Shadow of the Ninja: Reborn (Multi) Review

Shadow of the Ninja: Reborn officially released today on the Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 5, Steam, and the Xbox Series of consoles, the latter of which this review is based off of. Here is the SuperPhillip Central verdict.

Without a shadow of a doubt, you will get schooled.

The original Shadow of the Ninja is an NES cult classic, known for its compelling combination of awesome action platforming and punishing but fair difficulty. It's currently available as a game to play as one of Nintendo Switch Online's offerings, specifically in the NES catalog. Now, decades later, the title is remade and reborn, getting a new lease on life with added features, a new level, and lots of polish with Shadow of the Ninja: Reborn. Keeping that aforementioned combination of action platforming and punishing but fair (for the most part) difficulty, Reborn is hardly a game for the timid, and that isn't always the player's fault, either.

Being a relic of the NES era, there isn't a massively deep narrative or plot to Shadow of the Ninja's remade incarnation. What you get is two ninjas--Hayate and Kaede--who are on a mission to take down a dictator who leads a dystopian country. That's pretty much it plot-wise, but it serves a serviceable enough purpose to get to slaying enemies and evading death traps of all shapes and sizes in the six level campaign. 

Which ever ninja you choose to start out with is less of a choice of skill set--they both seem to play similarly for the most part (save for slightly different but discernible physics)--and more on aesthetics. Each start out with a ninja blade and a kusarigama--a spear that extends from a chain. The former is perfect for melee and honing in on close-by foes, while the latter is excellent for not only keeping space between enemies but also taking them out from afar before making a perilous jump, for example. The kusarigama can be fired in all compass directions when possible (i.e. there aren't walls or floors in the way), and both the blade and chain can be temporarily upgraded once for better utility. 

Ninja gear discovered in levels in all sorts of locations makes for the bow that wraps your ninja's offensive package together. These come in the form of myriad weapons, abilities, and health-bestowing items to utilize in a pinch. From traditional shuriken and kunai to less typical ninja fare like shotguns and miniguns, your ninja can acquire quite the arsenal--though only a handful of ninja gear can be equipped at once before they're tossed away upon collecting a new one.

The ninja gear that you keep in your possession by the end of a level is put into the shop for permanent access, where at the beginning of a given playthrough you use the money you've earned from slaying enemies to purchase an assortment of ninja gear to start your next playthrough. The highest amount of money you've earned is the benchmark for future playthroughs, so there's never any worry about messing yourself over with a low budget to buy gear on a playthrough.

The six levels themselves are sometimes overwhelming affairs. Practically every few steps in a level sees your ninja encountering some kind of enemy, trap, or pit to deal with. Yes, in these levels death is less of a possibility--it's more of a certainty. Fortunately, levels are also split up between multiple sub-areas, which serve as checkpoints. Now, that doesn't mean that these sub-areas aren't lengthy endeavors onto themselves, meaning that I never died deep into a sub-area and had to redo tons of progress. Oh, I definitely and frustratingly did. But at the very least there's the option to continue that is available after the somewhat patronizing and overlong "Game Over" screen plasters itself on your screen--a screen that I got a little TOO used to.

With six levels, Shadow of the Ninja: Reborn might not seem like a lengthy endeavor of a game. Truth be told, if you have the skills to rush through every level like a master ninja, then Reborn won't give you too much longevity. Fortunately, most of us aren't equipped with that advanced skill set. Instead, you'll find yourself replaying levels, making slow but steady progress, earning new ninja gear to assist you on future playthroughs, and finally, FINALLY, making enough headway to take down the final boss and successfully beating the game. 

There are two difficulty modes in Shadow of the Ninja: Reborn--normal and hard. The first is the base difficulty, suggested to beginners and standard players alike. The latter presents more enemies, advanced attack patterns for said enemies, and just a more arduous journey--which the base difficulty of normal is no cakewalk to begin with! Co-op play is also offered for two players locally, which serves as a nice way to lessen the difficulty burden, but unless you can find a co-op partner who can put up with the level of challenge on display, then you'll probably be going it alone.

