Even with the difficulty spike, Shinobi: Art of Vengeance is a remarkable 2D action game. For $30, it provides substance and fun, and Lizardcube escalates difficulty just enough to make finishing a level satisfying. If you're rebooting a 2D action franchise to appeal to fans of its older games, Art of Vengeance is a perfect example of how to do it.

Following its already excellent work on Streets of Rage 4, Lizardcube injects another Sega series with new life in the utterly terrific Shinobi: Art of Vengeance.

Shinobi: Art of Vengeance is a new 2D Action-Platformer from Sega and Lizardcube that aims to bring the Shinobi franchise back to its roots. For the first time in years, gamers will take control of Joe Musashi as they rush through stages full of enemies that they must slice down.