PlayStation is back at it again, with yet another Ninja game coming to the platform. Sega and Sony jointly revealed Shinobi: Art of Vengeance – The Remaking of a Ninja, a modern take on the classic series that helped define the art of stealth-action in the 90s. The PlayStation Blog (give it a read, if you haven’t yet, some cool stuff on there) announced Sega’s legendary franchise’s return to the platform, while being reimagined for a new generation of stealth-lovers.
So, Musashi is back on the screens, but how much nostalgia-grab can we expect from this one? True, the return to the shadows might be a bit more calculated than we’d like, but the cinematic flair and toolset of the year 2025 can only benefit the game in our opinion. It doesn’t only cater towards older players who might have even played the katana-swinging-action back in the day, but it’s also a way to open the gates to this experience to newer players, who probably weren’t even alive to have been able to witness it.
When it comes to the reveal trailer, all the ninja-themed things you’d expect to be there, were. Moonlit rooftops, stylish combat sequences and a katana shining brightly in the darkest of nights. If that doesn’t sound subtle enough for you, you might be right: Sega isn’t resurrecting a relic of the past, it’s reimagining it with style, swiftness and the readiness to carve its way into PlayStation’s current generation of consoles.
Sega Reforges An Epic Legacy
Shinobi has always been about precision and style. From its arcade roots to its console adaptations, the series has a reputation for tough but rewarding gameplay, and that’s not an easy thing to balance in our humble opinion. We’re not too worried though, since the remake looks determined to keep that identity intact and, even more, build upon it in meaningful ways.
Sega described the project as a “remaking” rather than a reboot – implying this isn’t about rewriting the character, but rather translating his legacy into modern mechanics. We just hope that doesn’t mean Shinobi is getting an easy mode, because that would undermine what the series is about. Then again, what do we know – we’re old.
To get back on topic, the original’s side-scrolling platforming has been reimagined into 3D, with its classic hand-drawn style returning, but still with an emphasis on agility, timing, and stealth, so maybe our worries are for nothing after all. Wall runs, smoke bombs, shuriken throws, and fluid swordplay all made an appearance in the reveal footage, looking slick and expectedly polished. The challenge will be in balancing that throwback difficulty curve with the accessibility modern players expect, so Sega really has its worked cut out for them. Pun intended.
The Community Is Embracing The New And Shiny Shinobi
As you would expect, the forums are exploding at the reveal of Shinobi, and it wasn’t just veteran players who probably still have that old cartridge settling dust in the attic sitting around. It seems to us, that especially the younger audience, with the recent success of games like Hollow Knight, is truly excited to re-discover another side-scrolling adventure from Sega. And let’s be honest: Ninjas will never not be cool, so that one’s a no-brainer.
While most of the reception we saw online has been positive, there are some cynical remarks as well as valid skepticisms to be found, if you know where to look for them. Those focus on one thing mostly, and that’s the fact, that Sega has indeed fumbled a few revivals before, like Golden Axe: Beast Riders, for example. While that fear might not be unjustified, we feel like Sega is treating Shinobi: Art of Vengeance with the right amount of respect, so unless we see something that really worries us; we’re not too worried. You can play Shinobi now on Steam.
