Once again, Ninja Gaiden proves to be one of the leading franchises in the action genre, despite certain issues.
As I said for the first game, you don't play Ninja Gaiden for story. It is serviceable, it gets to the point with no illusions, but looking back on the NES games, it could have (and should have) been better. However, I believe that a games focus, first and foremost, should be on gameplay (which usually centers on combat), so I won't complain as long as there are enemies to decimate.
So, I'll start with the most important aspect of the game: flipping out and killing things. From the get go, you are surrounded by ninjas, and you are able to delimb them a lot more easily this time around. While the absence of blood is an odd choice, it is still satisfying to tear them to pieces. But wounded enemies can also be one of your greater threats, since they then have a tendency to suicide bomb you. Wounded enemies are vulnerable to finishing moves known as the Obliteration Technique. These are satisfying the watch and animate well, keeping the flow of battle fast paced. The weapons have improved a bit since last time. Remember spamming the flying swallow technique? While it is as effective as usual, the improved weapon combos and OTs make spamming less frequent. The dual wielding has improved greatly, changing it from a flawed novelty to one of the most effective weapons in the game. Most weapons have improved in this fashion as well. The claws are a nice addition, to get your inner wolverine on.
Also, you no longer have to go near the essences to pick them up anymore. It takes the God of War approach of going to you, once the action stops. This also makes ultimate techniques easier to use, since they can be used to speed the charge up time. They allows you to swing away with glee without having to worry about picking up. This is especially an improvement on the sections that require long range attacks.
One thing I like about most of the boss fights is that they are actually fights. My favorite fights are with the recurring boss of the game, since they use the combat system to the fullest. There are a couple of cheap bosses hear and there (like that water dragon), but the bosses are well designed and fun to face.
The long range weapons have improved greatly. The shurikens and longer ranged weapons (like the bow) are on two different buttons now, making them easier to access. You can move while aiming as well. Infinite ammo may see to making things too easy, but it ends up being a wise choice. Switching between melee and range is now simpler, instead of being a hassle.
I had some rather colorful things to say about Rachel last time (like calling her a needless addition). Thankfully, the other playable characters have improved a bit. Momiji, who had a brief playable section in Dragon Sword, returns with a completely refined combat style. Ayane is also playable, as the quick one of the three. Rachel returns as a the bruiser again, but she has improved since last time. The sections are brief, but they give you a nice change a pace. The complaints from last time are mostly averted.
Note: I'm not going to get into the SIXAXIS controls, so don't even ask.
The sounds are as good as last time. The swinging of a sword, slicing, jumping and so forth are as they should be. The music is really good as well. It's a nice mix of orchestra, with a touch of techno here there, much like a wire-fu movie. It's fast paced while still giving out quality sound. It's not quite up there with the God of War series, but it has some of the best music I've seen in an action game.
Graphically, it is also superior. The character the models move with smooth animation, and the models themselves are a wonder to behold. Slicing up enemies are a spectacle to be enjoyed, despite the lack of gore.
The backgrounds... Well, they are not terrible, but they are not up to par with Assassin's Creed or Prince of Persia. Also, the acrobatics, while serviceable, feel a bit down played from last time. It's still very good, don't get me wrong. Swinging and moving around on horizontal poles is more intuitive than last time, making it faster to get around. It's probably just the backgrounds that are the biggest gripes about it. You can still run on water, but now you have to keeping pressing X instead of just holding on to the analogue stick, which is an annoying design choice. The Camera isn't as bad as people say, but it did take a few shots to the knee caps since last time. It uses the annoying camera spring they used in Ocarina of Time, and it could have panned back a bit to give the player a better few of what's going on. This is a game that better services from a free moving camera, but it could have been done a bit better.
The issues can be annoying, but it shouldn't destroy your experience of the game. Overall, it is a great game that is nothing short of an improved experience from Sigma 1 and good for anyone looking for a fair and balanced challenge.