Shinobi (ps2: 2002): Reviews

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Stars indicate the most critically-acclaimed games.

Shinobi


7.8

based on 33 reviews
Read critic reviews
How did we calculate this?

based on 38 votes
Read user comments
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GAMES:

Nightshade

Official Website

Left to avenge his Clan after a sinister force is awakened in Tokyo, Hotsuma must confront demons from his past and defend his role as Leader of the Oboro Clan. Drawing off the ancient traditions of Ninja magic, Hotsuma uses wall running, shuriken attacks, and the coveted Akujiki Sword to fight the deadly masked foes that stalk him. With the special Stealth Dash technique, he creates ghost-like apparitions that confuse his enemies. He can then strike with a lightning-quick "Tate" in which his blade moves so fast the victims don't even realize they've been struck until they fall to their death. [Sega]

PUBLISHER:	Sega of America
DEVELOPER:	Overworks
GENRE(S):	Action, Adventure
PLAYERS:	1
ESRB RATING:	M (Mature)
RELEASE DATE:	November 12, 2002

All critic scores are converted to a 100-point scale. If a critic does not indicate a score, we assign a score based on the general impression given by the text of the review. Learn more...

100

G4 TV

An exemplary model for anyone who misses the constant, uninterrupted gameplay that made great 8-bit and 16-bit games the classics they have become.

GamePro

The challenge may be too steep for some, but it’s ultimately rewarding for determined gamers.

Armchair Empire

The extremely high level of difficulty will leave some gamers a whimpering heap in the corner... But if you don’t mind a challenge, expect an extremely fun, rewarding experience.

Cinescape

If you can get past the cheap deaths, bottomless pits and no save points, you’ll have a great time with this remake of a classic.

Game Informer

If you want nonstop action with the right amount of difficulty and ingenuity, toss back a few shuriken with Shinobi. [Dec 2002, p.117]

All Game Guide

Perhaps the best and certainly the most unique thing about the game is Hotsuma’s thirsty-for-blood sword, which keeps the action at a brisk pace by forcing gamers to keep moving and keep killing.

PSX Nation

Unapologetic about being old-school hard... It’s a rude awakening to how soft and cuddled the masses have become toward games that demand as much from them as they do from the game-makers.

GameShark

If you're looking for a great action game, with absolutely no thinking required go pick up Shinobi, right now. You won't be disappointed.

GameZone

An extremely difficult, linear, yet well-polished game. While it has its flaws, the game design is excellent, and the graphics are nice.

IGN

I'm not sure if there's such a thing as "too hard," but if you don't have any problem with that designation, it belongs on Shinobi.

GamingWorld X

The problem is that the game feels like one continuous palette-swap, and with the exception of difficulty, there is little to differentiate one level from another. And don't get me started on the camera.

GameSpot

Those looking for a game with lots of challenge and a distinct sense of style would do well to check out Shinobi.

GamerWeb Sony

It’s incredibly fun, and incredibly addicting. It’s just too bad that the camera system is incredibly flawed.

Games Radar UK (Pre-2006)

Bags of style and tons of good ideas - all crowbarred into a game that's slightly too monotonous to sustain them. [PSM2]

GameSpy

A decent tribute to its source material, but fails to capture its best qualities.

Electronic Gaming Monthly

This game is hellaciously hard. So much so that I can't even think of the words to describe how difficult Shinobi becomes halfway through. [Dec 2002, p.220]

netjak

If it looked nicer, and was a bit more player friendly, I'd probably be buying this one. But as it is, it feels like the developers just wanted to make this hard enough so that you couldn't beat it on a rental time span.

TotalGames.net

For today’s player, Shinobi will quite simply be too frustrating to see it through to the end. Sad but true. Making this one for the masochists of yesteryear.

Official U.S. Playstation Magazine

Strictly in terms of gameplay, it's a work of art...Unfortunately, Shinobi stumbles in its level and enemy design. [Dec 2002, p.152]

Gamestyle

Completing Shinobi is not an issue, but doing it with the style deserving of the series certainly is. Achieving those impressive A rankings will keep the dedicated occupied for the foreseeable future. Given the lack of alternative modes and the shortness of the main game, this fact will probably be lost on those who prioritise completion over mastery.

Game Revolution

Nothing to get excited over.

Entertainment Weekly

Ultimately devolves into the same hack-and-slash tedium seen in the old Sega Genesis games that inspired it. [10 Jan 2003, p.77]

Electric Playground

I don't think even the greatest purist will care for the save system.

My Gamer

This otherwise solid game is simply too relentlessly tough on the outside to be worth the journey of frustration to its creamy center.

eToychest

Shinobi is, in a word, average. There are other adjectives I could throw at it, such a repetitive and frustrating, but I think average describes it best.

Cheat Code Central

It will likely frustrate the hell out of you but only if you let it. Once you get into it, it's hard to stop.

