NINJA GAIDEN 3: Razor's Edge

About

NINJA GAIDEN 3: Razor's Edge is a single player action adventure game. It was developed by KOEI TECMO GAMES CO., LTD. and was released on June 9, 2021. It received neutral reviews from players.

Ninja Gaiden 3: Razor's Edge is an action-packed hack and slash game featuring the renowned ninja, Ryu Hayabusa. This edition includes new features, characters, and improved gameplay mechanics, providing an enhanced experience over the original release. Players will face challenging enemies and bosses while mastering various weapons and ninpo abilities. The game offers a thrilling and brutal combat system, appealing to both newcomers and series veterans.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player

Skip User Reviews

59%

Audience ScoreBased on 622 reviews

gameplay43 positive mentions

story50 negative mentions

The combat system is fast-paced, fluid, and satisfying, making it enjoyable to engage in battles.
The game features multiple playable characters, each with unique movesets, adding variety to gameplay.
The Steel on Bone mechanic introduces a rewarding counter system that allows for instant kills and chaining attacks.

The story is poorly executed and lacks depth, often feeling like a cliché action movie plot.
Boss fights are frustrating and poorly designed, often relying on cheap mechanics that detract from the overall experience.
The removal of healing items and reliance on a ninpo meter for health recovery creates an unbalanced and punishing gameplay experience.

