Ninja Gaiden

Reviewed by Angel Herrera
January 10, 2005

Developer: Team Ninja Publisher: Tecmo Website: Click Here Platform(s): XBOX Players: 1 ESRB Rating: Mature

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After two solid renditions, the latest Ninja Gaiden on XBOX continues to be one of the best action-packed games. As the player, you take on the role of Ryu Hayabusa, a hero out for revenge and in search of the Dark Dragon Blade that was taken from his village. From start to finish, you are challenged with enemies trying to rip you to shreds as well as an assortment of puzzles. The flow of the game is very smooth as you unravel the truth behind the Dark Dragon Blade and its thief's motives.

From the characters to the environments, the graphics of the game look amazing. As Ryu, you will venture into such eye candy as the city of fiends, the air ship fortress, the inside of a volcano, and even underwater. Also, the smooth controls and seeing Ryu executed movements like hanging and walking on walls or wielding weapons give you the feel of a ninja.

Ryu acquires many weapons throughout the course of the game, from his beginning Nunchaku to a bow and arrow. Each weapon affects your abilities and strengths against enemies. Some may be much stronger than others like the War Hammer, a very powerful yet slow weapon that is not very effective when you have too many enemies to deal with. The Vigoorian flail, on the other hand, will allow you to mow down crowds faster than any other weapon in the game.

I did find that Ninja Gaiden is by far one of the hardest games I have ever played, not because of the puzzles but for the enemies. Many times I found myself dying against regular enemies, even when I set the difficulty level to normal. One of the most challenging groups is three black ninja; one attacks from close range, while the other two ninja constantly throw explosives. The bosses were no walk in the park either. They ranged from a helicopter to worms, dragons, and ninja masters with very powerful attacks that could take half of your life (not to mention that they have a lot of health).

While the game may seem short with a total of only sixteen chapters, the game will take you longer. It took me about twenty-five to beat the game over the course of five to six months because of the frustrating difficulty.

While the game may seem short with a total of only sixteen chapters, the game will take you longer. It took me about twenty-five to beat the game over the course of five to six months because of the frustrating difficulty. If you are looking for a game that is hard but well worth the effort you put into it then Ninja Gaiden is the answer for you.

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