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Time of India
4 days ago
- Entertainment
- Time of India
Marvel Cosmic Invasion preview: Classic beat 'em up action meets superhero mayhem in 2025 release
Marvel Cosmic Invasion is a 2D side-scrolling beat 'em up game releasing later in 2025. It's published by Dotemu, a French studio known for reviving classic arcade-style games like Streets of Rage 4 (2020) and TMNT: Shredder's Revenge (2022). The gameplay is classic and simple: walk forward, beat up waves of enemies, and move to the next level — just like in old-school games. The graphics are pixelated and retro, looking like a game from the 16-bit SNES era. Dotemu has other 2025 games (Ninja Gaiden: Ragebound and Absolum), but Cosmic Invasion sticks closest to pure retro design, with very few modern updates, as per the report by Rolling Stone. Productivity Tool Zero to Hero in Microsoft Excel: Complete Excel guide By Metla Sudha Sekhar View Program Finance Introduction to Technical Analysis & Candlestick Theory By Dinesh Nagpal View Program Finance Financial Literacy i e Lets Crack the Billionaire Code By CA Rahul Gupta View Program Digital Marketing Digital Marketing Masterclass by Neil Patel By Neil Patel View Program Finance Technical Analysis Demystified- A Complete Guide to Trading By Kunal Patel View Program Productivity Tool Excel Essentials to Expert: Your Complete Guide By Study at home View Program Artificial Intelligence AI For Business Professionals Batch 2 By Ansh Mehra View Program Character selection & game mechanics Players can pick from 15 Marvel superheroes. Instead of using just one hero, you pick two heroes per player, and you can switch between them in real-time during the game. With up to 4 people playing together, you can have 8 heroes on screen at once thanks to the tag-team system. This tag-style setup comes from old Marvel fighting games, like X-Men vs. Street Fighter (1996), but it's rare in side-scrolling beat 'em ups, making it feel fresh. Each hero has Light and heavy attacks, Dodges or blocks, Special moves that use a stamina meter, and Tag-team attacks, where your second hero jumps in for a flashy hit, as stated by the Rolling Stone. ALSO READ: Bill and Hillary Clinton subpoenaed in Epstein case bombshell — what could they be forced to reveal? Live Events Playable characters 9 characters were playable in the preview: Captain America, Spider-Man, Storm, Wolverine, Venom, Phyla-Vell, Nova, She-Hulk, and Rocket Raccoon. The full roster will have 15 heroes, with 4 still unannounced. More may be added post-launch. Cap, Spidey, Wolverine, and Storm feel like their versions from Marvel vs. Capcom. Tribute Games said this was intentional, to match fans' expectations. They all move fast, with strong combos like Cap: His shield throw is great for crowd control. Spidey & Wolverine: Good for fast, close-up multi-hit combos. Storm: Can zap enemies all over the screen with lightning. Venom is stronger and bulkier than his fighting game version, playing more like a tank, as per the Rolling Stone report. Standout heroes Phyla-Vell (a lesser-known hero from Marvel space comics) was a top performer in the demo. She has a giant sword. Can fly and teleport. Dominates both ground and air — feels like a "one-woman army". Nova is also great — quick, hard-hitting, and smooth in the air. She-Hulk is super slow, but her big punches and long reach make her really strong in crowds. Rocket Raccoon was the worst to play in the demo. His gun-based attacks feel different and not in a good way. Weak in the air, and awkward to control. Made fights harder, but not in a fun or rewarding way. Rocket shows the problem of having so many heroes: some will feel unbalanced or just plain bad, even if they're popular, as per the Rolling Stone report. Ground vs air combat A new feature is that some heroes and enemies can fly, adding two layers of combat (ground and air). Flying just needs a double jump, but then you stay locked to the air level — like walking on an invisible path in the sky. Problem: enemies on the other plane can still hit you, and switching layers isn't always smooth. If your hero has bad air attacks, chasing flying enemies becomes annoying and kills the game's rhythm, according to the report by Rolling Stone. ALSO READ: Earthquake shakes New Jersey near NYC: USGS confirms 2.7 magnitude quake Level structure & bosses The gameplay loop is simple: Walk in a straight line, beat up bad guys, fight a boss, and repeat. The preview included 2 levels: Streets of New York, ending with a boss fight against Beetle and