Ninja Gaiden: Ragebound
Platform : Steam Deck Developer : The Game Kitchen Publisher : Dotemu Genre : Sidescrolling Platformer Completion Status (How Long to Beat) : Yes (9 hours) Ninja Gaiden: Ragebound is a masterclass of 2D platforming design. Unlike many modern takes on retro style games, Ragebound forgoes the Metroidvania genre and instead is a linear game featuring a world map with a level select. The game handles masterfully and the boss designs are top tier. The levels themselves are marginally difficult, but the boss fights are where the challenge really ramps up. The boss fights are some of the most enjoyable 2D boss fights I can recall; they demand your focus and concentration. A critical feature of a good boss fight is when the tells are readable, and the difficulty rests on the shoulders of the player to respond accordingly using the skills they’ve developed throughout the game; Ragebounds bosses check all of the boxes. The Game Kitchen (developer) found the sweet spot between retro and modern ga...