story
210 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
11%
65%
24%
The story of "Ninja Gaiden 3: Razor's Edge" has received overwhelmingly negative feedback, with many reviewers criticizing it as convoluted, poorly executed, and lacking the engaging narrative of its predecessors. While some appreciate attempts to add depth to Ryu's character and introduce new playable characters, the overall consensus is that the plot is filled with clichés, awkward dialogue, and fails to resonate emotionally, often feeling like a misguided attempt at a Hollywood-style action narrative. Despite its shortcomings, a few players found enjoyment in the absurdity of the story, suggesting that it can be entertaining if approached with low expectations.
- “I really enjoyed how they handled the story as compared to the first two games.”
- “The story is more cohesive this time, focusing on Ryu Hayabusa's internal struggles alongside external conflicts.”
- “This game is so underrated; for me personally, Ninja Gaiden 3 still has the best story.”
- “They took the worst parts of the first and second game (cheese strategy bosses and the delimb system), added a more arcade-y feel to the combat and changed all the combos for every weapon, then slathered on top the worst story in the franchise (they turned it into some Jerry Bruckheimer Hollywood bullshit complete with cheesy dialogue such as, 'Langly is calling! The CIA???').”
- “The story is so much worse than the previous games.”
- “The story is garbage.”
gameplay
169 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
25%
63%
12%
The gameplay of "Ninja Gaiden 3: Razor's Edge" is a mixed bag, with many praising the core combat mechanics, particularly the new "steel-on-bone" feature that adds depth and satisfaction to battles. However, players frequently criticize the pacing, frustrating boss encounters, and the removal of key mechanics from previous titles, leading to a gameplay experience that can feel unbalanced and tedious, especially at higher difficulties. While some find the combat fluid and enjoyable, others lament the overall design choices that detract from the series' legacy.
- “Combat can feel brutally satisfying, especially with the steel-on-bone mechanic.”
- “The gameplay is the strongest point since the controls and animations feel very buttery smooth, and the controls are an improvement on what was already great about 2. Being able to slide into attacks very seamlessly makes the game very fun.”
- “The combat feels fluid and responsive, allowing for dynamic combos and satisfying dismemberment mechanics that make each battle thrilling.”
- “There is fun here — but it’s buried under bad pacing, messy encounters, and frustrating mechanics.”
- “The gameplay feels largely random, the controls are a little janky, and the perviness of Ayane's design is frankly off-putting.”
- “The bosses are extremely tedious and supremely sinister for the amount of time they waste, especially Act 4's dinosaur boss and Act 9's mech boss, which they most drone on with multiple phases and randomly switching with quick time events or another gameplay change like running away from it.”
graphics
42 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
17%
73%
10%
The graphics of the game have received mixed reviews, with many users criticizing the overall visual fidelity and art direction as dated and mediocre compared to previous entries in the series. While some appreciate the atmospheric environments and smooth animations, others point out issues like muddy textures, poor lighting, and a lack of modern graphical options. Overall, the consensus suggests that while the game has its moments, it falls short of the graphical standards set by earlier titles in the franchise.
- “The graphics, while a bit dated, hold up thanks to stylish art direction and fluid animations.”
- “Graphically, the game is impressive, with dark, atmospheric environments and smooth animations.”
- “Gameplay, cinematic, music, characters, and graphics are fantastic.”
- “Everything else from level design, enemy design, music, graphical fidelity, etc. is not only worse than the previous entries: it's genuinely mediocre and awful.”
- “The graphics are worse than Ninja Gaiden 2; the lighting system looks legitimately broken sometimes, with some levels being extremely dark and annoying to discern details in.”
- “The entire little things like even the visual theme of the series that made it different yet pleasing in appearance/aesthetic is butchered.”
music
21 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
38%
48%
14%
The music in the game receives mixed reviews, with some praising standout tracks and the overall quality, while others find it generic and forgettable compared to previous entries. Notably, the main theme "A Hero Unmasked" is highlighted as a strong point, but many players feel that the soundtrack lacks memorable tunes and fails to elevate the gameplay experience. Overall, while there are some "bangers" in the soundtrack, many agree that it does not consistently match the game's potential.
- “Special shout out to NG3:RE's main OST titled 'A Hero Unmasked' - listening to this as I'm typing this.”
- “The music in the game is still good; plenty of tracks to listen to.”
- “Great music, has multiple MGS: Revengeance type segments before that game even came out, story-wise actually impactful (I was shaking at the last QTE hit, and not just from anger from the first phase).”
- “Everything else from level design, enemy design, music, graphical fidelity, etc. is not only worse than the previous entries: it's genuinely mediocre and awful.”
- “Unfortunately, the soundtrack is kinda generic; the progression is very arena -> arena on repeat, the enemies that aren't fun to fight are downright miserable to deal with, and the quality of bosses as a whole has dropped.”
- “The forgettable tunes in Ninja Gaiden 3 make elevator music seem riveting.”
grinding
17 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Overall, players find the grinding aspect of the game to be tedious and frustrating, with many encounters feeling overly drawn out and unbalanced. Boss fights, in particular, are criticized for being spongey and repetitive, detracting from the overall enjoyment and replayability. The combination of unengaging level design, cumbersome mechanics, and poorly executed quick time events contributes to a sense of monotony that hampers the game's potential.
- “Enemies are a lot more spongey and very tedious to fight.”
- “The bosses are extremely tedious and supremely sinister for the amount of time they waste, especially Act 4's dinosaur boss and Act 9's mech boss, which drone on with multiple phases and randomly switch with quick time events or other gameplay changes like running away from it, Pepsiman style.”
- “Game feels very tedious with scripted sequences and quick time events that don't even feel necessary at all.”
emotional
12 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
92%
25%
The emotional aspect of the game elicits mixed reactions from players; while some appreciate the heartfelt moments and deeper narrative that attempts to humanize the protagonist, others criticize it for being overly melodramatic and filled with uninteresting characters. The balance between heartwarming and frustrating elements leaves players divided, with some feeling anger and disappointment rather than joy. Overall, the emotional depth is acknowledged, but many feel it falls short of genuine engagement.
- “His relation with Canna is wholesome yet heartbreaking.”
- “Story on the other hand is a lot deeper and emotional compared to other Ninja Gaiden games.”