That said, here comes the troublesome part of Shadow of the Ninja: Reborn--and it's a bit of a doozy: the controls. While hacking and slashing feel wonderful and are done well, it's other mechanics that don't hold up so well. This includes climbing, which makes it so simple tasks like clinging to pipes were efforts in frustration as my ninja would either climb to the other side of the pipe to take damage or drop out completely from the pipe, also taking damage from the fall into the abyss. Then, there's wall climbing, which is all too aggravating and requires double tapping the A button when on a wall to scale it. It's quite clunky and finnicky, offering nowhere near the precision and grace required for some of the later stages' platforming challenges.

Last but not least, the ninja gear you stumble upon that I touched on earlier is a bit cumbersome to switch between. Rather than being able to cycle through all your options with the unused rear triggers, instead you are forced to hold the ninja gear button and press left and right on the D-Pad to cycle through your options. It's rather challenging in the heat of battle to madly switch to the proper ninja gear you want. It made for situations where I'd die and get a game over, right before being able to select a healing ninja gear, for example. 

Shadow of the Ninja: Reborn looks divine with its upgraded visuals. The spritework is tremendous, offering immensely and painstakingly detailed characters, and the biggest charmer here is that of enemies, especially those large ones like the yellow robotic bully that loves to fire flames from its flamethrower. The backgrounds and environments are no slouch either--and that's an understatement. Everything oozes atmosphere and the aesthetics are stellar. The soundtrack has gotten a boost and improvement too, and the tunes feature the guidance of the original composer, Iku Mizutani, delivering a lovely 80s/90s hard rock sound to it.

Depending on your level of patience and perseverance, Shadow of the Ninja: Reborn may be a tough ask to consider playing. This is a massively difficult game, which sometimes isn't helped by the clunky climbing controls or the on-the-fly ninja gear switching. It's also a short game to experience all of the content available, but most players will not exactly be able to breeze through it to see it all in a fast fashion. If you're willing to put in the effort and contend with the level of challenge offered, Shadow of the Ninja: Reborn is a remarkable 2D action platformer that properly transitions the NES original to a new era.

[SPC Says: B-]

A copy of Shadow of the Ninja: Reborn was provided by the publisher for the purpose of this review.

The Tuesday 10s - The Titles That Shaped My Gaming Tastes

The Tuesday 10s return with a very special unordered (other than by A-Z) list, and I don't mean a Full House-style "very special episode" type of list either. No, instead, it's something near and dear to me, something I used to look back on my gaming history and do my best to properly analyze and identify those games that influenced and shaped who I am. These ten titles made me the type of gaymer I am, molded my tastes, and in part, made me who I am today, if we want to get utterly philosophical about this.

After you've checked out and hopefully read my ten picks, I'd be eager to read what some of your games that shaped your tastes (no need to post ten), if you'd be so kind to do so in the comments section below.

Banjo-Kazooie (N64)

Let's start off with a 3D platformer that takes claim as my favorite 3D platformer ever made. It's Banjo-Kazooie, featuring a robust repertoire of moves to learn, delightful and expansive worlds to explore, copious amounts of colorful characters to meet and engage with, and a plethora of secrets hidden inside Gruntilda's Castle and the worlds within. While Super Mario 64 innovated and revolutionized the gaming world, it's the iterative Banjo-Kazooie that has since stuck with me. It took the remarkable foundation that Mario 64 laid down and went to town on it. It presented me with my love for collectathon platformers in three dimensions (especially when they don't overwhelm the player--sorry, Donkey Kong 64) and continues to bring me joy. 

Breath of Fire (SNES)

One of the first role-playing games I ever played was a wondrous introduction to the genre for me: Breath of Fire. It was an albeit rather basic RPG, but a perfect intro to what the genre was all about. You had your turn-based battles, a sprawling world to explore, an engaging enough story, and one of the more important aspects of games that I've grown to greatly appreciate: a sensational soundtrack. Really, Breath of Fire was the beginning of my love for RPGs, and also one of the first games to make me shed tears due to a certain combo of story and music, showing that I could connect with games on an emotional level. Truly something special to me.

