Shinobi: Art of Vengeance: PS5 Review 

Developed by LizardCube
Published by SEGA
Platform: PS5

A 2D action platformer doesn't need to be anything radical.

It doesn't need to reinvent the gaming wheel, nor does it need to provide game-changing thrills in its execution. Simply put, what it does need to do is provide a fluid experience that engages the player and provides continual reason to play on.

To say Shinobi: Art of Vengeance does that and more is not to damn it with feint praise.

This release from SEGA has an old-school feeling that's both welcoming and enjoyable as it puts you squarely in the ninja shoes of Joe Mushashi who is forced to spring into action when his village is attacked. 

With hordes of bad guys heading his way and bosses to defeat, Joe must leap over ruins, bound through the ashes and rise to fend off destiny as it barrels toward him in a destructive way.

It's no hyperbole to say that Shinobi: Art of Vengeance is the kind of slick game you would have spent hours pouring coins into in an arcade. To say that it's simple gaming isn't to insult it - this is the kind of game that requires combos to take down enemies, requires a bit of precision button pressing to reach higher ground and needs as many reflexes as Musashi demonstrates to get through.

But what's most obvious about Shinobi: Art of Vengeance is just how fluid and responsive the controls are. They're nimble when they need to be as you roll through bad guys, surprise them with attacks and then leap back into a ninja stance to make sure you survive the next level.

With its hand-drawn art style and Street Fighter-esque fight graphics, Shinobi: Art of Vengeance is easily one of the best most playable games of the year. It knows exactly what it wants to do, does it and ensures you have a good time doing it.