Mark of the Ninja

 PC
User Score
8.0

Generally favorable reviews- based on 1166 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 907 out of 1166
  2. Mixed: 156 out of 1166
  3. Negative: 103 out of 1166

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  1. TheWaffle
    Dec 20, 2014
    9
    A great side-scroller, surprisingly good voice acting, awesome environments, wasn't expecting anything near this level when I picked this one up. Definitely worth the price, Steam has it on sale.
  2. TheLowFatJelly
    Jan 1, 2014
    8
    Mark of the Ninja revives the stealth genre in a way like no other. Even if you're not a big fan of sidescrollers I still recommend picking this game up. The art style is drop dead gorgeous, and it's a game you can really get lost in. It reminds me of if you took Batman: Arkham Asylum, turned Batman into a badass ninja, and stuck him into a 2D world.

    Pros: Beautiful Graphics For a 2D    Mark of the Ninja revives the stealth genre in a way like no other. Even if you're not a big fan of sidescrollers I still recommend picking this game up. The art style is drop dead gorgeous, and it's a game you can really get lost in. It reminds me of if you took Batman: Arkham Asylum, turned Batman into a badass ninja, and stuck him into a 2D world.

    Pros:
    Beautiful Graphics For a 2D game
    Kick-Ass Animations
    Best Stealth Game I've Played Forever
    Great Price

    Cons:
    Needs a more Engaging Storyline
    Probabbly would work a lot better with a controller than they keyboard and mouse set up.    … Expand
  3. anggadaz
    Aug 8, 2014
    8
    Mark of the ninja is not mainstream game, this game unique gameplay. You must patience and use your brain to play it. The has many feature like you can change costume, abilities, and weapon.
  4. DarkSoul47
    Mar 7, 2014
    8
    Simply great indie game. Even on Easy, it will take almost 6-7 hours to complete this game. It's not just a side scrooler platform gama. You've decisions to make. You can stealth or kill, you can hide bodies or hang them to terrorize other guards. It's all up to you. You have a lot of great items. Maps are also splendid. Story, characters are really good. Puzzles are brilliant, most of theSimply great indie game. Even on Easy, it will take almost 6-7 hours to complete this game. It's not just a side scrooler platform gama. You've decisions to make. You can stealth or kill, you can hide bodies or hang them to terrorize other guards. It's all up to you. You have a lot of great items. Maps are also splendid. Story, characters are really good. Puzzles are brilliant, most of the time you must combine reflex and intelligent to solve puzzles.

    Just buy it if you like games like this. You don't have to wait 'til sales, it already worths its standart price.    … Expand
  5. dyspeptic
    Feb 10, 2014
    9
    Played: Jan 2014

    Pros: + Tight and satisfying controls (with a supported controller) + Rewards the player waiting long enough to tell what is happening before acting Cons: - PC version needs additional software support (official controller drivers: Xbox) to be playable - Not too much variety in the way guards behave (though methods of detection vary) In my mind, this is a game    Played: Jan 2014

    Pros:
    + Tight and satisfying controls (with a supported controller)
    + Rewards the player waiting long enough to tell what is happening before acting

    Cons:
    - PC version needs additional software support (official controller drivers: Xbox) to be playable
    - Not too much variety in the way guards behave (though methods of detection vary)

