Title: Ninja Gaiden II
Price: $59.99
System(s): Xbox 360
Release Date: June, 3, 2008
Publisher (Developer): Microsoft (Team Ninja)
Rating: “Mature” for Blood and Gore, Intense Violence, Partial Nudity, Suggestive Themes
Pros: Will please fans, great weapons, plenty of upgrades, intense game play, inane difficulties.
Cons: Way to hard for casual gamers, terrible story, repetitive game play, so-so graphics, lack of online features, not to different than the first game.
Overall Score: One thumb up, one thumb down; 75/100; C; * * 1/2 out of five
If you like blistered thumbs, splinting headaches or yelling at the top of your lungs out of frustration, then you’ll probably like Ninja Gaiden II.
See Ninja. Slay Ninja. Repeat.
The previous Ninja Gaiden, released for the Xbox back in 2004, broke new ground when it came to hardcore action, swordplay and extreme difficulties when facing opponents who often used counter attacks, team work and defensive tactics. The art style and cinematics were to die for but, while I started off liking the game, I quickly began to hate it as I progressed further through the first Ninja Gaiden for the original Xbox.
I don’t have any real issues with hard games, but Ninja Gaiden was ridiculous to the point that it just stopped being fun. Unfortunately, the sequel retains that extreme level of difficulty, and then some.
Ninja Gaiden II is a perfect example of why I have gotten so bored of games developed by the Japanese. Not much about this sequel is really that different than the original Xbox games. The play mechanics are still roughly about the same. This is an insane button masher with very graphic violence, so expect to see a lot of heads and arms being removed by your swords.
While the various cinematic cut scenes are very impressive and worth watching, the story is completely incomprehensible. The plot does little more than move the player from one location to the next. You won’t know anything more about the world that Ryu Hayabusa exists in than when you started the game.
A Game of Many Deaths
If you’re a fan of the Ninja Gaiden then the fighting mechanics will not disappoint you. They have been greatly improved with faster combos, counter attacks and new special features and powers. Each weapon and melee attack can be upgraded as you unlock new skills and weapons-based abilities. My personal favorite is the claws, simply because I like to act out my Wolverine fantasies on some ninjas.
A lot of the weapons require you to master them as each one has various techniques and combat styles. Until you do, you’ll probably be dying quite a bit, even on the easiest setting.
Many of the other features in Ninja Gaiden II are pretty simple. The music isn’t much to write home about. Level design is pretty straightforward without any real surprises and the graphics, they are good, but don’t seem that much better than the original Ninja Gaiden or its PS3′s port of Sigma.
Simply Black and Sigma Expanded
Ultimately, there is a lot to say about Ninja Gaiden II, but at the same time, there really isn’t anything more to add that gamers haven’t heard from the previous reviews from this franchise. If you’re a fan, you’ll probably love Ninja Gaiden II. If you’re new to the series, it is a rental at best.
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I was playing this game earlier today. I felt the exact same way. Your review is spot on, great review.
sorry but that was a very poor and shallow review. whats entertaining about this franchise is the combat system and the challenge. so losing often isn't a frustrating experience at all but a moment to think what went wrong. and a chance to improve your strategy. but sure it's not for everyone. but that is the same with any game. so I think you've let a lot of personal bias affect your review. perhaps you need do play the game a bit more!
Sorry, but it would help if you understood the game you're reviewing before you go and embarrass yourself.
I truly laughed out loud when you referred to Ninja Gaiden as a "button masher." If you had any idea how sophisticated the combat system in this game is, you'd drop a brick. Perhaps that's why you never got very far in the original game; button mashing will get you absolutely nowhere in Ninja Gaiden.
This is precisely why games nowadays are so amiable. The laziness of this generation of gamers is appalling. No one is willing to develop a true skill to dominate their games. They simply label it "too hard" without ever taking a moment to really examine what they're dealing with. If they can't just blindly shoot at something to make it die, the game is rubbish.
Team Ninja is one of the only dev teams that have managed to – and have the balls to – make a game that rewards the skilled player rather than the button mashers. But instead of being commended for it, their game gets rejected.
If you didn't like the game (which is clear, no doubt), then that's absolutely fine. But when your personal bias and blatant ignorance about what this game is clouds your judgment as a reviewer, it's simply irresponsible journalism. I recommend you take another look at this game, perhaps even learn a combo (gasp!) and see how high your skill will carry you. I suspect that your opinion will change drastically after your first 40 hit combo.