S.H.I.E.L.D. Helicarrier, ending with a boss fight against Taskmaster. Taskmaster has a special trick — you must knock off his Captain America-style shield to land real damage before it regenerates. Like old arcade games, bosses have unique attack patterns that you need to learn and counter. The plot is simple but big: Cosmic villain Annihilus launches a galaxy-wide attack. He brings along major threats like Thanos and Galactus, tapping into Marvel's space lore that got popular again in the 2000s. The Guardians of the Galaxy's rise in the comics (which inspired the movies) is part of the vibe here, as per the report by Rolling Stone. Level design & flow Levels are totally linear — you just move right and fight. No secrets, no collectibles, and no branching paths were seen in the demo. Some areas are tight and narrow, forcing players into close fights. Even open spaces don't feel as large or dynamic as in Streets of Rage 4 or Shredder's Revenge. Because of this, it can sometimes feel repetitive or slow, especially during quieter moments. Combat feel & visuals When action heats up, it becomes wild fun: flashy moves, tag-ins, and massive combo chains (500+ hits possible!). That said, it's best when the right characters are picked — some are clearly more fun and responsive, as stated by Rolling Stone. Visual effects are bright, satisfying, and old-school cool. But the experience feels "vanilla" (basic) — there's nothing groundbreaking outside of the tag team mechanic. ALSO READ: Trump climbs White House roof, yells at reporters in bizarre press conference — internet erupts in chaos Cosmic Invasion is perfect for casual fun, especially for Marvel fans or people who love retro games. It's not deep or revolutionary — but it's accessible, simple, and filled with superhero chaos. The Marvel IP is the biggest draw here — gameplay comes second, but still delivers decent fun. Whether later parts of the game include surprises or variety is unknown — the preview focused only on early levels. Marvel Cosmic Invasion launches later in 2025 for: Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, PC, as per the report by Rolling Stone. FAQs Q1. When is Marvel Cosmic Invasion releasing and on which platforms? Marvel Cosmic Invasion is releasing in late 2025 for PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, Nintendo Switch, and PC. Q2. How many playable characters are in Marvel Cosmic Invasion? The game features 15 playable Marvel superheroes, with 9 shown in the demo and more to be revealed before launch.
Economic Times
4 days ago
- Entertainment
- Economic Times
Marvel Cosmic Invasion preview: Classic beat 'em up action meets superhero mayhem in 2025 release
Synopsis Marvel Cosmic Invasion will launch in late 2025. Dotemu publishes this game. It is a 2D side-scrolling beat 'em up. Fifteen Marvel superheroes are playable. Players can select two heroes and switch during gameplay. Up to four people can play together. The game will be available on multiple platforms. These include Nintendo Switch, PlayStation, Xbox, and PC. Spider-Man, Storm, and more battle in Marvel Cosmic Invasion's 2D arcade-style action, coming 2025 to PS5, Xbox, Switch, and credit X : Marvel Cosmic Invasion Marvel Cosmic Invasion is a 2D side-scrolling beat 'em up game releasing later in 2025. It's published by Dotemu, a French studio known for reviving classic arcade-style games like Streets of Rage 4 (2020) and TMNT: Shredder's Revenge (2022). The gameplay is classic and simple: walk forward, beat up waves of enemies, and move to the next level — just like in old-school games. The graphics are pixelated and retro, looking like a game from the 16-bit SNES era. Dotemu has other 2025 games (Ninja Gaiden: Ragebound and Absolum), but Cosmic Invasion sticks closest to pure retro design, with very few modern updates, as per the report by Rolling Stone. Players can pick from 15 Marvel superheroes. Instead of using just one hero, you pick two heroes per player, and you can switch between them in real-time during the game. With up to 4 people playing together, you can have 8 heroes on screen at once thanks to the tag-team tag-style setup comes from old Marvel fighting games, like X-Men vs. Street Fighter (1996), but it's rare in side-scrolling beat 'em ups, making it feel fresh. Each hero has Light and heavy attacks, Dodges or blocks, Special moves that use a stamina meter, and Tag-team attacks, where your second hero jumps in for a flashy hit, as stated by the Rolling Stone. ALSO READ: Bill and Hillary Clinton subpoenaed in Epstein case bombshell — what could they be forced to reveal? 