Fourteen years is a long time to hold your breath. Shinobi: Art of Vengeance exhales with confidence: a side-scrolling action-platformer that restores Joe Musashi to center stage and wraps him in lavish, hand-drawn animation. It’s a reboot, not a remake, built by Lizardcube with Sega’s direct involvement, and slated for August 28–29, 2025 depending on platform and region. Platforms include PS5/PS4, Xbox Series X|S/Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, and PC (Steam).
New to Musashi? I’ve charted the Shinobi series timeline and legacy and compared classic entries to modern reboots in Ninja platformers, then and now.
No. It’s a series reboot with new levels, systems, and art—respectful of the arcade roots but designed as a contemporary 2D action game.
The antagonist is Lord Ruse, the ruthless head of ENE Corp, whose assault on Oboro Village sets Joe Musashi on a globe-trotting vendetta.
Lizardcube—the studio behind Streets of Rage 4—develops the game in close collaboration with Sega.
Lizardcube’s hand-drawn approach turns every backdrop into a moving print: markets drenched in neon rain, bamboo forests in chiaroscuro, and industrial labs filled with glassy menace. The visual identity isn’t nostalgia for nostalgia’s sake; it’s animated clarity that keeps readability high as you juggle foes and thread platforming gauntlets. Multiple critics highlight the art direction and the clean readability of its combat.
At its core, Art of Vengeance is a combo-forward brawler-platformer. You slice with light/heavy strings, weave in kunai, and cash out with Execution finishers that drop resources and restore momentum. Ninpo specials occupy customizable slots, while Ninjutsu is a higher-octane meter you’ll often bank for bosses. Post-game Arcade and Boss Rush modes reward mastery; generous checkpoints keep the main path approachable.
No two stages follow the same blueprint. Expect rooftop sprints on a speeding train, hostage rescues across vertical skylines, and creature-feature detours through ENE’s bio-labs. It’s linear by structure—not a Metroidvania—but earlier stages invite returns once movement tools (glider, claws, grappling hook) are unlocked, opening secret routes and optional encounters.
The plot keeps the edges sharp: Oboro clan under siege, world in ENE’s grip, Musashi on the march. Dialogue is brisk, punctuated by physical comedy beats rather than monologues—a stylistic nod noticed in hands-on previews and reviews.
Looking for a practical “test” before buying? The free demo provides a representative slice of combat timing and input latency on your platform. Early reviews describe moderate baseline difficulty with unlimited lives and generous checkpoints, then optional modes for players who want a steeper climb. That balance makes score-chasing and speedrunning feel inviting rather than punitive.
For deeper numbers and controller feel across similar games, see 2D action performance benchmarks and my input-latency & frame pacing explainer.
With Ninja Gaiden: Ragebound already lighting up the leaderboards, Shinobi arrives into a crowded—frankly, glorious—season for 2D action. Ragebound leans toward tighter, punishing precision; Shinobi favors flowing strings, expressive specials, and painterly swagger. Different blades, same sharp discipline.
Art of Vengeance threads the classic Shinobi blade through modern cloth: lush 2D art, readable combat, and enough optional challenge to keep the high-score crowd busy. It’s welcoming without feeling weightless, stylish without losing substance—and it lands at precisely the right moment.
No. It’s a reboot—new content, new systems—honoring classic DNA.
Lord Ruse, commander of ENE Corp.
Lizardcube, with Sega’s direct support.
Aug 28–29, 2025, on PS5/PS4, Xbox Series X|S/Xbox One, Switch, and PC; demo available now.
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