    In my mind, this is a game which is not afraid to heavily emphasize stealth. While you can kill some (or all) guards, you must then hide bodies to avoid raising an alarm. Having observed others playing stealth games (and having played a few myself) I can say that if you lack the patience to watch for patterns or alternative pathways, you might not like this game (unless you like dying a lot). Discovery does not end the game (though it will hurt your score), but you must then fight hand-to-hand with the guard who has seen you. Combat is clunky (and doesn’t use the sword you’re already carrying for some reason), but this doesn’t matter too much because the whole point of the game is to sneak-n’-stab your way to victory, not fight everyone you see. If you don’t like the default play style, the game gives some nominal customization to accommodate you (i.e. whether you prefer distraction or killing items) via new skins which change what/how much you can carry and feature a new power; however these usually have such significant drawbacks that you’ll prefer the balanced initial costume.
    To me this game isn’t a platformer or even an action game, it is a fusion of stealth and puzzle. The puzzles in this case are to find the easiest (nearly always circuitous) path to the objectives seemed straightforward to me, but based on what I’ve seen some may be hard to find or frustrating to players who don’t like to wait for a guard to leave or look around for a better way to an objective. Aside from the fact that this game might not be your cup of tea, I need to address a specific gripe: on the PC version the generic drivers for a USB controller WILL NOT be adequate to play using an Xbox controller-you must update/download the Microsoft drivers to play (I recommend using a controller, even if it isn’t specifically an Xbox one, though I couldn’t vouch for its compatibility based on this experience). Why couldn’t the developers allow generic drivers when many other games do so? In spite of this complaint, once 1st party drivers are installed there can be no complaints about responsiveness-your character is easy to control and never slips off a ledge or accidentally does something you did not intend.
    BOTTOM LINE:
    This is an excellent game that will reward you with satisfying gameplay if you are willing to look around the stages and be patient enough to learn guard routines.    … Expand
  6. Deadly_Traveler
    Jan 1, 2016
    10
    The game is just perfect. 12 levels you can complete as you wish: stun everybody but leave alive or kill everybody, go through vents or rush forward. Lots of different equipment like bugs who can devour corpse or live people, trap mines, cardboard box, moth, really lots of different stuff for different effect on environment and enemies. Different enemies: snipers, tough boys, ninjas,The game is just perfect. 12 levels you can complete as you wish: stun everybody but leave alive or kill everybody, go through vents or rush forward. Lots of different equipment like bugs who can devour corpse or live people, trap mines, cardboard box, moth, really lots of different stuff for different effect on environment and enemies. Different enemies: snipers, tough boys, ninjas, common men. The game looks really perfect and SFX don't bother at all and the song in the last level is really amazing. New Game Plus is a real fun too, it makes you be cautious. And it can be challenging of course.
    Masterpiece. Totally recommend.    … Expand
  7. Gamer2014
    Feb 8, 2014
    9
    this game is awesome great playing style it needs a lot of speed and thinking at the same time it gonna make you REALLY feel like a ninja believe me its simply made for making you feel like a ninja .
  8. Harcks
    Jan 13, 2016
    10
    It's a great game. I want to play it again and again. At present almost no games are combining high-quality graphics and fun gameplay. It's on my top 10 games.
  9. Tomle1202
    Aug 23, 2023
    9
    Mark of the Ninja beautifully captures the essence of the genre by embracing its side-scrolling confinement.
  10. ThePCGamer101
    Jun 25, 2015
    8
    Mark of the Ninja, developed by the critically acclaimed studio Klei Entertainment, with their successful Shank series, Don't Starve and now Invisible Inc.

    Mark of the Ninja is like Dishononered mixed in with Thief: The Dark Project and produced into a 2D stealth action platformer, with great stealth, great bloody action and challenging yet not too difficult puzzles. Mark of the Ninja    Mark of the Ninja, developed by the critically acclaimed studio Klei Entertainment, with their successful Shank series, Don't Starve and now Invisible Inc.

    Mark of the Ninja is like Dishononered mixed in with Thief: The Dark Project and produced into a 2D stealth action platformer, with great stealth, great bloody action and challenging yet not too difficult puzzles. Mark of the Ninja really shines as a 2D stealth game and Klei Entertainment have actually done a very good port from is original XBOX360 port to the PC. Controls are easy and quick to use. The music is brilliant and reminds me of some of the great Ninja films I have seen.

    The cutscenes and their animation truly shine as a Klei Entertainment game, as Pixar has its own animation techniques with its masterpieces, so does Klei Entertainment with its games and also Mark of the Ninja. The cutscenes' animations remind me of Disney/Pixar films, only more gory than the family friendly Disney we all know and love.

    The only thing that put me off was the voice acting. Its not terrible nor is it the best voice acting performance. Certainly it won't win any awards from me for best voice acting, but it gets the job done. Another thing which kind of bugged me was the puzzles, sometimes they were too easy, sometimes too hard, and sometimes damn frustrating!

    The story, very well written and has a good plot twist in the end. However, about midway into the story, it kind of lacks in storytelling and I got really bored in playing that specific bit. It was the same guards and dogs, etc... just re-textured to fit in the environment your in.

