Negative: The Way of Shinobi

This is a textbook example of how a game can do nothing to teach its players how to play. Tried to do the tutorial and it wouldnt go past the initial buttons. Had to figure everything else out from looking up the controls. Once you do figure it out it's somewhat decent. Movement feels a little strange and abilities (Specifically kunai and grapple) feel extremely wonky on Keyboard, almost unplayable. I'm guessing this is a game meant to be played on controller. If you're a keyboard player I wouldn't recommend.

Tried to play the game for 38 minutes then stopped and moved on. [h2]Issue Encountered[/h2] Failed to be able to play it with the default Steam controller and keyboard mappings. [list] [*]Keyboard is a no go for this kind of game in my case, which was quickly confirmed. [*]Steam controller's default mapping apparently was not the one displayed in the game's settings. [/list] So I figured how to run, jump, jump farther, jump on tree leaves... but I couldn't find how to fight properly. Of course, you can't expect not to fight in this game since downing opponents is a condition to progress. [h2]Pros[/h2] [list] [*]The graphics are very nice, I really liked the style and found it refreshing and very welcome. [*]The music, sounds and general ambience are nice too, nothing extravagant, but just fine. Just as I had to, you might need to go to the settings to enable both music and fx. [*]I like the ninja theme and being able to jump from tree leaves to tree leaves was fun (not something I like in movies though, go figure). [/list] [h2]Cons[/h2] [list] [*]I couldn't figure how to play with the default mapping for controller, despite the picture in the settings. [*]To be honest, I am no…

Game will be removed soon. Post from 2025: https://store.steampowered.com/news/app/1504010/view/512969696635520079 [quote] Retirement of Negative: The Way of Shinobi from the Steam Store Hello everyone, We’d like to inform you that Negative: The Way of Shinobi will be retired from the Steam Store and will no longer be available for purchase soon. It's your last chance to get it! If you already own the game, don’t worry — it will remain in your Steam Library, and you will still be able to download and enjoy it at any time. Thank you so much for supporting the project and for being part of our journey. Art Games Studio[/quote] Post from 2026: https://store.steampowered.com/news/app/1504010/view/667252863011916227 [quote]Retirement of Negative: The Way of Shinobi from the Steam Store Hi Guys, It's been a long journey, but it's finally time to retire this title from the Steam store. We’d like to let you know that Negative: The Way of Shinobi will soon be retired from the Steam Store and will no longer be available for purchase. The retirement effective date is 30th of October. If you already own the game, don’t worry — it will remain in your Steam Library, and you will still be able …

I wish there was a proper tutorial or at least prompts in-game to show what buttons do what. Some objectives aren't clear. The controller support felt pretty good, didn't try with keyboard. Got it during steam sale too, Didn't feel like it was worth it still. I couldn't get into it.

Negative: The Way of Shinobi, developed and published by Art Games Studio S.A., is a 2D action-platformer that strives to merge old-school difficulty with a distinct visual identity and a story steeped in tragedy and vengeance. It tells the tale of a young shinobi whose clan is destroyed by an invading samurai army wielding dark, mystical power. Left alone and betrayed, the protagonist sets out to uncover the truth behind his father’s secrets and restore his honor through a perilous journey across a stylized world of blood and shadows. The game’s premise draws heavily from traditional Japanese mythology and the archetypal themes of loss, duty, and redemption, positioning itself as both a punishing test of skill and a narrative about endurance and survival. From the outset, the most striking aspect of Negative: The Way of Shinobi is its art direction. The game adopts a hand-drawn, sketch-like aesthetic, with black ink strokes and contrasting tones giving every environment and character a rough, expressive texture. This style immediately sets it apart from other indie platformers, giving it the feeling of a moving illustration or an animated scroll painting. There’s a raw energy to …

This game is poop. Complete nonsense. This should be that game that streamers play to challenge their sanity against the wall of poor design. I know this was made by a small team, but come now....