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2025 has cemented itself as one of the best years for indie and double-A video games. With the likes of Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 and Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 succeeding where some big studios failed, a lot of questions have recently been raised about what triple-A studios are doing wrong.
While triple-A studios are playing it safe by sticking to the formula and creating games based on research and data, smaller developers are taking risks with their art and are gaining success to show for it. If you still need more proof of this, the review embargo for Shinobi: Art of Vengeance just dropped, and it already has a better Metascore than some big names.
Shinobi: Art Of Vengeance Is One Of The Best Reviewed Games of The Year
At the time of writing, Shinobi: Art of Vengeance has a Metascore of 88, with 32 critic reviews. This puts it on par with the likes of Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2, which is a GOTY contender, as well as Monster Hunter Wilds. It currently sits above Mario Kart World and Doom: The Dark Ages. You can be sure that more reviews will be coming in soon and could push that score higher.
Even if it gets bumped up by a single point, it will be in the same range as Death Stranding 2: On the Beach, and that in itself is a huge compliment for the game. With gorgeous artwork, engaging combat, and challenging platforming, it scratches a very particular itch for many gamers.
Our resident ninja game expert and news lead, George Foster gave Shinobi: Art of Vengeance a perfect score. “I’ve had my doubts about Sega’s reboot plans in the past, but Shinobi: Art of Vengeance is a home run on the first pitch,” he said in his review. “It’s one of the most gorgeous, creative, and satisfying games of 2025 and has effortlessly clawed its way to becoming my frontrunner for Game of the Year.”
