Shadow of the Ninja Reborn

If you enjoy independent indie game coverage, consider supporting Indie-Games.eu on Patreon. It helps keep the site independent.

• DEVELOPER: NatsumeAtari
• PUBLISHER: NatsumeAtari, Edigger, United Games Entertainment GmbH
• PLATFORMS: PC, PS4, PS5, Nintendo Switch, Xbox Series X/S
• GENRE: Platformer / Retro
• RELEASE DATE: August 29, 2024
• LAUNCH PRICE: 19.99€
• REVIEWED VERSION: PC

I haven’t played the original NES version, so my experience is based solely on the newer remake, Shadow of the Ninja: Reborn. Without a doubt, it was an enjoyable experience, and the visual design pleasantly surprised me. However, the gameplay can be challenging to grasp at first because there’s no tutorial, so it takes some time to get used to. At times, this lack of guidance felt a bit frustrating.

You play as Hayate or Kaede, two ninjas from the Iga clan, and your mission is to defeat Garuda and his demonic army. Your primary weapons are a katana and a kusarigama, and you can use both simultaneously. In addition, there is a variety of new ninja equipment you can collect and use throughout your adventure, with a maximum inventory capacity of seven items. If you collect duplicates, their uses stack, allowing you to use them more frequently. Some equipment is highly effective, while other pieces may feel somewhat awkward. Keep in mind that equipment disappears if you don’t pick it up in time.

The game remains faithful to the original five levels while introducing a new, more complex fourth level, bringing the total number of levels to six. The design is more intricate, with tougher enemies and additional challenges. While some enemies can be quite irritating and others relatively easy to defeat, they all share similar movement and attack patterns. Once you become familiar with these patterns, most enemies become manageable. However, the presence of numerous enemies in one area can become frustrating, especially since the controls weren’t as responsive as I expected.

I played using a PS4/PC Nacon Asymmetric Wireless controller on my computer, and the jump animation and responsiveness weren’t particularly satisfying. Some obstacles were especially difficult to jump over because the jump range was limited, or because the wall-running mechanics were hard to master. The controls for moving along walls were difficult to understand, which made it harder to use walls to your advantage, so I often avoided them.

Overall movement wasn’t as responsive as I expected. The same goes for the kusarigama, a chain weapon that didn’t always hit where I intended. Despite these issues, the platforming elements, the simplicity of the gameplay (it’s not too complex in terms of controls), and the variety of enemies and bosses kept the experience engaging. It’s important to note that you must defeat the boss at the end of each stage in order to progress further. Fortunately, the game includes checkpoints that save your progress each time you enter a new part of a stage, making it less frustrating to continue after dying.

I encountered corrupted save data, where despite reaching Stage 4 with Hayate, the game incorrectly saved my progress as if I were still at Stage 1. At that point, I decided to start over with Kaede. Shadow of the Ninja: Reborn proves to be more challenging than it initially seems, despite giving the impression that it’s a game you can finish in under three hours. The bosses, in particular, are divided into several phases, making them increasingly difficult. The game’s difficulty forces you to closely monitor your health bar and hope you survive until the next phase. Healing items are scarce, so every mistake comes at a high price.

Still, persistence pays off. The game includes helpful features for those who struggle, such as providing more healing items and improvements after repeated deaths, allowing less skilled players to eventually reach the end. After completing a stage, any secondary weapon you’ve collected becomes available for future attempts, adding a bit of variety to subsequent runs. When starting a new game, you can purchase items for your starting inventory based on your best score.

The game also features online leaderboards where you can compete with other players, whether by aiming for the fastest completion time or by earning points. Enjoying the cooperative mode from the original game has been faithfully recreated here. Hayate and Kaede have slightly different physics, and once a friend joins you, the game becomes a bit easier. The graphics have been beautifully enhanced, showcasing one of the best examples of pixel art today. The music, updated by one of the original composers, Iku Mizutani, is also very catchy and elevates the overall experience.

Ultimately, the game offers a strong sense of nostalgia. As a fan of retro games, this title was quite fun to play, and I felt the time spent on it was well worth it. The game’s strategy is simple and straightforward. However, my main complaint is that some movement mechanics weren’t entirely polished. Aside from that, don’t miss the opportunity to try this wonderful game.

Review copy provided by the publisher