@Stagger Lee I already hit my first 50 hit combo and I still think the game is trash. I wrote my impressions of the game here, http://www.platformnation.com/2008/06/02/ninja-gaiden-2-impressions/ and the reason that I decided not to do a review on it is because its not worth my time. There are better games that I could be playing, like GRID or Lego Indiana Jones.
Like it or not, this review hit all the important points. All that this game really has going for it is the hype and that will die down in around a week and once again you will see why Japanese developers are no longer at the top of there game.
@Christopher: Point taken. Your review is still poorly written and borderline comical to real gamers. My first comment still stands. Read it over and over and hit yourself in the face with a frying pan until you get it.
@Steve: I'm not as appalled by your review, since you do actually touch on a few aspects of the game that make it what it is, even if you don't appreciate them. At least it shows you got past the first boss.
Japanese developers are definitely not what they used to be, especially in Japan. Team Ninja is not an example of this. If anything, it gives hope for the Japanese gaming industry. If you want to know why this is happening, look at the rift between casual and hardcore gamers in Japan, look at the western influence, and look at the attention span of your average gamer nowadays and why they play videogames. It's not that these devs have gotten bad, it's that they've been sadly mislead and thusly confused.
And I realize a 40 hit combo isn't all that difficult. I just figured I should set the goal low since it's Chris we're dealing with here. He mashes buttons.
first of all I think it's very good of you to allow comments on your reviews! I haven't seen this anywhere else. so nicely done.
anyway what I'm saying is that you should think about what this game is trying to achieve. It's not trying to be appealing to FPS fans, or GRID fans etc. Its aim is to provide a challenge using an in depth combat system and clever A.I!! for example it would be bias to judge a RTS negatively because it's not appealing to a certain demographic. It should be judged on what it claims to do.
NG2 is an excellent action game. It fine tuned and provided exactly what the genre demanded! and how can you say there aren't new things in it?? New bosses, new enemies, new weapons, new techniques(obliteration). there are more new things here than Halo3!!
"If you like blistered thumbs, splinting headaches or yelling at the top of your lungs out of frustration, then you’ll probably like Ninja Gaiden II."
this statement in particular got me angry. why did u start with insulting a gamer who likes this? I've played NG1 on the hardest and I'm 100% sure that I'm not a masochist!!
"The plot does little more than move the player from one location to the next."
this is intended! the focus is on the action and the plot is simple so if you take a break from NG2 for another game and then comeback a week later. you want be confused as to what you are supposed to do next.
and what do you mean by repetitive gameplay?? all gameplay is repetitive in a game! whether it be shooting or driving. you are meant to learn from your mistakes in this game. each time you die you simply come up with a new strategy. if it works then you have improved. this is a very enjoyable process tbh. seeing yourself improve and master the game mechanics.
and lastly how does 75% = 2 and a 1/2 stars out of 5??
seriously there are a lot of things you missed and is not a fair review. but I'll still come to this site. being able to comment on your review is very democratic
Thanks mate
No thank you. Games are reviewed as they are played. If it rubes me the wrong way, then it rubes be the wrong way. The series is just like so many other ports coming out of Japan now. Nothing is advancing. Just same rules, same mechanics, same graphics. While the game has some good points its just not enough compared to a number of stellar titles that are out there. I don't give it a bad review simply because it is hard. Nothing wrong with that, but you need to do more than release just dull updates to the same game we've played 3 times already in the past 4 year or so. Ninja Gaiden has always been for a select crowd but I have to think about general players and my own feelings towards the game when reviewing it.
Well everyone is entitled to your own opinion and frankly I think a 75/100 is a pretty good score. I am entitled to review games for Gamer Tell and give a honest and critical opinion. I won't give a game a favorable score because someone think a game is good because it has a 40 hit combo or because they personally enjoy the game's difficulty. I had a open mind going into the review but I am not going to rate any game higher when the game is basically the same as the previous one's in the series. I and many gamers and critics alike expect more when it comes to a older game that are developed for current-gen systems. We all expect more from titles such as Halo 3 and GTA IV to deliver something new and unique than what we got on the last generation of consoles.
If anyone wants to write their own reviews, by all means, go right ahead. I encourage it. Copy and paste them below and have fun. My self, I have moved on to something else.