SHINOBI: Art of Vengeance arrives on PlayStation®4 and PlayStation®5 on August 29, 2025. This brand-new title continues the legacy of the Shinobi series, which first came to arcades in 1987.
Lizardcube, the studio behind the critically acclaimed Streets of Rage IV (2020), return to breathe life into Joe Musashi’s latest quest for vengeance with their iconic art style.
Recently, we had the chance to sit down and play two stages ahead of the game’s launch, and found ourselves immediately captivated by the art style, fluid controls, and fast-paced combat system. In our latest blog, we break down what makes the game so enjoyable and how it captures the essence of being a ninja.
Journey through a stylistic dystopian world
A paramilitary faction known as ENE Corp seizes territories across the world, decimating their defenses in little time. Only one threat to their dominion remains: the Oboro Clan, led by the legendary Joe Musashi.
Ruse, the mastermind behind ENE Corp, takes matters into his own hands and launches a devastating attack on Oboro Village. Joe Musashi, upon finding his village burned to the ground and his clan turned to stone, sets off on a quest for vengeance, ready to face an unparalleled evil.
Joe Musashi
The protagonist. Head of the Oboro Clan, a tribe of ninjas that has protected peace from within the shadows for generations. Though he’s a man of few words, his clan puts their utmost trust in him.
Lord Ruse
The mastermind behind paramilitary organization ENE Corp. He commands his troops with callous tact and an iron fist. Fearing the might of the Oboro Clan, he sets in motion a plan to eliminate them once and for all.
Your journey will see you traverse through a variety of stages, from neon-lit cityscapes and military strongholds to the top of a speeding freight train and more. The game’s hand-drawn aesthetic pulls you into a world that feels as if it were lifted straight from a comic book. They’re so gorgeous that you’ll want to stop and admire the visuals.
In your quest for vengeance, you’ll need to harness new skills, uncover hidden paths, and use your wit and skill to overcome the obstacles in your way.
Stage Overview 1: Oboro Village
On a training excursion to Oboro Village, Musashi and his students encounter rival ninjas and discover that the village is under attack. You’ll need to master jumping, dodging, Ninpo, and other fundamental fighting moves as you rush towards the goal.
It’s really easy to get lost in learning the basics, but make sure you step back and soak in the beauty of the world. You can see how much attention and care went into every little detail, like the mist surrounding the plains and bamboo trees or the sunlight streaming through the treetops.
Once you pass the halfway point, you’ll come across the smoldering ashes of the village and a ninja estate rigged with traps. Some sections may seem unpassable at first glance, but if you look carefully and get creative with your ninja skills, you’ll find ways to get around!
Stage Overview 2: Lantern Festival
Upon learning that ENE Corp may be operating in the shadows of a lakeside festival, Joe Musashi wastes no time in giving chase.
To kick this stage off, you’ll have to traverse a path of wooden planks and wrecked ships to get across the lake. Linger too long and they’ll sink, sending you to a watery grave. This is a challenging stage that requires you to stay on the move, leaping from platform to platform as you vanquish foes along the way.
Once you arrive at the village, you’ll be greeted by the sight of fireworks and lanterns shaped like dragons, tigers, and other creatures. However, there’s no time to admire the view. The stage will keep on scrolling along, so you’ll need to take to the skies and stay one step ahead. Take advantage of your surroundings and use double jump and aerial dash to help you maneuver across the area.
Master the way of the shinobi with Ninpo and powerful Ninjutsu
It’s impossible to talk about SHINOBI: Art of Vengeance without mentioning its fast-paced, hard-hitting combat system. In addition to katana- and shuriken-based techniques, you also have an array of Ninjutsu and Ninpo at your disposal. Beautifully rendered in smooth, fluid animation, every attack is intuitive and easy to execute.
