Shadow Blade: Reload

Gone from the days of gaming are the distilled shots of adrenaline and the twitch based action from titles such as Shinobi or Strider that pressed us to try again and again. Now replaced with fluff and filler, the complex tutorials and drawn-out narratives that take the place of what could be great gameplay. Shadow Blade follows in the spirit of the aforementioned hacknslash titles with it's to-the-point levels and their memorable designs.
Shadow Blade: Reload is a speed runner's paradise, through and through.
It includes all of the usual markings you'd expect from a solid action game from it's straight-forward yet deceptive level designs, to the quick arcade-like combat and addictive score chasing incentives. Your initial runs will be easy but they will be sloppy, and as you play you'll discover tricks and shortcuts that make conquering your past efforts a serious treat. The levels come in bite-sized pieced which keep the pace perfect and easy to jump into again and again to tackle your previous scores.
With 60 levels and counting set across 4 differently themed stages and a wealth of modes like easy and robust level-editor and a multiplayer Race mode for up to 4-players that brings Speed Runners style competition, this is already showing some serious potential in it's Early Access state as it continues to receive updates.
It's also received a hefty amount of changes and polishes to the combat since it's highly acclaimed mobile origins, most importantly the layer of depth and strategy added by Shurikens for well planned ranged shots, effecting how you approach each situation. With the addition of new levels, more secrets, more exploration and features, it's easily worth it even for those who have played the hell out of the original version.
Seemingly simple first glance, Shadow Blade really begins to shine as the player revisits past stages and begins to explore it's possibilities for a faster run. There are loads of hard to spot tricks and little shortcuts that will cut down on your time, and going back to discover them and besting your previous scores just feels really good. All in all, this is the kind of game that should be played from the perspective of a speed runner to be enjoyed to it's full extent.
Shadow Blade: Reload hits the spot and keeps you coming back for more long after you've overcome the obstacles of it's many cunning levels.

Surprisingly satisfying ninja sidescrolling action. There's a bug with the cutscenes that might not be fixable for everyone but the core gameplay is rock solid and a lot of fun.
This would have been a classic back in the 16 bit days.
ADDENDUM: To fix the cutscenes playback issue you just need to into the game's folder and find a .exe file (LAVFilters-0.62). Run it and it should provide the game with what it needs to show you what you need to know as a fullblown ninja elite!

This game is quite enjoyable. It’s fast, fun and often requires quick thinking. There are a ton of levels and a bunch of unique mechanics that can really be challenging at times. I particularly liked how upping the difficulty morphs the level – giving it harder paths, adding more traps, but it still has the same general layout. The controls feel responsive, the animations are nice and the music and sound effects are pretty cool too.
There’s even a degree of replayability, as you can always go back and try and beat your best scores on levels you’ve already completed, and if the devs end up adding leaderboards like they are planning to it will only add to that. Also, this is one of the few games that actually has a level editor. As it stands though, the editor is quite basic so could definitely do with a bit more stuff in it (I will update this bit if it changes upon the games release). Anyway, I’ve had a ton of fun with this and would definitely recommend it to anyone who’s into the Side-Scrolling Action-Platformer type genre.
If you are looking for a short video to show you what the game is, here’s a link to a 2 minute one:
And if you’re looking for a more in depth look at the game, here’s a link to an approximately 15 minute video:

Unbeliavably fun! This game has amazing controls, fluid and responsive, they feel very natural and intuitive. It has a great double-jump mechanic that allows for some very precise movements and sometimes even ridiculous maneuvers, giving you a lot of flexibility in how you go through each stage. Also the killing animations are really bloody and fun, with some variation in how you can choose to deal with each enemy (from behind, from a distance, from up in the air or through dashing. All equally fun!)
The game emphasizes speed and you're urged to clear the stage as fast as you can, which makes the game challenging but exciting. There's something very satisfying about killing enemies while dashing, throwing shuriken before the sniper has time to shoot, and nailing a complicated jumping sequence one after the other. It really makes you feel like a ninja!
It also has a good amount of content with 7 worlds (around 5-7 stages each) and a simple story told in beautiful comicbook-like graphics. Another thing I appreciated is how in higher difficluties it's not just the enemies that become harder, but the stage itself changes subtly, so the game always feels fresh. Plus there's a TON of collectibles to explore and find.
All in all if you're a fan of platformers then this is definitely worth buying!

