Summary
During The Game Awards 2024, Koei Tecmo and Dotemu announceNinja Gaiden: Ragebound, the latest entry in the long-running franchise, bringing the series back to its sidescrolling roots.Ninja Gaiden Rageboundaims to blend the classic 8-bit era gameplay with Team Ninja’s more intense 3D-style games in an all-new package.
Anticipation for The Game Awards has been high, as players have been eager to see all of the latest reveals and announcements. As expected,The Game Awards suffered a few leaksbefore the show started, though there were still plenty of announcements that remained tightly guarded. One such reveal was for a new Ninja Gaiden game, bringing together multiple studios for what appears to be a unique experience.
Koei Tecmo and Dotemu have teamed up for the latest installment in theNinja Gaidenfranchise, taskingBlasphemousstudio The Game Kitchen with developing a modern take on the franchise. The debut trailer showcases Kenji Mozu, amember of Ryu Hayabusa’s village, fighting back against a demon army that has invaded due to the legendary ninja being away.
Ninja Gaiden: Ragebound Brings Back Classic Gameplay
From a gameplay perspective, fans may notice thatNinja Gaiden Rageboundtakes heavy inspiration from the classic 8bit titles, bringing back side scrolling action mixed with thepixelated visual style from theBlasphemousseries. Based on the trailer,Rageboundappears to have everything longtime fans will expect, including fast action, big boss battles, and more.
It’s been a long wait forNinja Gaidenfans, as the last mainline entry was back in 2014 withYaiba: Ninja Gaiden Z, something which many fans probably didn’t expect. While theNinja Gaiden Master Collectionreleased in 2021to give fans another chance to explore the history of the franchise, it wasn’t a new experience that many fans were craving. With Ninja Gaiden Ragebound, the team is finally getting back to a proper new entry.
