Ninja Gaiden: Ragebound

Ninja Gaiden: Ragebound doesn’t try to be everything, unlike many games nowadays; no, it just tries to be damn good at what it is. And that’s exactly why it works. This is the most focused, confident entry the series has seen in years. No bloated cutscenes, no watered-down combat, no unnecessary frills. Just you, your blade, and a demon army to cut through. It’s not perfect though, the short runtime and limited build variety may leave some wanting more but what’s here is tight, polished, and relentlessly fun. For fans of Black, Sigma, or even the NES originals, this is the closest we’ve gotten to the true spirit of Ninja Gaiden in over a decade.

I would be surprised if Ragebound is not the best of Koei’s Ninja Gaiden revivals in 2025.

It's a must-have game in the Xbox catalog, a gem that proves that past and present can come together to provide a fresh and unique experience. It's fast, lethal, and, without a doubt, Ninja Gaiden: Ragebound is a solid and worthy step forward for a saga that deserves it all.

Furious combat and fiendish difficulty collide in this challenging yet satisfying revival.

Ninja Gaiden: Ragebound is a thrilling revival that successfully channels the spirit of the classic series while also building upon it with some inspired new mechanics. It remains to be seen if the upcoming Ninja Gaiden 4 will likewise live up to the series' standards, but Koei Tecmo's Year of the Ninja is off to a good start.

Don't be afraid to take on this Ninja Gaiden imagined by The Game Kitchen. While the name of the license may make you tremble, Ragebound has more than one talisman up its sleeve to ensure that all players find pleasure in it, from the brave young Genin to the invincible Jônin. Very pleasant to play, both technical and fun, it is pure arcade fun like we rarely see. With a little more inventiveness in its level design and some better exploited ideas, it would have reached the coveted rank of Ninja Master. Ryu can in any case be proud of Kenji, his protégé defended the house very well in his absence.

Ninja Gaiden: Ragebound proves to be not only an excellent 2D side-scrolling action-platformer with engaging gameplay and high-quality ‘90s-inspired visuals, but also a strong spin-off that fits neatly into Ryu Hayabusa’s saga. Greater variety and better difficulty balance could have elevated it further, yet it remains a highly recommended experience for fans of the series and the genre.

Ninja Gaiden: Ragebound is a little gem, ideal especially for the more nostalgic players, but it could also engage anyone looking for a retro-flavored challenge, complete with scores and rankings to climb at every stage.