Ninja Gaiden II Reviews

• good game overall. slighty disappointing

  
  By A3QNQQKJTL76H0 on 2008-06-09
  NG2 had a lot of expectations to live up to. Having beat it, here's my review of what Team Ninja got right and what it got wrong. (I played on Path of the Warrior difficulty, so the easy setting may be slightly different)
  
  Good:
  * Much more detailed enemies and graphics, including the ability of nearly every bad guy to be amputated/decapitated and or chopped in half.
  
  * Bodies of most enemies stay around after death, giving you an increased feeling of carnage and destruction. Leave a trail of death to follow!
  
  * Cool weapons
  
  * Easy saving of games at Dragon Statues
  
  * Massive Boobage - unrealistic proportions and extra jiggliness
  
  Bad:
  * Some massive slowdown in certain levels when lots of enemies are onscreen. Game over screen visual effects styling is bad and often VERY slow framerate.
  
  * No map. WTH? Some levels you need a map
  
  * Almost completely WORTHLESS ninpo! The Inferno magic is about the only one that does anything (homes in on baddies). But being that many of the bosses are fire-based demons or flyers, magic is almost worthless. Piercing Void is absolutely useless as it requires you to target an enemy and by the time you launch he ball, the baddie has moved. Short-range on the wind magic equally useless.
  
  * Some lackluster level designs, especially caves, tunnels, or building interiors. Several levels feel rehased, especially the Flying Fortress level.
  
  * Added feeling of "cheapness", due to reliance on button mashing and cheap tricks by the level designers. Several areas of the game are maddeningly frustrating due to this kind of cheapness, whose idea of challenging you is to throw wave after wave of the same enemies at you, or put ranged attackers well out of your reach. Examples are the grenade launching soldiers that spam explosives at you from afar or archers, usually appearing in pairs. Exploding jellyfish/mines that respawn. There must be at least 30 of these each time you encounter them.
  
  * The damn biting fish are all back, including the big grabby swimming ones and the airborne ghost piranhas.
  
  * Stupid looking/ugly enemies, with lots of them having some skull motif. Many of the enemies' faces are modified versions of skulls. Stupidness includes wolves that hold katana in their mouths and chop you with them?!
  
  * Having to kill bosses a second time. 1 guy you have to kill 4 times. I know this is a trademark of the NG series, but 4 times???
  
  * Lack of replay value. NO UNLOCKABLES except a measly sound test option and new colored costumes when you begin the game again after beating it. No Sonia as a playable character, no Missions like in NG Sigma. Would be great to be able to play Sonia or Muramasa.
  
  * Lots of dumb unrealistic mechanics like the ability to swim in lava! WTH??.. Invisible barriers everywhere, limiting your interaction with the environment and keeping you several feet away from touching what looks like accessible scenery. Another is the lava filled armadillo boss that comes out of the crashed air fortress.. this thing was the machine's power core??? Back to the cheapness of the design: this boss exploded after you beat it, causing instant death if you don't know what to do before hand. This boss is tough enough if you are playing it the first few times through and to have it explode and kill you is a cheap trick.
  
  * Some bosses are VERY easy to kill with a fully upgraded Scythe
  
  * Much uglier, sloppier items interface w/ blood splatter motif.
  
  The predecessors Ninja Gaiden Black and Ninja Gaiden Sigma were much better in terms of gameplay balance.
  
  Rent this first if you are a casual fan. Having owned and beaten all the variations of the first NG, I am highly disappointed by this game, especially the lack of extras. After seeing how many features Sigma packed onto the PS3 version, I expected those to carry over to NG 2. No chance. No way to view beaten cut scenes, no photo gallery, concept art, rotatable models, nothing!! It feels like a rushed product. No replay value at all. Perhaps they're going to double dip and release NG 2 Omega. Still a very good game, mind you, but just feels half-done.
  
  

• Not a classic but still great

  
  By AQD5KJ615OHJN on 2008-06-06
  After putting in over 400 hrs. on the original Ninja Gaiden and Ninja Gaiden Black I was looking forward to 2 and now my fix is here. Well I was initially a little disappointed and felt that they released the game too early but once I got to tweaking the camera, cinema playback and controller options it solved or eased alot of the problems I was encountering.
  
