In case you missed the recent announcement, Koei Tecmo and The Game Kitchen (Blasphemous dev) are releasing Ninja Gaiden: Ragebound on Xbox in Summer 2025 - a new 2D action side-scroller entry in the series.
And, prior to that upcoming release, a batch of 'hands-on' previews for the title have gone live this week, so down below is a quick roundup of those impressions so far to give you a flavour of what to expect from this new Ninja Gaiden game.
Nintendo Life
"With stunning pixel-art visuals, a thumping retro-inspired soundtrack, and slick, responsive gameplay, Ninja Gaiden: Ragebound is shaping up to be another win for The Game Kitchen and a wonderful reintroduction to the series’ 2D origins. As long as the team can really nail the difficulty and give veteran players the challenge they’ve been seeking, this stands a chance of being the studio’s best title yet."
IGN
"I think old school Ninja Gaiden fans are bound to enjoy this return to form. Ragebound has great pixel art, fast-paced platforming action, and new ideas that elevate the source material. I’m looking forward to learning more about Kumori and seeing how her relationship with Kenji develops. From what I’ve played so far, this seems like another winning combination of beloved but neglected IP with passionate indie devs. Ninja Gaiden Ragebound is out this summer."
Inverse
"Between Ragebound and the recently-announced Ninja Gaiden 4, it’s starting to feel like Koei Tecmo is making all the right decisions in bringing the legendary franchise back to life."
VG247
"Ninja Gaiden Ragebound seems to me to be an absolutely fantastic addition to the Ninja Gaiden series, even if it isn't mainline. It represents everything I feel is important to the series, and fits nicely into the canon in a way that should be pleasing to old fans too. I would highly recommend keeping an eye on this one, it's a scorcher."
Comicbook
"2025 is the Year of the Ninja for Koei Tecmo, and Ninja Gaiden: Ragebound will likely be one of the best ways to celebrate it. The essence that makes the series so iconic has done the impossible and has been replicated and upgraded. It’s a nostalgia fest for fans and a rocking good platformer for newcomers. If anything, it seems like a surefire way to bring a once-dormant series back to life in a way many will enjoy, as I have. The Game Kitchen is living up to its name and cooking up what may be one of this year’s best platformers and one well worth the watch, even if it’s from the shadows."