SHINOBI: Art of Vengeance Preview – Bringing Hand-Drawn Ninja Action to Modern Gaming

The legendary ninja franchise is making a comeback with SHINOBI: Art of Vengeance, and early gameplay reveals a combat system that rewards skill and creativity. After getting hands-on with two demo sessions – an early tutorial and a mid-game level – our preview of SHINOBI: Art of Vengeance shows promise for both newcomers and veteran players.

Combat System and Mechanics

Joe Musashi, the main character, starts with basic moves but quickly expands his arsenal as you progress. The combat revolves around different core features such as light attacks, heavy attacks, dodge rolls, executions, ninjutsu, and ninpo. What makes it interesting is how these systems work together – as you unlock new abilities, your combo possibilities grow dramatically.

One of the standout features in SHINOBI: Art of Vengeance is the Ninja Flip which serves as a dodge cancel mechanic. After hitting an enemy, you can dodge to immediately start a new combo string, creating longer and more fluid attack chains. This gives the combat a smooth, flowing feel that makes stringing together moves satisfying.

Three key abilities use limited resources, forcing players to think strategically. Kunai throws are powerful – they pierce through enemies and greatly increase the execution gauge – but you can’t spam them. However, you can replenish your kunai supply by destroying boxes scattered throughout the stages. Ninjutsu builds up when you take damage and, once full, can clear the entire screen depending on which type you have equipped. Ninpo is more readily available and can be worked into combos more easily and uses the green bar (visible in the top left corner), ninpo meter can be regained by hitting enemies.

The execution system also helps recover your health, making aggressive play even more rewarding. When an enemy’s execution bar fills up (the second bar below their health), you can perform a special takedown. However, be careful – some stages have platforming elements where executions can teleport you to unsafe locations, causing fall damage.

Varied Enemies and Challenges Keep You on Your Toes

The enemy variety is impressive, with different types requiring different approaches. Standard melee fighters mix with heavy enemies that take more hits to damage or have a shield that requires you to move or use different abilities to break their guard, ranged attackers, and archers who fire from off-screen with lightning-fast attacks.

One particularly challenging enemy type throws axes with precise timing and an unusual curve that makes them surprisingly accurate. The journey to each boss often proves more difficult than the boss fights themselves – at least that’s what we experienced during our preview sessions.

Another particularly dangerous threat comes from “Dark Attacks” – special enemy moves identified by a purple aura. These attacks cannot be interrupted or dodged with roll mechanics, forcing players to find alternative defensive strategies.

Each stage includes optional challenges for hardcore players, such as completing levels without using ninjutsu or taking no damage. The combination of different enemy types creates challenging scenarios throughout levels, with the journey to boss fights appearing more difficult than the bosses themselves.

Skill System and Abilities

The game offers four main skill categories that expand Joe Musashi’s capabilities which can be changed at any time during gameplay allowing for adjustments based on upcoming challenges or newly discovered abilities.

Ninjutsu skills build gauge through taking damage or collecting rage orbs dropped by enemies. Players enter ninjutsu stance and can use powerful techniques. One example available during the hands-on session was the Karyu which ignites and damages all enemies on screen simultaneously.

Ninpo abilities stand out as the most user-friendly of the special techniques. Unlike Ninjutsu which requires taking damage to charge up, or Kunai which need to be found and conserved, Ninpo has a more readily available. What makes Ninpo particularly appealing is its more accessible resource cost compared to other special abilities. The skills menu shows multiple Ninpo slots available.

Ningi tools help with navigation and exploration, like Ninja Claws for climbing walls and ceilings, or Cannon Punch for breaking through special barrier walls. The Cannon Punch is particularly versatile, described as “effective on both enemies and Yokai Barrier walls” with heavy damage to armor, making it useful for both combat and environmental puzzles. The Dash ability allows players to move past enemies whether on the ground or in midair, adding another layer of mobility to combat encounters.

Combat Moves round out the system with various combos and attacks performed using specific button combinations, giving players multiple ways to chain together devastating sequences.

Gear like amulets provide passive bonuses and combo enhancements. An example shown throughout our time was the Power Booster amulet, which increases overall damage output. There’s also a passive amulet like the Piercing Kunai that makes kunai cut through enemies at twice the ammo cost, offering a trade-off between resource efficiency and penetration power.

Stage Navigation and Progression

Players can access a stage map at any time during gameplay, showing the current area layout with marked checkpoints for respawning. The map reveals obstacles and secrets as players discover them, helping with exploration and planning routes. Fast travel between checkpoints streamlines progression through larger stages.

Environmental interaction plays a key role, with colored walls and obstacles that can be passed through using specific moves. These interactable elements often hide secrets or provide alternative paths through levels.

The game features hand-drawn animation for every frame, creating a distinctive visual style. Background elements add depth to the experience, with enemy ninjas running in back lanes while the main character operates in the foreground. These background activities contribute to the game’s unique atmosphere.

Initial Thoughts

The combat system definitely stands out for its incredible fluidity, especially when chaining combos together. The dodge cancel mechanic creates some of the most satisfying moments in the demo – finishing a combo and immediately canceling into a dodge to start a new combo string feels absolutely fantastic. The available tools for Joe Musashi are impressively expansive, from kunai throws and dash kicks from jumps to katana slashes, giving you multiple ways to handle any situation.

The visual presentation deserves special mention beyond just praising the hand-drawn animation. The layered staging—with background ninjas and environmental storytelling—creates a living world that extends beyond Joe Musashi’s immediate battlefield. It’s the kind of visual depth that makes you want to replay levels just to catch details you missed while focused on combat.

SHINOBI: Art of Vengeance manages to feel both respectful of its legacy and genuinely modern. This isn’t just nostalgia bait with a fresh coat of paint—it’s a thoughtful evolution that understands what made the original games special while addressing the expectations of today’s action game audience.

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