9 characters were playable in the preview: Captain America, Spider-Man, Storm, Wolverine, Venom, Phyla-Vell, Nova, She-Hulk, and Rocket Raccoon. The full roster will have 15 heroes, with 4 still unannounced. More may be added post-launch. Cap, Spidey, Wolverine, and Storm feel like their versions from Marvel vs. Capcom. Tribute Games said this was intentional, to match fans' expectations. They all move fast, with strong combos like Cap: His shield throw is great for crowd control. Spidey & Wolverine: Good for fast, close-up multi-hit combos. Storm: Can zap enemies all over the screen with lightning. Venom is stronger and bulkier than his fighting game version, playing more like a tank, as per the Rolling Stone report. Phyla-Vell (a lesser-known hero from Marvel space comics) was a top performer in the demo. She has a giant sword. Can fly and teleport. Dominates both ground and air — feels like a "one-woman army". Nova is also great — quick, hard-hitting, and smooth in the air. She-Hulk is super slow, but her big punches and long reach make her really strong in crowds. Rocket Raccoon was the worst to play in the demo. His gun-based attacks feel different and not in a good way. Weak in the air, and awkward to control. Made fights harder, but not in a fun or rewarding way. Rocket shows the problem of having so many heroes: some will feel unbalanced or just plain bad, even if they're popular, as per the Rolling Stone report. A new feature is that some heroes and enemies can fly, adding two layers of combat (ground and air). Flying just needs a double jump, but then you stay locked to the air level — like walking on an invisible path in the enemies on the other plane can still hit you, and switching layers isn't always smooth. If your hero has bad air attacks, chasing flying enemies becomes annoying and kills the game's rhythm, according to the report by Rolling Stone. ALSO READ: Earthquake shakes New Jersey near NYC: USGS confirms 2.7 magnitude quake The gameplay loop is simple: Walk in a straight line, beat up bad guys, fight a boss, and repeat. The preview included 2 levels: Streets of New York, ending with a boss fight against Beetle and S.H.I.E.L.D. Helicarrier, ending with a boss fight against has a special trick — you must knock off his Captain America-style shield to land real damage before it regenerates. Like old arcade games, bosses have unique attack patterns that you need to learn and plot is simple but big: Cosmic villain Annihilus launches a galaxy-wide attack. He brings along major threats like Thanos and Galactus, tapping into Marvel's space lore that got popular again in the 2000s. The Guardians of the Galaxy's rise in the comics (which inspired the movies) is part of the vibe here, as per the report by Rolling Stone. Levels are totally linear — you just move right and fight. No secrets, no collectibles, and no branching paths were seen in the demo. Some areas are tight and narrow, forcing players into close open spaces don't feel as large or dynamic as in Streets of Rage 4 or Shredder's Revenge. Because of this, it can sometimes feel repetitive or slow, especially during quieter action heats up, it becomes wild fun: flashy moves, tag-ins, and massive combo chains (500+ hits possible!). That said, it's best when the right characters are picked — some are clearly more fun and responsive, as stated by Rolling Stone. Visual effects are bright, satisfying, and old-school cool. But the experience feels "vanilla" (basic) — there's nothing groundbreaking outside of the tag team mechanic. ALSO READ: Trump climbs White House roof, yells at reporters in bizarre press conference — internet erupts in chaos Cosmic Invasion is perfect for casual fun, especially for Marvel fans or people who love retro games. It's not deep or revolutionary — but it's accessible, simple, and filled with superhero Marvel IP is the biggest draw here — gameplay comes second, but still delivers decent fun. Whether later parts of the game include surprises or variety is unknown — the preview focused only on early levels. Marvel Cosmic Invasion launches later in 2025 for: Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, PC, as per the report by Rolling Stone. Q1. When is Marvel Cosmic Invasion releasing and on which platforms? Marvel Cosmic Invasion is releasing in late 2025 for PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, Nintendo Switch, and PC. Q2. How many playable characters are in Marvel Cosmic Invasion? The game features 15 playable Marvel superheroes, with 9 shown in the demo and more to be revealed before launch.