    I did notice some minor bugs here and there like guards not noticing me when I am fully visible in light and sometimes guards getting stuck in an area, however not game breaking.

    Plus once you complete the game, there is a new game plus mode which removes all the things that helped you and make it even more challenging. Overall, this is a great Klei Entertainment game and should be definitely be played be people who either like 2D games, stealth games or want to play something a little different...    … Expand
  11. SpiRo
    Sep 30, 2014
    9
    This game has no flaws. Great art, good story, excellent game-play and interesting until the end. If i had to say one thing that i do not like about this game, it would be that it is too short.
  12. azeitona
    Nov 29, 2014
    9
    An amazing indie game! The controls respond really well with the keyboard and mouse, and the stealth is just right. It filled my life after the disappointment with the remake of Thief. The visuals are also really nice, and the game is not too long to overstay its welcome, but it's not too short to let me wanting for more. The story is really interesting, and so are the collectibles and theAn amazing indie game! The controls respond really well with the keyboard and mouse, and the stealth is just right. It filled my life after the disappointment with the remake of Thief. The visuals are also really nice, and the game is not too long to overstay its welcome, but it's not too short to let me wanting for more. The story is really interesting, and so are the collectibles and the secret areas. If you have some spare money, consider checking it out.… Expand
  13. Ted_Tris
    Apr 21, 2015
    10
    This game the best stealth game.
    Nice graphic (samurai jack like cut scenes).
    Cool sounds and music.
    Very very good game play.
    Cool design.good feeling.
    10000/10
    Good work klei.
  14. Maneinarr
    Sep 9, 2015
    9
    First off, thank you Klei Entertainment and crew, your game is a solid 2-D stealth game with polished mechanics and good enough rpg elements to keep collectors interested for a while. Now, because of all the nonesical hate this game gets I feel compelled to start by disregarding the majority of the 0-4 reviews as childish, at best.

    Good: * Art. Very nice backgrounds and character    First off, thank you Klei Entertainment and crew, your game is a solid 2-D stealth game with polished mechanics and good enough rpg elements to keep collectors interested for a while. Now, because of all the nonesical hate this game gets I feel compelled to start by disregarding the majority of the 0-4 reviews as childish, at best.

    Good:
    * Art. Very nice backgrounds and character design.
    * Stealth killing mechanics. Nice, quick, simple, but satisfactory, and variable.
    * Pace. You start slow and build up fast enough to not feel overwhelmed by the game but also find it challenging in some parts.
    * Upgradeables. All of them are useful and not cosmetic, like some games out there with redundant or totally unnecesary upgrades.
    * Nice puzzles. Just that, not too hard, not too easy.
    * Creative. The concept itself could be said has been done before, but if you scratch the surface you will see what I'm talking about.
    * Interactive. The ninja feels sweet and pro almost all the time... unless you're a hopeless noob, of course, if so... you will die a lot of times (yes, I'm talking about you meta user reviewers stating this game is about trial and error... my god you're pathetic gamers... not once I had to do that!)

    Bad:
    * Short. VERY short.
    * Lacky advertising. This game it's not just about being invisible, the game itself kinda got lost in nothingness.
    * Nothing THAT new. It's a stealth game... all stealth games end up being VERY similar between them.
    * Too many moves for so few buttons. You've got like 4 active buttons, beside de d-pad, but the ninja interacts with almost everything making it hard to manuever with absolute precision in tight spaces.    … Expand
  15. GuywiththeGames
    Jun 21, 2015
    9
    This is one of the best stealth games I have ever played. It has good great ideas well implemented into each levels, and new ideas to go against your natural instincts, and awesome powers. The only problems are that the story's ending wasn't very satisfying. And the controls are a little too sticky. But it is still a great a game.
  16. michnaj
    May 17, 2015
    10
    It is absolutelly best stealth game i ever played ,since Metal Gear Solid 2 . Why ? 30 hours long ,interesting campaing , many gadgets and always you have 3-5 ways to complete mission . Insta buy , game is going better every hour !
  17. Overvulture
    Nov 9, 2015
    9
    If you want to feel like a ninja, this is the game. With an arsenal of fancy moves, gadgets, and murder methods, this is 2D stealth at its finest and stands as one of my favourite sneak-em-ups, 2D or not. Extremely polished and well put together, it looks and controls great, and it's just so much fun to creep around and terrorize your enemies, with stealth that's similarly satisfying asIf you want to feel like a ninja, this is the game. With an arsenal of fancy moves, gadgets, and murder methods, this is 2D stealth at its finest and stands as one of my favourite sneak-em-ups, 2D or not. Extremely polished and well put together, it looks and controls great, and it's just so much fun to creep around and terrorize your enemies, with stealth that's similarly satisfying as the Arkham games. You're powerful and lethal in the shadows but vulnerable when seen, and as the game progresses you'll have to come up with fancier and fancier tactics to overcome the escalating security and new varieties of enemy immune to this thing or that. Succeed and you feel like the ultimate badass, fail and you're a fumbling idiot. It's all wrapped up in an excellently presented package with an enjoyable, if simple story to work through.

