Review of NINJA GAIDEN: Ragebound on PlayStation 5

Man, where do I even start with this wild ride that is NINJA GAIDEN: Ragebound? It’s like this game had me on a backward rollercoaster, and I kind of loved it. So, picture this: Ryu Hayabusa — you know, the ninja you never knew you needed — takes a trip to America (because why not, right?) to do some kinda family tribute thing. Meanwhile, back home, all hell literally breaks loose because a demon world barrier just… shatters. Like, who saw that coming? Not me.

Enter Kenji Mozu. Who’s Kenji? Good question, I’m still figuring it out, but he’s our guy. Apparently, it’s do or die, and he’s teaming up with the Black Spider Clan — which sounds shady but is actually necessary. Kumori, this highly skilled assassin (assassins are always skilled, aren’t they? What if one wasn’t? I’d watch that movie!), joins their little ragtag crew. The cool part? This all happens at the same time as the original NINJA GAIDEN. Parallel universe vibes? Maybe!

So, if you’re itchy from nostalgia or just need a chaos fix, this game is it. Oh, and mind you, I’ve been deep into this series since the OG Nintendo days. Remember those? Blowing into cartridges when games wouldn’t work. Good times… or were they?

Let’s dive into controls. You’re using the left stick or D-Pad, jumping with X, slicing stuff with Square. Simple enough, right? Jump on walls, cling to ceilings, avoid the classic spike/falling-into-fire combo. Don’t ask me why, but these mechanics reminded me of how my cat climbs things at home — with ease and a sense of impending disaster.

And there’s this guillotine boost move you can do mid-air, thanks to pressing L1 or X. Somewhere along the line, it hit me: why am I always launching things? But then it’s fun — kumori throwing Kunai at stuff, dodging attacks with R1, all of it. It’s like a fever dream, but you’re winning.

Get this — enemies you defeat have this aura thing, and you can absorb it for major attacks. Takes me back to binge-watching martial arts movies as a kid. Loved those old-school flicks! If there’s a hypercharge move involved, you bet I’m using it during boss fights. They’re dizzy just long enough for you to catch your breath — or take a snack break. Why are snacks not an official boss fight requirement yet?

Progressing through levels, there are these challenges. Some are straightforward, like not dying. Others? Wild. Like dodging every single spike and fireball. Trying for a perfect dojo run without a scratch? It’s like asking me not to touch my phone for an hour — nigh impossible.

Collect stuff like Golden Scarabs to buy from Muramasa. Talismans are up for grabs. Some help you heal, others do who-knows-what. Perhaps they have mystical properties? Or maybe it’s all placebo. Feels good either way, doesn’t it?

Trophies. They’re a thing. Honestly, trophy lists for games have become my weird obsession. There’s a Platinum trophy if you’ve got the patience of a saint and the skills of a Jedi. Goals range from finishing acts to beating bosses, and even completing crazy side quests like slaying 3,000 enemies. I mean, that’s a small army right there.

All told, NINJA GAIDEN: Ragebound is this wonderfully chaotic mix of pixels and nostalgia, inviting us back into its frantic world. Plenty of demon fighting, wall climbing, and button-mashing goodness. What’s not to love? Oh! Nearly forgot: tomorrow, you can grab it as a Cross-Buy title, meaning you pay once and play it on both PS4 and PS5. It’s like a gamer’s two-for-one special.

And hey, if none of this ramble made sense, get the game anyway. You’ll have a blast piecing it together. Trust me; the chaos is worth it.

Disclaimer: Reviewing this made me appreciate my moderately non-chaotic life. Thanks, DotEmu, for the review copy.