Shinobi: Art of Vengeance Review Roundup: A Ninja Master Returns

The reviews are in for Shinobi: Art of Vengeance, and the consensus is clear: this long-awaited revival of Sega’s iconic ninja franchise is a stunning success. Developed by Lizardcube in partnership with Sega, and launching on August 29, the game has currently earned a Metacritic score of 87 based on 48 critic reviews, placing it among the year’s top releases so far.

Don't Call it a Comeback

Critics are raving about the game’s artistry and gameplay depth. Many highlight how the game has been re-imagined for a modern audience but is still able to call back to the classic Shinobi titles as well. Here are a few of the standout reviews:

PlayStation Universe (9.5/10): "one of my favorite games of 2025" for its "gorgeous hand-drawn art and kinetic combat." Full review: https://www.psu.com/reviews/shinobi-art-of-vengeance-ps5-review/

Shacknews (9/10): "it is fast, frenetic, and utterly absorbing". Full review: https://www.shacknews.com/article/145640/shinobi-art-of-vengeance-review-score

Push Square (9/10): "Shinobi is a brilliant 2D action platformer" Full review: https://www.pushsquare.com/reviews/ps5/shinobi-art-of-vengeance

Game Informer (93/100): "Shinobi: Art of Vengeance should serve as a blueprint for delivering a retro-facing experience of an absentee franchise." Full review: https://gameinformer.com/review/shinobi-art-of-vengeance/a-cut-above

It's hard to beat praise like that, and it looks like Shinobi's comeback has stuck the landing.

A Feast of Action and Artistry

Our own early experience with Shinobi echoes the high points outlined above. I absolutely love the art style, and feel that the hand drawn visuals lend it a unique feel that really makes every screen come alive. The environments are large, sprawling off in all directions and visually extending into the background with multi-layer elements that give a great sense of depth to each location.

The action in Shinobi: Art of Vengeance hits hard and fast, just like one of Joe's combos. You are constantly dancing around the screen to set up the next attack, and the ability to chain together combos, air juggles, and execution finishers is excellent. As we said in our preview, it feels like Lizardcube took some of the best elements from DOOM: Eternal and reworked them into 2D to bring Shinobi to modern audiences, and they nailed it.

More Than Just a Violent Face

Beyond the combat there are also great platforming areas that take you through twisting tunnels or race you against looming threats to amp up the tension. Although some of these areas can get quite tricky, especially in the bonus areas, there is almost always a checkpoint nearby so you can quickly try again if need be. Shinobi also has multiple environments to explore, from bamboo forests to Neo City skylines, and a little bit of puzzle solving when you must decide the best way to utilize your moveset to reach the next ledge or grab a collectible. Throughout each level there are secrets to find, gold to collect, new moves to unlock, and even just fun callouts to look for in the backgrounds. Everything really comes together to elevate Shinobi to something great.

At GameMinr, we’re thrilled to see Shinobi: Art of Vengeance exceed expectations. And we'll keep you posted on our impressions as the launch approaches later this week. What are your thoughts on the return of Shinobi? Are you excited to dive into this one? Let us know over on X/Twitter or Facebook!