    It's a little on the easy side, but there is a new game+ mode in which all gunshots are fatal and your vision is more limited, etc. Definitely more challenging, but still beatable. There is a quicksave option that doesn't penalize you for using it, which can suck the difficulty out of things a little if you're prone to save-scumming. Because things can go so very wrong so very quickly, it's a welcome addition but it does make things a little less tense.    … Expand
  18. Melgacius
    Jun 1, 2017
    8
    1 – GENERAL

    Mark of the Ninja is a 2D ninja stealth game. It can be a bit counter intuitive, but you play as a ninja, and you try to progress along the levels using stealth or silent kills to remain undetected by all the guards. All the story makes sense in the end, when you are able to putt all the parts together to make your final decision in the game. That story is told almost    1 – GENERAL

    Mark of the Ninja is a 2D ninja stealth game. It can be a bit counter intuitive, but you play as a ninja, and you try to progress along the levels using stealth or silent kills to remain undetected by all the guards. All the story makes sense in the end, when you are able to putt all the parts together to make your final decision in the game. That story is told almost entirely in cutscenes. I usually do not like that, but in this game this does not ruins immersion, since levels are long and some moments of rest between them are welcome, so we can clear up our mindset.

    Graphics are in "comic style" but the final result is, for me, very impressive. All the shadows and textures clearly stand out, becoming a important part of gameplay. Even all the sound effects, represented as image, are a must, and they are not a intruder in the game, they are perfectly incorporated and soon we see all that elements as part of the story.

    The sound effects are minimalist, and that feels great, because you can easily associate sound effects to actions of NPCs and you can react and plan over them. Soundtrack is very well set, and contributes to the stealthy aspect of the game.

    2 – GAMEPLAY

    One of the problems of making reviews from old games is that almost everyone know what to expect. I was expecting flawless controls, and that was not the case. If you play with keyboard and mouse, like I did, the controls seem... clunky. Just a small twitch in the mouse and the game recognizes an entire different move and you lose the round. Sometimes you want to jump down and you jump to the side or you do not jump at all. So do not be stubborn and play this game with a controller, I think it probably will be much better and easier.

    Despite that, the gameplay is very good. Here stealth is really stealth. You must evade or hide behind objects to escape the guards that can easily kill you if they spot you. Sure you can fight for a bit, but only against a guard at any time, and a sniper will kill you with just one shot. You have a skill tree to unlock, and that will give you some tools and abilities to make your task easier, but not easy.

    Stealth games often choose to hide mechanics, but this is not the case. Here you will know when, how and why you've failed. You can see all the consequences of your actions and take decisions over it. You can easily anticipate all moves so you can plan ahead properly. And imagine what? The game is great.

    The AI is well set. Behavior of guards is quite predictable and fair. Even so your window of opportunity is small so you have to plan properly or you will be shot dead quickly.

    Devs say that you can skip violence almost the entire game, and only one boss requires direct confrontation, but killing people is so much fun in this game...

    There are some hidden passages that lead to collectibles and puzzle style bonus levels. You can search them or skip them entirely. It's up to you.

