Shinobi: Art of Vengeance Hands-on Preview
I was never a Mega Drive kid, so I have no real history with the Shinobi IP. I am well aware that it had a sterling reputation, but I never got the chance to dive in and try it. So when I sat down with a preview build of Shinobi: Art of Vengeance, I really had no idea what to expect. Sure, I knew it was a platformer, but apart from that, I was clueless. The one thing I didn’t expect was to immediately fall in love and for Shinobi to rocket up my most anticipated games for 2025, but that’s exactly what happened.
For those that don’t know, Shinobi: Art of Vengeance is a brand new entry in the long-dormant SEGA franchise being developed by those same cool cats that revived Streets of Rage a few years ago. You can see similarities for sure, with a similar (stunning) art style and a deft hand at updating old game mechanics for modern gamers on show. This has been clearly made by a dedicated team that not only understands what made the classic game great, but also how that formula needed to evolve for modern taste.
My time with the game was limited, but I did get to play the first 45 mins or so. The first thing that struck me was just how good it felt to play. There are quite a few systems on show, with attacks, dodges, quick-kills, magic and platforming all coming together, but it all just felt natural, smooth and easy to grasp. In no time at all, I felt like a badass Ninja, slicing and dicing my way through complex platforming levels, and it was glorious. The way attacks chain together, the sublime platforming and excellent enemy design all combined to make this one of the best action platforming experiences that I have tackled since I first booted up Dead Cells all those years ago.
I just couldn’t get enough of the hand-drawn graphical style either. It was stunning. From the backgrounds, to the enemies, to the lead character, everything was simply beautiful. When the action ramped up, I was treated to a wonder of crisp, seemingly hand-drawn effects, ultra-fast (lag-free) combat and flashy finishing moves that created a feast for these old eyes. I honestly could just sit and watch someone else play it; it is just that good-looking.
As I said, I only got 45 minutes with the game, and I was gutted when I had to hand the controller back to the PR rep sitting with me. Shinobi: Art of Vengeance wasn’t even on my radar until I sat down with it, and now, well, there are very few games that I am anticipating more. This is shaping up to be an absolute masterclass in action platforming if my time is any indication, and I implore you all to keep a close eye on it. I’m confident that it is going to be an absolute cracker when it releases on the 29th of August on basically every system known to man.
