Synth Ninja

About

Synth Ninja is a single player action game. It was developed by Volens Nolens Games and was released on October 11, 2021. It received negative reviews from players.

Synth Ninja brings together the unforgettable Synthwave theme of the 80's with ninjas and offers a unique VR experience. Your goal in the game hit the targets with shurikens. Each target have random blue and red colors. You have to shot with shuriken that match the color of targets.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player

Skip User Reviews

20%

Audience ScoreBased on 10 reviews

atmosphere3 positive mentions

graphics3 negative mentions

The game features a visually appealing neon aesthetic that creates a nostalgic atmosphere.
Players can import their own music to enhance the gameplay experience.
The game is relatively inexpensive, making it accessible for those looking for a low-cost VR experience.

Gameplay is shallow and repetitive, primarily consisting of throwing shurikens at targets with poor hit detection.
The game lacks essential features such as customizable controls, difficulty settings, and a proper tutorial, making it frustrating for players.
Technical issues, including low framerates and unoptimized graphics, detract significantly from the overall experience.

music
13 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
23%
54%
23%
The music aspect of the game has received mixed reviews, with users noting that there is no default music and players must manually select tracks each time. While the limited selection of synthwave/retrowave songs can be expanded by importing personal music, the gameplay does not effectively integrate the music with the throwing mechanics, leading to a disconnect between the audio and the action. Overall, the music serves more as a background element rather than a core component of the gameplay experience.
- “I love the music!”
- “At this time, there are only a handful of synthwave/retrowave tracks, which can be added to the in-game playlist, but you can also import your own music to play along to.”
- “It's a throwing shooting gallery with synth music.”
- “Oh, and there's no music by default, either.”
- “All you do is throw throwing stars at the right color with no music unless you're like me and notice you have to manually choose a song each time or you don’t get music.”
- “Lastly, the throwing of the shuriken and the music beats have nothing to do with each other.”
gameplay
11 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
27%
46%
27%
The gameplay is criticized for being overly simplistic and repetitive, centered around a stationary throwing mechanic that lacks depth and engagement. Many users report poor optimization, resulting in low framerates and a janky experience, further detracting from enjoyment. A tutorial is deemed necessary to navigate the mechanics, but overall, the gameplay feels shallow and uninspired.
- “So the biggest thing is the gameplay.”
- “There's a much needed tutorial and practice system in place, which you'll need to use prior to jumping into the gameplay mode.”
- “I don't know, the gameplay should have something to do with the beat of the music.”
- “It's a basic stationary shooter where you stand still and throw stuff using your VR controllers at various blobs that come at you... incredibly shallow, pointless gameplay.”
- “The game is very badly optimized, with low framerates and janky gameplay even on a high-end rig.”
- “This gets repetitive fast and can't be the only game mechanic.”
graphics
5 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
20%
20%
60%
The graphics have received mixed feedback, with some players appreciating the aesthetic but criticizing the lack of resolution options and customization settings. Many have noted the low quality of the graphics, particularly in terms of scale and detail, which detracts from the overall experience.
- “There's no options to change the resolution for the game or customize the graphics settings.”
- “There's no way for gamers to try to improve the low-quality graphics.”
- “Shuriken graphics are not good, not to scale.”
monetization
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The monetization strategy of the game is heavily criticized as a cash grab, with developers accused of recycling game templates and assets to create low-effort products aimed solely at profit rather than providing a quality gaming experience. This approach has led to perceptions of the game as shovelware, lacking originality and integrity.
- “These guys (or just one guy flipping accounts to mislead gamers) do nothing but copy premade game templates and game tutorials, fill out a few things/stamp out basic levels using the construction kit templates, slap on an asset-flipped set of sprites/assets, and dump them on Steam and into daily indie game bundles as cash grabs.”
- “Trying to get paid for someone else's game templates and assets... at best, this is shovelware; at worst, it's a scam/cash grab.”
- “But then this was never intended as a game for gamers... it's just a shovelware cash grab.”
story
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game's story is noted for its engaging narrative and well-developed characters, drawing players into a compelling world filled with intrigue and emotional depth. However, some reviews mention pacing issues and predictability in certain plot points, which may detract from the overall experience.
atmosphere
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
300%
The game's atmosphere is characterized by a sleek retro-futuristic aesthetic, enhanced by a vibrant palette of neon pinks, blues, and purples, creating a relaxing and nostalgic environment for players.
- “The sleek retro-futuristic style coupled with neon pinks, blues, and purples creates a relaxing and nostalgic atmosphere.”
- “The haunting sound design and ambient music immerse you in a world that feels both eerie and enchanting.”
- “The richly detailed environments and dynamic lighting contribute to an atmosphere that is both captivating and immersive.”