Before considering a purchase of this game, it's important to know that there are some technical issues. If you plan on using a PS4 controller, while the left stick will function properly, left and right will be reversed on the d-pad; since there's no way to alter gamepad controls in game, you'll need to find an external solution. The story is told through a series of comicbook style videos that will likely require you to manually install codecs found in the game's directory. This is poorly explained by the game itself but has effectively no impact on the gameplay. From a fresh install, the game will assume you want to play "Hardcore" but hardcore versions of stages are locked until an area is completed on "Normal" which has caused many players to report frustration because the first stage appears "Locked."
A fantastic little action platformer that captures the feeling of being a ninja through expert use of flow and fluid movement options. The game is fairly simple, you're trying to get through stages as quickly as possible while collecting as many yellow orbs as possible and finding three hidden items (kanji). Also, unlike similar games, you get points for everything you kill, so go nuts!
To accomplish this you're given a basic set of options: Jump, Dash, Shuriken and Slash
Jump: This is the button you'll press more than any other. You can double jump and wall jump. Probably the most interesting feature is that you're allowed to double jump even if you're not on the ground. As a result you can double jump from the wall or run off a platform and still double jump! You can also influence your direction mid air or short hop by pressing the button for minimal frames.
Dash: You can ground dash and air dash. An air dash will count as an attack and is the quickest, often most effective tool against enemies that aren't immune to it. Although you can airdash after a jump, you typically won't be able to jump after an airdash. Interestingly, although the ground dash has significant recovery frames, you'll be able to jump immediately if you dash off a platform. You can also dash downward in air which has minor correction toward grounded enemies below you and results in a special kill animation against most. The only way to cancel a downward dash is by landing or with an airdash.
Shuriken: These will kill ranged or unaware enemies and stagger melee enemies. Throwing multiple will kill some melee enemies but typically isn't worth it. They recharge after a second or two and you can store 3; a wise mechanic that grants access to projectiles while preventing the game from becoming a shoot 'em up platformer. If not for being required to hit some switches, you could get through the game without pressing this button.
Slash: There are several things this button can do when you press it. If you're facing the front of most enemies you'll attempt to grab them with your chain, pull them toward you and slash them. If you're running toward an unguarded enemy you'll do an running attack. If you're behind an unaware enemy you'll do a stealth kill. In most situations you'll slash your sword pointlessly. Unfortunately the only reason to press this button is in combination with a grounded dash because it's the only way to reliably kill one particular enemy type. Typically it's safer and faster to do a short hop dash.
The game is definitely geared toward speedrunning and provides a fantastic environment for someone looking to get into it. A level editor is included so there's high potential for replay-ability. Unfortunately there does seem to be some cheating on the leaderboards.
Although you die in one hit, the game provides generous check points so it's rarely frustrating. Unfortunately there's no option to respawn from check point, only to restart level... which is an issue because there are some areas with the potential to let you clip out of the stage and become softlocked.

Shadow Blade: Reload is an action-platformer where you are a ninja. Your objective is to get through each level as efficiently as possible. Currently, finished playing the main game. It was overall a pleasant experience of getting through the levels. Would go for a second time on hardcore. Also, it seemed as though there are several levels with more than one way to beat.
Pros:
-Decent graphics and good looking visuals
-Smooth gameplay
-Interesting levels
-Slashing through enemies is fun
Cons:
-A little bit buggy
-Some parts too easy
Conclusion:
RECOMMENDED for people who love to play platformer games.
~7.5/10~

This is a great ninja themed platformer with more of a focus on speed then stealth.
Never heard of it until it popped up in my discovery queue a while ago. Finally picked it up during the last Summer sale. The story is...whatever. It's there. Store says it's "Fully Voiced." This is...untrue? There is sound effects during the story cut scenes but there was no voiceover. Found it odd. There's 3 different modes. Normal, Hardcore and Master Class. You unlock the latter 2 after completing the game on normal. The level design varies differently depending on what difficulty you're on. Overall the controls are tight but on the Master Class difficulty their flaws begin to show when you need to be a little more precise. The games forgiving though with lots of mid-level checkpoints.
There's collectables in each level and then a handful of challenges to complete after the fact. The challenges aren't particularly difficult. You can probably beat them all in 15-20 minutes.
Overall: Great platforming ninja themed game. More focused on speed than stealth. Just the right amount difficulty to be frustating but not anger-inducing. Controls are tight but sometimes not precise enough for hardest difficulty.