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Shadow Gangs

Dan doesn’t really sound like the name of a master ninja, does it? But then Collin doesn’t sound like the name of a fearsome cyborg, either.
Shadow Gangs Game Cover
64%Game Brain Score
Most mentioned positive aspects:music, graphics
Most mentioned negative aspects:story, stability
82% User Score Based on 28 reviews
Critic Score 65%Based on 2 reviews

Platforms

Nintendo SwitchXbox Series X|SPCPlaystation 5Xbox OneXboxWindowsPlayStation
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Shadow Gangs Game Cover

About Shadow Gangs

Shadow Gangs is a single player casual hack and slash game. It was developed by JKM corp and was released on April 10, 2020. It received mostly positive reviews from critics and positive reviews from players.

Shadow Gangs is an arcade style ninja action game. The graphics are HD hand drawn and traditional style animated. The soundtrack was made by a lead guitarist over a 5 years period. You play the role of Dan the current ninja order master. Your mission is to rescue your family from the Shadow Force crime organisation, whose members are known as the Shadow Gangs. Use your ninja transformation ability…

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Shadow Gangs screenshot
Shadow Gangs screenshot
Shadow Gangs screenshot
Shadow Gangs screenshot
Shadow Gangs screenshot
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Shadow Gangs screenshot
Shadow Gangs screenshot
Shadow Gangs screenshot
Shadow Gangs screenshot
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Reviews

82%Audience ScoreBased on 28 reviews
music8 positive mentions
story3 negative mentions
  • Authentic classic arcade-style ninja action with a nostalgic feel, reminiscent of the Shinobi series.
  • High-quality hand-drawn HD graphics, detailed backgrounds, and varied level design with diverse enemies and bosses.
  • Challenging gameplay with satisfying combat mechanics, rewarding skill mastery, and well-received soundtrack.
  • Clunky and tight controls with occasional choppy animations and some camera issues affecting gameplay visibility.
  • High difficulty level with occasionally unbalanced boss fights and frustrating game design elements like limited lives and unforgiving bonus stages.
  • Technical issues in the PC version including screen tearing, poor port optimization, and awkward controller support.

  • music

    14 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
    57% positive mentions, 22% neutral mentions, 21% negative mentions

    The music is generally praised for its old-school, 1980s-inspired electric guitar and arcade-style soundtrack, with many users finding it enjoyable and fitting the game's nostalgic vibe. While some describe it as simple or wavetable MIDI synthesis, the soundtrack is often highlighted as a strong point that enhances the overall experience despite gameplay frustrations.

    • “Game offers 10 levels with 6 very challenging bosses and also a fantastic matching soundtrack.”
    • “Love the graphics and characters and really enjoy the music while playing.”
    • “The music is amazing and never gets boring.”
    • “The music is a little weak.”
    • “Music is oldschool (wavetable MIDI synthesis).”
    • “One big old school picture of our hero, scrolling from down to top while the story text scrolls with the picture, guided by typical arcade music.”

  • graphics

    13 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
    46% positive mentions, 31% neutral mentions, 23% negative mentions

    The graphics are widely praised for their sharp, hand-drawn, and nostalgic old-school style, successfully blending classic arcade visuals with modern resolutions. While some find the animation clunky, most appreciate the detailed parallax effects and overall visual appeal that complement the game's retro-inspired aesthetic.

    • “Graphics are mindblowing – I have no idea how they managed to make the game look like old games, in modern resolutions.”
    • “The visuals speak for themselves, but I was happy to discover that the game plays just as good as it looks; controls are tight and the combat feels really satisfying.”
    • “Shadow Gangs is a classic arcade fighting game with sharp and updated graphics that are 100x better than Streets of Rage or Double Dragon.”
    • “Clunky combat, too difficult, clumsy graphics but at least the sound and OST are good.”
    • “The only thing modern about this is the graphics.”
    • “Graphics -”

  • gameplay

    11 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
    45% positive mentions, 28% neutral mentions, 27% negative mentions

    The gameplay is praised for faithfully capturing the classic Shinobi experience with precise mechanics and varied level designs that keep challenges fresh and engaging. While some find the animation clunky and gameplay repetitive, many highlight its addictive, skill-testing nature reminiscent of timeless arcade games. Overall, it delivers a well-executed and rewarding gameplay experience that resonates with fans of the genre.

    • “Exceedingly better than the new Shinobi game which completely missed the entire point of classic Shinobi gameplay; this game, however, understands Shinobi and does it well.”
    • “The variety in level layouts and enemy attack patterns makes each level and even each enemy encounter a unique challenge, so the game never gets repetitive despite its simple mechanics.”
    • “In other words: the game puts forth a simple set of mechanics, and through different level and enemy permutations it tests your skill and understanding of those mechanics - just like a good arcade game should.”
    • “I mean, I got over 50 hours of gameplay out of it, got myself in the top 10 scorers on the leaderboards and then felt the need to write a detailed 5-page review, which Steam unfortunately won’t let me post because it’s too long.”

  • story

    6 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
    33% positive mentions, 17% neutral mentions, 50% negative mentions

    The story is simple and nostalgic, reminiscent of classic arcade games, with a straightforward mission to rescue captive ninjas. Though the plot is cheesy and minimal, it complements the gameplay without complexity. Difficulty settings and mission select options make progression more accessible compared to its inspirations.

    • “A time limit, (hidden) bonus items, a cheesy story, boss fights... Shadow Dancer, Shinobi, bad dudes vs. Dragonninja... if this rings a bell, you know what you'll get with Shadow Gangs.”
    • “One big old school picture of our hero, scrolling from bottom to top while the story text scrolls with the picture, guided by typical arcade music.”
    • “Oh, I forgot to mention the story.”
    • “A time limit, (hidden) bonus items, a cheesy story, boss fights... Shadow Dancer, Shinobi, bad dudes vs. Dragon Ninja... if this rings a bell, you know what you'll get with Shadow Gangs.”
    • “Your mission is to reach the end of a level and free all captive ninjas on your way.”

  • humor

    1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
    100% positive mentions, 0% neutral mentions, 0% negative mentions

    The game's humor is quirky and unexpected, featuring amusing role reversals like the jeans-wearing character using shurikens and the ninja wielding a machine gun. This playful twist adds a lighthearted and entertaining element to the experience.

  • stability

    1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
    0% positive mentions, 0% neutral mentions, 100% negative mentions

    The game suffers from stability issues, including freezing effects when hit that disrupt gameplay, alongside repetitive enemy respawns and challenging obstacles that contribute to a frustrating experience. These elements collectively hinder smooth and consistent play.

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Critic Reviews

65%Critics’ scoreBased on 2 critic reviews
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Play Times

45h Median play time
40h Average play time
30-50h Spent by most gamers
*Based on 2 analyzed playthroughs
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Frequently Asked Questions

Shadow Gangs is a casual hack and slash game. Common tags for Shadow Gangs include indie, 2d, ninja, soundtrack, old school and others.

Shadow Gangs is available on Nintendo Switch, Xbox Series X|S, PC, PlayStation 5 and others.

On average players spend around 40 hours playing Shadow Gangs.

Shadow Gangs was released on April 10, 2020.

Shadow Gangs was developed by JKM corp.

Shadow Gangs has received mostly positive reviews from players and mostly positive reviews from critics. Most players liked Shadow Gangs for its music but disliked it for its story.

Shadow Gangs is a single player game.

Similar games include Oniken, Slain: Back from Hell, Valfaris, Primal Light, Cyber Shadow and others.