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As game development advanced and became more modernised, video games started resembling movies, with graphics trying to replicate real life as closely as possible. Yet, in the process, one crucial element began to fade—their very identity. True video games, the classics created with the only purpose of delivering pure entertainment, slowly but surely started disappearing from the horizon.
Every now and then, the developers, especially those with not-so-deep pockets, make a game that uses 2D graphics, sometimes in a pixelated art style that reminds us of the good old days of video games, but those occasions are, unfortunately, very rare, although gamers appreciate such games fondly.
To say that Sega is some small, indie developer would be a total lie, of course; this is definitely one of the biggest and, at the same time, oldest companies involved in video game development. However, the games Sega publishes from time to time are exactly the ones that restore the fate that the 'old' games are not dead yet.
Shinobi: Art of Vengeance, the latest 2D hack and slash platformer, is a game that seems to have been sleeping for 20+ years, woken up, put on some shiny new clothes, and gone out without a single care about anything that is happening around it. Okay, this hibernation lasted 14 years, to be exact, because the last game in the Shinobi series was released in 2011. However, the point still stands: this game really stayed true to its core, and if for nothing else, this fact alone earns my deepest respect for it.
Being a true 2D classic, Shinobi: Art of Vengeance inherits everything from this period, including cringeworthy storytelling, simple yet extremely funny gameplay, and graphics that resemble old games but are still beautifully designed with modern tools and whannots.
Speaking of a story, I won't say much, really, because all talk about the plot itself would be venturing into the dangerous spoiler waters. All I'll say is that the story follows a very classic formula, with the threats from an evil corporation to take over the world (as classic a premise as possible) and our shinobi hero and his clan, who will stand in their way and try to do everything in their power to stop them.
The story is nothing groundbreaking, really, and you definitely won't play this game for the sake of it. It is told through the cutscenes shown before each level in which a couple of characters talk to Joe Musashi (the game's protagonist), although he won't be the one to say much; anything said to him will be shortly commented on by him with the wisest phrase of them all: 'Hmmm.'
Yes, Jeo is a man of a few words, or of a single word if we want to be completely sincere, because throughout the entire game, he won't say anything else. The other characters, however, like his apprentice Tomoe or the main villain whose name I won't mention again for the sake of spoilers, are as talkative as they come, sometimes even too much for my taste, but it is what it is.
In a nutshell, Shinobi: Art of Vengeance tells the story you could expect from a game that came out 20, or even 30, years ago with all that cringy hero-villain stuff, but exactly because of that, it is very charming and will bring warmth to your heart, especially if you, like me, have some gaming years to show for (a beautiful way not to say that you're old).
Regarding the gameplay segment, Shinobi: Art of Vengeance is pure nostalgia. The levels are linear, two-dimensional, and full of platforming stuff and enemies on every corner. You're a shinobi, so expect fast-paced action, jumps with multiple flips, double jumps, dashing through the air, and all other stuff one might expect from a nimble ninja.
The combat isn't composed just of attacks and jumping or dashing away as a defensive technique, as you might expect. Apart from those, there are special attacks called Nimpos, which use a special gauge and which will unleash Joe's true shinobi potential. You can also equip different amulets, found through exploring, upgrade Joe's health and get new slots for amulets and Nimpos through the special shop, where you can spend coins gained through playing, and generally do many different things that will enrich the gameplay very much.
In essence, the gameplay is very simple and fun, but also very complex at the same time, so the developers really gave it some thought while they designed it. Regarding level design, I would say it is some sort of modernised classic. The levels are linear, but you can always find the alternate routes and many nooks to explore, and even the level choice, in some instances, will be entirely up to you.
Sometimes you'll be prompted to do multiple missions, and you'll be able to choose which one to tackle first. Not that it will change the outcome of the game in any way, but it is still a nice addition and gives a player a bit of freedom in how to play the game.
When it comes to the visual presentation, Shinobi: Art of Vengeance is a charming game that, as I said earlier, uses a bit of modernised graphics with a touch of classic design in it. The graphics look like they're hand-drawn, and for each level, be it a beautiful dojo set inside a bamboo forest or a modern factory full of steaming pipes and modern machinery, everything is designed perfectly and looks really stunning.
The characters, enemies, and bosses are also very well designed. Every single detail you can see on a character when you speak with them over the dialogue screen, which is made of unmovable images, can also be seen in real-time, which is really insane for a game like this. One thing, though, which somehow disappointed me, is the lack of ultra-wide screen support in the PC version of the game.
While playing, you'll have those infamous black bars on the sides of the screen if you use an ultra-wide monitor, and given that so many PC gamers use those ultra-wide resolutions nowadays, this simply had to be a thing. Perhaps, they will add the ultra-wide support later, but now it's absent, and I'm acknowledging it.
Performance-wise, the game isn't really demanding, and it will easily run even on some very old PCs, so do not worry if your GPU or CPU is outdated; you'll run this game perfectly even on a 'potato PC'. For me, it ran over 250 FPS all the time, so no worries about performance on PC, really.
Sound design is okay; not a single complaint here. The soundtrack is good, especially during boss fights, while the music that plays in the background while exploring levels and fighting enemies builds the atmosphere and elevates adrenaline, giving the game that specific, fast-paced element.
Conclusion
Shinobi: Art of Vengeance is a real 2D hack and slash classic that will bring up some old memories if you're a gaming veteran and appreciate good old games with a small dash of modern, which will attract younger gamers as well.
If you're craving a carefree game where the sole aim is to have tonnes of fun while obliterating tonnes of pixelated baddies, then Shinobi: Art of Vengeance is a game for you. With a beautiful art style, a classic story, and a solid sound presentation, you won't be disappointed. This game entertained me very well, and I hope it will have the same effect on you, whether or not you decide to give it a chance.
The Good
Faithful to classic 2D hack-and-slash roots- Simple yet fun and engaging gameplay
- Stunning hand-drawn style visuals
- Good soundtrack, especially during boss fights
- Runs smoothly even on older PCs
The Bad
Lack of ultra-wide monitor support on PC- The story is predictable and not a strong point