  I'll keep this short by giveing the good points and bad.
  Bad points first. There are frame rate issues if you have the auto cinema feature turned on they can get really bad when a lot of people are on the screen attacking you at one time. If you turn it off you probably won't see a problem with frame rates again.
  Second problem is the camera, this can be a problem but you can manually adjust or speed up the auto adjust rate in the options menu and this helps a lot.
  Graphically speaking it's a little inconsistent. The particle effects are great but at the same time some of the backgrounds are pretty bland. It's kind of a mixed bag but due to some of the things they've done regarding retaining chopped body parts long after you've left a room in the game it takes a toll on memory usage and thus taxes the 360 quite a bit. Add that to the size of the environments, the number of characters on screen at once and this game pushes the 360 pretty hard.
  The other problem though not really a problem, but more of an annoyance is that the enemies are a little on the cheap side this time so you are forced to be a little more creative.
  
  Now for the good:
  Believe it or not they have actually improved the gameplay. You start off now with a long list of moves as opposed to hardly any in the original. Countering has been refinded so that you can properly time it. Weapons are now very varied and don't overlap in terms of usage. Enemy AI is incredible you can actually notice the enemies adjusting to your attack patterns. Granted this makes things more difficult but ultimately more satisfying when you win. The level design has gotten rid of a lot of the platforming and focuses much more on the fighting aspect of the game. Secondary weapons are chargable and are actually useful, can anyone actually admit that they used the bow much in the first one?
  
  The story is actually a little more coherent now and makes a bit of sense, though not much. Last but not least It's a great game but a new Missions mode and a little more refinement of the default settings would have made this a classic.
  
  

• Spectacular

  
  By AJKWF4W7QD4NS on 2008-06-04
  The title Ninja Gaiden alone will coax enough praise and groan-worthy comments from anyone who has had experience with Tecmo's long running series, and Ninja Gaiden II is no different. Once again, a Ninja Gaiden game has managed to provide heaping amounts of action-oriented gameplay that can become mind-numbingly difficult, and once again, for those that enjoy the series' gameplay, the game delivers in spades, and is a spectacular action experience. Once again playing as Ryu Hyabusa, you take on hordes of enemies that can be dispatched in some outrageously bloody and violent ways. The character models and action set-pieces are so flashy and well designed that there will be moments of trying to pick your jaw up off the floor. Yes, the game looks that good. The only drawback from a graphical standpoint is that some of the environments themselves aren't all that worth noting, but with so much frentic action, you'll rarely notice. Being a Ninja Gaiden game, there are spectacular boss battles to engage in as well, and the other enemies in general provide much challenge to boot. The only major flaw with Ninja Gaiden II would have to be the in-game camera, which at times can make the game even more infuriating to play. If this can be forgiven however, you will find some tough and rewarding gameplay that the series is known for; and the game's wonderful control, wild story, superb cut-scenes, great new weapons, and grisly finishing moves make this an even sweeter package. All in all, Ninja Gaiden II is a spectacular action game that nearly perfectly follows the same winning formula that the series has in the past, and is an essential pick up for XBox 360 owners that love the series, and a more than worthwhile introduction for new fans of the series as well.
  
  

• Flashy Fun Gory- OMG is it HARD!

  
  By A1FE2WS8KBLJUK on 2008-06-05
  wow let me start by agreeing with all the rest of the reviews so far. THis game is great. Good story slick graphics fun gameplay etc. My only complaint is that its HARD! I started on the easiest game mode and holy crap the bosses can combo kill youin like 20 seconds flat. the camera doesnt align itself during the action so that you can see your enemies either so you must anticipate where on the screen they will be when the stupid camera is pointing itself at a wall or some other inanimate object. Dont get me wrong, im all for a challenging game, but when your pulling every combo availible and using your entire healing inventory just to attempt to beat the third boss guy and still manage to die oh only about 20 times in a row- it stops being a fun challenge and just starts getting frustrating. good game but easy mode is NOT easy.
  
  

• Ninja Gaiden II

  
  By AD0UONY4TLSW5 on 2008-06-04
  This game is easily within the top 3 most entertaining games out there for current gen consoles... here are some of the things this game has to offer:
  
  -Truly beautiful graphics, so much detail and definition
  -A true level of difficulty for those who think games are a no sweat deal, it really is hard, so get ready to loose a couple of tears of fury here.
  -The voice acting is really good even if hayabusa has his mouth covered I like the way it flows.
  -Blood, more than the first, with even more intense boss battles, this game makes me feel good for owning a 360, and see that I don't need a Blu ray to have such beautiful and intense graphics, as well as the game play. Sweet combinations for sweet weapons, I can keep going here but let yourself tell the rest. Get it it is a really well developed game, it cannot let NG fans down, It won't... I assure you... so back to some butt kicking ninja time...
  
