Ninja Theory Games: An Action Retrospective

PlayStation gamers have been familiar with Ninja Theory’s work as a developer ever since they released Heavenly Sword in 2007, but that wasn’t the studio’s first game. Before the UK-based studio worked on the early PlayStation 3 exclusive, they partnered with Microsoft to create one of the Xbox’s early party hits Kung Fu Chaos. In the years since, Ninja Theory has proved themselves as one of the most talented action studios as they’ve done tremendous work on Enslaved: Odyssey to the West and DmC: Devil May Cry.

That’s not all there is to Ninja Theory, though. They’ve worked on everything from AAA titles to mobile games, and have even done support work for the Disney Infinity series. To celebrate the upcoming release of Hellblade: Senua’s Sacrifice tomorrow, PlayStation LifeStyle took a look back at the developer’s past. Check out our Ninja Theory retrospective below to learn more about their games.

The August 8 release date of Hellblade: Senua’s Sacrifice is rapidly approaching, and we’ll have our official review of Ninja Theory’s latest action game up tomorrow. In the meantime, you can check out why we’re excited for the game, and get the 411 on everything you need to know about it thanks to Michael Briers. Even more coverage will follow, so make sure to keep coming back to PlayStation LifeStyle.

Are you a fan of past Ninja Theory games? Let us know in the comments below.

Ninja Theory Retrospective

Ninja Theory Retrospective
Kung Fu Chaos (2003)

Before there was Ninja Theory, the Cambridge-based studio was called Just Add Monsters. Their debut game was Kung Fu Chaos, a 3D fighting game for Xbox. It was published by Microsoft, so it received a decent marketing push for being an exclusive. It was praised as a party game, and generally received positive reviews, although it wasn't considered anything special.
Heavenly Sword (2007)

The studio was then purchased by Jez San in 2004, and the newly minted Ninja Theory almost became defunct until they struck a deal with Sony to develop a new action game for them. This would turn out to be Heavenly Sword, which was one of the PlayStation 3's most hyped early titles. Starring the red-haired Nariko, it was a critical hit that showed off what the PS3 could do graphically. While they wanted to do a sequel, Sony decided that it didn't sell well enough to go forward with the franchise.
Enslaved: Odyssey to the West (2010)

Their next title would be their first multiplatform game. Called Enslaved: Odyssey to the West, the Namco Bandai published game became a cult classic. It's a reimagining of Journey to the West, and had a surprisingly great story.
DmC: Devil May Cry (2013)

After Ninja Theory proved themselves as a studio that could put out quality games, they got their biggest game yet, a reboot of the Devil May Cry series. While some gamers still cry about the reboot to this day, DmC: Devil May Cry ended up being a phenomenal character action game. Those that actually gave the action game a shot got to enjoy some of the most innovative level design seen in gaming in years.
Fightback (2013)

The studio also experimented with mobile gaming in 2013, as they teamed up with Electronic Arts and Chillingo for Fightback. The 80s-themed action game received praise for its fun combat, but the business model, which featured a ton of microtransactions, was largely derided.
Disney Infinity: Marvel Super Heroes (2014)

In 2014, Ninja Theory began working on refining the combat system in Disney Infinity: Marvel Super Heroes. On top of general polish, they also did the combat for Loki, Ronan, Green Goblin and Jasmine from the ground-up. This resulted in a much better playing game, and a big improvement from the first.
DmC: Devil May Cry Definitive Edition (2015)

They then returned to their best game by releasing a definitive edition on PlayStation 4 and Xbox One. DmC: Devil May Cry Definitive Edition managed to improve upon an already great experience by adding in additional difficulties that changed how the game played, better performance (a sweet 60fps), and all of the DLC content. It's an incredible way to experience the PS4's best action game.
Disney Infinity 3.0 (2015)

The studio continued their work on Disney Infinity with the release of Disney Infinity 3.0. This added a ton of Star Wars characters to the mix, and they made sure that Luke Skywalker and company felt fun to play as. The game received very positive review scores, and that enhanced combat played a big role in it.
Hellblade: Senua's Sacrifice (2017)

The latest game from the studio, and the first one they've independently published, is Hellblade: Senua's Sacrifice. Like many of their previous releases, Hellblade is an action game, but this one has a clear distinction in that it's tackling a very serious topic in mental illness.