Review – Ninja Gaiden: Ragebound

Ninja Gaiden, a franchise that made its fame with the high difficulty in Nintendinho’s days, evolved until it reached the 3D games, leaving the platform genre and joining hack and slash. The last (re) release is an excellent example. Now who imagined that the franchise would return to roots today? This is what Ninja Gaiden: Ragebound does with mastery, to warm the heart of nostalgic fans and present such aesthetics to the current generation.

And this is not a 2D game: Ragebound was produced by The Game Kitchen, the same Blaspheous developer. That is, we have a prime pixel art and responsive and agile gameplay here here. In the plot, the player takes Kenji Mozu’s kimono, a student from Ryu Hayabusa. During a demonic invasion, Ryu goes on his journey to honor his father’s desire, deceased in combat, and bring the Hayabusa clan drag sword to America. In its absence, Kenji’s skills are put to the test.

Before only than poorly accompanied?

At first, you undergo a quick training with Ryu and learn the basics of a platform game, along with the hyperload (sword -loaded coup) and the Guillotine (Parry dump mechanics, similar to), used to reach higher platforms and also prevent damage. As in the classic game, you take damage when touching enemies. And this is a frequent if you do not sharpen your reflexes quickly.

Fortunately the game leaves the unfair difficulty of the past aside, including checkpoints that recover life and talismans that give passive advantages, such as recovering life by defeating a sequence of enemies. Such talismans you buy at the Muramasa store, between one phase and another, spending collected golden beetles. Even if there were not all these aids, you can say that Ninja Gaiden: Ragebound is the easiest game of the entire franchise.

A few phases later, Kenji’s path intersects with Kumori, a black spider ninja. Although they are adversaries, the two decide to join in the fight against demonic invasion and prevent all infernal portals from opening. The gameplay is then expanded to Kumori’s skills, which includes the ability to move around the world and open tickets or take an important item. With it is also unlocked the use of kunals and secret arts: the spider weapon and the art ragebound.

Defeating enemies, you collect orbes that fill a second exclusive bar for Kumori’s skills. Kunals consume this bar, although you can use many times before emptying. With this same bar you activate the spider weapon, among many equipable options. And by killing enemies with blue or red aura hyperload, you get the orbs Rage. It is with them that you shoot Ragebound art, the special ability you also choose from several options.

The Balance of Ninja Gaiden: Ragebound

The pair acts as a single entity, as Kumori accompanies him in its astral form. At first they do not get along and live. But since events led them to this unlikely union, it remains to be tolerated. But gradually they come to understand each other and deliver a lot of fun dialogues during the adventure. All with a great PT-BR translation. By the way, the story is simple as it has to be, along the lines of the 80s and 90s games.

Now the most important of all: Ninja Gaiden: Ragebound is designed not to get you serious. It is a pleasant game from beginning to end, with very balanced challenges. I would say that the biggest difficulty is in the bosses, all very creative, with attacks that change throughout the battle and each with their own mornings to win. It is in them that you will pack for a while, not during the phases.

The look of the game is beautiful, with detailed animations that respect the technical barrier of 16-bit games, as they were in the days of Mega Drive and Super Nintendo. Only the excellent soundtrack transcends this aspect in terms of quality. My only criticism, precisely because it is not a metroidvania, is so that the screens are blocked after you go from one area to another. Several times I saw a collectible item, but on the impulse I went to the next screen and couldn’t go back. Fortunately the game encourages replay with the challenges of each phase, although some of them are very difficult as not to take damage from the boss.

The main adventure has 4 acts lasts about 6 hours. With the sencreary missions and the challenges of each phase, it gives it a peaceful to extend the game for more hours if you are a complete. Only the most skilled players will get rank s in the phases. Ninja Gaiden: Ragebound is a game and, best of all, it’s a cheap game especially if you buy for PC. May more franchise games come in this style.