  PS, even if you are not a hardcore gamer, in easy, you'll enjoy it as well
  
  
• Best 3D action hack and slash game... again!
  By A29RSE0WY39EF1 on 2008-06-05
  I have and played every single Ninja Gaiden game on the original Xbox and the recent PS3 version and beat them multiple times on varies difficulties. I consider the Ninja Gaiden series the best 3D action hack and slash games in the world (no, it's not God of War. Devil May what?). The latest is no exception and brings the action few steps above previous games. Like most of the other reviewers have said, all the Ninja Gaiden games are hard, but very enjoyable once you learn the system and moves. You can button mash but it won't get you very far before you see the "game over" sign repeatedly in your face. Ninja Gaiden series is really a deep fighting game mashed into an action game. People who plays fighting games know you can't just button mash to be successful. For fans and NG lovers, don't hesitate to get this game. It's awesome! For new comers to the series who will invest some time to learn the fighting system, Ninja Gaiden 2 will be your ultimate action game. Lastly, for people who button mashed your way to the first boss and died 10x and gave up in the original Xbox games, this game is not for you.
  
  
• Why? Why? Why?
  By A2TFH4UAI2EEAV on 2008-06-19
  I cant understand for the life of me why a video game needs to be so hard that it takes every ounce of fun out of the game. I really want to like this game. It looks good, the controls are good but they made a critical mistake in the game. If you enter a boss battle with no health and no items to boost your health...game over. When you die you continue from the boss battle with the same amount of health you enter the fight with. A videogame should NEVER leave you with no options but to start over from the beginning. I'm about 7 hours in and there is no way Im starting over from the beginning. I cant believe I wasted 60 bucks on this. Now I get to take it to Gamestop so I can get ripped off again.
  
  
• fun game
  By A5X0G8LTO1J9E on 2008-06-03
  This is a fun game, like all the ninga gaiden games were but this and ninga gaiden black are the best. This is a cool game with more combo attacks better senquences and great action. The villans are more deadly and bigger so thats more better it makes it more fun. Including obliterating techniques allowing you to quickly and stylishly finish off an opponent. You can battle huge bosses engrooseing storyline unique acrobatic combat and attacks used not only by ryu hayabusa but also buy hes formidable enimies. The thems of revenge and friendship in ninga gaiden2 give rise to a series with dramatic events to create a truly compeiling story. Iam still playing this game and its awsome nice game with great graphics, great game.
  
  
• Sweet, Sadistic, Sensational Super NINJA!
  By A1BJQ04LDU8V97 on 2008-06-05
  I'll keep this short and sweet. This game is SICK! Buy it now or as soon as you can. Combat, Blood and combos have all been improved since Ninja Gaiden Black. This game is outstanding. You should be able to tell just by the first 5 reviews written on this page alone. This is no joke. This game kicks a** down the street. One of the best games out there on any system. Do yourself a huge favor and pick up this rare treat it will not dissapoint.
  
  
  J.
  
  
  
  
• Good game, but...
  By AWDH97R5G7KOZ on 2008-06-08
  I thoroughly enjoyed the first Ninja Gaiden on the original Xbox, so I figured I would give this one a shot. Graphically, it is pretty amazing! It's probably one of the prettiest 360 games so far.
  The gameplay and controls are pretty similar to the first one, with some minor improvements and some noticeable increases in violence. Now you can remove limbs and the Obliteration Technique is pretty brutal (which I like).
  Where the wheels come off the bus for me is in the little annoyances, some of which were present in the original, some of which are new:
  First, this game is buggy! It has locked my Xbox up on more than one occasion. It will also "pause" at random times for about 10-15 seconds. Once, when I died, instead of going to the game over screen, it just kept the enemies moving, albeit in slow motion, with the brown screen...it's like everyone knew I was dead except the game! I let it sit for about two minutes but the "do you wish to continue" dialog never came up, so I had to go to the dashboard to unfreeze the problem.
  Second, some of the annoying time delays from the first Ninja Gaiden are still present. For instance, when you die, it takes a full 20 seconds before you can get back to the action, because you have to tell the game you want to continue, then it has to show you the chapter title and summary again (why?!?!) and there is a little bit of loading there. I could understand this if it had to load a save point from a few minutes ago, but when it's just resetting you so you can fight a boss again? Should it really take that long?
  Speaking of bosses, the boss battles so far are kind of lame. Expect to die at least three or four times until you figure out what works against each one. Truth be told, after chapter 1, each boss probably took me at least 20 times to beat. That kind of repetition gets frustrating.
  Having said all that, the game is fun. The lock-ups and long load times really frustrate me though. I guess I don't feel like a game that runs on a system with a hard drive should have long load times. Lots of other 360 titles don't have those issues. Maybe I'm just spoiled?
  
