This game is strictly for NG fans; it's unlikely that anyone else will enjoy it.
If you haven't heard already, this game is very difficult. NG2 unfortunately has a mixture of legitimate challenge and cheap challenge. When you die [which is inevitable] it will sometimes be your fault and it sometimes will not. There are times where you'll get the worst camera angle possible and you'll get knocked around by enemies (which is frustrating). There are also several instances where you'll turn around a corner and immediately get attacked by foes that were impossible to see. The only way you could avoid that is if you go through the game a second time and you remember that you need to block as soon as you turn that exact corner.
Ninja Gaiden games have never been story driven but that doesn't save the story in NG2 from being terrible. There are some familiar characters that show up as well as some new ones, and these new characters are never given the opportunity to show any personality. It's all basically "These are the bad guys. They want to kill you because they are evil". You're never given an explanation as to why these evil doers want to cause destruction over the world by resurrecting a giant monster.
It also doesn't make sense [from a story perspective] why the main character would be going through all of these different environments. There are these little bits of text before you start a chapter but they basically just say "Ryu has come across a forest. Kill some dudes" or "Ryu just found a town. You should go kill some more dudes" Don't get me wrong, killing dudes is fun in NG2 but it would be nice if I was given a reason why I should be killing them.
NG2 involves a lot of cutting things up and it's the bloodiest game I've ever seen/played. It would have been nice to have the option of toning down the blood because if you have a weak stomach then it's possible that you may feel nauseous after some of the more gory moments. If you've read my God of War or Dead Rising reviews then you'll know that I'm a fan of brutal combat and NG2 satisfies in this department with flying colors. After every fight, limbs will be scattered on the ground and the ground or walls will be drenched in blood. There are also plenty of moves that had me jump out of my chair and say "Oh my goodness! That was awesome!" (Only with way more expletives)
The combat is by far the best thing about NG2 if you haven't already guessed. There are a lot of weapons to choose from and each one has its own set of delightfully brutal attacks. The enemies are really aggressive and they won't stop attacking you even if you chop off one of their limbs. Sometimes they'll try and pin you down and blow themselves up in hopes of taking you with them. It's simply marvelous.
Graphically speaking, NG2 looks all over the place. The animations are probably the best you'll see all year but there are a lot of flaws that bring the game's look down. As mentioned, the camera can be a royal pain at times, there's a lot of screen tearing in the later levels and there's one chapter outside of a castle that is home to some awful looking textures. NG2 looks pretty good when you mix the good with the bad.
Assuming that you don't smash your controller against the wall, you'll get about 13 hours out of NG2 before you finish it. There are some unlockable difficulties to have a go at if you wish, and the many different weapons will provide some replay value. This game is strictly for NG fans; anyone else should either rent this game or avoid it if you have little patience. Thanks for reading.