Play Magazine

It's a challenging, fun game, but Shinobi is not what it could, and should, have been. [Dec 2002, p.65]

PSM Magazine

There are plenty of cool moves, and the lead character is lots of fun to control, but boring level design and highly repetitive gameplay steal a lot of this potential hit's thunder. [Dec 2002, p.40]

Into Liquid Sky

There's very little need for strategy and the gameplay may grow weary to some, but it does manage to have tons of style, challenge and action to spare.

Gamer's Pulse

A severe disappointment. Mediocre visuals and audio relay the game’s imprecise controls. Lacking innovative level design, the game is uninspired and extremely brief.

Thunderbolt

We are captivated, taken by Hotsuma's grace of movement, the clarity of his sword's simplistic song, the will of the wind that fills his scarf. But far too soon, much like the programmers responsible: we’ll forget.

GameNow

Virtually no health power-ups + enemies that can attack you from offscreen = hurling your game pad at a wall. [Dec 2002, p.66]

EuroGamer

We're hugely disappointed in this utterly botched effort by Sega. What should have been the revival of a classic franchise has been turned into a poor rip-off of a Capcom title that wasn't even the dog's bollocks in the first place.

The average user rating for this game is 7.8 (out of 10) based on 38 User Votes
Note: User votes are NOT included in the Metascore calculation.

B. J. gave it a6:
Meh, its just like any update these days, castlevania, megaman, sonic or whatever, if youve played the 2d ones, then youve not much of a need to play the 3d ones. whomever said that the old shinobis were bad compared to this must have been like 10 years old and hadnt grown up playing good games. shinobi III is 10 times more fun than this game could ever be, im not saying this game is bad, but considering the series whos name it has.. its not good.

Kevin B. gave it a9:
well look at these losers...EuroGamer? who the hell is that? yeah the game is extremely difficult and the music? well its kinda crappy...but that didnt stop me..i played my own music and spent months on the game and beat it...i was dancing around for at least 30 mins..its extremely rewarding as the masters at gamepro says it is.

Shinobi gave it a10:
All you people who gave it a 0 probably didn't have the skills/gaming talent necessary to beat this badass game is all I have to say.

The MACHiNESMiTH gave it an 8:
This game is TrueOlDSkool! Lets face it..Gone are the days when games used to be played for the sake of being just played. Nowadays Everyone wants an interactive story that keeps changing every 5 secs. and will ultimately lead to the end of the game within, oh say, 5 hrs? The game is to REMIND you...This is how it all began! The Old HArdcore amongst us (me included!) will definitely remember the helicopter boss from the original or the Spiderman/Bot thing crawling on the walls...(sigh) Graphically not too hot, but lets face it compared to its 2-d counter parts its evolved a million years! The tunes all typical of the era back then (but again evolved to suit todays game music standards) BUT the Movies "Ay Mon! Tis the True Spank Business!" it has all the frills of the old classic anime i.e. Brothers, outcasted maiden ninjettes, resurrection etc. and in some cases the movies out do some of the box office smashes in terms of special effects (wait till you see the matrix-type scene...It had my mates & I in bouts of laughter! Dodging bullets in slo-mo? Pffft, only for wusses!) Gameplay? Just like the original: no thinking, all slashing (I dont use the ninja stars...too bothersome) but I like the combo-sequence idea I especially like the TATE slash thing (1. coz its cool and I can dispatch bosses in one hit and still have it look cool 2. TATE in my language means...male testis (how I laughed!) and that proves it...you need balls to play Shinobi-and if you dont like the game then you dont have balls! Simple!

Shinobi gave it a 10:
It makes me feel like a badass, plays silky smooth, and looks goregous. That pretty much says it all.

Donald F. gave it a 9:
This is an awesome game. Slashing other enemies like crazy is what I like about this game. I am the true master of the game!

Ninja Mafia gave it a 9:
This game is an extremely hard, extremely stylish action game. However, don't compare this game to Devil May Cry. Shinobi has a deeper storyline but not DMC gameplay. Okay first the graphics in this ame are okay. The enviroments were a bit repetitive but the character models looked good to me. The sound is a mix of old music (when I say old I mean like stuff you would hear from an SNES) however that brought back some nostalgia. The gameplay may seem repetitive but it is really fun, for me anyway. You can perform a four hit combo, run on walls (which we all know I love) use Ninjutsu (magic) and do a special move called Tate(pronounced Tah-Tay) Tate is basically what happens when you kill four or more enemies in a very fast time, it will go into a cutscene like thing of you doing awesome ninja poses as the enemies fall literally into peices. the Tate will give you more souls to feed your sword and also while killing the enemies, it will power up your sword. Your sword does need souls or else, after a while, will start to drain your life. This feature is suprisingly well put in. The game has enough replay value to keep some people going, like me. First there are two unlockable characters, although they don't have a story of the one, and second, you can unlock movies, art, an extra stage and stuff like that. Overall, shinobi is an awesome game that may not appeal to some people because of its somewhat monotonous gameplay and bad graphics. But people who can look past these problems with have mad fun.