    3 – CONCLUSION

    I've loved this game from the start to finish. I was a bit disappointed with the ending, but that's not enough to make you not play this game. The game is quite cheap, and it's on sale a lot of times. Search for a sale and try it because this is a seriously great game!    … Expand
  19. Sting01
    Nov 4, 2018
    8
    One of the good games.. This game have a good graphics. Musics are fine fot the game. Gameplay things are good. Some control buttons are not good but ıts okey.
  20. hypernewbie
    Mar 16, 2017
    8
    Overall fantastic game. Simplified Splinter Cell in 2D.
    2 main issues: too many context sensitive buttons, sometimes gets it wrong. and sometimes fuzzy mechanics fuzzy mechanics in a game demanding precision = random trial and error gameplay.
  21. harryscribner
    Mar 30, 2017
    9
    I would give this game 9.5/10... Unfortunately I can't, so I have to give it 9 because it's not something I will remember for all my life. Just good solid platform game. I like it)
  22. auditbadger
    Jul 30, 2017
    8
    I think that this is truly a unique game and I would recommend that if you are a fan of this type of genre then I think you should give this game a try.
  23. Mpbpl
    Mar 6, 2018
    8
    Stealth and 2D platform obstacles were made for each other and this game proves it with flying colors. The "anime like" style is great, the animations on your ninja is very cool, the music can turn from calm or lightly tense to chaotic the moment you get seen.
    This game has it all, guards, big guards, dogs to sniff you out, technological ninjas, even the environment can be an enemy,    Stealth and 2D platform obstacles were made for each other and this game proves it with flying colors. The "anime like" style is great, the animations on your ninja is very cool, the music can turn from calm or lightly tense to chaotic the moment you get seen.
    This game has it all, guards, big guards, dogs to sniff you out, technological ninjas, even the environment can be an enemy, everytime you think you are in a advantage or getting the hand of it the devs throw something to make it interesting; and they tell you too: throughout the game there are dialog bubbles that can be taken containing what the devs wanted to say about the development process like, bugs, features, designs and theme.
    Every stage has 3 challenges to the player in playing a specific way, like terrorizing guards, not killing any guards, don't destroy any lights and so on, together wuth different gadgets that can be taken, different paths and styles to use, the replayability is high.
    A last challenge came in the New Game Plus mode that takes out sound indicators, line of vision and stuff of that nature.
    Unfortunately the game flounders with it's story and character. The story is a very simple one with a predictable twist with a a moral choice at the end making it good enough that it doesn't stick out like a sore thumb.
    The main character is one of those forever-silent ones, never speaking anything, making him a little distant from us. Because of this choice, the devs created a character that would be the ninja that guides the player in the mechanics of the game in the beginning, and then turn herself in the conscious of the main character, talking what the main character probably should be thinking, making them both decent at best.    … Expand
  24. greenbey
    Jul 9, 2020
    9
    A+
    Stealth gameplay is better than most of AAA games.
    Story is ok.
    Art style is on point.
  25. shkipermann
    Feb 25, 2023
    9
    {__/}
    ( • - •)
    /つ☕______________________________________________________________________
  26. Flashback92
    Jan 25, 2019
    8
    This is a good game, but hopefully we can play with the another episode in future (Mark of the ninja 2)
    And maybe the coop mode is good idea.
  27. MurphyBrandon
    Mar 1, 2019
    8
    Mark of the Ninja is the second best stealth game. It's almost as great as Dishonored. The movement is really fluid and blends really well with the special abilities. The problem is that some rooms look very similar. Hence, some people might argue that it's slightly repetitive. The story was good enough to keep me engaged in the game, though. Most of the time, it managed to change or addMark of the Ninja is the second best stealth game. It's almost as great as Dishonored. The movement is really fluid and blends really well with the special abilities. The problem is that some rooms look very similar. Hence, some people might argue that it's slightly repetitive. The story was good enough to keep me engaged in the game, though. Most of the time, it managed to change or add an aspect before getting dull.… Expand
  28. IMR707
    May 17, 2021
    8
    Nice 2D stealth game that has multiple for you to choose by either be a total silent ninja or a chaotic ones. Also with nice ambiuent music and graphic to carry it along as well
  29. Prometheus1241
    Mar 20, 2021
    9
    Mark of the Ninja is an engaging stealth game, and one of the best in it's genre, at least on PC. Totally worth getting.
  30. PanMrkvicka
    Feb 11, 2020
    8
    Fun little indie game that has great gameplay mechanics and not that good story.
  31. Corefitz
    Feb 15, 2020
    9
    VERY interesting, stealth based game!

