[PlayStation 5] NINJA GAIDEN: Ragebound – A Detailed Review

Man, where to even start with “NINJA GAIDEN: Ragebound”? It’s like this wild trip down memory lane but with way more pixels and chaos. So, The Game Kitchen and DotEmu? Yeah, they’re at it again with this side-scroll mania that just pulls you in. Picture young ninja Kenji Mozu fighting alongside a spider clan (yes, spiders) because some demon doorway just blew wide open. Right? Wild stuff.

Anyway, let’s talk about how Ryu Hayabusa goes to America, probably to escape demon drama — although why anyone would want to go on a trip with all that going on, who knows? Maybe it’s all about honoring dad’s last wishes. But bam! Suddenly, demons everywhere back home.

Okay, total tangent here, but last time I got into their games was with Blasphemous 2 on PS5 – such vibes, dude. Like, I was supposed to be reviewing it, but I ended up just… playing it forever? And somehow, that same excitement rolled into “Ragebound.”

When you start up, it’s like, here’s your analog stick, D-Pad, whatever — just get moving, right? Jump here, attack there with X and Square. Slice through stuff like a boss, or climb walls like you’re some sort of lizard ninja. It’s mad. You’re dodging spikes like your life depends on it — oh wait, it does.

Now, mid-air stunts are a thing. L1 and X for a guillotine boost? What is that even? Sounds like when you’re cutting paper, but in cooler NINJA terms. Kumori jumping in with Kunai, and you’re like, “Hey, safe distance attacks? Sign me up.” Dodging with R1 is neat too, unless you’re like me and, oops, didn’t press it fast enough.

Oh, and this hypercharge attack. Grab some aura, get flashy — just don’t overthink it. After all, it’s practically a party trick for boss fights. Who knew swinging your weapon around could make baddies dizzy?

Every level? Adventure central. One minute you’re doing perfect dojo runs, next you’re hunting for some Golden Scarabs — because why not, right? It’s all about the challenges, the collectibles, the trophies. Speaking of which, let’s not even mention how I’m probably not getting that Platinum anytime soon. Too many enemies and not enough skills on my part.

Muramasa’s store is your go-to for Dragon Talismans. I mean, you’re not actually a ninja if you don’t have one named Blood Frenzy or Traveler’s Blessing, right? Health boost here, full restore there — they’ve really got all the ninja bases covered.

Oh, wait. I forgot about the accessibility options — because real life needs those, too. You can tweak game speed and whatnot. Maybe it’s for when you just want to soak in the pixel world without getting smashed every five seconds. The game’s cross-buy, no biggie, but hey, PS4 and PS5 for one price? Nice touch.

And, um, full disclosure here? This review is thanks to a PS5 copy from DotEmu. Just putting that out there, you know?

Anyway, where was I? Oh yeah — if you’re into fast-paced, pixelated madness with a sprinkle of ninja magic, this might just be your jam. Or maybe that’s just my take. Who knows?