Ninja Brigade feat. Jonah Weingarten

I've already played the demo of the game, which was a lot of fun with all the content on offer. Now I've played the first area with the new features for the release and I'm thrilled at how much more content has been added. I'm already looking forward to completing the game. There is a lot to do here for fans of Metroidvanias and side activities. A clear recommendation from me. Update: I have now played through the game after almost 20 hours and am really impressed by its scope. You unlock new villagers in cyberspace levels and then receive useful items and a matching quest. Collecting and upgrading the companions is a lot of fun. Later on, you can even get the bosses as companions. The game is a tricky challenge that I had a lot of fun with. I'll keep trying to unlock everything.

Echt ganz cool und witzig - ziemlich knackig, aber mein Eindruck bisher ist sehr positiv - es ist interessant zu erkunden, und ich werd es schon irgendwie lernen ^_^ Gebt dem Spiel bitte unbeding eine Chance! Man merkt, es steckt echt viel Liebe drin.

Wer Castlevania, Hollow Knight oder Metroid mag, wird an diesem Titel nicht vorbeikommen. Ich find das Game an sich knackig. Das ist aber gut, in den typischen Search Action Games darf es ruhig mal etwas herausfordernder zu sein. Man bemerkt auch eine Liebe zum Detail im Spiel. Definitiv weiterzuempfehlen!

Ninja Brigade feat. Jonah Weingarten is a stunning and vibrant colorful metroidvania about Jonah who enters an arcade center on his way home to find out that he was stuck in the Yokai Realm. You venture on a mission to find a way to return home. The game immediately grabbed my attention with its amazing pixel art style and colorful themes. It offers a variety of different activities if you want to have fun in your free time aside from the main story, you own a house in the yokai world and find different pieces of furniture scattered across the different map biomes which is then placed automatically in your home. There are also many arcade mini games to test yourself, multiple fun mini games that will keep you hooked for hours. The game also offers upgrades to your health and energy bars, as well as owning yokai familiars that will help you on your journey. Many secrets and platforming sections that will challenge and test your quick reactions and precision. The combat might feel a bit tough at the beginning but as you playthrough the game, believe me it gets more fun and awesome. The music and soundtracks are top notch, you also have the options to choose the music tracks you find during your journey and listen to them whenever. The controls were great and solid, havent had any problems in my 33 hrs of walkthrough (100%). The boss fights and their pixel art was amazing. They also will challenge your timing and quick reactions. If you enjoy pixel art metroidvanias, or metroidvanias in general. This is a very good recommendation. This game really deserves more attention. The Devs are super nice and very active in polishing the game even more than it's already polished. Overall Rating 10/10

Ninja Brigade präsentiert sich in detailverliebtem 2D-Pixelart-Stil, der nostalgische Erinnerungen an klassische Metroidvania-Spiele weckt. Die Umgebungen sind atmosphärisch dicht gestaltet. Die Charakteranimationen wirken dynamisch und geschmeidig. Der Soundtrack ist ein echtes Highlight. Die Musik unterstreicht sowohl ruhige Erkundungspassagen als auch die dramatische Intensität von Bosskämpfen hervorragend. Spielerisch bietet Ninja Brigade klassische Metroidvania-Kost: Erkundung, neue Fähigkeiten freischalten und taktische Kämpfe gegen vielfältige Gegner. Das Spielgefühl ist schnell, flüssig und belohnt präzises Timing. Ein stilvoller Genre-Mix mit audiovisueller Wucht und klassischem Spielgefühl.

Wunderbare Pixelgrafik, nicht zu einfach aber auch nicht zu schwer. Es gibt genug Upgrades um es sich leichter zu machen. Tolles Gegnerdesign welches sich nicht einfach wiederholt. Tolle Minispiele enthalten inkl. das Namefaker Race. Einstellungsmöglichkeiten für alle üblichen Controller und Maus+Tastatur on point. Kampfgeschehen gegen die Gegner abwechslungsreich und man muss sich die mechanics der Gegner gut einprägen um nicht unwillig zu sterben. Savepoint ist mega cute gemacht, viele Checkpoints und ein wunderbarer Humor. Lohnt sich definitiv!!!

