Ninja Gaiden (Xbox)

 

 

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Before I get to my main rant; the game is as good graphically as Halo and Splinter Cell, and I especially liked the music on some levels.

Reading the reviews some people have left here, I am puzzled at whether or not we were playing the same game. Ninja Gaiden is Harder than average, but not 'insanely difficult', certainly not on normal mode. The control system is fine, and flows like liquid, I wouldn't have it any other way. The camera is so essentially simple, look around in first person, or centre in third person behind your character, nuff said. The first two levels and their bosses, believe it or not, actually do 'ease you in' compared to later levels and bosses, and the plot at first is not completely apparent, such is the beuty of its development.

The gameplay is a mix of platform, which can be difficult the first time, fighting with Soul Calibur style combo's and different weapons, and levels and 'temples and dungeons' like Zelda: Ocarina of time (N64), though thankfully without the childish side.

The A.I in the game's enemies and bosses, is probably among the best in any X-box title, you couldn't use the same techniques over and over again, or sometimes even the same weapon, very challenging, but probably the cause of many people's frustration, also sometimes you must be patient, wait for the precise time to strike, not just hack away wildly.

I enjoyed this game emensely, and felt refreshed with a game that actually takes 20-25 hours to complete, on normal, the thing that draws you on in the game is hard to describe. But by the end of this game you will be spraing your ankles trying to wall run or bird flip on your garage wall, and you'll be weilding that old plastic sword you had when you were 5. A must have for any accomplished platfrom gamer with an X-box, but not for kids.

If this game teaches us anything, it's that ninjas don't have an easy life. It would seem that even a brief jog outside will cause you to be attacked by all manner of monsters, all before breakfast.

The original Ninja Gaiden series was known for being extremely hard, and that's certainly something this latest version takes to heart - if you don't like replaying levels numerous times, then I wouldn't suggest playing this game. You will almost certainly die frequently, but rarely will it be down to anything but human error.

The game is extremely well crafted, and the controls are tight and responsive, reminiscent at times of Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time. The graphics are detailed, if a little bland in some places, punctuated with some very lavish FMV sequences.

Also a nice touch is the inclusion of the original NES Ninja Gaiden trilogy, unlockable under certain circumstances. The Xbox Live features are also a nice extra, allowing you to enter tournaments and download new weapons and such.

There are a few places in the game where the camera will cost you your life due to focusing on the wrong area. This undeniably can become extremely irritating, though it is a rare occurrence. The previously mentioned Xbox Live downloads include a new camera mode where you can manipulate your view with the right thumbstick, which goes some way to solving the problem.

The game is lengthy and does have good replay value, but is in no way forgiving - this game is limited by the fact that many will find it inaccessible. If you don't like to be frequently beaten, sliced, burned, electrocuted, chewed or swallowed, then perhaps this isn't the game for you. However, if you laugh in the face of defeat and enjoy a solid challenge, then it's certainly worth a look.

Before I start this review let me sum the game up for you - this game is probably the best action/adventure game I have ever played.
The game revolves around ninja Ryu Hayabusa (from the DOA series) as he seeks retribution against Doku, the mystical warrior who burned down Ryu's village and took the dragon sword.

The weapons you use to achieve this mission are varied in all respects. There are over ten different weapons to wield, ranging from the heavy and powerful to the light and quick (ideal for racking up huge combos!) with all manner of weapons lying in the middle (did someone say huge windmill throwing stars?). These weapons lie at the heart of why this game is so great. There's no better feeling than slashing up your opponent with a large pair of nunchucks which have huge blades on the end of them.

The enemies in the game put up a tough fight indeed and range from swarms of blood-sucking bats to ninjas similar to Ryu all the way to "Fiends" - strange-looking demons that will not hesitate to disembowl you. The difficulty of the enemies gradually increases throughout the course of the game. However, this is not to say that the enemies of the first level are easy. Indeed, don't be surprised if you find yourself dying early on in the game. You must quickly come to grips with the demanding combat system in order to stand a chance. This is helped in part by the upgrade system. You can upgrade each of your weapons at special shops throughout the game to make them more powerful and unlock more moves, and hidden collectibles allow you to extend your health and magic bars.
You are also given four different magic spells throughout the game called Ninpo. Three of these can be upgraded to be more powerful. They include fire, ice, and wind attacks and are very impressive. They are usually reserved for those tight spots in the game you find yourself in.

If you are having extreme difficulty despatching the regular enemies, then you will be disappointed to hear that the bosses are, in true gaming fashion, even harder. This game is infamous for the ridiculously hard boss fights. They require a skilled proficiency with weapons, a good sense of timing, and most importantly of all, PATIENCE. There are some particular bosses where you will find yourself dying dozens of time, and I can assure you that is no exaggeration. These deaths are not cheap like in other games however, and you will see there are ways of finding holes in the enemy's defence.

