650 "Very Positive" reviews in 1 day: Ninja Gaiden-inspired action game hits Steam, topping charts
Sega has released Shinobi: Art of Vengeance for Steam, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X|S. It is the first new entry in the Shinobi franchise since 2011 - that's almost 14 years ago.
The game is priced in line with other new releases. On PC, the minimum requirements are an Intel i5 processor, 8GB of RAM, and a GTX 1050 GPU. Recommended specifications include an i7 CPU, 16GB RAM, and an RTX 2060 GPU.
The game consists of side-scrolling stages with semi-open arenas. You, as a player, control a shinobi who uses melee weapons, shuriken, and ninjutsu abilities. Combat rewards timing, with parries and counters built into the system. Progression includes a skill tree and equipment upgrades, so that players can expand both stealth and direct combat options. Boss encounters include large-scale duels against rival ninja and mythological enemies.
A little background to the game: the Shinobi series began in arcades in 1987 and later became one of Sega’s major action franchises. Art of Vengeance continues the same focus on fast-paced combat, but has new modern systems which weren't present in earlier games.
In a single day after its official launch on Steam, Shinobi: Art of Vengeance managed to garner nearly 640 reviews - almost 81% of those are in favor - getting an overall "Very Positive" rating. Most of the praise is directed towards the responsive combat and level design. On the other hand, the criticism has mostly centered on the difficulty curve, which is nothing new - older Shinobi titles had the same issues.
You can purchase Shinobi: Art of Vengeance on Steam for $29.99. Plus, the game is Steam Deck (curr. $769.99 on Amazon) verified as well.
