A visual feast that brings a dormant legend up to date without betraying it. Short but dense, demanding just enough, it replays with pleasure as you hone your style.
Your verdict
Category
Action1 player12+
Description
A revival of the Shinobi license handed to Lizardcube and published by Sega in 2025. Joe Musashi returns in a lavishly animated 2D action game blending katana combos, ninja arts and snappy platforming. Its visual style carries the signature of the studio behind Streets of Rage 4.
Shinobi: Art of Vengeance review
MAX
Art direction
★★★★★
"Iconic"
4/5
Music
★★★★★
"Excellent"
3/5
Story
★★★★★
"Solid"
From the Streets of Rage 4 studio, the hand-drawn animation is a constant spectacle: movement of rare fluidity, sumptuous backgrounds and a sense of style in every frame. The art direction restores a dormant legend to the top of the genre.
Gameplay
"Masterful"
Every katana string answers with millimeter precision: combos, dodges and ninja arts bind in a flow of exemplary fluidity. The perfect readability and snappy movement make mastery a dance as beautiful as it is rewarding.
Fun
"From the very first seconds"
Slashing with the katana has never been so instantly satisfying: combos snap, dodges dart and the animation glorifies every move. The fun starts from the first second, each fight settling into a taut ballet you want to replay just to make it look better.
The bosses punctuate the adventure with stylized duels, lavishly animated and cleanly patterned, rewarding the perfect dodge and katana counter. Each fight settles like a choreography you want to replay just to pull it off with flair.