Final Fantasy II (SNES)

We move from one Squaresoft-published game to another with Final Fantasy II, at least that's how it was numbered back then. I'll spare you the well-known details on the numbered entries in the franchise. Regardless, Final Fantasy II started my love for the Final Fantasy series, opening me up to various aspects and constants in the series that I would discover myself appreciating to this day--whether that's familiar summons, items, monsters, places, characters like Cid, etc. And although the mainline games are not the ones I stick with, rather it's the spin-offs that I adore--and that's been a thing for as long as I can remember--Final Fantasy II was essentially the gateway game into the Square's role-playing world.

The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time (N64)

Honestly, so many early games within The Legend of Zelda series could take a place on this list, but no doubt the one that bestowed its most influential impact on me was The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time. I recall and remember fondly thumbing through each issue of Nintendo Power leading up to the game's release--heck, back when the game was simply titled Zelda 64 and Link still had his traditional green tunic with brown undershirt as opposed to the white undershirt he'd don in-game. I'd obsessively soak in every detail from every screenshot, every preview prose written in the magazines. 

Ocarina of Time was the first instance I can remember of a game living up to my seemingly impossible hype. It opened me up to the concept of a living, breathing world; thinking in a three-dimensional space to solve puzzles; thinking outside of the box for said puzzles; and falling in love with the mysteries and urban legends within Hyrule. Ocarina of Time persists in my mind to this day, living rent-free, as it's my favorite game ever made. Sure, I prefer the 3DS remake nowadays, but that doesn't take anything away from this highly important and influential Nintendo 64 gem.

Mario Kart 64 (N64)

While I played a fair amount of Super Mario Kart and F-Zero on the Super Nintendo, it wouldn't be until Mario Kart 64 where my love for arcade racing games--particularly the cartoon-y, wild and wacky style--would take shape and plant its foot in my heart, much like one would plant their foot on the pedal. Mario Kart 64 nowadays is my least favorite in the Mario Kart franchise due to lack of content, slippery steering, and such (though--to be fair--it's still enjoyed by me), but at the time I was absolutely addicted to the game. Between aiming for first place in each race of every cup on every difficulty, to meticulously exploring each track, even going backwards down tracks to see what sights I could discover (which no doubt annoyed Lakitu according to his constant holding up his "Reverse" sign), Mario Kart 64 was such an eye-opener for me. It definitely planted the seed of racing game love that would take root, grow, and prosper to this day.

Mega Man X (SNES)

There are plenty of platformers that shaped my love for the genre--my favorite gaming genre, might I add, at that--and Mega Man X is the one that brought forth my desire for lots of action while doing all the running and jumping the genre is primarily known for. It also gave me my adoration and appreciation for Capcom's Blue Bomber. Mega Man X was introduced to me by Nintendo Power. It was the first issue my older brother and I ever received via subscription, and it was an impressive silver cover commemorating the magazine's 50th issue. I was amazed by the Robot Maverick designs, how cool everything seemed, and just how much I wanted to freaking play this awesome-looking game! Needless to say, I soon was able to, and thus, my love and respect for Mega Man began, as did the continuation of my passion for platformers.

Resident Evil 4 (GC)

The most recent game that shaped my gaming tastes is one that I didn't think I would have bothered with. Perhaps I wouldn't have if I hadn't been quite a bit of an overzealous Nintendo fan back in the GameCube era. Fortunately, that zeal lessened in a toxicity sense to more of an enjoyable fandom. Regardless, Resident Evil 4 was once a GameCube exclusive--or at least planned that way. Without both its exclusivity and the copious amount of coverage in Nintendo Power, I no doubt would have been delayed to my Resident Evil fandom. I would have also missed out on one of my favorite games of all time. Really, Resident Evil 4 was an entry point to Resident Evil, horror games, and heck, even cosplay as I would go on to dress up as the debonair protagonist Leon S. Kennedy on streams and such. As such, in a bizarre way, perhaps I can thank my Nintendo fanboyism at the time for introducing me to one of my favorite games ever made.

