I almost feel sorry for Ryu.
User Rating: 5 | Ninja Gaiden 3 X360
Man things have changed since Gaiden 2. Previous Ninja Gaiden games made their impact by way of flashy visuals, difficulty, and responsive combat. Ninja Gaiden 3 kept the flashy visuals part, but dumped everything else. The story was also completely nonsensical. Ninja Gaiden games are known for having terrible stories, but it didn't matter because the games were so entertaining anyway. Well this time the weak story hurts all the more because the game isn't that fun on its own merits. As I mentioned before the game looks pretty good. There are some good looking boss characters and some great cinematics. You better really like cinematics because you're going to see them a lot. The combat has been dumbed down significantly. The controls feel unresponsive and the attacks lack any weight or feel. Most of your attacks are accompanied by superfluous camera zooms and pans. If you aren't close to an enemy ryu may not even attack if you press the button or then again maybe he will, but it may not be the enemy you intended to attack. If you use one of your two special attacks you are treated to the same mini movie every time. Ninja Gaiden 3 has been reduced to the stupidest kind of button masher; constantly tap light attack until your specials are charged up, use your special, repeat. Previous games could be described as button mashers, but involved more use of combinations and tremendous skill. Ninja Gaiden 3 was just too easy. The enemy variety was very poor compared to previous games as well. Ninja Gaiden 2 had five or six weapons to choose from and upgrade. You had to spend the entire game with a single katana in gaiden 3. There were some solid boss encounters, but they too were hampered by slow and silly quick time events. At least the game never glitched and the music was fair. People who have never played contemporary ninja gaiden games may enjoy this game in a "mesmerized by the flashing colors and lights" kind of way. But people who have played games of real challenge and substance will be disappointed.
Final Thought: Stripped of its identity, the Ninja Gaiden series has been reduced to mindless actioning.
