Shinobi: Art of Vengeance Reviews
God, this game is awesome. Shinobi: Art of Vengeance felt like the dream mixture of a Devil May Cry game with a beloved Saturday morning cartoon’s theatrical movie. The story and characters are so over the top, covering ninjas, private armies, yokai, death itself and all sorts of crazy shenanigans and ... it just gets the blood pumping! It’s not perfect, but it’s awesome. In some ways I feel like it could have been ambitious enough for an even higher score – a little more time given to the story and characters in between the incredible gameplay may have pushed it further, but it didn’t truly have to. Shinobi: Art of Vengeance is as awesome as kids in the 90s thought ninjas were, and more. Sega may be old, but between this and Crosswords… they proved that they still got it!
SHINOBI: Art of Vengeance is one of the most convincing returns of recent years. Extraordinary in the combat system and visually, a little limp in the platforming, but overall excellent.
Review in Italian | Read full review
After more than 10 hours spent inside the game Shinobi: Art Of Vengeance, we see the creativity of the game's developers in every detail. They created a masterpiece in the platformer genre, as the game's stages were diverse, with each stage distinguished from the other by a different artistic style, different environments, and varied ideas in the gameplay. This was accompanied by a great diversification of skills, special abilities, and sequential combat moves, diverse enemies, and bosses distinct from one another with their dazzling fighting styles. Likewise, exploration was a perfect point; it attracts you to search for every secret on the map with enjoyable activities featuring great challenges and excellent rewards.
Review in Arabic | Read full review
While perhaps not every idea works as well as the others, this blend of homage to the past and refined modern touches is easy to get invested in
Lizardcube revives SEGA's iconic franchise with Shinobi: Art of Vengeance, a game centered around revenge and a dynamic, highly satisfying combat system that provides plenty of entertainment and fun, while the artistic style makes it a delight to behold. And despite a few minor issues, the game offers an excellent experience.
Review in Spanish | Read full review
SEGA's ninja is back in action thanks to Lizardcube who, after Wonder Boy and Streets of Rage 4, is churning out a new unmissable title.
Review in Italian | Read full review
Shinobi Revenge Strike is a truly immersive 2D action platformer that is not only a joy to watch, but even more engaging to play.
Review in Korean | Read full review
Lizardcube delivers another brilliant revival to a classic Sega property with Shinobi: Art of Vengeance!
Shinobi Art of Vengeance is a masterclass of a Metroidvania that delivers on every front, especially the combat which is both easy to play but really hard to master, making it really satisfying.
Review in Portuguese | Read full review
With Shinobi: Art of Vengeance, Lizardcube has proven that its success with Streets of Rage 4 was no fluke and that it was the perfect studio to revive one of Sega’s most iconic franchises. Their strong work here gives me hope that we might one day see a full-fledged modern revival of another beloved Sega classic: Comix Zone.
Shinobi: Art of Vengeance is not a game that sets new standards. But it is one that impresses with its craftsmanship, clear sense of style, and palpable attention to detail. It takes familiar mechanics from classic action games and combines them with modern technology and a well-designed combat system. The result is a game that keeps you hooked for long periods of time. The heart of the game is clearly the combat system. It is challenging, precise, and rewards players who are willing to get into its rhythm. Parries, dodges, and attacks mesh cleanly, creating a satisfying gameplay experience even after hours of play. Those who enjoy direct, tactical close combat will find plenty to enjoy here. The story, on the other hand, remains rather superficial. It provides the necessary framework without really setting any accents. Characters and dialogues remain vague, but the game knows that its strength lies elsewhere, namely in atmosphere, style, and mechanics. Visually, Shinobi impresses with its clear aesthetics. The hand-drawn environments, combined with subtle effects, create a unique, almost calm mood that fits the setting well. It's clear that a lot of work has gone into the small details. The bottom line is that Shinobi: Art of Vengeance is a solid, well-rounded action game that knows its roots and uses them to form something of its own. It's an example of how coherent game design, clear mechanics, and visual consistency can come together to create a compelling overall picture.
Review in German | Read full review
Shinobi: Art of Vengeance is, without mincing words, one of the best titles of 2025. Lizardcube and SEGA have not only succeeded in resurrecting Joe Musashi, but have done so with such exquisite quality that it instantly becomes the most compelling chapter in a saga spanning almost four decades. Aesthetically fabulous and playfully exciting, the new venture from the creators of Streets of Rage 4 is a must-have for all fans of action platformers and lovers of quality gaming.
Review in Italian | Read full review
A slick and stylish revival that captures the spirit of classic Shinobi while adding modern polish. Tight combat, striking visuals, and smart level design make this a must-play for fans of ninja action.
As a triumphant return to a long-running series, Shinobi: Art of Vengeance is an experience that fans will really enjoy diving into. It has beautiful visuals that make every aspect of its action-packed journey feel epic, while also challenging players with some classical-inspired platforming and combat. While the plot of the game may not resonate with everyone who plays, there was definitely a lot of time and care put into every aspect of the story that compliments the gameplay and presentation that will draw the most attention.
Shinobi: Art of Vengeance is a triumphant return for Joe Musashi and his action-platforming ninja franchise. The combat feels like you are a badass shadow warrior on a quest for justice in a world where ninjas, mercs and demons are all out to get you, but you know they can’t touch you because you’re the freaking SHINOBI.
Shinobi: Art of Vengeance manages to recapture the franchise's signature style while applying modern, fluid gameplay that highlights Musashi as an unstoppable warrior. The story is a classic revenge arc that serves its purpose by imbuing the confrontations with a sense of urgency and violence. The pace of the fights, both against regular enemies and bosses, is addictive and keeps you playing without even noticing the time passing. It's an essential experience for Shinobi fans, as it honors the series' legacy and once again opens the door for Joe Musashi to stand out among SEGA's greatest modern franchises for a new audience.
Review in Portuguese | Read full review
Lizardcube proves its mastery in reviving classics with Shinobi: Art of Vengeance, blending engaging gameplay, stunning art, and beautiful music into a delightful experience that makes you wish other forgotten gems received the same treatment.
Review in Persian | Read full review
In Shinobi: Art of Vengeance, Joe Musashi’s return is bold, violent, fun, challenging, colorful, and full of personality, held back only by its repetitive level design and uneven checkpoint system.
Review in Portuguese | Read full review
Shinobi: Art of Vengeance represents a triumphant return for the saga, combining the nostalgia of classic titles with modern metroidvania-style innovations. The game delivers a complete experience, featuring deep and layered combat, levels packed with secrets and challenges, outstanding 2D graphics, and a memorable soundtrack. Both longtime fans and new players will find in this title an exciting, challenging, and rewarding adventure, one that reaffirms the legendary allure of Joe Musashi in 2025.
Review in Italian | Read full review
In not adhering to the philosophy of previous 2D Shinobi titles, Shinobi: Art of Vengeance instead does its own thing, for better and for worse. It's a game that revels in its own excess, asking how many bells and whistles it can add to the core action platforming experience before finally hitting a ceiling. In doing this, it makes for a game that I am tempted to say is one-of-a-kind, but in losing the elegance and no-frills nature of previous titles, it becomes bloated too. It's strange for me to look at a game I like this much, and I still wind up asking myself whether it really needed quite a few of the things it did. That being said, I did often forget about these problems in the midst of play, enjoying myself as I combo’d enemies across rooms or searched for any secrets I missed. While I’m hopeful that the next game is a bit more lean and purposeful, this experience is still nothing if not artful.