Devs behind great Contra tribute Blazing Chrome take on retro ninja-action genre next

The developer behind Blazing Chrome, a run-and-gun shooter modeled after the 16-bit era Contra games, will release its next game this fall. Studio Joymasher’s next retro-inspired project is called Vengeful Guardian: Moonrider, and it draws its inspiration from side-scrolling ninja-action games like The Revenge of Shinobi, Strider, and Ninja Gaiden.

JoyMasher and publisher The Arcade Crew revealed Vengeful Guardian: Moonrider on Thursday with an action-packed trailer. The game’s setting is described as a bleak world where humanity is oppressed by an authoritarian regime and powerful super soldiers. The game’s cyborg ninja hero, the Moonrider, was built as a tool to uphold that totalitarian state, but it rejects its programming and fights against its creators.

Vengeful Guardian: Moonrider’s retro inspirations are clear: Moonrider slashes and climbs like Strider Hiryu and Ryu Hayabusa, and leaps gracefully and unleashes ninja magic like Joe Musashi. But there appears to be another layer of depth to Moonrider’s ninja abilities: “Powerful modifier chips are guarded and hidden throughout the adventure, allowing the cyborg super soldier to customize its fighting style while gaining killer advantages and abilities,” the developer and publisher said in a news release.

Vengeful Guardian: Moonrider is coming to Amazon Luna, Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, and Windows PC via Steam this fall.