RPG Maker (PS1)

This next game, or rather software for the purpose of creating your own RPGs, RPG Maker was one that turned me on to the idea of making games and doing so for fun. It taught me the basics of scripting and if/when statements, but in a visual form that was easy enough for even my simple mind to pick up on. I learned that I really love making and designing game worlds, building stories in games, and concocting all of the bits and pieces that make up the genre that so many love. Of course, the PlayStation 1 entry was as basic as all get out, not offering much, especially compared to what we see on PC nowadays, but it was a nice and pleasant start for my hobbyist game-creating career. It also taught me the utter importance of not utilizing third-party memory cards, lest you find 50 hours of work corrupted. Yeah... A lesson learned the hard way, unfortunately, with lots of tears from middle school-aged me.

Star Ocean: The Second Story (PS1)

If Breath of Fire and Final Fantasy II opened my eyes to the world of role-playing games, titles on the PlayStation like Wild ARMs and Star Ocean: The Second Story cemented my love and passion for the genre. The latter especially brought forth to my attention the idea of dual protagonists and real-time action combat. It also introduced me to composer Motoi Sakuraba whose Star Ocean: The Second Story soundtrack remains one of my favorite game soundtracks of all time. Essentially, the concepts that I was taught from Breath of Fire, Final Fantasy, and Star Ocean would go on to influence how I design my own RPG that I'm currently in the process of developing. So, if the game finally launches (who knows when that will happen, as RPGs are quite the time investment) and players end up disliking it, we now have some martyrs to blame.

Super Mario Bros. 2 (NES)

It wouldn't be a list of games that shaped this gaming superhero as a gamer without mentioning one of the very first titles I ever remember playing. That was Super Mario Bros. 2 (the Western release and not what's known as The Lost Levels here). Perhaps Super Mario Bros. 2 was an early example in my life that taught me that I could persevere and overcome challenges with enough persistence and patience. I recall struggling with the game considerably--understandably so considering my age and it being my first game--but slowly making progress with each attempt. 

Eventually I hit a roadblock with the ice world and dealing with a combination of slippery platforming and those white enemies that would skate across the ice. For months I battled that level, always taking too much damage or falling into the abyss below, but eventually I did it--I made it to a new screen--one with whales. I cherished that moment. Making it to that new screen was my white whale as a kid, funnily enough, and making it was one of my proudest moments growing up. I would eventually clear the game, but nothing compared to pushing through and smashing through that earlier roadblock.

Not only did Super Mario Bros. 2 show me through sheer will and determination that I could overcome that kind of challenge and be proud of myself for it, but of course, it also introduced me to a little known plumber named Mario. I wonder whatever happened to that guy...

Cat Quest III (Multi) Review

Our next review takes us to the Purribean for a high seas sailing adventure starring cats, rats, and all kinds of cute characters. It's Cat Quest III from The Gentlebros, and here is my verdict of the game, as played on the PlayStation 5.

 A Purr-ate's Life for Me!

Cat Quest and its sequel previously delved into high fantasy. Now the series dives into the high seas with a rousing seafaring adventure that decidedly doesn't stray too far from the established formula seen in the prior two games. With a more open world, however, and a boatload of wordplay, Cat Quest III sets sail and sets its sights to delight players new and old to the franchise. Will you be feline good after playing this entry?

Cat Quest III begins with an animated cutscene showing the burning remains of a ship by the nefarious and villainous Pi-Rat King and his crew. Left over from the wreckage is a bassinet containing a nameless baby kitten, who is taken under the tutelage of Captain Cappey to become a Purrivateer. The Pi-Rat King's crew searches for the North Star Treasure, which our heroes also are in the search for--how convenient and coincidental! What follows is a swashbuckling cat-venture across the Purribean, full of hack-and-slash action, witty writing, and yes, loads and loads of cat puns.

Cat Quest III is set within the Purribean, and inside its seafaring expanses are all sorts of discoveries to be found. There are dungeons to wage battles through, side quests and other optional content to engage in, mysteries and puzzles abound, and towns to talk to various characters. There is truly no shortage of discoveries in Cat Quest III. Every island has a plethora of interesting points to scope out--whether that be caves to plunder for treasure, characters to meet and fulfill their quests, treasures resting on the world map--pleading to be opened, environmental puzzles to solve, or what-have-you.

