NOTE: I originally posted this review in issue number 2 of 2.5D

     The evil Neo Zeed who has aspirations of world domination had your sensai assassinated, and your girlfriend Naoko kidnapped. It's time for you to fill the shoes of Joe Musashi a ninja master on his quest to avenge the death of his master, and to save his girlfriend from the evil clutches of Zeed.

     Let's get this straight. Revenge of Shinobi is a tough game. It's very unforgiving, and it's not for the gaming weak. RoS has you taking revenge in eight super challenging side scrolling levels that require exact timing and a whole lot of patience. I'd liken Shinobi's play style to a Castlevania where perfect timing and finesse is everything. Even Shinobi's double jump requires exact timing which makes it feel imprecise at times, but it's mastery is a must, especially in the later levels of the game. Missing a double jump can result in a lot of frustrating deaths for the player. However, that aside, the rest of the controls are spot on, and even the double jump becomes second nature after a while.

     The gameplay is simple, move from one side of the screen to the other while dispatching hordes baddies while dodging their attacks, and learning their attack patterns. The game not only tests your gaming skills, but also your you memorization skills. Every boss has an exact pattern, and until you learn it, the bosses will destroy you. My suggestion for anyone interested in this game is to look up youtube videos that show you boss strategies. A lot can be learned from watching those who have mastered the game.

      While the gameplay is really hard for newcomers, especially with the lack of checkpoints, and tough boss battles in each level, the game is totally learnable for those with the patience to see it through. The game takes total concentration from the player. Like many other games like it RoS requires you to get in your hardcore zone. Finally mastering a challenging level that was seemingly impossible for you to beat before puts you in gaming zen which few games ever help you reach. It's immersion is in mastering the game.

Bottom Line: Revenge of Shinobi is a great, but challenging game. If you don't have oldschool style patience, then stay away, because the game will frustrate the hell out of you. However those with patience will be totally immersed in Shinobi's gameplay.