Can Ninja Gaiden get any better; well the short answer to that question is definitely!!
User Rating: 9.5 | Ninja Gaiden Black XBOX
Most great game have this tendency to re-surface time and time again. Ninja Gaiden is no different; in June 2007, Ninja Gaiden is going to be re-re-release, this time for the PS3. Personally, if the game is justing being ported without any significant changes I believe that its just a waste of time. On the other hand, if the developer takes the opportunity to fix previous mistakes or add more content, I don't have a problem. This is the case with Ninja Gaiden Black a re-release of the original game with more content. Honestly, the original game was already nearly perfect; adding more content is like putting chocolate syrup on a chocalate chip cake! Story: The story follows the brave journey of Ryo Hayabusa as tracks down the stolen Dark Dragon blade. The blade was trusted upon the Hayabusa clan to be protected from the clutchs of evil. During your training; you run into the dark fiend Doku which is responsible for steal the Dark Blade. The story picks up from there. This game does possess a ton of bosses that follow right along the storyline. The only major shock comes at the very end, literally; other than this major shock the story follows a linear path to the end. The coolest part about the story is the different locations that Ryu must visit in order to track down these evil villains. These locales include, a massive pyramid, dungeons, a zepplin, buildings, the works. Gameplay: Let me start this section with a warning. If you have never played Ninja Gaiden before than heed my call, this game is unbelievably hard. Don't think for a second that this follows the old traditional mentality; run around kill helpless minions and than fight boss. Every single enemy in this game will posse a treat to Ryu. Obviously, some more than others but the majority of the time Ryu will being getting his ass handed to him by "low end" enemies. The bosses are in a league of there own; honestly, I consider myself a decent Ninja Gaiden player and I never once beat a boss on the first try. That being said, this game possess the ultimate high when it comes to video games in general. Instantly, shifting from frustration to tranquil bliss. Most games that proved this level of frustration and difficult would probably be shunned by most action fans; yet the gameplay is so addicting and the level of process is so obvious that instant satisfaction is inevitable. For example, in the early chapters Ryu will encounter 3 assassin ninja that appear in different potions of the stage. At first, I would get obliterated by these foes, yet after only two attempts I was able to find a way to destroy my enemies. The aspect of learning new moves, timing foes attacks, and just increase the overall quickness and style of Ryu is so addicting that I found myself re-entering these areas to fight said ninjas.
As mentioned before the combat system in Ninja Gaiden is also in a league of its own. Each weapon; weapons range from, swords, wooden sticks, nunchaku and massive hammers. Just about every weapon can be upgrade and used effectively on any foe. These weapons also come with there own strenthens and weaknesses, along with unique moves and counters. This combat system rivals that of most fighting games with its level of depth and precision. I cannot begin to imagine the severity that went into fine tuning every single weapon and move. Graphics & Sound:
In the sound department, nothing really stands out but no song is annoying or repetitive. The graphics are still impressive almost 3 years after its initial release. Most games don't age well; but this game is equal to that of the finest of wines. If only team ninja worked adviced every single game created there would be no mediocre graphics. The sound effects are fine and dandy.
The only aspect of Ninja Gaiden that I still have some problems with is the camera system. It isn't bad or anything, its just weird and difficult to adjust. After a couple of hours, it becomes second nature but those first hours are a pain. I find that most people that haved played Ninja Gaiden Black or Ninja Gaiden come out will a genuinely good experience. I can understand why most people would be turned off by the fast pace, twitchy gameplay. That being said, this game is definitely not for everyone so be warned. I would recommend this game to hardcore action gamers that have enough patients or unpatient action gamers with a lot of money to burn, since they will be throwing their controller around like its a grenade.