Digital Trends
4 days ago
- Entertainment
- Digital Trends
Marvel Cosmic Invasion's tag system lets me finally feel like a beat-em-up pro
As a kid, there was never a trip to a movie theater or bowling alley where I didn't sink at least a handful of quarters into whatever beat-em-up arcade game was on site. I was enamored with The Simpsons arcade game and bewitched by TMNT, but the one that ate the vast majority of my quarters (okay, my parents' quarters) was the X-Men arcade game. Even looking at a screenshot of those majestic pixel-art graphics gives me phantosmia of slightly burnt popcorn and hot pretzels. I never had the skill or quarters necessary to get beyond one or two stages in those games, but that never diminished my love for beat-em-ups. I still like checking out new entries when I can, but love watching combo videos even more. Seeing one or two people work in perfect harmony with the game's mechanics to juggle, bounce, and style on those poor NPC enemies is an art form that I never thought I'd be able to participate in. Recommended Videos That was until this week when I got to play the first two stages of Marvel Cosmic Invasion. Be your own sidekick Coming from developer Tribute Games and Dotemu to PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, Switch, Switch 2, and PC, Marvel Cosmic Invasion is more than just a love letter to the old arcade beat-em-up genre — it is the culmination of everything I want it to be. If you've played a beat-em-up before, you will recognize the core systems here. You pick your favorite superhero from a final roster that will consist of 15 heroes to brawl through sidescrolling stages against waves of enemies and a boss at the end. Your bread and butter buttons are a standard combo, special move, and ultimate ability to pull out in a pinch, but it is the layers Marvel Cosmic Invasion puts on top of the core formula that made me feel more like a pro on my first shot than I ever did in other games in the genre. My demo only featured two stages and a roster of 9 out of the final 15 heroes, but that was more than enough to give me a taste of the possibilities this game has. I knew one of the core features of Marvel Cosmic Invasion was the Cosmic Swap system, which would let me swap between two different heroes rather than be stuck as just one for the entire game. I assumed that would be a cool way to keep the game from feeling stale, but not be as transformative and integral to the moment-to-moment flow of combat as it ended up being. I chose Wolverine and Phyla-Vell as my initial pairing as a way to try something familiar and something new. Wolverine is the raw ball of fury I expected, rushing in with claws, leaping onto enemies to stab them, and charging up a big cross slash. Besides my default combo, I instinctively found a launcher by hitting attack and jump at the same time, as well as the aforementioned charge attack by holding attack. There was no tutorial or explanation on how to play in my demo beyond the control layout in the menu, so hopefully that is included in the full game to explain some of the less-obvious moves to those who aren't familiar with the language of beat-em-ups. That was all standard stuff. It felt and looked amazing, but didn't show its hand until I messed with the Cosmic Swap system. This isn't just a button I press to swap characters when I get tired of Wolverine's moves, though it could be used that way. This is more akin to the tag system in a fighting game like Marvel Vs. Capcom, where I can hold the assist button plus press one of my attacks to summon my backup character to inject one of their moves into my combo with or without swapping to them depending on the button. This cracked open the combat system in a way I'd never been able to even approach before. I found myself pulling off complex and extended combos almost on instinct by calling out an assist move when I left myself unable to continue juggling an enemy with my primary character. By pure accident, I was pulling off the types of combos I had only seen in clips online. I want to stress that I've never been able to do more than some basic combos before, but on the first stage in this Marvel Cosmic Invasion demo I managed to rack up a combo of over 200 purely by