  
• Too Hard
  By A2W08GQ5U8LGVU on 2008-06-17
  This was fun for about an hour. Then I ran into a boss that is to hard. I died about a zillion times.
  
  Anyone out there I will send you my copy free just to get rid of it before I break it.
  
  I was misinformed. I thought it had an easy mode.
  
  
• Way to hard
  By A2W7J16NIG1AXP on 2008-06-30
  Well, At first 4 levels, I did enjoy the game. However, after 5th level, the game producer somehow decided to put enemies with projectile weapons. They use RPG, fireball or explosive kunis. And believe me, those enemies can shoot you from far far away. (I played the easy mode. Can't image the normal or higher difficulty ) This kind of stage designs really really drag the overall rating of this game.
  
  The story is boring, no puzzle, stage design is annoying and the frame rate is not stable. I recommend you buy the ninja gaiden - black instead of this one.
  
  
• Devil May Cry who??
  By A2S2R84O5P7RYV on 2008-06-05
  Ninja Gaiden 2 rocks! Great gameplay, great control with lighting fast attacks and crystal clear stunning graphics. Ryu is back with a vengence!
  Great for any fan of Devil May Cry or Prince of Persia. Not for the timid game player. It's action packed from the moment you start the game.
  A must have for any die hard one player videogame action fan!
  
  
• Bloody ultraviolence at its best
  By A3J2CSMI57NHIH on 2008-06-06
  Once in a while, a game comes along that justifies lying about going to a meeting so you could take off early from work and head home to play; Ninja Gaiden 2 is one of these games, and this was exactly what I did. It wasn't a complete lie however; I did have a meeting, a meeting with Ryu Hayabusa.
  
  This game is bloody, the major selling point of the game and I absolutely love it. The bone-crunching, flesh-slicing action is intense and fast, and unlike anything in previous hack n slash games. Both graphics and audio are tip top, and the controls are smooth and responsive.
  
  One function I particularly like is the convenient weapons and item menu that can be easily accessed in the middle of heavy combat. This is important, as enemies outnumber you 6 to 1, you will inevitably take some pounding and as your health drops to dangerous levels, you can immediately hit the D-pad to consume various herbal remedies to stay alive. Furthermore, you can switch weapons in the middle of a fight - so if you've been clobbering some poor dude for half a minute with your Lunar Staff and want to finish him off by slicing his throat from ear to ear, you can do that by switching to your Dragon Sword.
  
  Concerning the difficulty, the hand-to-hand combat is very fierce and gets a little overwhelming at times; typically enemies attack in waves and by the time you're done with half of them, not much of your health may be left. The good news is that dead enemies' souls help restore health. The AI is pretty smart and injured enemies adjust their AI from aggressive to sneaky and psychotic - just waiting for you to turn your back and plunge that sword or talon through your chest. So remember - don't expect an enemy with only one arm left to just happily sit there, finish off him.
  
  Unlike a lot of other games, bodies of dead enemies don't disappear off the screen, so bodies, limbs and chunks of bloody meat litter all over the ground after you've been through a wave of attackers, this is nice effect.
  
  Also, blocking in this game is like taking cover in Gears of War, you can't do without it. Yet, while blocking you can either execute a counter attack after the enemy has finished his moves or dash away to escape. So, there is a huge number of fighting techniques and tactics that you can experiment with. Other aspects of the game are pretty conventional and straight forward - occasional save and heal points in the form of a dragon statue, a shop to purchase weapons and items, boss battles (which will REALLY test your wits and reflexes) etc. There isn't too much of a learning curve (which is good), all you need is to come to grips with the pace, various combos and pick out your favorite techniques.
  