Sehr liebevoll gestaltet und voll mit mini-Spielen und Sammelobjekten. Außerdem schön schwere Jump and Run Passagen und interessante Gegner! :)

The story makes no real attempt at coherence. Jonah is a DJ in the middle of a post-gig walk when he notices an arcade with a glowing sign. Curious, he enters, only to be sucked into a ninja-themed arcade machine via a sudden flash of light. A big baddie (of course) is trying to use the arcade cabinet to breach into the real world. At its core, the game is an action-platformer with Metroidvania progression. You begin with basic controls, move left or right, jump, and attack. Projectiles are also in your arsenal, but are limited by a mana system that only replenishes at save points or through food dropped by enemies. The foundation is straightforward, but the real twist is the dual-form mechanic: Jonah can switch between his human self and a demon form. However, you don’t control when to switch. Demon transformations occur in designated red-smoke zones, which serve as mini-challenges. These demon zones slightly alter the environment with additional threats, but keep the map layout intact. The demon form plays a bit differently, as it can air dash and block attacks, even projectiles. The demon form’s abilities evolve, as does the human form’s, reinforcing the Metroidvania structure. Some areas can only be accessed after acquiring new skills, and backtracking is on the menu. Fortunately, demon zones are removed once you destroy the specific object and collect a key. Grabbing keys is the main objective because they lead to bosses. The game features a lives system. You begin with three health bottles, and losing them sends you back to the last “red panda” save tree and removes one life. While there are more frequent checkpoints, these only serve as temporary save spot. Lose all lives, and you’re sent back to your last red panda with all progress removed. This mechanic can be brutal, especially when combined with one-hit hazards, off-screen projectiles, and the tendency for enemies to ambush you. The tension is undeniable, but so is the frustration. In a game where exploration is central, punishing the player with major progress loss feels archaic. Many modern Metroidvanias have moved past life systems, favoring smart autosaves or adjustable difficulty. Here, the system feels like a deliberate throwback, but one that might alienate newer players or frustrate completionists. Thankfully, exploration is satisfying. The map system follows the tried-and-true rectangle-room format, gradually revealing areas as you explore. It doesn’t show exact layouts, but hints at room size and open paths. Colors distinguishes environments, and key markers, such as teleporters and save points, are automatically noted. Players can also manually place question marks to remember interesting areas. Rooms are a mix of combat, platforming, and hidden goodies. Coins are scattered everywhere and can be used in the village hub, but the real fun comes from many collectibles: red and blue Kodamas, hidden walls, cards, and enemy drops all feed into progression. Enemies come in various forms, but their level of threat is sometimes not based on looks but on the zone in which they are located. For instance, the slime, the first enemy, is weak in the starting area, but comes with a lot more health in the cave zone. But in general, each zone has unique enemies that drop various things when defeated. One of the most welcome features is the seamless room transitions. There are no loading screens or fade-outs between rooms. That said, enemies do respawn when re-entering rooms—though only if you allow the screen to fully shift. Quick backtracking avoids this in case you change your mind. Shortly after the tutorial, you unlock a central hub village that acts as your home base. Here, rescued characters (freed from “computer space”—essentially challenge stages for your demon form) settle in and offer services. From quests and training to mini-games and gambling, the village is your main stop for getting better. Quests largely revolve around collectibles and exploration, but it’s the side activities that stand out. There's a rigged claw machine, turtle races you can bet on, fishing, and more. These activities drain your coins quickly. Damage upgrades come from a “trainer” character who requires proof of enemy mastery rather than cash. Defeat enough of a specific enemy, and you get a damage boost. Meanwhile, the “card collector” character adds some monster-gathering element: each enemy drops unique materials and cards. Once you’ve gathered enough, you can activate a “familiar”, a floating helper that fights alongside you or supports from behind. Each familiar has unique abilities, and they can be upgraded by collecting additional materials.

I played it for roughly 15 hours and had a lot of fun! The pixelart is gorgeous and I really enjoyed the Ost (by the way the caves is the best one). The gameplay feels pretty smooth wich makes the platforming so much more fun. It's somewhat challenging but not unfair and there are many things wich make your life easier (if you look around and explore the areas). So if u enjoy Metroidvanias like symphony of the night you should give it a try!!! I'm really excited for future updates!

absolute Empfehlung für Leute die Metroidvania mögen