Shinobi: Art of Vengeance is a tremendous revival of the franchise, with weighty, tactical ninja combat and a gorgeous visual overhaul from developer Lizardcube. However, the game also launched with some bugs, and one in particular is hard-locking players who felt the need to explore.
Within the first few hours of Art of Vengeance, you’ll have the opportunity to go to a stage called Neo City. The mission is a little bit more open-ended than the past stages, and sees you rescuing three kidnapped children from different areas of the map. Once you have rescued all three, you’ll find them gathered near the center of the map, where they gift you a grappling hook for reaching distant areas.
You’ve almost certainly seen the grappling points in other areas of the game–including Neo City–by this point, but do not go look for them. Instead, grapple to the point that lowers down from the ceiling in the same room as the rescued kids. If you don’t do this and instead go elsewhere, the grappling point above the kids will disappear, and it will not return–even if you completely leave the stage and come back.
It’s a bit of a problem because that grappling hook is the only way to progress to the end of the stage, which is mandatory for completing the game. Luckily, it appears the issue is fairly widespread, so it’s likely on the studio’s radar already. I encountered it myself on Switch 2 (via backward compatibility), as did several others who confirmed the problem via Reddit. It’s unclear if all platforms are equally affected, but don’t be a hero and just go the way the game wants you to.
Bugs aside, Shinobi: Art of Vengeance is a mightily impressive metroidvania. In our 9/10 Shinobi: Art of Vengeance review, Richard Wakeling called it a “thrilling triumph, emblazoned by a striking art style that confirms Lizardcube is at the top of its game.”
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