Ninja Gaiden

"Beautiful! Revolutionary!.......Boring!"

Before everyone jumps down my back equipped with their fanboy paddles and Ninja Gaiden PJ's, let me first explain the score I felt this game deserved.

Camera- You people seem to have such a problem with the camera in this game. I on the other hand, think the camera is one of its strong points. I thought it added a nice edge to the gameplay. There is no other game I can think of that lets me jump towards the camera, take off an enemies head, then proceed to adjust the camera back behind me in time to block an incoming attack. That is what I call a nice camera.

Level design- Although I didn't care for most of the levels, the uniqueness of each was a pleasant change from most games. Not to mention an odd surprise. Going from a village full of ninjas, to a blimp filled with gun totting machines is very unordinary. I still was not to satisfied with the levels though......they seemed to be lacking in the interaction department. There was never any NPC's to talk to along the way, or tables and chairs that broke when an enemy fell on them. You were always alone, waiting for ninjas or soldiers to fall from the sky and attack you.

Enemy AI- Another of the games strong points. I keep hearing about how hard this game is, and to tell you the truth, the game is rather easy. It's the AI that gets people down. This is the first game I've played where the enemies seem to be self sufficient and not borderline mentally handicapped. They will all attack you at once, rather than sit back and wait for you to kill them one at a time. If you're in the middle of a combo, you damn well better stop and block if an enemy is approaching from behind. The strange thing about this is, as well made as the enemies seem to be, the bosses don't fall into the same category. The boss fights are all planned out, and the bosses follow a pattern of about three or four different attacks. After about one or two tries you should have the pattern mapped out and the boss is now toast. I was utterly dissatisfied with this system.

Saving- The second reason this game is quite difficult. There are only about 2 save points in every vast level. In order to save, you must first FIND the save points, which in some cases are very well hidden (underwater save before the first alma battle). Then when you do save, you sometimes have 2 mini bosses to defeat, a horde of enemies, than a major boss battle. If you happen to die at the final boss fight, guess what, you have to do that all over again. Alot of this game is repeating levels due to lack of save points. I don't find that challenging, I find it very tedious and frustrating.

Shops- In every level there is a shop. The shop is where you can spend the essense you gained during previous levels to stock up on elixirs and upgrade your weapons and such. The problem is, the prices of everything seem to be quite off. You can spend 1500 essense on 3 small health potions that will fill your life bar, or you can spend 5000 on a large one that fills your life bar. Usually, when buying in bulk, shouldn't the price be a deal? I'm sure most people won't have to worry about this stuff though, since you most likely will miss the shop in most levels. Much like the save points, the shops are hidden throughout levels, and are hard to spot due to them looking like alot of statues which cover the maps of Ninja Gaiden.

Graphics- Obviously this game was a sight to behold. The waterfalls, detailed buildings and gleaming swords left the gamer with his jaw dragging along the ground. Rarely were textures used more than once, and every level design was unique. While turning corners I often cocked my head to the left or right (depending which way I was turning) as if *I* were the one actually battling through these 16 chapters. Hats off to Team Ninja for an excellent, heart attack inducing lesson, on what today's console's are actually capable of.

Sound- I found the sound effects in game to be quite appeasing to my ears. From the enemies to the environmental noises around me, there were no complaints. Although, at times I got sick of the incessant clanging of swords, that's nothing new. The music, although inappropriate at times, was pefect for the mood of the game. Nothing better for ripping people limb from limb than some nice techno.

Gameplay- Combo's, wall running, enemy ripping fun. I couldn't get enough of it. For days all I did was play this game.....I thought I had struck gold. Then, it hit me. Around level 8 or so, I completely lost interest. The story was going nowhere, and I found the gameplay to be more tedious than fun. If you don't enjoy the game, or have nothing to look forwards to story wise, why play the game? To make sure I wasn't the only one who felt this way, I talked to a couple of my buddies who also bought the game, and they agreed. I played through the game regardless, and had to trudge my way through the last 8 chapters with utter boredom and regret. I'm sorry, but this game is just not at all fun.

Overall- I wish I had enjoyed this game, as many of you have. I just can't stand the gameplay/environments/story. I know people who feel the same way I do......This review is based purely on opinion, and I *would've* loved this game had it not been for the awful story line and repetitive gameplay. I can't give this game a high score, because it just wasn't enjoyable. I can't give it a low score, because it was obviously well made.

You either love it, or hate it. I hate it.

Reviewer's Score: 6/10, Originally Posted: 03/11/04