Ninja Gaiden: Ragebound

The Year of the Ninja continues. Following Ninja Gaiden 2 Black and the upcoming Ninja Gaiden 4 and Shinobi: Art of Vengeance, The Game Kitchen and Dotemu are launching Ninja Gaiden: Ragebound, an all-new 2D side-scrolling action platformer that inherits the legacy of the Ninja Gaiden franchise from Koei Tecmo Games.

Ninja Gaiden: Ragebound is the first new 2D action platformer in the Ninja Gaiden series in over 30 years. It begins shortly after the opening moments of the original Ninja Gaiden (NES, 1988). The barrier between the human and demon realms has broken, leaving the world connected to a gateway to darkness. After Ryu Hayabusa leaves Hayabusa Village to avenge his father, Kenji Mozu - a fledgling Hayabusa clan ninja and one of the game's two protagonists - steps forward to confront the forces of evil. He is joined by the skilled assassin Kumori. Players can control these two ninjas simultaneously and unravel their interconnected stories. Kenji fights mainly with a katana and focuses on close combat. He is highly acrobatic, can dodge and deflect ranged attacks. Kumori specialises in ranged combat and can teleport short distances to cross gaps that Kenji cannot. The only way for them both to survive is to use the forbidden power of Ninja Fusion, which merges Kumori's spirit with Kenji's, thereby maximising the talents of both ninjas.

This modern 2D action platformer features hack-and-slash elements reminiscent of challenging 8-bit side-scrollers. Precise timing and quick reflexes are essential, and combat mechanics include sword attacks, double jumps, dive attacks, and special hyper-charged attacks that can defeat stronger enemies in one hit. Later in the game, enemies often require special tactics, as not all of them can be defeated with standard attacks. There is also a shop system where players can purchase talismans to support defensive play styles and secret arts for a more aggressive fighting style. Players can switch between two ninjas whose abilities complement each other. While there are checkpoints to save progress, the game remains challenging overall, comparable to classics. However, it could offer more in terms of level design, story and, above all, incentives to explore, thereby missing the opportunity to breathe new life into the genre — especially given the release of Shinobi: The Art of Vengeance, a similar game from Lizardcube and Sega, is on the way.

Sergio de Prado, best known for his work on the Blasphemous series, is leading the soundtrack. Guest composers Keiji Yamagishi, Ryuichi Niita and Kaori Nakabayashi - creators of the original Ninja Gaiden NES trilogy soundtracks - have also contributed to Ninja Gaiden: Ragebound.

Ninja Gaiden: Ragebound is a 60 fps experience on PC, Steam Deck, PS4, PS5 and Xbox Series X|S. Dotemu: "The Switch version will average a 30 FPS experience at launch. The game will be playable on Switch 2 through backward compatibility and will benefit from the console's spec."

Ninja Gaiden: Ragebound was developed by The Game Kitchen. Founded in 2010, with studios in Seville and Tenerife (both Spain), The Game Kitchen is known for the point-and-click horror game The Last Door (2013), the dark fantasy metroidvania Blasphemous (2019) and its sequel Blasphemous 2 (2023), the real-time strategy–stealth hybrid The Stone of Madness (2025), and the evolving VR platform All On Board! (2025), which is aimed at board-game enthusiasts. The publisher is Dotemu, a French video game company that specialises in reviving iconic video games and popular culture licences for PC and modern consoles. The team has developed and published several games, including Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Shredder's Revenge, Streets of Rage 4, Wonder Boy: The Dragon's Trap, Metal Slug Tactics, Windjammers 1 and 2, and Pharaoh: A New Era. Dotemu is currently working on Absolum and Marvel Cosmic Invasion. The Ninja Gaiden brand is owned by Koei Tecmo, and the series is primarily developed by its internal studio, Team Ninja. Koei Tecmo released Ninja Gaiden 2 Black earlier this year, and Ninja Gaiden 4 is set to launch on 21 October 2025. This title is being developed by Team Ninja and PlatinumGames and will be published by Xbox Game Studios.

Ninja Gaiden: Ragebound was released digitally on 31 July 2025 for PC via Steam, Switch, PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4 and Xbox Series X|S consoles, priced at €24.99. Physical versions for the Nintendo Switch and PlayStation 5 are scheduled for release in Europe and the Americas on 12 September via Silver Lining Interactive.