For a side-scrolling platformer, feel is everything. You can have a gorgeous game with a rocking soundtrack, but if a platformer doesn’t feel good to play, it won’t get anywhere. It’s been over three decades since the Ninja Gaiden series was a side-scroller, and needless to say video games have changed profoundly in that time. Could a new Ninja Gaiden feel both modern and still harness what made those original games so special? I’m pleased to say that after playing a few hours of Ninja Gaiden: Ragebound, it feels like the answer is a resounding yes.
Ragebound is the first side-scrolling entry in the franchise in 33 years, and a massive collaboration between three studios — Koei Tecmo, publisher Dotemu (Streets of Rage 4), and developer The Game Kitchen (Blasphemous). In that trinity there’s a staggering amount of experience with metroidvanias and side-scrollers, and it shines through clear as day in Ragebound.
