Cheap Ninja Gaiden

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Before this game was released I was somewhat looking forward to it, but not with a great interest. Well thats until I actually played it. The first thing to blow me away were the graphics. They are absolutely breathtaking. The CG movies, the in game graphics, special effects, just amazing. But the game isn't all graphics and no gameplay. Believe it or not, the gameplay is actually better than the graphics. You can do everything you've seen ninjas do in movies. Swinging, climbing, wall running and of course slashing peoples limbs off. And it all just looks so real. The moves and weapons are also fantastic. Some of the coolest moves I've seen in any game for awhile. They are also easy for beginners, but hardcore gamers can spend alot of time on perfecting them. The stages are very varied and very large, the sound is nice and the enemies and weapons are also very varied. One problem that many people may have is the game's difficulty. It is very hard. The first boss, for example, is exceptionally difficult. If you persist, however, you will be greatly rewarded.

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To start Tecmo & Team Ninja have really out done themselves with this one as the graphics in this game are simply a wonder to behold.

The game is hard, but not unfairly as it rewards intelligent playing as the better you make use of the combo system the more essence you receive from defeating enemies which helps to unlock more features.

The camera can be a little annoying, but its never much of a problem if you remember to use the right thumbstick especially when coming through new doorways. There are only really two spots when the camera is a bit more of a problem when facing multiple enemies usually more than three it tends to have a difficult time keeping a good focus on the action. It seems to be a bit lessened though if you can keep moving around. The second is when going through narrow passageways, but this can usually be resolved by using the right thumbstick.

The different moves look great and handle extremely well and are fairly simple to learn, but some are bit more difficult to master. The story is good though not to original, but fits the game well. The voice acting is good and fits the respective characters well, but some of the dialogue seems a bit dry probably just something lost in translation. The varied environments are simply stunning and the music fits each level well. The cutscenes are superb and simply the best around. The character designs are amazing as they are the best out there.

In all Ninja Gaiden is one of best games ever as it raises the bar for action/adventure games. If you play videogames and just want to mash buttons this is probably not the game for you, but if you like games that are good challenge which reward intelligent creative gameplay then you should love this. The game is not perfect, but is probably as close as a action/adventure game will come until the next wave of game systems come out.

Graphics 10

Sound 10

Gameplay 10

Fun 10

Overall 10

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Ninja Gaiden is simply one of the deepest, most rewarding video games I have ever played. I should explain that it took me a while to realize this depth and appreciate its greatness. I'm also writing this review minus one XBOX controller--smashed into oblivion in a less than Zen-like moment of game play. But in a way, the level of emotion that the game elicited was one of the signs of its greatness. For any other game that had frustrated me in this way, I would have simply quit playing, written a scathing review, then gathered the morning leavings of my dog, put them in a bag, and set them in front of Team Ninja's offices. Ninja Gaiden is good enough to make you want to get past your own frustrations.

In terms of game play, it seems to be an amalgam of a few different classics: Onimusha, Devil May Cry and Prince of Persia all come to mind. Third-person combat, minor platforming, boss fights and CG cut scenes drive the game. Each element is incorporated expertly and handled with style. At its core, however, this game is about combat. The fluidity, depth, and excitement in the combat persist as you play. The elevated difficulty of your enemies is partly responsible for this, as is the mood appropriate music, but I think my own satisfaction was also based on recognizing how I was improving as the game progressed. Although I try to incorporate a firm no-learning policy in my life, Ninja Gaiden managed to surreptitiously make me learn certain rhythmic button combinations. Don't let this scare you. It's not English class. You learn how to separate limbs and heads from bodies--not how to separate phrases and clauses. There are probably fifteen to two dozen moves to learn for each melee weapon. In addition, there are numerous projectile weapons and elemental spells that can be used to lay waste to opponents. Enemy grunts that are easily dispatched in other games are skilled opponents in Ninja Gaiden. And the boss fights you engage in are, to put it mildly, punishing.