Of course, there’s more to the game than simply mashing buttons. You’ll need to adapt to various situations using the skills in your toolkit. Getting accustomed to combos will help you clear stages quicker, so once you get the hang of it, try developing your own combos and polishing up your playstyle. Aside from basic commands, you can also perform the following maneuvers:
Ningi
Ningi are helpful abilities that can be performed by entering special commands and have no limitations. You can obtain new Ningi by progressing through the story or visiting the shop.
The Cannon Punch, which can be unlocked in the demo, deals heavy damage to armor, making it possible to hurt enemies who are impervious to regular attacks. Once you’ve broken their guard, you can follow up with a combo to deal even more damage. When you get your hands on the full version of the game, try it out in battle! The Cannon Punch can also destroy Yokai Barriers, opening up new paths for you to explore!
Shinobi Execution
Enemies have an Execution Gauge which is the white bar beneath their health bar. Inflicting damage on them will fill it up. Once it’s maxed out, you’ll see an icon appear above them, marking them for Execution. Perform a Shinobi Execution to finish them off instantly.
Defeating an enemy with this move nets you additional loot, and if your attack kills multiple enemies, you’ll earn even more bonus rewards. Mastering Shinobi Executions takes practice, but once you understand their damage output and how to pull them off effectively, there’s honestly no better feeling than getting to wipe out all your enemies on-screen with it.
Ninpo
Ninpo are special attacks that can be executed once your green gauge is maxed out. You can fill up the gauge by attacking enemies. In the demo, Fire Ninpo lets you breathe fire, dealing damage to enemies in front of you, while Water Ninpo puts you in a defensive stance where you’ll perform a powerful counter on any enemy attacking you.
Water Ninpo is only usable under specific conditions, but if performed successfully, it’ll boost your Execution Gauge and deal heavy damage to armored foes. Mastering it will turn it into a powerful tool in your arsenal!
Ninjutsu
Defeating enemies and collecting the red Rage Orbs that they drop will charge up your Rage Gauge (the bar surrounding Joe’s portrait). Once it’s fully charged, you’ll be able to cast Ninjutsu, powerful full-screen attacks.
Karyu, for example, engulfs the entire screen in flames, dealing tremendous damage to all enemies. When used against large swarms of enemies, you’ll achieve an astonishingly high hit count. However, unlike other moves, Ninjutsu have a drawback in that they need time to charge up, so play conservatively and unleash them when the time is right.
Collect Oboro Relics to attain upgrades and new gear
Each stage features a shop run by a yokai where you can upgrade your health and stats or purchase new Ningi and Ninpo. To help the store thrive, however, you’ll need to find Oboro Relics—five of which are hidden in each stage. By giving these items to the shopkeeper, they’ll be able to expand their wares, allowing you to purchase new Ningi, Ninpo, and other items.
Items in the store can be purchased with the gold you obtain from defeating enemies. Powerful Ningi and Ninpo can be expensive, so to build up your funds more efficiently, try using Shinobi Executions to quickly decimate your foes. If you’re stuck on a stage or a boss is giving you trouble, you can always backtrack and defeat more enemies for gold. That will allow you to learn new Ningi and boost your stats, better preparing you for the trials ahead.
Pre-orders for the Digital Deluxe Edition available now
Pick up the Digital Deluxe Edition to get the base game, a Starter Pack filled with in-game items, the SEGA Villains Stage (releasing early 2026) which features bosses based on iconic SEGA villains, the Digital Artbook, and a soundtrack! Plus, if you pre-order the game, you’ll be allowed to play the game 3 days early!
Digital Deluxe Edition
＜Contents＞
■Base Game
■Starter Pack (Ghost Outfit, Medic Lite Amulet, and In-Game Currency)
■SEGA Villains Stage (Coming Early 2026)
■Digital Artbook and Soundtrack
■Product Information
SHINOBI: Art of Vengeance
Publisher：SEGA
Platform：PlayStation 5 / PlayStation 4
Genre：Action Platformer
Release Date：August 29, 2025 (Fri)
Players：1
*The PlayStation 4 version is only available digitally.
(C)SEGA
