Meant to be the ultimate action game in 2004, Ninja Gaiden was a violent graphics powerhouse that pushed gamers
and the original Xbox to their limits. Revised twice, the title was still on
store shelves last year as the PlayStation3 exclusive Ninja Gaiden
Sigma. While Ninja Gaiden II is a proper sequel, it looks and feels far too much
like that PS3 remake of a 4-year-old game. Once cutting-edge, the series now
projects smug satisfaction.
The story, which pits leather-clad warrior Ryu Hayabusa against
werewolves, demons, and impossibly large breasts, is a forgettable, absurd
excuse for violence. Equally ridiculous but far more enjoyable is the fluid
combat. Ryu casually severs limbs, leaving crawling amputees desperate to dish
out some final harm. He explosively scythes through overconfident bosses and
smashes scorpions magically assembled from a mountain of bones.
The surrounding game is comparatively dull. Developer Team Ninja
nods to modern gaming with streaming maps, health regeneration, and instant
save points, but also relies upon levels built as relentlessly linear series of
sterile corridors and invisible barriers. Ryu and his enemies are more
convincingly realized than the world around them, like a master thespian troupe
dropped into a school play.
Worse, the game camera (a source of complaint since '04) still
insists upon looking at Ryu rather than his opponents, and the difficultly,
which still leans toward monumental, veers erratically throughout. Massive
bosses fall easily to undisciplined button-mashing, while a group of no-name
beasties will take a dozen attempts to conquer.
Beyond the game: Locked
in an informal technical feud with the similar Devil May Cry and God
Of War series, the exacting Ninja
Gaiden demanded—and rewarded—memorization
of deep attack techniques. This time, you'll get by with more luck than skill.
Worth playing for: An
astonishing suite of brutal combat animations that tops everything in action
gaming. The variety of unique combos and finishing moves for each weapon is
matched only by the gore they unleash.†
Frustration sets in when:
The impetuous point of view and cheap unblockable attacks combine to undermine
your skills, no matter how finely honed.
Final judgment: The
combat is too beautiful not to appreciate, but players will find the camera a
far tougher opponent than Ryu's enemies. The rush is diminished.