experimenting with all the moves. I can only imagine what two or more people, each controlling multiple characters, will be able to pull off. But the tag system didn't just make me feel like a pro because it let me dominate enemies that, for the most part, are there to be styled on. It also removes the most aggravating part of beat-em-ups, which is when I end up on the wrong side of a combo. Marvel Cosmic Invasion doesn't tone down the frustratingly long amount of time I am stunned when I do find myself getting hit, but instead of forcing me to grit my teeth and bear it, the tag system gives me an out. If I find myself getting hit, I can call in my assist to interrupt my attacker long enough to break out of the stun and strike back. Or, I can completely swap out to my second character to bypass the hitstun. Once I had ingrained that lesson into my toolkit, I always felt like I had an option in every scenario to turn things around. I would say the Cosmic Assist system is a little overpowered, but I think that's the point. It does come at a cost — a meter that drains as I use it but refills upon hitting an enemy. But unless I spammed it, that meter would stay replenished without having to think much about it. There were only two bosses in my demo, and even fighting them I never came close to death. Who knows how the difficulty will ramp up later, but I don't think Marvel Cosmic Invasion leaning on the easier side is by any means a bad thing. It lets average players like me feel like I'm making the most of the combat systems. Every time I experimented, even when I wasn't sure what attack my assist was going to do, I was almost always rewarded for it. Marvel Cosmic Invasion launches later this year.
Forbes
30-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Forbes
Ninja Gaiden: Ragebound Review: Revival Of A Retro Classic
Ninja Gaiden: Ragebound Did you know it's been over 20 years since we last got a new 2D side-scrolling action-platformer Ninja Gaiden game? Once the series shifted to 3D hack 'n' slash action, it basically never looked back to its roots—but as good as those 3D games are, the 2D classics were just as good in their own way. Thankfully, running across stages, slashing demons, and clinging to walls just out of harms way is back and better than ever with Ninja Gaiden: Ragebound. Developed by The Game Kitchen (Blasphemous, Blasphemous II) and published by Dotemu (Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Shredder's Revenge, Marvel Cosmic Invasion), Ninja Gaiden: Ragebound is everything I want out of a retro-style 2D Ninja Gaiden game and so much more. It could be recency bias talking, but I think this will go down as the best classic Ninja Gaiden game in the whole series. Ninja Gaiden: Ragebound Absolutely Delivers Usually when I'm sold on a game from the very first announcement like I was with Ninja Gaiden: Ragebound, I avoid all marketing, all demos, and all information for as long as possible so I can go in fresh and ready. I wasn't able to maintain that promise to myself this time, as I immediately downloaded and played the Ragebound demo on my Steam Deck as soon as I saw it listed during Steam Next Fest recently. Fortunately, it did nothing but solidify my interest and excitement. And after playing the game on my OLED Steam Deck, I can happily report that it ran flawlessly. Zero issues at all and during gameplay it easily maintained a solid 60fps the entire time. According to the publisher, it averages 30fps on Switch, but will 'benefit from the console's specs' on Switch 2, hopefully meaning closer to 60fps there. I was only able to play the PC version for this review. FEATURED | Frase ByForbes™ Unscramble The Anagram To Reveal The Phrase Pinpoint By Linkedin Guess The Category Queens By Linkedin Crown Each Region Crossclimb By Linkedin Unlock A Trivia Ladder In Ninja Gaiden: Ragebound, players primarily take on the role of Kenji Mozu, an aspiring ninja in the Hayabusa clan who is trained directly by the legendary Ryu Hayabusa himself. Naturally, Kenji is an up-close melee character. One of the other prominent new characters introduced in this game is Kumori, a female ninja in the rival Black Spider Clan. As you might expect, she excels at ranged attacks. One thing leads