A day before its 31 July release, Ninja Gaiden: Ragebound—developed by Spanish studio The Game Kitchen with backing from Koei Tecmo and Dotemu—has drawn a flurry of early reviews from the gaming press. The 2D side-scroller will be available on PC, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, Switch and previous-gen consoles. Critics largely praise the revival’s swift combat, Guillotine Boost and Hypercharge mechanics, and hand-drawn pixel art. IGN awarded the title 9/10, calling the action “hard to put down,” while Kotaku described it as a “pure distillation” of the NES originals. Game Informer said the 12-hour campaign “seamlessly blends gorgeous pixel art, inventive level design, and sublime gameplay.” Others were more reserved. PC Gamer labelled the game “imperfect but enjoyable,” noting its accessible difficulty, and CNET dismissed it as a “forgettable chapter” that lacks depth. Reviewers agree the campaign runs roughly six to eight hours—with optional hard-mode challenges and secret levels extending playtime—but differ on whether the experience captures the series’ traditional difficulty. The mixed reception sets the tone for the franchise’s broader resurgence, arriving months before Koei Tecmo’s planned Ninja Gaiden 4 and amid renewed interest in retro-style action titles.