Many thought the Shinobi series was dead and buried after the last attempt to revive it was met with displeasure and disdain. Indeed, Shinobi 3D for the Nintendo 3DS garnered a subpar 69 on Metacritic, not moving the needle for the series, which has suffered from critical mediocrity since the first game in 1987. While the Metacritic score of a game may be a reductive measurement in isolation, the reviews match the average numbers assigned to them. That hasn’t stopped Shinobi from becoming a beloved series in its own right, however. The latest addition, Shinobi Art of Vengeance, might be the best game fans of the franchise have played in decades.
I’m not exaggerating. At the time of writing, Shinobi Art of Vengeance sits at an impressive 87 on Metacritic, with 37 reviews amalgamated. This makes it the best-reviewed title the series has ever had, currently leading by an impressive nine points over the original 1987 game.
The action-packed platform game combines hack and slash mechanics with slick movement and all the fiery obstacles and unforgiving enemies you’d expect from the genre. Critics praise its Metroidvania-style structure, optional enemy encounters, and the intense difficulty spikes that get you gripping your controller so hard you end up with cramp in your fingers.
Shinobi: Art of Vengeance has even garnered a number of perfect scores from recognized reviewers, suggesting that this average is no freak accident: the game could be the real deal.
You couldn’t really call this a return to form for the series, seeing as Art of Vengeance has blown every other Shinobi title out of the water when it comes to critic reviews. It’s more like the series has reached its final form, finally achieved the lofty goals it set out to reach nearly 40 years ago.
It remains to be seen if players have the same reaction to the game as critics, or if the shorter runtime puts them off, as can often be the case. However, the action platformer is reasonably priced and looks like it could provide the perfect fun-filled adventure before we all turn to Hollow Knight: Silksong next month.
Shinobi: Art of Vengeance is available now. You can buy it here and see the Metacritic reviews here.
If you want to wait to read more Shinobi: Art of Vengeance reviews (or have already finished it), check out our list of the best action games for similar experiences. If you’re into your frantic combat, the best hack and slash games might be more your style.
What do you make of Shinobi: Art of Vengeance? Let us know on our community Discord server, where staff and readers hang out throwing ninja stars at the virtual walls.
