Edited on: September 18, 2025
Posted on: August 4, 2025
As the biggest Ninja Gaiden fan, and it being my all time favorite game, Ragebound takes me back to my childhood of first playing it in the arcade, then later on the NES. I love everything about this title; snappy gameplay, music, the way it handles the story tie-ins to the original, while adding new elements as well as almost easter egg type homage (looking at you Kumori - reminding me of the spirit split assists from classic Ninja Gaiden II Dark Sword of Chaos). They have done an outstanding job here.
This game sits very well with me. The Game Kitchen added improvements, I didn't know that I wanted such as, but not limited to; stage select with the ability to skip their brilliant tutorials after you have already experienced them, permanent MEANINGFUL upgrades, brief cutscenes that honor the originals, and can also be skipped, a moveset that jives well for Kenji, and so forth. Not to mention that Kenji is an awesome protagonist that brings his own style to blue clad ninja's original game outing. Knowing that Kenji, is handling business while Ryu is away just works. I love how he looks so similar to the original Hayabusa, that playing with him feels just as cool. Same blue outfit (minus the head garb), hair color, mannerisms etc. I could go on, and on about all the meticulous details I noticed without giving it a proper review, but I won't because I want to get back to playing.
I don't believe any other studio could have hit all the right keynotes for my love of Ninja Gaiden as well as The Game Kitchen did. Thank you for not only keeping my fond memories intact for this awesome franchise, but also improving on them just as the originals added refined the sequels. Nothing, but love here from developers that know their stuff!!
I rate this a 12 out of 10!