Shinobi: Art of Vengeance Review – The One and Only

Among all the remakes that stick closely to the originals, there’s something special about revivals, where an old IP is brought back from cold storage, retaining all the fundamentals that made it so satisfying, but modernized and polished. It doesn’t need the most photo-realistic of visuals – just an innate understanding of the franchise and the creative freedom to capture it with contemporary technology. We’ve already seen it with The Game Kitchen’s Ninja Gaiden: Ragebound, an incredible tribute to NES titles of yore, complete with an aesthetic that’s as delightfully retro as it is sleek. Now, once again, we see it in Shinobi: Art of Vengeance.

Debuting in 1987 for arcades before coming to the Sega Master System in 1988, Shinobi is also a side-scrolling action platformer starring Joe Musashi, the relatively silent leader of the ninja clan and all-around one-man army. Despite being relegated to the shadows over the past decade, the franchise is as influential as Ninja Gaiden. And yet, there’s plenty about Art of Vengeance that sets it apart, offering an incredible side-scrolling action-adventure for fans of the original and newcomers alike.

The story focuses on the mysterious ENE Corp, led by Ruse, which has caused widespread havoc and chaos worldwide. In his infinite wisdom, he decides the best course of action is to attack Oboro Village, where Joe Musashi and his students are, destroying everything and turning the latter (save for one) into stone. His one mistake is leaving Joe alive, and thus begins a quest for vengeance.

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“Focusing more on heavy attacks and kunai will open up enemies to stylish executions, where Joe becomes a venerable shadowy silhouette, dicing through as they explode in splotches of red. Alternatively, it comes across as something painterly, giving a deeper meaning to the “art” of vengeance.”

This old-school approach is thankfully humanized in different ways, from Joe’s interaction with his wife, Naoko, to conversations with the enthusiastic Tomoe (who’s strangely the only one who can actually understand Joe). The self-serious atmosphere is all the more humorous when most characters, from the demonic shopkeeper to Ruse himself, can’t really understand what Joe is saying. None of it feels overdone, however, and the fantastic voice-acting only elevates the characters even more (and yes, that includes the requisite bosses who are destined to die).

Art of Vengeance wastes no time throwing you into the action, and, much like Ninja Gaiden: Ragebound, the controls are simply sublime. From the outset, Joe is capable of bouncing back and forth between walls to achieve greater heights, double-jumping, dive-kicking fools in the face, and so on. Additional tools, from the grappling hook and the glider to claws for slowly climbing walls, become available as you progress, adding to the movement repertoire while opening up optional areas.

The combat is something truly incredible, as its hack-and-slash, combo-focused nature is reminiscent of the 3D Ninja Gaidens. You have light and heavy attacks, which can chain together in predetermined combos and techniques, and you can throw kunai to eliminate smaller threats. Focusing more on heavy attacks and kunai will open up enemies to stylish executions, where Joe becomes a venerable shadowy silhouette, dicing through as they explode in splotches of red. Alternatively, it comes across as something painterly, giving a deeper meaning to the “art” of vengeance.

Aside from looking incredible and reinforcing the power fantasy, it only adds to your score and ensures more drops, including currency and health. So while you’re free to experiment with combos and hack opponents to pieces, skillful use of different moves and tools results in more efficient and rewarding resolutions. It also

That’s only the start of all the incredible ways that players can run roughshod on ENE Corp. A straightforward dodge roll can transition into other moves as much as vaulting over obstacles to maintain your platforming momentum. Dive-kicking into enemies is good, but it can be even better when you unlock the ability to chain into a spinning downward slash – perfect for tougher enemies.

“The real treat is in going off the beaten path (or rooftop) and exploring for secrets. You’ll encounter Elite Squads, some in precarious combat scenarios. Finding and clearing all of them grants rewards, but some areas are only accessible with tools obtained in later levels.”

Ninpo provides special attacks, and while the standard fire breath isn’t too exciting, there are other notable options – like the Water Slash for parrying incoming attacks and dishing out damage. Like kunai, it isn’t infinite, so you’ll need to keep the melee pressure up. Then there’s Ninjutsu, powerful screen-clearing techniques that are as devastating as eye-watering.

If that wasn’t enough, you can discover Amulets which provide different benefits when equipped, like increased healing effectiveness, kunai piercing multiple opponents (but costing more), and so on. While the build-crafting isn’t going to give Grinding Gear Games any sleepless nights, it offers some nice little wrinkles for one’s playstyle.

All of this would mean nothing if the enemy types weren’t on point, and thankfully, that’s not the case. They each offer their own unique twists in combat, whether it’s more mobility or area denial, and the Elite variants up the challenge all the more without feeling downright oppressive. Also, I don’t know what it is about Lizardcube and how they imbue so much personality into their enemies, but it works so well.

The thought of “just” over a dozen levels may turn some off, but these are some very well-crafted stages, boasting extensive variety. Yes, some set-ups may feel a little too familiar – the swamp leading into the festival, for starters – but they’re all packed with unique platforming and combat challenges. As cliché as running away from the destructive force consuming the other side of the screen may seem, I won’t mind as long as it’s reinforced by solid platforming. Even the puzzles, simple as they seem, feel logical without bogging down the action.

The real treat is in going off the beaten path (or rooftop) and exploring for secrets. You’ll encounter Elite Squads, some in precarious combat scenarios. Finding and clearing all of them grants rewards, but some areas are only accessible with tools obtained in later levels. While I don’t mind revisiting stages, especially since Arcade Mode incentivizes retrying them for better scores, the rewards feel a bit superfluous, especially when you’re clearing the game as is. While not completely overwhelming the core gameplay loop, it’s more for the sake of completion than anything else.

“If it wasn’t obvious enough already, Shinobi: Art of Vengeance is a must-buy. For side-scrolling action fans, it’s a wonderful trip across numerous gorgeous levels with incredible combat mechanics, stellar controls, and varied platforming mechanics.”

Of course, above all else, there’s the presentation, and I can’t get enough of how animated and detailed everything is. It all moves so fluidly with such style and panache, and yet, it’s inherently Shinobi. When you’re not marveling at the Ninjutsu animations, you’re probably entranced by the backgrounds as helicopters fly about or giant monsters, their slower movements belying how much they tower over everything else, crawl along or neon signs bathe their surroundings, granting a cyberpunk-ish feel. And yet, despite all the flashiness, the art direction is inherently clean, making it easy to see incoming threats and adjust accordingly. The soundtrack is similarly brilliant, channelling that old-school excellence in ways that simply defy description while balancing the highs and lows of different scenarios.

If it wasn’t obvious enough already, Shinobi: Art of Vengeance is a must-buy. For side-scrolling action fans, it’s a wonderful trip across numerous gorgeous levels with incredible combat mechanics, stellar controls, and varied platforming mechanics. For long-time fans, itching for the franchise’s return, it’s everything you could want, but expanded and enhanced in all the best ways. If this is the trend that Sega’s revivals will follow going into the future, then perhaps the best is yet to come. Regardless, you owe it to yourself to witness Joe Musashi’s return in all its gory glory.

This game was reviewed on PC.