Ninja Gaiden

"Age Is Just A Number"

Even though the original Ninja Gaiden was released over 10 years ago Ryu feels right at home with me. After countless delays and skeptical gamers many wondered if this old-school classic could be translated into a savior for the series, or if age has already taken it's toll(shinobi). Promises made to keep gamers eager and happy were but to the test. Many wondered if Tecmo had what it took to make this title worth the wait. After the delays ninja gaiden finally came and I'm proud to say.....like good wine age did it justice.

Story:8
Prologue The evil Dark Dragon Blade...A legendary sword, said to have been carved out of the bones of a Black Dragon, it brought plague and death to the world during the age of ancient myth. It has been sealed by those of the Dragon Lineage since the dawn of history because of its incredible capacity for evil, made possible by the souls of the vanquished Black Dragons that dwell within it. It is said that if the Blade's seal were to be broken, it would gather the hatred and evil of mankind and confer it upon the one who wields it, transforming him into the Devil incarnate; however not even those of the Dragon Lineage who protect it know the true extent of its power...The Dragon Sword...Another weapon protected by the Dragon Lineage since ancient times. This sword, which is said to have been used by Ancient warriors to slay the Black Dragons, is now handed down from generation to generation in the Hayabusa Ninja Clan, the modern descendants of the Dragon Lineage. And now, the Dragon Sword is gripped firmly in the hands of young Ninja Ryu Hayabusa..............It's an action what do you expect. The age-old story of good v.s. evil. There are some interesting character you meet along the way, and some good plot twists in the mix. All in all better than 90 percent of the action titles out there.

Graphics: 9.8
The graphics are truly a sight to behold. Ryu is designed perfectly in my opinion, and so are the other main characters. The environments are also perfectly designed. Which range from temples, to caves to volcano's. The monsters are also designed, with a great mixture. Some more detailed than others but, the best I've seen in any game. Furthermore it's the little things that stand out. Watching the sword sway in the wind. The swooshes from you weapons once an attack lands, the bubbles that Ryu breathes from the water. For even more eye candy the games moves at a steady 60 frames per second. The CG movies are remarkable in there own right. The only small gripe I have has to be the lightning and shadows. It was in the trailers but it must have been removed, but the action probably would have been slowed down, and this isn't a game that really needs it. Needless to say even without the lightning the graphics are superb.

Sound: 8.9
In this department it flairs out better than expected. It's not of FF7 caliber but, nonetheless it works out well. The pretty good mixtures of rock makes your blood pulse, and get foy ready for the action. Custom soundtrack would have definitely made this better, though is not bad. It's not something you'll be humming while you're not playing the game. It fits the good though. English voice acting is sub-par to say the mast. The Japanese ones are done well and fit the mood. The clings of the sword, and in game sounds are also done in a good manner. Exceptionally well for an action title.

Difficulty: 10
My opinion is slightly biased for I simply love challenging games. The enemies are out to kill you, they aren't just standing around waiting for you to attack. I have to say this is the first game I've played in a long while where I have had to actually try to make myself better, and master different strategies for every fiend. That said this title is NOT for anyone. There is no easy mode and this is certainly not a button masher. I say at least this get a 9.5 or higher but I'm self-orientated.

Controls:9
The controls were astounding Imo. To me 2nd best to the original devil May Cry. Each button has a control. X for weak attacks, Y for strong, B for projectiles, and A for single jumps, L for blocking, and R for the camera, also the right control, stick for first-person perspective. It's a breeze to slash down enemies and perform devastating maneuvers. The combos re easy yo pull of and extremely to remember. Even though there is no lock on button he pretty much does a solid job of that himself. When it comes to the camera it's not the worst I've seen. The action is so fast-paced it's kind of hard for it to keep up. Even though you can reposition sometimes the enemies still can get cheap hits. Nonetheless it manageable. There is also controls for swimming, opening doors etc. And that's my to short ends of the sticks. swimming is....ok it's done well compared to some games. Yet I still prefer the swimming in Metal Gear Solid 2 (just in the wrong situation). And sometimes when you are in the midst of battle you got to strike an enemy with X and you open a door.....no comment. Besides that it evens out pretty well, and are pretty responsive.

Gameplay:20
Yes this is what makes this worth playing. The animations are the best I've seen in any action title.(and better the late jet li films)Ryu may not be extremely fast for a ninja but he is agile, there is a big difference. His death defying leaps, jumps and flips are simply stunning. The combos are equally a sight to see if not more so. He battles with a fierce grace that blows any other hero away. He has over 10 weapons roughly, swords, a hammer, bows, shurikens, flails, and more. They are all up upgradeable to an extent. There is also sprit-like energy called essence. There are 3 types that are red, blue, and yellow. They each has its own use. One is used for a type of currency. One for replenishing you health, and one that helps your magic. Speaking of you magic you gave 4 different types that are upgradeable, lightning, fire, ice, and inferno. There are scroll's you can purchase for throws from the Dead Or Alive series. One is my favorite move in the entire game, the Izuna Drop. The other is also a throwback throw to the ninja gaiden series. You even have the ability to run up walls not just horizontally, but also vertically, which can be chained to combos. you can also jump on opponents heads. Plus if you hold the Y button you can charge up ultimate techniques that look absolutely spectacular to view. No to mention the inclusion of very challenging bosses. Each boss has it's own strategy to be beaten. There has also been 50 golden scarabs hidden throughout your quest, which can be given to the blacksmith for rewards ranging to a sword to armlets. You can also purchase potions and elixirs. For the more experienced player's there are fiend challenges. It's also quite long, with extras, and the replay value is over-welming.

Replay-Value:10
I been through this game 5 times, and still haven't done some things. I still see myself playing this game for months to come. If you respect yourself as a gamer, and that big black box of yours you need to purchase this title.

Conclusion;
This has to be one of the most noteworthy releases this gaming generation. Using the intense atmosphere, and Tecmos award-winning fighting genius makes the perfect combination virtually possible. Small points here and there may be visible, but none of theme are big enough to take away from you gaming experience. Ninja Gaiden has showed that gaming nowadays still has a chance.

Rent or Buy
Buy.....NOW!

Pros:
Gameplay
longevity
Extras
Graphics

Cons:
No Lightning
No Custom Soundtrack
Camera At Times

Reviewer's Score: 10/10, Originally Posted: 05/31/04