Ninja Gaiden 2 is the game many 360 action fans have been waiting for. Promising in-depth combat as well as groundbreaking graphical quality, it has been very difficult not to get excited about this particular release. With the announcement that this will be the series’ final farewell, does the gaming world’s second most famous Ryu live up to the expectations?

Well, no. But then again, what games ever live up the kind of hype this game has had? MGS4, maybe? But while NG2 is far from perfect it still has a great deal to offer.

I’m going to completely bypass talking about the story, firstly because I don’t want to ruin it for you, secondly because it’s bloody difficult to follow anyway (without reading every text you come across while playing), and thirdly because the story is clearly an afterthought with this series. What I will say though, is that new character Sonia has breasts so large that you could write a story based on their daily trials (like the difficulty in finding a large enough bra, for example), and it would be more interesting than the story that plays out here.

So, on to the game itself, then. Well, Ninja Gaiden aficionados will be pleased to know that it’s still incredibly challenging. The sheer number of enemies that you’re expected to battle against at one time is enough to make all but the most hardcore of gamers put it down before the opening chapter is over.

You’ll need to master Ryu’s combos and the attack patterns of your enemies quickly if you harbour the ambition of finishing any level without constantly dying.

There are some concessions to the more casual gamer nonetheless. Ryu now has the ability to heal himself after disposing of all the enemies in his vicinity, and save points are now much more liberally spread around than in previous NG games. Some of the NG elite will find these additions hard to swallow, but in general they make the game much more manageable, especially during shorter gaming sessions.

Once you’ve mastered the combat, though, the action is largely spectacular; you’ll be slicing enemies with your Dragon Sword (or a number of other gruesome looking weapons) left, right and centre, leaving a horrific scene of blood and gore in your wake. When you get into a rhythm and you’re really laying the smack down on the bad guys this game is truly a wonder to behold. Action is fast and fluid and you’ll be in awe of just how good the game plays and allows you to link combos together for devastating effect.

This is, however, if you’re not fighting in an area where you’re constantly being showered with bullets, or flaming arrows, from enemies in unreachable locations. Here it is– these areas should not have been included in a game like this, period.

It’s hard for me to think of many times throughout my life that I have been as frustrated as I was while playing certain chapters in this game. For the life of me I can’t understand why, in a gaming series based on mastering your techniques and overcoming obstacles using pure skill, Team Ninja has decided to add these elements. All too often I’d be happily slashing my way through a group of ninja wolves holding swords in their mouths (yes, that’s a type of enemy in this game) only to suddenly die at the hands of some guy standing half a mile away firing a rocket in my direction.

These sections are what makes the game truly difficult, as at points you’re at a loss to see just how you are supposed to deal with the onslaught. Many times it was pure luck that I was able to progress, down to the fact that Ryu wasn’t hit with enough to projectiles to end his life. These enemies can be killed, but the majority of your projectile weapons are underpowered and take a little too long to use, meaning enemies close by end up killing you instead.

Inconsistency is also a bit of a problem. While each level does generally get progressively more difficult the bosses certainly do not.

The game’s opening bosses are possibly the most difficult. I suspect the overwhelming majority of players, even the most experienced Ninja Gaiden veterans, will need multiple attempts to defeat these guys on the first play through. In fact, the opening bosses are so difficult that you’ll be dreading the level to end, signifying your next boss challenge.

Fear not, however, as after you’ve negotiated the early guys the rest are somewhat tame in comparison. In some cases (including one time where you must fight an early boss further on in the game) the later battles are so easy that you’ll barely have to put any effort in as they seem all too eager to walk into your blade. It seems like an odd decision to arrange these fights in such a way as the more casual gamer is certainly not going to progress past the opening boss encounter, and hence, will see very little of the game.

Despite this, all the enemies in the game look fantastic, from the lowest ninja to the mightiest giant demon. Both the design and animation quality is second to none, and it’s almost worth the price of admission just to experience some of the bizarre creatures you’ll have to go up against. Ryu himself also looks fantastic, particularly when the camera moves in close as you perform a devastating finishing blow to your opponent resulting in their beheading, or some other act of extreme malevolence.

Now we get to the games harshest of obstacles– the camera. No matter how many enemies you’re facing, or how many flaming arrows are being sent in your direction, it’s the camera that’s usually your biggest foe. In comparison with the original Ninja Gaiden and Ninja Gaiden Sigma, the camera is now a little tighter and closer to the ground, which if anything, makes the situation worse. The problem is most acute when you’re passing through cramped areas (such as a narrow cave) where the camera constantly moves to a position where it’s not possible to get a look at the enemies you’re attempting to attack.

