Ninja or Die: Shadow of the Sun Review (Steam)

by Jim Smale · Published August 21, 2023 · Updated August 18, 2023

For this Ninja or Die: Shadow of the Sun Review, we play a game that is Set at the heart of a cataclysmic event in Edo Japan, Ninja or Die: Shadow of the Sun is an ultrafast Roguelite inspired by Japanese folklore. Unleash the power, speed, and soul of the Ninja, using acrobatic jumping to move and attack. You are a common pickpocket, transformed by the cataclysm into a lethal Ninja with lightning mobility. The Ramen Seller becomes a Samurai. The Maiko becomes a killer Geisha. Your domain of petty crime becomes a frenzied neon world of shogun castles, magic traps, and parachuting assassins. Someone has ensnared you in a loop of chaos… if not to kill you, then to protect you from something worse.

Ninja or Die: Shadow of the Sun Review Pros:

Decent graphics.
655.45MB download size.
Steam achievements.
Controller support.
Graphics settings – resolution and fullscreen.
Opening tutorial levels. (optional as you can play and disable the tutorials)
The game is best played with a mouse.
Movement is a case of you jumping in an arc so you quickly slide the mouse around to jump up walls.
Platformer gameplay.
On the tutorial and levels, you can save and quit between them.
Charged jumps get you more air but also change the background causing a storm-like sequence.
Combat is automatically done, just jump into enemies and it’s done.
Items are automatically picked up and go into your bag.
Your bag lets you use or equip an item.
The mini-map has 3 sizes.
Projectiles can be thrown using the same arc as jumping but pressing the right mouse button.
Enemy health bars show above their head.
The keyboard can be used to quickly scroll through items and weapons in your bag and equip them.
Find keys to open chests that you find.
Looks stylish as fook.
You can pan the camera slightly around.
When you are actually jumping you are immune to damage.
Villagers can be rescued but if you die you lose them and they then appear somewhere else in the level.
To finish a level it can vary from finding something, getting to the door, or killing everyone.
So satisfying when your chain kills a load of enemies at once.
Big boss encounters.
In-game cutscenes.
Can skip the cutscenes.
Eventually can get quite Zen with the movement.
Can have events like getting up to the top of level I a scroller-type level.
Full stats page.
The combat log shows mission count, levels traversed, total kills, total money earned, number of jumps, distance traveled, highest damage dealt, and longest combo chain.
Item and enemy lists fill in as you find/encounter them with enemies showing stats on them.
The back alley doctor lets you upgrade your stats.
Main village hi where you can unlock new features and speak with rescued villagers.
Completed levels show your best clear time.
You can replay missions.
Online leaderboards for each mission with local, friend, and global filters.
You use villagers to enhance the back alley doctor upgrades.
Hidden collectibles/clues in levels for village upgrades.
Some very clever set pieces.
Five agents/characters can be unlocked by rescuing them and each has unique stats and abilities.

Ninja or Die: Shadow of the Sun Review Cons:

Bare minimum graphics settings.
The text is huge and takes up so much space.
No game settings really.
Takes a bit of getting used to the movement.
Not that fun to play with a controller.
Can get really hectic.
The drops from enemies disappear very quickly.
Hot-swapping items cause more text on the screen and can get a bit too much.
Making precise jumps in a rush is not as good.
The tutorial is only to cover controls and not the unlocks, how the village works etc.

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