Ninja Gaiden: Ragebound - Ryu Boss Guide

One of the most intriguing aspects of Ninja Gaiden: Ragebound is its bold decision to step away from the series' iconic protagonist, Ryu Hayabusa, and instead focus on two unexpected newcomers — Kenji and Kumori.

And the game truly lives up to this shift. Ryu barely appears throughout the story, giving Kenji and Kumori ample room to shine. That said, he does make a striking appearance in the game’s tutorial level — one that comes with a surprisingly tough challenge.

Ryu's Test

IMAGE OF THE LEVEL MENU

The second level in Ninja Gaiden: Ragebound is titled "Ryu's Test", where players control Kenji as he navigates a traditional dojo, learning the core mechanics of being a ninja warrior. It functions as an in-depth tutorial, introducing key systems like Guillotine Boosts, Hypercharge, evasion techniques, and more.

While it starts off straightforward, "Ryu's Test" ends with a dramatic twist — a sparring match against Ryu Hayabusa himself. There are no story consequences for winning or losing, and your first attempt will almost certainly end in defeat. However, there's an optional objective to defeat Ryu that dedicated players will want to complete. Here’s how you can prepare for victory.

How to Prepare for Victory Over Ryu

Before diving into Ryu’s attack patterns or strategies, the best advice is to hold off on beating this fight until after you've completed the main campaign. This duel isn’t meant to be won early — you’ll need full mastery of the game’s systems, upgraded gear, and unlocked abilities. So finish all the levels, collect powerful Talismans, and then return to this fight as a rewarding post-game challenge.

Once you do come back, you’ll be allowed to equip two Talismans for the battle. While none are game-breaking, they can provide slight advantages. I found the following combination particularly helpful:

Ryu’s Moveset and How to Counter Him

Ryu frequently opens with a three-slash combo, culminating in a powerful downward strike that’s difficult to jump over. The safest counter is to roll through him right after his second slash, just before the final hit lands. After dodging, capitalize on his recovery window by attacking aggressively.

One of his most deceptive moves begins with Ryu spinning rapidly across the ground, tempting you to jump. But doing so will get you hit mid-air. To counter, use a Guillotine Boost off his head as he begins to rise from the spin. The timing is tight, but successful execution lets you clear the attack and position yourself safely behind him.

Another major threat emerges when Ryu’s health drops — he starts using his legendary Flying Swallow, a fan-favorite move from the 3D entries. He disappears in a puff of smoke, then reappears at either end of the arena and dashes forward with a swift slash. Your best options are to roll through the attack or Guillotine Boost over it.

The tricky part? Ryu gives you almost no time to retaliate afterward. It’s often smarter to wait for a less aggressive move before going on the offensive.

Later in the fight, Ryu uses a fast thrust followed by an aerial diagonal spin. Again, rolling through the initial lunge is your safest bet, as trying to boost over it can be inconsistent. Timing your dodge correctly avoids damage and sets you up for a quick counter.

When Ryu is near defeat, he becomes even more dangerous — teleporting around the arena and chaining together all of his deadliest moves. By this stage, you should already know how to handle each attack individually. Now, it’s about combining your knowledge, staying calm, and keeping your distance until openings appear. Once you finally take him down, you’ll have completed one of Ragebound’s most difficult challenges and unlocked the level’s hidden objective.

Just a heads-up: defeating Ryu doesn’t change the story. No matter how cleanly you win — even without taking a single hit — he’ll still finish you with an Izuna Drop and claim victory. Seems like he wasn’t even fighting at full strength…

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