The graphics in the cutscenes are quite simply the best graphics I've ever seen, probably equal to Final Fantasy games. The cutscenes at the end of the second level really flaunt the game's graphics and help to progress the story. In terms of the plot, the story is nothing spectacular, and its main purpose is just to serve as a bridge between the chapters. In other games this may be considered a weakness, but with Ninja Gaiden all you want to do is hack and slash and then slash some more, without having to deal with those pesky cutscenes.
The soundtrack is very good, and I especially like the music when Ryu returns to his village later on in the game

As you kill enemies throughout the game, they drop little misty orbs that are known as "essence". Once the essence has been dropped you can either collect it or you can hold down the Y button. Holding the Y button will allow Ryu to absorb the essence allowing him to unleash a powerful "ultimate attack". These ultimate attacks produce a close-up view where you completely go to town on any enemies that happen to get in your way. Each weapon has a unique, but equally violent, ultimate attack. Combos and ultimate techniques give you more essence than a regular kill so you should try and use them as often as possible, both to make your life easier and just to stare at the attack sequences in awe.

The essence you collect will either be yellow, red, or blue. Red restores your Ninpo meter, blue restores your health, whilst the yellow is the game's currency and counts towards your score. This scoring system brings a very arcade-type feel to the game which I found very refreshing. At the end of each level you are assigned a score based on essence collected, enemies killed, time taken etc. This in turn assigns you a rank for the level (ninja dog, ninja warrior, ninja master etc). This system gives a real sense of nostalgia and is a good throw-back to all those old arcade side-scrollers. Incidentally, the original Ninja Gaiden arcade game can be unlocked for play during a certain portion of the game.

Once you complete the game, you can start a new game and have a brand new costume with a new sword which is called a plasma saber, which looks identical to a light saber. It has to be my favourite weapon in the game, purely for aesthetical reasons. Like many other people have said, this game is HARD. So hard, that it doesn't even feature an easy difficulty. Only normal, hard, and very hard - and believe me, normal will be more than enough for your first time through.

The hurricane packs available through xbox live bring a whole new level of difficulty to the game. They are specially designed levels which require you to climb a large tower, fighting wave after wave of enemies. As a result, this game has incredible replay value.

This is one of the best games I have ever played and deserves to be known as a true great over all consoles, so I would definitely recommend buying this game.

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5.0 out of 5 stars Outstanding
36 hours. That's how long it took me to beat Ninja Gaiden Black on normal mode. Considering that I spent alittle under a round of drinks in the pub for it makes it value for money... Read more

Published on 30 Jan 2007 by Mighty Flee

5.0 out of 5 stars Frustrating at times but ultimately rewarding
Ive finally completed the game on normal mode after over a year of trying.During this time Ive almost wept tears of frustration(i. Read more

Published on 1 Jan 2007 by wombat

5.0 out of 5 stars Not easy Not average Not very hard but hard
true the game isnt that hard and every1s always saying how easy it is but damn u have to admit its does get harder thruout the game and it is a stunning game one of the best... Read more

Published on 11 Nov 2006 by scarface

5.0 out of 5 stars Is that all you got?
Ninja Gaiden has a badass reputation, being the hardest game ever, and for a long time this put me of getting it. Read more

Published on 29 July 2006 by Mr. A. P. Venables

5.0 out of 5 stars UNFREAKINBELIEVEABLE
I feel pround of myself as I write. Why? I managed to finish Ninja Gaiden, even if it was only on normel. This game is the height of my beloved hobby. Read more

Published on 9 Jun 2006 by Blackadder

5.0 out of 5 stars Frustrating in a fun kind of way.............
Ninja Gaiden has been dubbed as one of the hardest games of recent times. but this is something i welcome, i think recently games have been fairly easy and thus killing off the... Read more

Published on 7 May 2006 by M. M. Parvez

5.0 out of 5 stars BE a Ninja
Having previously rented the game and died (before the 1st boss) I was nervous about venturing back into the world of Ryu Hyabusa. Read more

Published on 28 Sep 2005

5.0 out of 5 stars Simply amazing
This game is definitely in the top 5 games I've ever played. The graphics are incredible throughout, sometimes I'd just stop and take in the scenary. Read more

Published on 26 Sep 2005 by Paul Phillips

5.0 out of 5 stars Stunning
This game is absolute brillant , yes it can be hard at times . But that just makes the reward more satisfying. Read more

Published on 12 Jun 2005 by loz1990

5.0 out of 5 stars This game will make you or break you...
You play the game as Ruy Hayabusa, a ninja who has just had his village slaughtered by the mysterious Vigoor empire. Read more

Published on 28 April 2005 by scienide

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