I-Ninja

" I of the tiger"

With Namco's full house of old-school fans seated about the building waiting for their next Pacman game, the famed company pulls a trick on us. Up to par with the recent quality of Ubi-Soft, Namco is slowly but surely reforming a status conscious attitude witch marks the release of I-Ninja. How a company can go from Pacman Fever to this is truly a marvel (and an ancient Chinese secret!) Video games have been heavily influenced by armed Ninjas for years, whether it's Tenchu, or Ninja Gaiden, the Xbox already packs the goods to keep most modern gamers content. Perhaps a cross between Goemon and Super Monkey Ball was just what the doctor ordered. With varying gameplay types throughout, there's always something to be said about this inspired quest which wishes to un-cliché itself but feels a lot like a lot of first-generation Playstation games (remember Croc?) Your lovable little fireball of a character packs attitude, and comes with intense kung-fu action.

You'd imagine that most Ninjas would be disciplined, and trained. You've thought wrong. Ninja (yes that's your characters name) arrives on screen with a white belt, and within the first cut scene proceeds to mistakenly kill his Sensei by grabbing this evil rage stone that makes him go nuts on everyone around him. Pieced together by multiple hub-worlds, the game is played by running from door-to-door waiting for the next one to become unlocked. While the hub worlds are fairly tame, you shouldn't expect to see such a pattern in the actual levels. Not to be beaten by the standard platformer, I-Ninja incorporates all the expected elements of a 3D action game which have been emulated since the release of Super Mario 64. Swimming, jumping, and grinding (think Sonic Adventure 2) all come fairly naturally to Ninja, so playing the game should be a breeze if you're a season platformer. When you aren't killing a room full of angry enemies, or running down walls, you'll be piloting gigantic mechs in an over-blown mech-fight.

While fairly linear I-Ninja gives the ability to the player to go through the game playing through each and every Mini-game building up their built until they reach their full potential. While they are playing mini-games they'll have more choices as to which levels to do, and which order to do them in. In numerous levels it will just be the standard action-platformer affair. Get to the end of the level with however many kills or items it may take. But some levels will (for example) make you run through getting to the end, then leech onto an eye-ball rolling it through a timed obstacle course to the end, so some computer nerd can piece together a mech for you to fight in. When combat rages hilarity ensues as Ninja goes into a state unknown to mortals, and then exerts an angry line of dialogue which will often times read “Must…kill…STUFF!” While the accuracy isn't there (Ninjas don't earn Karate belts!) it is an action-packed experience that will lighten you up after hours of Ninja Gaiden.

Sounds like your everyday ho-hum action-platformer doesn't it? Well have I got news for you. I-Ninja excites on all levels as the witty little man snaps on his unsuspecting master. While your sensei is reading the game's script, you can quite him with a booming “SHHH” and proceed on into the level. Being Ninja isn't all fun and games. In many cases he'll have to control his rage as he collects the remaining items (all somewhat similar to that Rage-Stone from the beginning.) As kooky as they come, Namco has forgotten to form a central plot around their huggable mass-murdering hellion. Boosting everything any Action gamer could ever want, all Ninja is missing is a damsel in distress. I'm not permitted to spoil the story, and I can't explain it, I-Ninja is impossible to understand.

While not exactly the pinnacle of the Xbox's abilities, it performs and runs at a steady rate, never slowing down for anything. I-Ninja never really pushes to give an outstanding visual display, but it looks good enough, and it's certainly playable at this level, and undeniably better against its dead competition (Dr. Muto maybe?) I couldn't really tell this was a Namco game. It really does feel like Pac-Man World 2, but it appears to be more up to par with Ubi-Soft's quality, and visuals as of late. I-Ninja delivers dreary, brown backdrops, and glistening bright levels. Whether you're log surfing, or harassing your Sensei everything will look good enough in its own special cartoon way.

With a slew of Ninja-movie inspired attacks, and stealing nearly all of its elements from an existing game it hardly takes itself seriously which reminds you that you are still playing a Namco game and heaven is a little bit farther off for poor Ninja. Without reason he embarks on a journey performing unusual, and unnecessary tasks. It appears as if Ninja is intruding on enemy territory, which makes me wonder why he'd bother saving their land from a line of fire threatening to blow them to shreds. It has its moments, and will be a solid addition to anyone's collection, Ninja is the one.

Reviewer's Score: 8/10, Originally Posted: 08/12/04