Shinobi: Art of Vengeance will soon hit the market, bringing the hack-and-slash series back into the limelight after a decade-long hiatus. Shinobi: Art of Vengeance will no doubt notice some modernization when they look at the title, but at the heart of every development and design decision is the fans of the franchise.
The Shinobi game series has gone through multiple hiatuses in its history, but Art of Vengeance will finally break this franchise slump. Announced back in 2023 during The Game Awards, Shinobi: Art of Vengeance will take the series back to its roots—albeit with a hand-drawn 2D style and modernized gameplay. The Best War Games sat down with members of the Lizardcube team, including CEO and art/creative director Ben Fiquet, who spoke about what fans can expect from the title and how the game will uphold the IP's legacy. The following transcript has been edited for clarity and brevity.
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Early Development on Shinobi
Q: Shinobi: Art of Vengeance has been greenlit. What did the first day of working on this title look like? What about the first month or year?
Fiquet: As Sega enthusiasts, we were thrilled to get the green light to revive one of their most iconic IPs. Shinobi holds a special place in my heart, and it was a joy to delve into what made these games so exceptional, from their distinct art style to their engaging gameplay and wild characters. We had a lot to cover. Our initial production efforts centered on this exploration. The challenge was to make a ninja fighting monsters and military personnel feel cool and relevant for today's audience.
Q: Shinobi: Art of Vengeance was originally revealed back in 2023 as part of an effort to revive dormant IPs. How much has the game changed since then?
A: The game's art style was pretty set early on, but we added so many layers of gameplay to satisfy the players through playtests and different iterations.
Q: Can you talk a little bit about the work you’ve done throughout 2025?
A: Finishing a game is no small task, so most of 2025 was polishing up and getting rid of pesky bugs.
Q: Can you speak about the animation work in Shinobi: Art of Vengeance? For returning characters, how was past animation work taken into consideration?
A: Since the gameplay of Art of Vengeance is very new for the series, I expanded the original work of animation many times. Regardless, I’m always trying to keep the attitude and character art of the original characters.
Q: Lizardcube’s mission statement is to make “high-quality 2D games, respectful of players and respectful of licenses.” Can you talk about how you’ve leveraged your 2D experience in the game?
A: Our development process remains consistent with our previous titles, leveraging the inherent artistic and animation strengths of 2D. With modern graphics cards now capable of rendering thousands of frames, this is an opportune moment for 2D to truly shine.
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Respecting the Shinobi IP
Inspirations
Q: Similarly, what is your approach to make sure, for Shinobi and past work, that you are respectful of the licenses and IP?
A: For each of our games, we dive deep into the source materials, past artworks, interviews, or making of. But we also take a lateral step and look at the fan art and the expanded lore; it provides a very insightful glance at what these games mean to the players throughout the years.
Q: How would you say Lizardcube makes its 'mark' on the IP you’ve worked with?
A: I believe we managed to make very special games, recognizable by the attention to art, animation and details faithful to the original material. There are not many traditionally animated 2d games out there; it also makes them stand out.
Q: Shinobi: Art of Vengeance is making a major aesthetic shift with its hand-drawn art style. Can you talk about selecting this art style?
A: Shinobi represents a direct evolution of our previous work, aiming to push the artistic limits of 2D games. My vision for Shinobi was a brush-like aesthetic, drawing inspiration from watercolor painting and traditional Japanese art, but also French art.
The World and Story of Shinobi
Q: To what extent will the title's storytelling deviate from the franchise norm, if at all?
A: The story serves as a vessel to bring the action forward, heroes and foes facing off, as 90s titles used to do so. You could say it has a sense of arcade touch.
Q: Can you talk a little bit about the world players play through? What can they expect out of the environments in terms of obstacles, locations, etc.?
A: We want each stage to offer players a fresh experience. While we begin with a traditional bamboo forest, a staple of Shinobi games, we quickly introduce a wide variety of level designs. These range from modern settings like a dense, neon-lit city or a military base, to traditional landscapes and even a desert. The expansive world of Shinobi naturally accommodates this diversity. Crucially, every stage presents new hazards, obstacles, or enemies, ensuring players' interest is sparked at every turn.
Q: What would you say are the “guiding lights” for the direction of the story and the overall design of the world?
A: There have been so many iterations of Shinobi through the years, but personally, I wanted to keep that ’90s action over-the-top movie vibe. The villain is attacking, it’s time for our hero to face evil and save the world—no more, no less.
Q: How is the team celebrating come release? Any special plans?
A: We’re going to throw a very nice release party in a bar in Paris, sharing drinks and love.
Q: Do you have any fun behind-the-scenes stories you can share regarding Shinobi’s development? Any fun moments between the developers (i.e. Working with Sega and the team in Japan)?
A: We had a lot of nice moments between our team and Sega. From the prototype to meetings in Japan and Paris, playtests in the US, marketing all around. I believe we share a common passion for games and the craft behind them.
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OpenCritic Reviews
- Top Critic Avg: 87 /100 Critics Rec: 94%
WHERE TO PLAY
- Genre(s)
- Action, Platformer, Hack and Slash
