Slice and dice through Ninja Gaiden: Ragebound’s new demo

Upcoming 2D hack ‘n’ slash Ninja Gaiden: Ragebound has a brand new PC demo to try this week, as a part of Steam Next Fest.

Limited time ninjitsu

One of the more exciting side-scrollers coming up, Ninja Gaiden: Ragebound takes the classic action property back to its roots for a ninja-hacking, demon-slashing 2D adventure. Leaving series star Ryu to his original quest for vengeance, it’s up to dual heroes Kenji and Kumori to stem the tide of demonic invaders and save the world.

Ninja Gaiden: Ragebound promises “show-stopping fights against powerful, boss-caliber behemoths”, upgrades, secrets, and more. All of that is looking pretty great in action too, with genre stars Dotemu and developer The Game Kitchen delivering some great looking pixel art.

NINJA GAIDEN: Ragebound begins immediately after the opening moments of the original NES NINJA GAIDEN. The veil between the human and demon realms has broken, leaving the world linked with a gate to darkness. Since Ryu Hayabusa leaves the Hayabusa Village to avenge his father, Kenji Mozu, a fledgling Hayabusa Clan ninja central to NINJA GAIDEN: Ragebound, must rise to slay the forces of evil. 

Kenji’s destiny is intertwined with Kumori, a fearsome new kunoichi hailing from the antagonistic Black Spider Clan central to the NINJA GAIDEN series. Kenji and Kumori must overcome the generational grudges between their clans and use forbidden techniques to merge their powers and survive the battles ahead, binding their fates together to share a test of soul and skill while maximizing their talents.

Dotemu press release

Hit the dojo

While Ninja Gaiden: Ragebound is still a little ways off from its full retail release, there’s some good news for those who’re just dying to try their hands at a little ninjitsu. That’d be because this week saw the debut of a special Steam Next Fest demo, which is scheduled to run through June 16th.

For a demo too, the download sounds pretty packed, delivering a trio of “wholly unique stages”, a tutorial section, and an unlockable “hard variant” of one of those levels. So yeah, it’s a demo, but it’s got some replayabilty to it.

In all, the demo features:

• A Dojo-style Tutorial: Master the basics of your ninja abilities and actions under the watchful eye of your master, Ryu Hayabusa, preparing yourself to spar with scores of enemies in the high-stakes clashes ahead.
• Three Wholly Unique Stages:
• Seized by Dark Forces: Rise to defend the Hayabusa Clan’s decimated home from a sudden otherworldly demonic invasion, battling through blazing buildings and an exhilarating showdown against a winged, fire-breathing colossus.
• Entwined Fates: Meet Kumori, the second playable character in NINJA GAIDEN: Ragebound, in a trial spanning cliffsides and a bloodsoaked lake. Swapping between two distinctly powerful ninjas and their skillsets is the only hope of clearing the traps, pitfalls and formidable leviathans that await.
• Into the Catacombs: Dash across rooftops and clear demonic intruders from interior rooms and the castle’s underground chambers. Should you survive the descent and reach the demo’s end, you’ll catch a first glimpse of the mighty, earth-shattering challenger that stands as Odawara Castle’s final encounter in the full version of the game.
• A Hardened Challenge: Ninjas who complete the demo will unlock a Hard variant of the Seized by Dark Forces stage, gaining a first taste of the boldest level of challenge in store for players within the full release of NINJA GAIDEN: Ragebound.

Dotemu press release

Once you’re done with the Steam Next Fest demo, stay tuned, as Ninja Gaiden: Ragebound officially arrives on July 31st. Look for it on the PC, Switch, PS4, PS5, and Xbox.