to another and you eventually can tap into both of their powers throughout levels. Ninja Gaiden: Ragebound The whole thing takes around 6-8 hours to finish a first playthrough, but it's designed to be quite replayable. Each stage has a handful of collectibles you can find, some of which are pretty well hidden, as well as scores, and ratings, not to mention secret bonus challenge levels too. There's definitely a lot of meat on these pixelated bones. Most levels follow the typical 2D Ninja Gaiden formula of slashing away at mostly one-shot enemies, wall-jumping and climbing across obstacles, bouncing across the top of the screen as you perform guillotine boosts in the air, and deflecting attacks—however, there's a surprising amount of stage variety in Ragebound. Early on, there's a whole segment that takes place on a motorcycle and it's fantastic. It reminded me of something that could have been ripped right out of a Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles game. There's even a jetski level too! While Ninja Gaiden: Ragebound doesn't have difficulty levels in the traditional sense, it goes a few steps further with its Assist Mode. This lets you fine tune and tweak several settings from the range of your attacks to the amount of damage you receive, so you can customize the difficulty to whatever feels best for you, without completely removing the challenge. Once your whole suite of abilities is unlocked a few Acts in, things get pretty complex. For example, you can charge up more powerful attacks by sacrificing health or by killing marked enemies. It's important to time these attacks correctly because they can make taking down the bigger minions much easier. Then you've got your basic melee attacks and the ranged attacks which can be used in any direction, plus outside of levels you can unlock and equip talismans with passive bonuses (such as refilling health when you maintain kill combos) as well as additional powers and moves. Like I said, it gets pretty complex for a seemingly simple action platformer. Ninja Gaiden: Ragebound To be perfectly honest though, many times I'd reach the end of a level and realize I rarely used anything other than the most basic attacks. Ninja Gaiden: Ragebound is a game that gives you tons of options for how to tackle situations, but is totally willing to just let you finesse your way through obstacles all the same if that's what you prefer. One of my favorite elements were the demon alters in which Kenji can channel Kumori briefly for short, extremely time-sensitive platforming challenges. Usually they're required to progress through the level, but sometimes they also have collectibles tucked away you can only find if you're extra fast and efficient. They're like little secrets within secrets and feel really satisfying to discover. Just like the trilogy of pixel-perfect NES platformers that originally put Ninja Gaiden on the map as a game series, Ragebound is tightly crafted and wonderfully paced. There is this beautiful moment that anyone who has played one of the older games for any length of time can relate to in which it starts to flow like second nature eventually. You get into a rhythm with the structure of the level after dying a dozen times, you've got the spawn points memorized, and you're able to bound across the screen, never slowing down, slicing through enemies in an effortless flow of sword slashes and blood. It might take you 20 attempts to reach that point, but when it finally clicks, it feels incredible. One of the best seemingly small changes made with Ragebound compared to the original NES trilogy is the addition of relatively frequent checkpoints throughout levels. Since the levels are, generally, much longer, it feels necessarily from a level design and pacing perspective, but it also offers a bit of peace of mind since there aren't limited lives or continues anymore. The result is that not only do you avoid the rage-inducing (pun intended) controller-breaking moments of frustration often found in the 8-bit games since you can just keep trying over and over, but it also means the individual sections between checkpoints can be extremely unforgiving and difficult at times since the designers know you won't have to replay the entire level