How Shinobi: Art of Vengeance Honors a Longstanding…

Lizardcube ensures that its games are respectful to fans and respectful to properties, and Shinobi: Art of Vengeance is no exception. The Shinobi series is a classic Sega franchise beloved by many, and after 14 years since the Nintendo 3DS installment, Shinobi: Art of Vengeance brings the series back to its roots (while modernizing them).

While Shinobi: Art of Vengeance is a new game with a stunning art style and a bold new combat system, it still remains respectful to the history of the franchise. In a The Best War Games interview, Lizardcube CEO and Shinobi: Art of Vengeance creative director Ben Fiquet revealed how the latest installment honors the series’ past and how its traditions have evolved in Shinobi: Art of Vengeance.

Shinobi: Art of Vengeance Revisits a Classic Stage Theme

Shinobi: Art of Vengeance begins with the Oboro Village stage, home to the Oboro Clan and Shinobi series protagonist Joe Musashi. On the player’s path for revenge against Lord Ruse and ENE Corp, they will fight through a section of the level with a familiar theme to longtime fans of the series:

“We want each stage to offer players a fresh experience. While we begin with a traditional bamboo forest, a staple of Shinobi games, we quickly introduce a wide variety of level designs.”

The iconic bamboo forest stage has been featured in many Shinobi games over the years, first appearing in the original arcade release of Shinobi from 1987. Its inclusion as part of the Oboro Village stage at the start of the game feels like coming home, returning to the series after such a long wait. As the level progresses, however, players can expect to see the effects Lord Ruse has had on the village, encouraging them to face this growing evil.

While the bamboo forest itself is a series staple, it won’t be exactly how players remember it. Fiquet describes that “every stage presents new hazards, obstacles, or enemies,” keeping the stages fresh and keeping the difficulty of the Shinobi series. This is especially important for returning fans, who can pick out how these levels have changed and what surprises each has in store for them.

This isn’t all that Shinobi: Art of Vengeance has to offer, though. Fiquet also mentions other stage themes, “from modern settings like a dense, neon-lit city or a military base to traditional landscapes and even a desert.” Some of these similarly stay true to the Shinobi games of the past, while others offer new and exciting environments for players to explore. Shinobi: Art of Vengeance is shaping up to be the comeback that the Shinobi series needed. It faithfully abides by the franchise’s traditions without being afraid to give a unique take. It looks back to the past, and instead of confining itself, it continues to move forward to bring the classic game into the modern era.

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