Shinobi: Art of Vengeance

WayTooManyGamesJordan Hawes

9.5/10

What a time it is to be a ninja fan, with the fantastic Ninja Gaiden 2 Black earlier this year and the resurrection of 2D Ninja Gaiden with Ninja Gaiden: Ragebound. There is also the fantastic looking Ninja Gaiden 4 in a month, but in between that just launched one of the best games this year, Shinobi: Art of Vengeance. If you’re feeling like you’re burnt out on the 2D style, don’t worry, Shinobi does enough different than Ragebound to stay fresh. It’s time to step back into the...

Playstation UniverseTommy Holloway

9.5/10

With its gorgeous hand drawn art and kinetic combat, Shinobi Art Of Vengeance is one of my favorite games of 2025, and one of the best 2D action-platformers in years.

Twisted VoxelMuhammad Ali Bari

9/10

Shinobi: Art of Vengeance succeeds in bringing Joe Musashi back for new audiences, with fast and fluid combat, a unique execution system, and some of the best hand-drawn art in a modern side-scroller.

XboxEraJesse 'Doncabesa' Norris

9/10

Art of Almost-Perfection

TheSixthAxisAdrian Burrows

9/10

It’s been far too long, but Shinobi is back! After fourteen years in the wilderness, Joe Musashi has a new main series entry to showcase what he does best; running and jumping from left to right and killing mechanised ninjas with unstoppable style and grace. At this point, I could tease whether Lizardcube has been successful in rebooting one of Sega’s finest, but when a game is this good, it should be shouted about from the opening paragraph. And Shinobi: Art of Vengeance isn’t just good; it’s a masterclass in 2D platforming.

GamingTrendJack Zustiak

90/100

Shinobi: Art of Vengeance doesn’t settle for redoing the past. Instead, it brings the series forward with a distinct art style and bold new ideas. Art of Vengeance captures the spirit of Sega with a well-designed game that as an overly concerned Shinobi fanatic, I can muster only minor gripes about. It's good, it's fresh, and it's fun.

ShackNewsOzzie Mejia

9/10

At the end of 2023, Sega announced its intention to revive a handful of dormant franchises from its heyday. Some of them came from the Sega Genesis era, including the action-focused ninja franchise Shinobi. I grew up as a Super Nintendo kid, so I didn't have any particular attachment to Shinobi or Joe Musashi, so I walked into Shinobi: Art of Vengeance fairly cold, not really knowing what to expect. Fortunately, one doesn't have to be seasoned in the world of Shinobi to understand what an incredible masterpiece Art of Vengeance is.

Nintendo LifeTom Massey

8/10

In reinventing the retro wheel, Shinobi: Art of Vengeance leads the way: a demonstration of how modern tools, accompanied by thought and talent, can be expanded upon to not just reboot franchises, but actually rebuild them in new and incredible ways. It’s one thing to revisit an arcade action game with new graphics, moves, and weapons, cherry picking familiar set-pieces and nostalgic visuals; it’s another entirely to create a new experience, utilising craftsmanship and a belief that the hardware can offer more. Art of Vengeance, its cadence and flow, its violence and exhilaration — and the fac...

Impulse GamerAndrew Paul

Shinobi: Art of Vengeance is an all-new 2D action platformer based on the classic SEGA franchise in this enjoyable revival. Developed by Lizardcube, the

Metro GameCentralGameCentral

8/10

A successful relaunch of the Shinobi franchise that doesn’t attempt to do anything startlingly new but instead makes do with being a very well-constructed action adventure.

The Games MachineDanilo Dellafrana

7.8/10

Shinobi: Art of Vengeance is updated with a new SEGA Villains Level DLC that pits you against some familiar faces.

GameBlastFarley Santos

6.5/10

A few good fights are the highlight of a DLC that offers very little else.