before trying again. On the one hand, especially later on, it leads to some of the most pulse-pounding and satisfying moments of crushing intensity, the likes of which I haven't seen in an action-platformer in quite sometime. But on the other hand, it sometimes makes the levels feel rather choppy since you rarely are able to maintain your flow and momentum without running into a checkpoint, wall to climb, or transition screen sprinkled throughout stages. Ninja Gaiden: Ragebound Saying anything negative about Ragebound though feels overly nitpicky, because as a whole it's just phenomenal. The pixelized art style and excellent gameplay take me back to a simpler time and you can't really put a price on that. Great retro games like Ragebound are more than just entertainment, they're time machines. As soon as I got past the portions that the demo had already covered, I immediately felt like I was 10 years-old again, sitting crisscross on the floor, in front of an old CRT TV, with an NES controller in my hand. All of the excitement I felt beating a stage in the original games as a kid came rushing back with each section I cleared. Music is a major part of any Ninja Gaiden game and they didn't miss with this one. I wouldn't say the music is anywhere near as memorable as the NES originals, but nostalgia plays a major role there. All the same, I did find myself humming along after sometimes hearing the same level music for 10+ minutes when I got stuck from time-to-time, but I can't really recall any of it as I'm writing this review. Perhaps the most surprising part of my time with Ragebound though is probably the writing. The way Kenji and Kumori interact feels especially authentic with Kenji's no-nonsense serious tone about the honor of being a ninja, and Kumori's comparatively lighthearted approach to situations. They're perfect foils for one another and the result is an excellent duo. The only other minor speed bump on this adventure for me would be the bosses. Frankly, they were just downright annoying at times. Like any classic Ninja Gaiden game, boss fights are a big part of the experience, but I do think they generally had a little bit too much health. In most fights you reach this point where you've figured out all the attacks and mechanics, so it's just kind of a test of patience to reach the end. But I usually got impatient and would get too greedy, resulting in having to start the fight over. Eventually this caused me to get less and less patient, which meant I was less and less careful, and it created a vicious cycle. Arguably this is by design, but I'd contend that the boss fights were only truly interesting and fun the first half dozen attempts when I was still figuring things out. Knowing what to do, but not having the patience to chip away at the boss again for the tenth time, definitely got old. Still wonderful battles and worthwhile affairs, just a tad more tedious than I'd like. Ultimately though, Ninja Gaiden: Ragebound is the kind of game you desperately want to keep playing. Whether you're replaying a past level to find all the collectibles, complete all the challenges, or simply beat faster than before, or you're addicted to pushing the envelope and getting further in the adventure, it's tough to put down. Ninja Gaiden: Ragebound Ninja Gaiden: Ragebound Is A Long-Awaited Retro Revival Ninja Gaiden is back in a big way in 2025 with the prior release of Ninja Gaiden 2 Black earlier this year and soon, Ninja Gaiden 4 in just a few short months. But much to my surprise and delight, Ryu Hayabusa's continuation into the realm of AAA 3D action elites once again does not mean the abandonment of where the series started this time around. Hopefully, if we're lucky, Ragebound is just the start of a whole new sub-series of excellent 2D classic-style Ninja Gaiden games. Ninja Gaiden: Ragebound Platform: PC (Reviewed), Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, Switch, PlayStation 4, and PlayStation 5 Developer: The Game Kitchen Publisher: Dotemu (licensed by Koei Tecmo) Release Date: July 31, 2025 Price: $24.99 Score: 9/10 Disclosure: A representative on behalf of Dotemu sent me an early download code for a digital copy of Ninja Gaiden: Ragebound on Steam for the purposes of this review.
