A fun, but slightly flawed platformer.
The lead character is probably the most original ninja to appear in any game. The humor and story are both well done, and this game offers a fresh approach to the whole ninja genre.
The platforming is very well done, with a lot of other gameplay mechanics added. Rather than just run, jump, and hit, the game incorporates rolling (Marble Madness style), swinging, boxing, and first-person shooting.
There are multiple levels and plenty of optional goals to accomplish. With solid controls, this game originally looks like an instant classic. However, that’s when the flaws come into play.
Your character must advance in rank in order to upgrade weapons and proceed through the game. This is a good concept, but often requires you to play through the same level multiple times in order to increase your skills. This makes the game repetitive. I personally would prefer a shorter game than to have to repeat the same levels over and over.
A lot of the requirements (faster times, more enemies killed) would be great as side missions or unlockable missions, but just suck a lot of the fun out of the game. The necessity to finish a difficult level with a faster time leads more toward frustrating than it does towards providing a sense of accomplishment.
Die-hard platformer fans who don’t take the game too seriously will enjoy it. It’s definitely worth a rental just to experience some of the new platforming aspects. This game almost has it all.