Introduction

Shinobi: Art of Vengeance arrives on the Switch like a very polite assassin: it shows up exactly when you expected it to, does the job with unsettling efficiency, and leaves you with a light stain of satisfaction and the faint smell of incense. This reboot from Lizardcube (the folks who made Wonder Boy: The Dragon's Trap look like a museum artifact that can still kick your teeth in) tries to thread the needle between reverent nostalgia and modern action design. The premise is gloriously simple-Joe Musashi's village is wrecked by a corporate villain named ENE Corporation, he gets revenge on a managerial level, and then the rest of the game happens. It's a revenge plot that could have been written by a samurai who spent too long filling out HR forms.

Gameplay

If you have basic expectations for a Shinobi game-swordplay, throwing weapons, a touch of supernatural nonsense-Art of Vengeance will check those boxes and then hand you a loyalty card. You control Joe Musashi in a 2D action-platformer setup where the primary objectives are familiar: traverse stages, dispatch foes, and confront end-level bosses who are bad enough to have monologues. Musashi's toolkit is straightforward but satisfying. He wields a sword and kunai, which cover close-up and mid-range threats, and he can call upon "Ninpo," magical powers that feel appropriately noodle-sentient for a ninja franchise. The combat is built around a neat rock-paper-scissors of stagger, tag and execute: enemies can be staggered and tagged so that Musashi can trigger a "Shinobi Execution" that wipes out all tagged bad actors in one fell swoop. It's a deliciously cathartic mechanic that rewards planning and timing rather than just frantic button-mashing. Movement is where Musashi really shines. He double jumps, air-dashes and dodge-rolls with the kind of nimbleness you expect from someone who spends a suspicious amount of time in trees. These options make platforming feel crisp and give encounters a satisfying verticality; one moment you're on the ground trading blows, the next you're airborne, repositioning to tag three mooks and then pulling the execution trigger like a chef finishing a flambé. Progression has a pleasantly old-school currency model: collect gold, spend it on new traversal tools, combat moves and upgrades. The shop-and-upgrade loop is simple but meaningful, which is reassuring in a game that otherwise tempts you to overcomplicate things with flashy enemy designs. Equippable amulets offer combat bonuses-tiny little power-ups that add a dash of build variety without turning the game into a spreadsheet. What differentiates Art of Vengeance from earlier Shinobi entries is its flirtation with Metroidvania structure. Levels encourage exploration for secrets and side content rather than strictly linear forward motion. This change invites a different kind of play: instead of pushing through like an angry delivery driver, you poke around every nook and find shortcuts, upgrades, and the occasional smug little secret room. Each stage can also be replayed in Arcade mode, a time-attack variant that scratches the speedrun itch and adds replayability for people who like to shave milliseconds off their shame. Lizardcube and Sega said they wanted to modernize the combat and add a combo system, and you can feel that in the way moves chain together. Combos are not mandatory, but executing them properly makes enemies fall in patterns that feel almost choreographed-less button-prayer, more careful choreography. The game's difficulty curve typically leans toward fair: enemies are dangerous, but the tools to counter them are introduced in bite-sized, digestible increments. You learn to stagger, tag and execute, and then the game politely asks if you can do it faster, cleaner, and without screaming. If there is a complaint about the gameplay, it is the one all competent action-platformers face: moments of repetition. Replaying stages in Arcade mode helps, and the Metroidvania side content gives a reason to roam, but some encounters re-use enemy types in ways that occasionally feel like déjà vu with slightly different uniforms. Still, the core loop-dash, slice, tag, execute-remains satisfying enough that the repetition rarely feels punitive. Overall, Art of Vengeance's gameplay is a tidy marriage of old-school Shinobi staples and some well-judged modern touches. It's the kind of game that makes you feel clever for using the systems it gifts you, instead of punished for not discovering some hidden mechanic buried in the manual.

Graphics

Lizardcube was explicitly encouraged by Sega to make the art a little more striking than their original plan, which is a diplomatic way of saying someone nudged their paintbrush with a megaphone. The result is an art direction that wears its inspirations on its sleeve-cherry blossoms, blood-soaked skylines, and industrial corporate ugliness-all rendered in a style that feels like a contemporary tribute to classic 2D brawlers rather than an imitator. The studio's prior work (Wonder Boy and Streets of Rage 4) hinted at an ability to fuse nostalgia with modern sensibilities, and Art of Vengeance follows that recipe without over-salting. Running on Unity, the visuals balance expressive character animation with clear, readable backgrounds. Enemy designs are varied when they need to be and satisfyingly theatrical when they need to be shown off at the end of a level. Bosses, in particular, are stage-ready: they occupy space, telegraph attacks, and look as if someone held a conference call to design their fashion sense. Amulets and Ninpo effects have the kind of visual punch that makes them feel consequential in combat. The interface is unobtrusive, which is a polite way of saying it doesn't try to explain the plot twice while you're trying to parry. On the Switch specifically, the art direction plays very nicely. The game doesn't rely on flashy particle overkill to impress; it leans on silhouettes, crisp animations and thoughtful color palettes. That makes it a good fit for the handheld screen, where detail retention and clarity matter. I can't claim this review was written in a Zen garden, but the visuals offer enough atmosphere to suggest someone enjoyed spending money on art direction and didn't regret it.

Conclusion

Shinobi: Art of Vengeance on Switch is a tidy little revenge tale wrapped in a slick 2D action package. It keeps the soul of Shinobi-swordplay, kunai, supernatural flair-while adding Metroidvania curiosity and a modernized combo system that rewards tactical thinking. Controls are nimble, systems are satisfying, and the Shinobi Execution mechanic is the kind of payoff that turns a hairy encounter into a smug victory lap. The game isn't perfect. It leans on familiar enemy archetypes sometimes, and if you're allergic to replaying levels for leaderboard bragging rights, Arcade mode won't sell you on repetition alone. But these are small stains on a clean kimono. Lizardcube and Sega have managed to revive a dormant franchise in a way that feels respectful, stylish and-most importantly-fun. For Switch owners who enjoy sharp 2D action, tasteful exploration and the odd theatrical boss, Art of Vengeance is a strong buy. For people whose idea of fun is watching enemies expire in coordinated, slightly theatrical ways, this is basically a hobby simulator. Score: 8.5/10.

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