Ninja Assault

"I am.... THE NINJA HUNTER"

Ok, for anyone who has to have Metal Gear Solid-type cinematics or Final Fantasy-depth storylines in order to enjoy a game, this game is not for you. However, if you just want to run around and shoot stuff, you'll probably enjoy this game. This game is a step farther in the evolution of the light-gun genre. Unlike all previous light-gun games (to my knowledge) this game uses the character's jumping ability (which is pretty good, considering you're a ninja), giving this game a little more feel of realism, I think. Now you find yourself climbing up the rafters in a tower, or jumping to avoid being crushed by spikes, which I find to be a major improvement.

Graphics: 9/10
The graphics are good, obviously taking advantage of the PS2's capabilities. I'm sure they could have been better, though, considering there's not THAT much depth in a light-gun shooter level. Still, these graphics look similar to those in Shinobi (minus the scarf, of course).

Gameplay: 5/10
You can't honestly say there's anything else to this game besides pointing the gun at your TV and pulling the trigger, so, that doesn't help it too much. Besides that, there are NO POWERUPS OTHER THAN HEALTH. No automated guns, no unlimited ammo for 10 seconds, nothing. There's the sporadic grenade-type thingy, but your only gun weapon is a semi-automatic pistol. I suppose this could be trying to keep a touch of realism (the game is set in the feudal era) in the game.... but it makes it kind of boring, in my opinion.

Sound: 7/10
The sound and music are fitting for the game. No overly annoying music, a variety of sounds for the different enemies, so it's decent.

Replay value: 8/10
There's 3 Story modes, the Arcade mode, 32 missions, and 5 mini-games. Again, if you're looking for something really different than just shooting the crap out of everything on screen, you should probably not buy this game. However, if you do like just shooting stuff, the different things to do should keep you entertained for a while.

Overall: 8/10
Sure, it's not a mathematical average of the above scores, but I feel the game deserves it. For a game that only has one action (shoot) it does very well, I think. If you're looking for this type of game, Ninja Assault is a good pick for you. If you're looking for one of the best all-around video games of all time, you should look elsewhere.

Reviewer's Score: 8/10, Originally Posted: 01/06/03, Updated 01/06/03