Ninja Gaiden is also, hands-down, the best-looking console game I've ever played. The environments are spectacular and the character models look great. Not once did I detect a graphical glitch or imperfection of any kind. The collision detection was spot-on and there was no hint of graphical slowdown in this rapidly paced and highly detailed game. The only real complaint I had was with camera angles; in any other action adventure game, minor camera issues would be a simple nuisance. In Ninja Gaiden, with game speed and difficulty so elevated, less than perfect camera angles detract from the game and cause unneeded frustration. It doesn't happen often, but it happens enough to be noticeable.

The audio was another outstanding element. There was tremendous variation to the music and it seemed to fit the mood perfectly. Sound effects were also well done, with both combat and environment audio adding to the player's immersion level. The voice acting in the cut scenes was definitely over the top, but didn't take away from the game.

It should be pointed out that this game definitely deserves its M rating; it is bloody and chock full of decapitations, and Rachel, the most prominent and very memorable female character, looks like she's a porn queen and outfitted by some S&M fetishist. So it goes without saying that the cut scenes held my interest intently. Just keep young children away--unless you let them watch Brittney Spears. Then it's nothing they haven't seen beofre.

If you are able to stomach the punishing difficulty, this is one of the most polished and rewarding games for any system.

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I like to think of myself as a patient man. I read the reviews of this game and I'll admit it,I dismissed the reviewers that complained about this title's difficulty as whiners without the patience and/or tenacity to appreciate a challenge. How wrong I was. This game is an exercise in futility and frustration that would send even a zen monk on a red-faced, seething tyrade of hatred against the cruel developers. Yes, it is beautifully rendered (though I think previous reviewers might have overstated it's beauty; the cutscenes are amazing, but the in-game graphics are simply avarage), the storyline is intriguing and when a stretch of gameplay lasts more than five or so minutes (rare; repeated deaths followed by endless repeating of the same stretch of game is more the norm) one can almost appreciate the game's intent. I've given up somewhere in the 5th level, however, as rival ninjas repeatedly hurl seemingly inescapable bombs at me. I have a headache. This is not what I call amusement; it's torturous and I give up.

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Upon reading others reviews it is impossible to rate this game because it is still in development. There isn't even a possible demo yet. I saw the game at Tokyo Game Show 2003 on Sept 27 Sunday a week ago ( I live in Japan). It really erks me when people rate a game that isn't done yet. I have seen about a 4 to 7 minute demo which is what I based this reveiw off of. In this game, which includes the main character running up walls and utilizing a variety of weapons including nun chucks, bow and arrows, and a sword there is smooth transition and interaction. The enemies are well developed characters also which includes a white haired buff guy that sports nun chucks, a dinosaur skeleton and zombie like creatures. I have to tell you that out of all of the games at the game show this game was the most impressive action game there. It was the only fast paced (unlike the stealthy Metal Gear Solid 3) action game that wasn't a devil may cry rip off, unlike cy girls which is a devil may cry slash metal gear rip off that I somehow managed to like anyway. This is the breakdown of the 10 best games at the show:

1. Half Life 2 (PC)

3. Ninja Gaiden (X Box)

2. Metal Gear Solid 3/Twin Snakes (PS2/ Gamecube)

3. Gran Turismo 4 ( PS2 sorry not a big racer fan)

4. Berserk (New PS2 game)

5. Shadow Hearts 2 (PS2)

5. True Fantasy Online (X Box)

6. Dinosaur Hunter (PS2)

7. Resident Evil Online (PS2)

8. Otogi 2 (X Box)

9. Suikoden 4 (PS2)

10. Eye Toy (PS2)

There will be a lot of Devil May cry clones coming out, so be on the look out. I never take time to write review but when I saw the rating for this game at a three star and it isn't even out yet I was upset because I know a lot of people buy games on Amazon and other online marketplaces, and they use the star review to buy their games, so trust me when I say this, this game is hot. But maybe you should wait for a professional review, but I aint, because this game along with other Tecmo titles convinced me to buy an X Box. nuff said.