- “Well to start, the story is really good; despite some goofiness, I found it actually kind of touching. I especially like how they try and humanize Ryu.”
- “Boring story with bland, uninteresting characters that you don't care about.”
- “The emotional moments felt forced and lacked genuine impact.”
- “I couldn't connect with the characters, making the emotional scenes fall flat.”
replayability
10 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
30%
40%
30%
Overall, the game offers significant replayability due to its extensive content, including new playable characters and challenging modes like "ninja trials." While some boss encounters can detract from the experience, the fast-paced combat and variety of gameplay elements keep players engaged. Many reviewers highlight the game's difficulty and the abundance of content as key factors that enhance its replay value.
- “This gives a huge amount of content and replayability, and it's endlessly fun to improve at.”
- “New playable characters like Ayane and Momiji add variety, while the 'Ninja Trials' mode provides challenging missions for extra replayability.”
- “Content-wise, this game is full of stuff, with three more playable characters (Ayane, Momiji, and Kasumi) on trials and even full chapters of the game.”
- “The bosses are very hit or miss; while you have your challenging one-on-ones, there are also frustrating encounters with animals, tanks, or fighter jets that feel tedious and can drag down the replayability of the stages due to these ending points.”
- “Razor's Edge is so screwed up; it is simultaneously the least and most replayable in the series.”
- “Short but offers massive replayability.”
optimization
8 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
38%
12%
50%
The optimization of the game has received mixed reviews, with many users reporting significant issues such as constant stuttering and input lag, particularly in the Steam version, which runs on outdated DirectX 9. While some players noted improved performance compared to previous titles and praised the combat mechanics, the overall experience is marred by technical flaws, especially for those using modern hardware.
- “As far as graphics and performance, I don't have complaints.”
- “Didn't encounter any bugs apart from QTE prompts not appearing (not sure if that's a bug or intentional), performance to me was better than Sigma 1, so mostly good technically with no real big problems.”
- “It has technically the best combat in the series and its optimization is also very good, just like its predecessors.”
- “Steam version is horrendous; Sigma 1 and 2 have been updated to DirectX 11 while Razor's Edge is running DirectX 9, which leads to constant stuttering on the newest hardware.”
- “To begin with, this game is poorly optimized for PC.”
- “I have never played a game with such terrible performance on PC.”
humor
7 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The humor in the game is described as a mix of unintentional comedy and absurdity, with moments that are both shockingly funny and poorly executed. Players find amusement in the game's awkward storytelling, tedious gameplay interruptions, and a series of mismatched elements that create a "so bad it's funny" experience. Despite its flaws, the humor manages to engage players, making them overlook some of the more tedious aspects of the game.
- “The scenes where she calls him a 'killer' and he’s shocked are just awful and funny as hell.”
- “To my knowledge, a great deal of this game was severely mistranslated, and we are left with a hilariously, thematically inappropriate mess all around.”
- “It's so bad that it loops around to being quite funny.”
atmosphere
6 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
50%
The atmosphere in "Ninja Gaiden Black" is widely praised for its dark, immersive environments and impressive soundtrack, contributing to a punishing yet rewarding experience. In contrast, the "Razors Edge" remake is criticized for lacking the atmospheric depth and engaging level design of its predecessors, despite improving combat mechanics. Overall, while "Ninja Gaiden Black" excels in creating a compelling atmosphere, the remake falls short in this regard.
- “Ninja Gaiden Black: super atmospheric, a great OST, punishing combat, and as a whole a great experience.”
- “Graphically, the game is impressive, with dark, atmospheric environments and smooth animations.”
- “Better combat, better weapons, better bosses, better level design, better music, better atmosphere, better blood, and better healing system.”
- “After playing DMC5, I can't find anyone who wants to play this; it lacks the atmosphere of the first game and the exaggerated amount of enemies from the second part (the Xbox 360 version)... and I still love it.”
- “Razors Edge (remake) managed to bring back the iconic combat to the game and made it fun again, but all of the other aspects, like story, atmosphere, characters, levels, etc. are mostly just bad.”
- “Good combat, cheap enemy design, incredibly linear levels, different atmosphere compared to the first two, minimalist port.”
stability
5 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
20%
80%
Overall, the game's stability is mixed; while it runs smoothly without crashes or significant performance issues, players have reported various glitches, particularly during the last boss fight and with saving mechanisms in two of the three games. Despite these bugs, many still consider it one of the best hack and slash titles available.
- “I only recommend playing this game if you've truly gotten bored of Ninja Gaiden 1 and 2. The combat tweaks change things up, it runs smoothly, and I didn't witness any glitches. It feels like a complete game.”
- “Final thought, the last boss fight of this game can be buggy as hell!”
- “It is a lot of repetition and there are still a bunch of glitches, but this is literally one of the best hack and slash games made.”
- “2 of the 3 games have saving glitches, and not even Steam or the 'only one' email address of Tecmo Koei will help me.”
character development
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
75%
75%
Character development in the game has received mixed reviews, with some players finding the story mediocre and the second installment lacking. However, there is appreciation for the depth given to characters like Ryu Hayabusa and Ayane, as well as the unique storyboard and environmental design that enhance their narratives. Overall, while not universally praised, the character development is noted for adding a humanizing touch to the protagonists.
- “The characters are pretty good; the game humanizes Ryu and also gives a bit more character development to Ayane.”
- “Ryu Hayabusa's character development is impressive.”
- “The storyboard work for the characters and the environmental design is something I appreciate, showcasing unique character design elements.”
- “The characters are pretty good; like I said, the game humanizes Ryu. It also gives a bit more character development to Ayane.”
- “Ryu Hayabusa's character development is lacking.”
- “The character development feels shallow and doesn't provide enough depth to the story.”
monetization
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Reviews indicate that the monetization strategy for these games has deteriorated, with players perceiving the latest PC ports as poorly executed cash grabs rather than genuine efforts to enhance the series.
- “The sad reality is these games have gotten exponentially worse over the years; the half-hearted, lazy port to PC feels like a final cash grab before laying this series to rest.”