Digital Trends
01-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Digital Trends
6 under the radar games for the second half of 2025
Believe it or not, but we've already crossed into the second half of 2025. Depending on how you look at it, this year might feel like it has only just started or has been the longest six months of your life. In terms of games, though, we've already had a bounty of amazing games this year, with standouts being Monster Hunter Wilds, The Alters, Clair Obscur: Expedition 33, and Death Stranding 2, just to name a few. Looking ahead, we have a fairly clear roadmap for what the big upcoming games of 2025 will be, such as Ghost of Yotei, Borderlands 4, and Metal Gear Solid Delta: Snake Eater. This felt like the perfect time to highlight some of the smaller games that you might not have heard of or maybe forgot were coming out in all the excitement. These are my 6 most anticipated games that might be flying under your radar. Shadow Labyrinth – July 17 Starting off in July, we have the strange reimagining of the classic arcade game as a dark Metroidvania. Shadow Labyrinth pulls out the horror elements that were always present in Pac-Man and fully embraces them. You will take control of a character known as Swordsman No. 8 who teams up with an orb called Puck, which is a direct reference to Pac-Man's original name. Besides standard action and exploration, alongside your usual progression systems of unlocking new moves, you will also be able to fuse with Puck to traverse the map as if it were a classic Pac-Man maze. While I was originally skeptical this game wouldn't stand up beyond its shock value, everything I've seen since its reveal has me convinced it will be a great new Metroidvania. Recommended Videos Ninja Gaiden: Ragebound – July 31 We're seeing a major resurgence in old ninja and samurai games between the new Onimusha and Ninja Gaiden 4 on the way, but we're also being treated to retro-style entries that call back to the series' origins. Ninja Gaiden: Ragebound might be more exciting than the next big entry. Coming from the amazingly talented team at The Game Kitchen and Dotemu, it only takes one look at the pixel art to know this game will be something special. Just like the original NES games, Ragebound looks like a brutal but fair 2D action platformer that will bring modern sensibilities to a classic genre. Sword of the Sea – August 19 One of the newer games I added to my list is Sword of the Sea. This is the next game from developer Giant Squid, who you would know as the team that made Abzu and The Pathless. This next game looks like it is combining the vibes and tone of the former with the more advanced and satisfying movement of the latter. The footage shows off a mysterious character surfing through a dead world on a floating sword, bringing life back wherever they go. As water and life return, more areas to explore and restore open up. This game will be all about the world, vibes, and satisfaction you get from the movement. Shinobi: Art of Vengeance – August 28 Remember how I mentioned how many classic ninja games were coming back? Well, here's another one for you to check out in August. Shinobi was a cult classic title compared to its contemporaries, which makes the existence of Shinobi: Art of Vengeance all the more exciting. Like Ragebound, this game is sticking to the classic 2D action style, but with a smoother and hand-drawn art style. If I had to guess from the footage, I'd say this one will be a bit more forgiving than Ragebound, but we will have to see. While there is some clear overlap between the two games, I think there's more than enough room for two excellent 2D action games. Towa and the Guardians of the Sacred Tree – September 18 The only roguelite to make my list is the charming Towa and the Guardians of the Sacred Tree. The hook this game promises that is somewhat unique for the genre is the fact that choice and bonds will impact the game. That hasn't been detailed much yet, but the gameplay already has my attention. Action looks slick with tons of characters, plus the inclusion of co-op, but different quests will take you to different timelines. As time advances, the hub village and characters will change. Again, we need to see just how deep these systems go, but it sounds interesting enough right now for me to want to check it out. Digimon Story Time Stranger – October 2 The Digimon Story games have been underrated ever since the first Cyber Sleuth. While some still pass this entire franchise off as a Pokémon clone, the games at least have forged their own path as amazing RPGs. Sure, you will tame and battle with your digital monsters, but the battle system is leagues ahead of Pokémon, and the story and world are a clear step up. This entry will have over 450 Digimon to find and collect, but it is the plot featuring time travel, parallel worlds, and secret organizations that has my inner anime fan fully onboard. If you're not sure Pokémon Legends: Z-A will shake off the poor reputation the series has had as of late, you can always jump ship to Digimon Story Time Stranger.
