Here's the cheapest place to pre-order Shinobi Art of Vengeance

Shinobi: Art of Vengeance is a very appropriate title because it offers beautiful art in both the literal and figurative sense, and of course, vengeance is a big part of it. The game is a serious upgrade from its pixelated predecessors and is well worth the 14-year wait. If you're as excited for this new release as I am, then I recommend pre-ordering it through Fanatical, as this retailer is offering it at a 21% discount.

At the moment, it feels like we are getting a plethora of soulslikes and open-world games, and don't get me wrong, I love these genres, but Shinobi: Art of Vengeance brings a 2D ninja platformer to the party, and it's a breath of fresh air. This hack-and-slash was made by the same team that brought us the hit brawler Streets of Rage 4, so there's a very strong pedigree behind it.

Shinobi: Art of Vengeance doesn't reinvent the wheel; it just streamlines it and makes it spin faster. It's a classic tale of revenge, where you play as Joe Musashi, a guy who wants to train his students to become the best darn ninjas they can. ENE Corp, led by immortal tyrant Lord Ruze, has other plans, though. He and his people burn your village to the ground, and so, naturally, this fuels the killing spree that ensues. No one messes with Musashi and lives to tell the tale.

The game has 14 beautifully hand-drawn levels offering smooth, vibrant, and dynamic visual effects that are a feast for the eyes. I love that you can even see reflections in puddles. I don't know about you, but I always find hand-drawn animation enticing in a way that hyperrealistic HD graphics never quite manage. Each stage is unique, providing a mixture of combat, platforming, and exploration, with a clear contrast between each level's design. One moment you're in a Neon City packed with drones and glowing signs, the next you are exploring the insides of a Kaiju, yum.

Level design avoids repetition, with each area introducing new mechanics and pacing. It's not the usual "beat up a bunch of baddies and move onto the next level" sorta game. You could be chased across rooftops and collapsing bridges in one level, and searching for hostages in a gloomy rain rain-filled environment the next. There's so much variety, from the odd puzzle to jumping from rock to rock as you cascade down a chasm. Shinobi offers a steady stream of new challenges and diverse settings that reward curiosity and progression.

Combat-wise, this game lets you approach battles in your own way, with consistently good fluidity and flexibility. Most baddies have a health bar that requires combo chains, giving off platform brawler vibes. But it's not all about fast strike attacks; you can deal stronger, more powerful blows too, and you can even throw daggers. Any approach can work for any enemy if you're skilled enough with your preferred style. You can even unlock more combat abilities via an in-game merchant.

There are also gauges. Once full, you can release game-changing abilities like Shisui, which restores a large chunk of your health, or Ninpo, which gives you a powerful fire blast. The combat system is intuitive and encouraging, with satisfying payoffs. Should you land your combos right, you'll earn bursts of health and showers of coins.

Shinobi: Art of Vengeance is officially released August 29th, 2025, and you've got until then to get it at $23.69 / £19.74 over at Fanatical.

If you love the sound of Shinobi: Art of Vengeance and are looking for games in a similar vein, check out our lists of the best action games and the best platform games. I recommend Spyro because I am a massive fan, so much so that I have a tattoo!

If you're excited about Art of Vengeance and want to join the hype train, join our community Discord. We're always pleased to see your enthusiasm there and love hearing about what you're excited for.