You have the ability to reset the camera directly behind Ryu at any point (just press the right trigger) but even then, the view is far from perfect. By the time you’ve completed the game the right trigger will probably be worn out due to the frequency you’ll need of camera resets you’ll need to perform.

Talking of cameras, it seems that NG2 has gone to the movies. The “Ninja Cinema” feature allows players to record themselves showing off their flashiest moves and combos for the whole world to see (other NG2 owners to see anyway). You have the ability to turn this on at any moment and start recording.

While it’s a nice idea, and it does work, it tends to slow the game, and can be a little frustrating when you’re attempting the intricate timing needed to pull off the game’s most devastating combos. For some reason this isn’t always a problem (in fact, generally it’s not a problem at all) but it does happen often enough to make it worth pointing out.

Now, from reading the above you might feel that this game is not actually worth the effort, although in a strange way it is. The feeling of accomplishment you get from the game after finishing a particularly difficult section is “hard to beat”, and the majority of the game is generally very fun. The character Ryu himself is also just as badass as ever, and cutscenes look mighty impressive.

There is a lot of enjoyment to be hard from this game, it’s just that the whole experience has a cloud cast over it by a few sections of the game that are truly disappointing. Ninja Gaiden was never a series where you rely on luck to progress, but here you rely on it all too often.

Perhaps this is the right time to put the series to bed after all, as it seems as though Itagaki and his former Team Ninja associates have run out of ideas and are clutching at straws in terms of finding new elements to add to the gameplay. Ninja Gaiden 2 is largely enjoyable but disappointing overall.

What does this score mean? Check out our review scoring breakdown

Ninja Gaiden 2 – Pre-Played Ryu Hayabusa returns in the flashy, violent, and difficult sequel to the 2004 hit. Take hold of your Dragon Sword and prepare to run, jump, slash, and dash your way through masses of enemies, each intent on ending the life of your super ninja. Hack through a traditional Japanese village set atop massive skyscrapers, battle through…

Tomonobu Itagaki has just announced at GDC 08 that Ninja Gaiden 2 will be out in the US on June 3rd, 2008. A video of the GDC demo can be watched after the jump.

According to the February issue of Electronic Gaming Monthly, it’s a definite “maybe”. Of course that could just be a typo.

Towards the end of EGM’s Game Over section, they always give a little sneak peek at the next month’s issue. This time, they happen to have Ninja Gaiden II listed in the previews section, but they have it listed for both the 360 and the PS3.

Now, I’m not one to start rumors, so let me just tell you now that I find this extremely hard to believe. I’ve been a reader of EGM for over 15 years, and I’ve seen mistakes like this before. Yes, I’m saying it’s a mistake — a typographical error.

Image courtesy of myself because it’s my magazine and I paid for it. The content, of course, is the property of EGM and Ziff Davis Media.

While it’s entirely possible that EGM knows something we don’t and inadvertently let the ninja out of the bag, I dismiss this idea for one main reason: Microsoft is publishing the game. Unless Tecmo and Team Ninja decided to let Sony or someone else (maybe themselves) publish Ninja Gaiden II for the PS3, I doubt the game is coming to the PS3 by way of Microsoft.

Then again, maybe EGM does know something, but they aren’t allowed to say, in which case they “accidentally” listed the game for both consoles. Again, I find this very hard to believe. They would all be killed!

EGM’s final page is all about the PS3 and how it’s going to have a big year. If EGM really did know that Ninja Gaiden II was coming to the PS3, I don’t think they would have excluded it from the conversation. You know, that would actually be some news worth talking about, wouldn’t it?

Unless you think this is how Ninja Gaiden II for PS3 would be announced, and it’s not just a three-letter mistake in the back of a magazine, I would just put this one in the “wishful thinking” department. Although the shockwaves could be significant, consider this just a simple error on EGM’s part. Great job, guys!

I hope you aren’t squeamish, because the level of violence in this game is enough to make anyone… squeam! Yeah, that’s right, I made up a word. Ninja Gaiden 2 is shaping up to be one of the goriest titles this side of Soldier of Fortune. I’m sure it won’t be long until we start getting backlash from the same outlets who opposed Manhunt 2 and Hot Coffee. We love us some gratuitous violence, please don’t reform us Hillary!
via IGN