Shinobi: Art of Vengeance
A 2D action platformer reviving the Shinobi series.
After a fourteen-year gap, Sega and Lizardcube brought back the Shinobi franchise with this 2025 action-platformer. It launched across Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4 and 5, Windows, and Xbox consoles, with a Switch 2 edition planned for September 24, 2026.
Quick Facts
- Developer
- Lizardcube
- Publisher
- Sega
- Director
- Ben Fiquet
- Producer
- Sacha Szymoniak
- Designer
- Frédéric Vincent
- Programmer
- Vincent Lesueur
- Composer
- Tee Lopes
- Series
- Shinobi
Facts from the source article.
Gameplay
Shinobi: Art of Vengeance is a 2D action platformer. The player controls ninja Joe Musashi through levels with the goal of defeating end-of-stage bosses. Musashi uses a sword and kunai, as well as magical Ninpo powers. Enemies can be staggered and tagged, allowing a Shinobi Execution that kills all tagged enemies at once. Equippable amulets grant combat bonuses. Musashi can double jump, dash through air, and dodge-roll. Players spend gold to unlock new traversal tools, combat moves, and upgrades. The game emphasizes Metroidvania-style exploration for secrets and side content. Completed stages can be replayed in Arcade mode for speed runs. A downloadable content pack released on April 3, 2026 adds five stages with boss battles against Death Adder from Golden Axe, Goro Majima from Yakuza, and Doctor Eggman from Sonic the Hedgehog, along with new outfits and Ninpo.
Plot
The world is besieged by ENE Corporation, a paramilitary organization led by Lord Ruse. The Oboro clan, mystical shinobi led by Joe Musashi, opposes them. ENE attacks Oboro Village, killing most of the clan. Musashi confronts Ruse and his lieutenants, driving them back, but his wife Naoko and student Tomoe are the only survivors. Musashi seeks revenge. Tomoe gathers intelligence on ENE activities, but Ruse exploits Musashi's absence to attack his home, killing Tomoe and Musashi's dog Yamato. An Ankou, a mortal chosen as the Grim Reaper, explains that Ruse was selected to be the next Ankou but refused, stealing the Death Scythe to empower himself with reaped souls. The Ankou warns the balance of life and death is threatened. Musashi agrees to retrieve the scythe. Tracking Ruse, Musashi encounters Chiyo, a brainwashed kunoichi leading ENE's combat division. After defeating her and removing her mind-control device, Chiyo reveals she was a resistance leader. She joins Musashi and the Ankou, directing them to ENE bases. Ruse sends the kaiju Tenval to attack the resistance; Musashi lets the creature swallow him and destroys it from within.
Development
Art of Vengeance was part of Sega's initiative to revive dormant franchises. Sega approached Lizardcube, a Paris-based studio, after being impressed by their work on Wonder Boy: The Dragon's Trap (2017) and Streets of Rage 4 (2020). Sega took a more involved role, with producer Toru Ohara leading a team to collaborate with Lizardcube and encouraging a more striking art style. Lizardcube cited the first three Shinobi games as inspiration, while modernizing combat with a refined combo system. The game was first teased at The Game Awards on December 7, 2023. Its full title was revealed in a gameplay trailer on February 12, 2025. The game released on August 29, 2025.
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