Phew! This summer is already sizzling, but it’s about to get a lot hotter once Ninja Gaiden Ragebound drops on 31st July.

The latest from Parisian developer DotEmu – the team behind fellow retro throwbacks Windjammers 2 and Streets of Rage 4 – this looks every bit the retro revival we’ve been itching for.

This gameplay shows off a new construction-themed level, where you’ll be outrunning bulldozers and navigating scaffolding. Various ghoulish enemies will be getting in your way, and you’ll need to use your environment to take cover from winged boss Rhyvashi.

Here’s what the video’s blurb says:

“Follow Kumori and Kenji while they navigate a high-rise building under construction teeming with demons. As the ninjas ascend the skeletal tower, they’re relentlessly hunted by Rhyvashi, the level’s boss, who tries to thwart their progress with brutal area attacks. Players must master precision and timing to evade these attacks while simultaneously eliminating enemies.”

The developer’s really nailed that 90s pixel art look, but it’s clearly pushing modern hardware with the amount of animations and colours on screen. It all looks superbly slick.

Perhaps our only concern is how well tuned the difficulty will be. Obviously we know Ninja Gaiden has a history for being extremely punishing, but we’d at least appreciate some compromises for less capable gamers. Perhaps the Talisman system, mentioned in the video, will help with that.

The game’s due out in approximately three weeks, so we won’t have to wait too long to find out. How are you feeling about this richly animated throwback? Cut us down in the comments section below.