It’s been a hot second since we got a proper Ninja Gaiden game. Sure, there have been other spin-offs and ports and remakes (this year’s excellent Ninja Gaiden II Black comes to mind), but Ninja Gaiden is kinda having a moment again with both Ninja Gaiden: Ragebound and the upcoming Ninja Gaiden 4.

Ninja Gaiden Ragebound is a 2D side-scrolling action game that pays tribute to the original NES Ninja Gaiden trilogy. While the retro graphics are appealing, the gameplay lacks meaningful depth. It feels like a concept-first project where ninjas were added after the fact, with the Ninja Gaiden name slapped on to sell it.

Before developer Tomonobu Itagaki brought the “Ninja Gaiden” franchise into the polygonal realm, the series had been an arcade mainstay and a classic Nintendo Entertainment System trilogy. The side-scrolling adventure was renowned for its difficulty and visuals that pushed the 8-bit system to its limits.