As one of the five legacy games to be released under the SEGA Power Surge initiative, SHINOBI: Art of Vengeance is one of the best action video games in the franchise that came out within the last year. Released in August 2025, the game earned widespread critical acclaim with Metacritic scores in the high 80s (87–88), making it the highest-rated Shinobi title of all time and one of the strongest action-platformers of 2025. This success underscores SEGA’s renewed commitment to reviving its classic IPs with high-quality modern experiences.
With the SEGA Villains Stage DLC releasing tomorrow on April 3rd, I had some time playing the latest expansion through early access, courtesy of SEGA. Check out the latest review covering SHINOBI: Art of Vengeance SEGA Villains Stage DLC and what to expect from this upcoming DLC expansion.
What Does The SEGA Villains Stage DLC Bring?
The Doctor doesn’t know what’s he’s in for.
The SEGA Villains Stage DLC expands SHINOBI: Art of Vengeance with five brand-new stages. In these stages, Joe Musashi must travel across dimensions to confront and defeat the three legendary SEGA bosses: the dreaded titan Death Adder from Golden Axe, the former Mad Dog of Shimano Goro Majima from the Yakuza (Like a Dragon) series, and the evil genius Dr. Eggman from Sonic the Hedgehog and send them back where they belong. The DLC becomes available after unlocking the Kaiju stage in the main campaign.
It is accompanied by a free update that introduces a new Hardcore Mode, along with enhancements to combat system settings, map displays, and tutorial features. During my first playthrough, the DLC significantly raises the difficulty bar compared to the base game. It demands greater caution and precision in platforming sections, introduces stronger and entirely new enemy types, and delivers intense boss encounters that truly pack a punch. I had an immense amount of fun with the content, and it quickly became one of my favorite SEGA DLC expansions in quite some time.
Joe and ENE Corp duke it out at the Cabret Grand. The customer is king!
Exploring the five new stages was a delight, filled with clever references and callbacks to the represented SEGA franchises set within a surreal, dimensional backdrop. My favorite highlights include the skeleton from the original Golden Axe character select screen, the deserted Turtle Village in the distance, remnants of Kamurocho surrounding the Cabaret Grand, and a synthetic version of Green Hill Zone – all rendered beautifully in Lizardcube’s signature hand-drawn 2D art style. The presentation is so strong that it left me hoping Lizardcube might one day tackle full 2D versions of these iconic SEGA franchises with a new and fresher take on them. The soundtrack stands out as well, featuring high-energy tracks heavily inspired by the SEGA franchises represented in this DLC.
Joe avoiding the hellish flames within the Eternal War Dimension
My personal favorites by far include the bagpipe-infused instruments from the Eternal War Dimension matching the musical aesthetic of Golden Axe pretty well and the jazzy, funk-driven tunes of the City Streets Dimension (clearly nodding to Yakuza’s “The Funk Goes On” & “Intelligence for Violence” while blending seamlessly with SHINOBI’s flair in terms of tone). Composers Tee Lopes and Yuzo Koshiro, with mixing and mastering support from Andrew One, have once again delivered exceptional work. I found myself jamming to the new soundtracks as I made my way through intense platforming sections and battled many foes in my wake. An official soundtrack release for the full game would be most welcome sometime after the DLC’s launch.
Challenging Yet Satisfying!
Death Adder magically summons an electrical octagon Joe has to dodge with his life!
The boss fights themselves are undeniably the main focus of the DLC. These encounters are noticeably tougher than the bosses in the main campaign yet offers deeply satisfying challenges as each villain utilizes signature attacks from their respective series with some twists and surprises up their sleeves. Death Adder fights like a true titan, delivering raw, heavy-hitting power with massive axe swings, fiery ground pounds, and summons that test your mobility. The scale makes you feel like a nimble ninja facing overwhelming force. Goro Majima brings chaotic, unhinged energy with knife throws, rapid combos, taunts, and wild swings. The fight mixes street-brawler intensity with SHINOBI’s precise attack methods, creating an almost rhythmic duel that keeps you constantly on edge. Dr. Eggman embraces his original Egg Mobile seen in the original Sonic the Hedgehog game on the SEGA Genesis with his mechanical spectacle, deploying not only his infamous wrecking ball, but has new tricks up his sleeves by summoning bomb badniks, lasers, and projectile barrages. It evokes the classic Sonic 1 boss battle while adapting perfectly to SHINOBI: Art of Vengeance’s combat gameplay mechanics.
KEEP YOUR EYES ON ME!! ~ Goro Majima
Upon completing each stage and boss, players are rewarded with new villain-inspired outfits and ninpo techniques for Joe Musashi, usable in both the DLC and main campaign. Finishing the DLC also unlocks a dedicated Boss Rush Mode for replaying these challenges. I did lose a couple of times against some of these bosses but the battles and the music theme that goes along with it are so good that it made me come back for more! Lizardcube has done an amazing job on their research to make sure to capture SEGA’s beloved bosses faithfully while making their battles fun and challenging. I promise you guys when you fight these bosses, you won’t be disappointed.
Hardcore Mode Will Test Your Ninja Skills To The Fullest!
Hardcore Mode Bosses take it to the Next Level with crazy attack patterns!
The accompanying free update coming to SHINOBI: Art of Vengeance will introduce Hardcore Mode, which rebalances the main campaign with increased difficulty, adjusted damage and healing, updated enemy placements, and new boss patterns. It can only be accessed through a new save slot. Completing Hardcore Mode unlocks the Ultimate Boss Rush, allowing players to face every boss in the game including the SEGA Villains and the secret boss. This mode caters perfectly to fans seeking the punishing challenge the SHINOBI series is known for. In my experience trying out this new mode, it definitely demands fresh new strategies and careful adaptation to new attack patterns from the improved bosses. I died so many times on the first two levels, but it made the game even more fun to play after learning the patterns of each stage. I will definitely challenge myself to finish the game in this new challenging mode.
Is the DLC Worth It?
Joe, I don’t think we’re in Kamurocho anymore.
As one of the flagship titles in SEGA’s Power Surge initiative, SHINOBI: Art of Vengeance has already earned strong critical acclaim (with Metascores in the high 80s). This DLC further demonstrates SEGA’s commitment to reviving beloved legacy IPs with high-quality content. Despite its length, I had a lot of fun with this DLC as it features an even greater challenge with enjoyable levels. Whether you’re a fan of Sonic the Hedgehog, Yakuza/Like a Dragon, or a longtime SEGA fan since the beginning who enjoys a genuine challenge, the SEGA Villains Stage DLC is highly recommended to check out.
It offers excellent action-platforming, amazing boss battles, and brand-new challenges that players will enjoy a lot while also respecting the legacy of SEGA. SHINOBI: Art of Vengeance SEGA Villains Stage DLC launches tomorrow on April 3, 2026, at 12:00 AM EST for those who purchase the Deluxe Edition. It will also be available as a standalone purchase for $9.99 USD, or as part of an Upgrade Pack (including the DLC, Digital Art Book, Soundtrack, and more) for $11.99 USD. For those who have yet to experience SHINOBI: Art of Vengeance, now is an excellent time to dive in and support SEGA’s efforts to bring these classic franchises back into the spotlight. SHINOBI: Art of Vengeance is available now on PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Xbox Series X/S, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, and PC (Steam).
Positives
- New levels and boss battles offer fun challenges
- Clever references and callbacks to SEGA’s represented franchises with art and music
- Tee Lopes and Yuzo Koshiro musical talents are still the best
- Hardcore Mode & Ultimate Boss Rush are nice additions
Negatives
- Takes about an hour to complete the new DLC
