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Shinobi: Art of Vengeance brings Joe Musashi back for a 2D action-platforming adventure shaped by fluid movement, expressive visuals, and a flexible combat system. A 30-minute hands-on preview offered an early look at its opening stages, where straightforward tutorials gradually give way to tougher enemies, exploration, and environmental challenges.
Shinobi: Art of Vengeance combines classic action with modern controls
The story follows a familiar revenge-and-resistance setup. Lord Ruse and the ENE Corporation have taken control of the planet, and Joe Musashi sets out to stop them. The adventure begins in Oboro Village, home to Joe and his clan. Its quiet is interrupted soon after Joe says goodbye to his wife and ENE forces attack.
Movement and platforming feel responsive, while Joe’s weight gives his jumps and attacks a grounded quality. The opening encounters introduce his abilities, but the combat encourages experimentation rather than relying on one basic sequence. Light attacks can be mixed with heavier strikes, and the growing move set creates more ways to handle groups of enemies.
Stances, special moves, and combat resources
Joe begins with his sword and a limited supply of kunai. New abilities become available as the story progresses, while collected currency can be spent on moves, additional kunai capacity, and a larger health bar. In the preview, story-based unlocks provided some of the most useful additions.
Ninja and Ninjutsu stances give Joe access to powerful techniques. Shinobi Execution can finish off staggered enemies and provide extra rewards. Fire Ninpo sends a fireball toward a nearby target, while Water Ninpo surrounds Joe with water to help him parry attacks. Karyu, used from the Ninjutsu stance, damages enemies across the screen.
These abilities are limited by gauges or specific conditions, so they cannot simply be used continuously. Shinobi Execution requires an enemy to be staggered. Ninpo charges as Joe attacks, while Karyu builds through damage taken or by collecting Rage Orbs from defeated enemies. For players, the practical takeaway is to watch these resources and save a suitable ability for a difficult encounter.
Boss patterns and more demanding platforming
The first stage introduces the Ghost Samurai, a miniboss with dark attacks and heavy swings that cannot be interrupted. Learning the timing of his attacks is essential: after avoiding his blows, Joe can respond with combos and a Fire Ninpo, then use Shinobi Execution once the enemy is staggered. Observing attack patterns before committing to a strike is a useful approach to this fight.
The Lantern Festival stage expands the adventure with more exploration, complex platforming, environmental puzzles, and tougher enemy groups. It begins in a swamp, where platforms descend into poisonous water, before opening into a decorated village filled with floating lanterns and fireworks. The change of scenery also comes with more combat pressure.
Amulets and Ningi abilities encourage exploration
Amulets add bonuses in two ways. Passive Amulets remain active, while Combo Amulets take effect after Joe reaches a specified combo level. The combo counter is not reset simply because time passes after a strike; taking damage is what breaks the chain. This gives players more room to clear one area without rushing to find another opponent.
Ningi abilities help with traversal and can also affect combat. Ninja Claws let Joe climb certain walls, and Cannon Punch breaks designated walls as well as enemy armor. These abilities reveal new routes and may make it worthwhile to revisit earlier stages from checkpoint statues. The upgrade page lists 17 combat moves, 8 Ninpo, 7 Ningi, and 4 Ninjutsu slots.
Enemy variety adds further tactical demands. Shielded foes require careful dodging to reach their backs, while archers can be difficult to spot until an on-screen marker warns of an incoming arrow. Watching for that warning and adjusting positioning can help prevent avoidable damage.
Early verdict on Shinobi: Art of Vengeance
This early build suggests that Shinobi: Art of Vengeance has a strong foundation in responsive action, varied abilities, and visually distinctive stages. Its combat rewards players who adapt their tactics, while traversal skills offer reasons to look beyond the main path and return to previously visited areas.
At the time of the preview, Shinobi: Art of Vengeance was scheduled to arrive on PS5, Xbox Series X/S, PS4, Xbox One, Switch, and PC on August 29. The hands-on session covered only the opening portion, so later stages and the full range of unlockable abilities remained to be seen.
