Roundup: Ninja Gaiden: Ragebound Is Launching On Xbox To Very Impressive Reviews

We’re not done for major new Xbox releases in July just yet! Ninja Gaiden: Ragebound is finishing things off this Thursday with its release for multiple platforms including Xbox Series X and S, and it’s getting superb reviews so far.

For those who haven’t been keeping track, this is a side-scrolling 2D game that’s been developed by the team behind the Blasphemous games, said to “combine old-school feeling with modern precision”.

The reviews clearly agree! Here’s what some of them are saying so far:

“Ragebound is tough to complete and even harder to master, but it’s hardest to put down. It’s demanding with little frustration, engaging with few lulls, and ultimately, a reminder that while Ryu’s modern-day adventures can be great, there’s still Ki to be found in Ninja Gaiden’s original dimensions.”

IGN (9/10)

“Ninja Gaiden: Ragebound is a game I’m going to be replaying for a long time. It looks and sounds incredible, and the fast but thoughtful combat is so damn satisfying that I had a hard time putting it down long enough to write this review.”

“It’s more an iteration than a reimagining like Ninja Gaiden (2005), and is caught in the limitations of nostalgia and homage as a result, but it’s so fast, responsive, and well-presented that you’ll mostly be too fixated with slicing through demons to notice.”

“Ninja Gaiden: Ragebound is an incredible revival for a venerable series. Pitch-perfect controls, fantastic encounter design, and a tough-but-fair challenge elevate this well beyond a sea of other retro action games. If there’s any room for complaint, it’s that I simply want more – more levels, and more reasons to come back to them.”

“On the whole, I got a lot of joy from Ninja Gaiden: Ragebound, and perhaps in different hands, more skilled hands, the opinion would be even more positive. Perhaps those who will play this, yearning for the days of TMNT in a grotty arcade will get a kick out of the quirks and eccentricities here. I have my complaints, but I’d still recommend this game to everyone I know who likes a challenge or appreciates the retro style.”

“A pixellly striking retro action platformer with a few new ninja tricks hidden in its folds, although if it does lose some of its violently tactile flow by the halfway point.”

Looking at the Metacritic average, Ninja Gaiden: Ragebound currently has a very impressive rating of 86, putting it in the realm of being a Game of the Year contender – or at least cracking the top-10 list come the end of 2025.

If you’re interested in checking it out, the game isn’t actually available to pre-order on the Xbox Store at the time of writing, but it’ll be going live tomorrow (July 31st) at a price of £20.99 / $29.99.

Here’s a bit more on the game, along with some screenshots.

A brand-new side-scrolling entry to the NINJA GAIDEN series from the team behind Blasphemous, NINJA GAIDEN: Ragebound redefines the classic platformer saga in a spectacular, thrilling and challenging ninja adventure.

Combining old-school feeling with modern precision, NINJA GAIDEN: Ragebound retains the pick-up-and-play action of the classic titles, while introducing new layers of depth. Alongside the new protagonist, Kenji Mozu, is the skilled assassin Kumori. Take control of these two powerful ninjas simultaneously and unravel their interconnected stories.