    Mechanically, it's very well made, by that I mean it offers you quite a few creative ways of getting through a level.
    Has a belivable story as well!

    And can we just take a moment to appriciate the absolutly gorgeous art style of this game!?
  32. BryanAndrew
    Apr 6, 2020
    9
    Mark of the Ninja has easy to learn control mechanisms and yet boasts sublime, nuanced game-play with the freedom for creativity in approaching varying situations, allowing for polarizing types of experiences to the player, whether it be aggressive or stealth-minded. The designs of the game levels are absolutely gorgeous and stylistic, but the story falls short of predictability andMark of the Ninja has easy to learn control mechanisms and yet boasts sublime, nuanced game-play with the freedom for creativity in approaching varying situations, allowing for polarizing types of experiences to the player, whether it be aggressive or stealth-minded. The designs of the game levels are absolutely gorgeous and stylistic, but the story falls short of predictability and simplicity. All in all, a must-try experience for any fan of the stealth game genre.… Expand
  33. Saitakis
    Jan 20, 2022
    9
    Best 2d stealth experience i ever had in a game, a sequel to this masterpiece should have existed, i'd trade many AAA titles for another one!
  34. Bad_V1bes_4ever
    Dec 13, 2020
    10
    when i was play this game, i was shock, its best stealth game for my opinion, best visual style, best sound and best stealth elements, i alwais waiting continuation this story about ninjas,
    but there will never be a continuationit's a shame, because once I was small and I liked the game incredibly, and when the sequel came out, I was happy but there was only one chapter and that's all, I    when i was play this game, i was shock, its best stealth game for my opinion, best visual style, best sound and best stealth elements, i alwais waiting continuation this story about ninjas,
    but there will never be a continuationit's a shame, because once I was small and I liked the game incredibly, and when the sequel came out, I was happy but there was only one chapter and that's all, I want to return to this game again but see new characters and new levels, but my dream will never come true , the developers made a masterpiece that got 90 points and almost got 96 points as the titans of the gaming industry klei entertaimen made a masterpiece. i hope you will see me, thank you    … Expand
  35. Asp_klg40
    Aug 31, 2021
    8
    Инди-игра, сумевшая обойти по параметру "stealth-геймплей" даже таких монстров как Hitman Absolution и Dishonored. Добавьте безупречную стилистику от авторов Shank и получайте идеальную игру в жанре.
  36. B00tador
    Dec 5, 2021
    9
    Whether you love or hate stealth games, this game makes stealth fun for everybody. It's a fantastic game that everyone should play.
  37. meyerpark
    Nov 18, 2022
    10
    I so love ninja based games of any category. From Ninja gaiden to tenchu to Ninja Blade to Shinobi etc
  38. The_D4RknesS
    Oct 26, 2022
    8
    this 2012 game with much simpler animations and graphics managed to be much more fun than AC CHINA 2D
  39. HydrophobikFish
    Jun 9, 2023
    8
    Excellent stealth game. Good content for value, good replayability. The way it uses sound and light is particularly fun.
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Awards & Rankings

2
#2 Best PC Game of 2012
39
#39 Most Discussed PC Game of 2012
36
#36 Most Shared PC Game of 2012

Critic Reviews

All reviews »
Metascore
91

Universal acclaim - based on 14 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 14 out of 14
  2. Mixed: 0 out of 14
  3. Negative: 0 out of 14
  1. PC Master (Greece)
    Feb 6, 2013
    84
    A dreamy amalgamation of Shinoby, Deus Ex and Thief. It’s not only the best downloadable game of the year, but a welcome gift for fans of pure stealth gameplay. [November 2012]
  2. LEVEL (Czech Republic)
    Nov 30, 2012
    80
    Splendid stealth platformer offers high levels of addictiveness. Surely aspiring to the title of "Independent title of the year". [Dec 2012]
  3. Absolute Games
    Nov 29, 2012
    88
    Corvo Attano and Agent 47 couldn't possibly have expected that a platformer from the creators of Shank would stab them in the backs and claim the title of this year's best stealth game.
    Read full review
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