A very flawed game.

User Rating: 6 | Ninja Gaiden Black XBOX
By spammehardo | Review Date:
This game is very challenging/fun but it is full of frustrating problems that bring it down. The first two levels of the game are excellent and are straight forward . But after that the game turns to a open level design divided into sections that your time will be spent with finding keys and backtracking back and forth. This level is also not very pretty to look at which is a shame because you will spend most of your time here. I really don't mind the backtracking but unfortunately what you are supposed to do and where your supposed to go is rarely defined. Most likely you will have to wander around until you stumble upon what you are supposed to next... which isn't easy as the enemies respawn when you go back to the same areas and they are not exactly easy.

The camera makes it worse as it seems they keep items you need purposely off screen and in combat it loves to get caught on walls and hide you, enemies, bosses pretty much anything important from your view. Even if your fighting a boss one on one the camera still manages to be terrible. Quite possibly the worst aspect of the game is the platforming. Lining up jumps and wall running is horribly inconsistent. I found my self platforming and solving annoying puzzles than actually doing wicked ninja combat.

The combat is awesome... but it too suffers from problems. The lesser baddies are tough and defeating them you need a strategy but unfortunately quite a few of the bosses are exactly the opposite. Some bosses only take damage only half the times you hit them and there is no really visual confirmation that this is you chance to attack. These bosses you need a lot of luck and not skill to defeat.

Games should stick with what they are good at. This game is a classic example of a game trying to be something it's not. Leave the Prince of Persia platforming and key finding to other games. It sucks when you are fighting the game and not fighting IN the game. (poorly written, i know)

*other crap*
The hardest part of the entire game was jumping up a spiral platform with zombie archers constantly shooting arrows at you. It took me an hour and it was just a simple part of the game... not a boss or anything spectacular.

Took me about 20-22 hours to complete, a true definition of artificially extending the game life with difficulty.

Im off to play Shinobi for the ps2 next. I luv a good challenge.

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