Ninja Gaiden: Ragebound – Demo Impressions

The Ninja Gaiden: Ragebound demo only lasts four levels, and there is only one boss. But man, I loved every second of this game. The Game Kitchen blends tough-as-nails level design alongside a lot of modern sensibilities. The checkpoints are fair, the controls are responsive and tight. Although the stages present a challenge, it is manageable.

The Performance while Playing Ninja Gaiden: Ragebound

The demo ran flawlessly on my PC rig. I was able to get a V-synched 120 FPS at 4K resolution. It felt nice just jumping into a title on my pc and right away getting amazing performance without needing to mess with the settings. On top of playing the demo on my PC, I ran through the four stages on my Steam Deck OLED as well. The Deck ran the game at a rock-solid 90 FPS while maxing out its 800p resolution. It is a very well-optimized game, at least from my time with the demo. Something worth noting is that the game also supports both the DualSense and the Xbox controllers, and displays the correct button prompts while playing. 

Gameplay in Ragebound

Once jumping into the first stage and slicing away at the enemies, the one apparent thing is that the regular enemies can be knocked out with one hit. This serves the core gameplay loop of always being in constant movement. If you stop for a second, these enemies will come rushing at you. Or will not stop trying to attack with their projectiles. But this initial tutorial level is to teach us the basics. Here you will learn to Guillotine Boost, which pretty much means you can jump off enemies, projectiles, and stage hazards. Learn how to dodge with RB/R1 and kill enemies with your sword. And learn the hypercharge mechanic.

This mechanic very rapidly becomes crucial to master. Certain enemies have an aura. And this is represented by a glow outlining the enemy. If the protagonist kills an enemy with a blue aura with his sword, it hypercharges their next attack. This means it will be a very deadly strike, but this hypercharged state only lasts so long. So it’s crucial to be quick. Something to note is that if you hold down the attack button, you can force a hypercharge. However, it will cost some health. The second stage is titled Seized by the Dark Forces, and this is a full-featured level with platforming, challenge rooms, and hidden collectables. Culminating in a boss fight at the end

Levels 3-1 and 3-4 in the Ninja Gaiden: Ragebound Demo

Once the two introductory levels are complete, the game skips to level 3-1. It’s here that we have our first taste of the second protagonist in the game. While the story implications are somewhat hidden away in the demo, the gameplay mechanics grow more complex. It feels as if the two protagonists, Kenji and Kumori, are merging their powers. They are seemingly in different dimensions but act as one. It’s cool! 

In these levels, we are given our own ranged weapons to use in battle. To be able to use these players must kill enemies to gain Ki, and Ki is represented by a red bar right underneath the health bar. The two new weapons we get are the Kunai and the Spider Weapon. Kunai can be thrown in any direction in a straight line, and the Spider Weapon is thrown in an arc. If an enemy is glowing with a red aura, they can be killed with either of these ranged weapons to also get a hypercharge. 

These stages are also where we are introduced to altars, where we are forced to play strictly as Kumori. These moments are brief because we are on a timer, and the goal is to look for a way to open paths for Kenji. The Ninja Gaiden: Ragebound demo ends right before we are able to face the boss at the end of stage 3-4. This is a great tease for what is to come. It got me excited, to say the least.

Closing Thoughts on the Demo

From my time with the Ninja Gaiden: Ragebound demo, I noticed that there are six collectibles to find in these levels. And even early on, they are very hidden. Another thing I really vibe with is the flow state of the game. The combos come from killing the enemies without getting hit. Jumping and running through the stages is satisfying. This game feels like it could be a speedrunner’s dream. 

The art is timeless, and the tunes are banging. Just with my brief time with the demo, there is plenty of fan service for longtime Ninja Gaiden fans here. Ninja Gaiden: Ragebound is shaping up to be a very special title. And will make a great addition to the Year of the Ninja. Check out the demo now on Steam or when the full game launches on Xbox, PlayStation, Switch, and PC on July 31st.