Of course, even though the Purribean is a wide open expanse--just begging to be explored--it's not always the brightest idea to explore all willy-nilly at your leisure. Enemies in sections of the map that aren't meant to be explored right away are quite high in level, meaning that they can make short work of you with just one hit. Thus, it's best to come well-leveled and well-equipped to best those baddies! Show the pirates who's boss and all that. 

And if you do end up being routed, the punishment isn't severe--you simply are revived at the last "Rest Beakon" (save locations in the form of a parrot which restore your cat's health and magic to full strength) you visited, which there are an immense number in the game. Still, since death is essentially just a wag of the finger to the player, if that, it's most likely meant to be that way, to encourage the freedom to explore the seas without worry of losing tons of progress.

Ah, but what be a pirate without lots o' loot to take! Fortunately, here, Cat Quest III shines. Loot comes in the form of equipment that not only boosts your cat's attack, defense, health, magic, and provides alternate effects (such as increased fire resistance, for example), but also serves as a nice way to customize your cat aesthetically. Equipment comes in headgear, body, accessory, and weapon form. Gold coins are the primary currency in Cat Quest III, and these are used primarily to upgrade gear proficiency. The higher a level of a gear, the more powerful it is. If you discover a duplicate piece of equipment, that simply adds more levels to the original.

Combat in Cat Quest III is fast and fluid. It feels nice. Your cat has three means of dealing damage--direct melee attacks, ranged weaponry, and magic. Each serve their own contextual purpose in and out of combat, but learning to utilize all three in battles can make short work of foes as well as more importantly keep your cat alive. Starting off, you have one magic slot available to you, but as the game progresses and as you level up, your cat gains more slots. Up to four magic skills can be equipped at once, each mapped to a shoulder button. Thus, you have a multitude of potential builds available to your pirate kitty, great for discovering one that works purrfectly for you and your play style.

Yes, as stated, the Purribean is a wide open place, containing chains of islands to explore and plunder alongside myriad points of interest. And yes, you would be right to expect a swift way to sail around the ocean blue rather than having to swim. Thankfully, your kitty hero is indeed well equipped to traverse the high seas with their own ship, able to cruise on any body of water (may it be lakes, rivers, or the ocean blue itself) and put up a fight against any enemy vessel that stands (...floats?) in its way. Much like said hero, the ship is upgradeable as well, with the ability to increase its hit points, attack strength, special attacks, and more--though with blueprints.

Cat Quest III, like its previous entries, is not a lengthy endeavor to beat nor complete. In a sense, it definitely doesn't wear out its welcome. It certainly did not for me, taking about six or seven hours to fully complete and earning the Platinum trophy on the PlayStation 5 version. Your mileage may vary on how long it takes you, but at no point was I ever left wanting the game to end or feeling frustrated. In fact, it was more the opposite. I was yearning for more to do, even after collecting as much treasure as possible, clearing all the side quests, solving all puzzles that attempted to perplex me, defeating all of the bounties, acquiring all of the equipment and spells in the game, and more. It was a yearning that even the New Game+ option did not quite satiate.

I'd be remiss if I didn't mention the wonderfully implemented and hassle-free local co-op play on offer in Cat Quest III. It makes a game that is stellar in solo play doubly so by virtue of another player. I can certainly see myself returning to this game down the road thanks to this feature.

I've no idea what kind of trickery the mad lads at The Gentlebros pulled off to create such a vibrant and gorgeous game, but between the 2D characters and 3D world, it's a lovely combination. Everything looks cohesive and genuinely divine. Whereas the visuals are stunning with the excellent art style, the soundtrack is more serviceable, certainly fitting of the game and the action but nothing I can remember outside of the game. Pleasant, yes. Memorable, not really.

The Cat Quest series may not reinvent the wheel with each entry, but they're the types of adventures that I consider to be comfort gaming. If you know what you're in for and don't expect a massive revolution in gameplay, you won't be disappointed with this latest installment. Complete with enjoyable and open exploration, plenty of customization to find and finetune your play style, and copious amounts of cat and cat-adjacent puns, Cat Quest III may just be the best in the series yet. For a series full of excellent entries, that's certainly a high mark to hit.

[SPC Says: B]