Ninja or Die: Shadow of the Sun is out in less than a month, and this exhilaratingly challenging roguelike looks like it'll impress genre veterans and newcomers alike.
In the action-roguelike Ninja or Die, you play as a common pickpocket transformed by a cataclysmic event into a lethal ninja with lightning mobility. Unfortunately, you're not the only person with newfound power. Your once-quiet village is now overrun with samurai, geisha, and parachuting assassins. Trapped in this unforgiving loop of chaos, you must break free and see what awaits you outside.
Ninja or Die's frenetic fights and fluid movement place it in good stead to feature on our best roguelike games list when it releases next month. In the meantime, check out the free demo available to play right now on Steam.
Ninja or Die's brilliant 2-bit art style and historical setting aren't the only reasons to get excited; like any good roguelike, it has a fluid and intriguing way of fighting the many enemies you'll encounter.
In Ninja or Die, moving and attacking are tied to the same jump button. This means that the pace is set, you can't walk or sprint, and the only way is up in this roguelike. However, players can rest assured that they will be able to supercharge their jump and automatically become invincible at the moment of jumping, so there is some leeway when it comes to difficulty.
The title also features customizable characters, so players can choose which warrior suits them best. There's the ranged Geisha or the mighty Samurai, each with unique abilities and scrolls that unleash varied effects such as earthquakes, lightning, or enhanced sight.
This somewhat forgiving movement is vital, because, in classic roguelike fashion, one wrong move will end with you starting your journey again. It may seem unfair, but this permadeath feature is what makes roguelikes so exhilarating. Who doesn't love some good old-fashioned, controller-breaking consequences?
In case you really do lose you're head playing Ninja or Die be sure to check out our Prime Day gaming deals and Prime Day Xbox controller deals for some cheap extra hardware.
