect: sharp, fast, and punishing. But it never feels unfair. Every time you die, you know why. It pushes you, yes, but it also teaches you. That old-school loop of learning through failure is alive and well — and it feels more addictive than ever.
Besides Kenji, you’ll also play as Kumori, a rival kunoichi with ranged abilities and teleporting moves. Her style is a brilliant contrast to Kenji’s close-quarters chaos, and switching between them opens up new paths, combos, and tactical options. At certain moments, the two even fuse into a single unit, blending their skill sets for short bursts of sheer destruction.
Boss fights are exactly what you’d hope for: brutal, multi-phase, and visually spectacular. You’re constantly juggling positioning, cooldowns, and reflexes and when you finally land that finishing blow, the sense of relief and triumph is real.
Beyond the gameplay, the overall vibe is on point. The soundtrack slaps with heavy riffs, the sound design cuts deep, and the whole package feels like a high-octane arcade cabinet reborn for a modern crowd.
Based on this demo, Ninja Gaiden: Ragebound feels like a true revival done right. It understands what made the originals iconic and builds on that legacy with tighter mechanics, dual-character depth, and a pace that rarely lets you breathe. It’s demanding, stylish, and deeply satisfying.