  This is one of the best games on the 360 ever, right up there with Gears and Devil May Cry; NG2 certainly edges Devil in the fighting department. For those into achievements, NG2 provides some 60 achievements, and what's fun is the ease of gaining achievements - you can earn achievements just by discovering and executing new skills, but as expected they are valued at only 5 gamescore points each. By the time I completed the first level, I've gained 11 achievements.
  
  I knocked one star off because of camera issues, although awkward angles can be easily fixed by hitting the right trigger. Also, frame rates aren't entirely smooth and tend to slow down at various points, but this isn't too big a problem. Some levels will come across as just plain and ugly, and it seems level designers were lazy in this respect.
  
  Another problem is the 'cheapness' of the levels, as others have mentioned, for example frequent and unexplained explosions on certain levels drain away your health - a clear indication that level designers were too damn lazy to think of challenges to test your skill.
  
  But my biggest problem with NG2 is that you can't replay past missions, that is a real disappointment as mission replays are crucial to the replay value of the game.
  
  
  
  
  Overall this is a great game, certainly an intense experience; as an above-average difficult game, you can feel satisfied that you'll fight many enemies and bosses many times before finishing the game, so getting your money's worth.
  
  
  
  
  
  
• Not as good as Ninja Gaiden I; extremely CHEAP AI!
  By A2X8KN82L07RSK on 2008-06-25
  Needless to say, I was so impressed by Ninja Gaiden for the XBOX, I beat it multiple times on the hardest difficulty level because it was really THAT fun to play despite the difficulty. Even after that I went out and bought Ninja Gaiden Black and beat that as well. You can imagine my excitement when Team Ninja announced the release of Ninja Gaiden 2 for the XBOX 360. However, as I am close to finishing this game, I must say I am a little underwhelmed by Team Ninja's apparent lack of effort on this latest release.
  
  There is no big surprise that the graphics and detail in this game are extraordinary. Just like the first Ninja Gaiden for the XBOX, I was awed by the attention to detail and the fluidity of the character movements. Ninja Gaiden 2 you will soon find to be much more violent than its predecessor. You will almost immediately see Ryu effortlessly chopping of baddies arms, legs and heads all complete with blood spatter all over the ground and even screen. There are also a few instances in which Ryu slices bodies completely in half and the game shows in amazing detail the two vertically severed halves falling to the ground. Ryu also has an array of finishing moves usually ending in a beheading that will satisfy the gore lover in you. If you like blood then Ninja Gaiden II has a lot of that to offer.
  
  Almost equally impressive is the sound; again just like Ninja Gaiden I. While I think the soundtrack is slightly better in NGI, the sound effects in NGII are excellent. The sound of metal to metal sword fighting action is quite realistic sounding as well as the many explosions.
  
  All of this is fine, but the meat of any game is the game play. The question for me always comes down to, is the game fun to play, and sadly NGII fails to answer this question with an resounding "yes". It's certainly not a bad game, but it is not as fun to play as NGI. The main reason for this is that the game all too often resorts to cheapness and cheesiness rather than offering a legitimate challenge that one would enjoy for long.
  
  First of all, Team Ninja's idea of a challenge in NGII is just flooding the screen with seemingly countless enemies that all have a good number of cheap moves up their sleeves. Even when just starting the game, some baddies will decide to stab you with their sword that explodes a few moments later, killing them instantly and greatly damaging you, 3 or 4 of these and you are dead. You can obviously block or counter, but when surrounded by 10 enemies or more you can't block or attack in all directions at the same time. There is even one stage in the game in which the game sends so many enemies at you, the entire game slows down to a crawl because even the mighty 360 can't handle it. I thought this type of thing was left behind with the 8-bit Nintendo Entertainment System.
  
  Yes, the black Spider clan is back with their cheap incendiary shurikens, that they throw all over the place, in addition they are fast as all get up so winning a battle against them while taking minimal damage is nearly impossible. However as cheap as the Black Spider Clan is, the cheapest enemies I have encountered so far are the enemies on the "Submit or Die" level that just shoot bombs at you all day, they are always camping way out of attack range so you don't even have time to get of a well placed shot with your arrows to kill them quickly. By the time you have your arrow charged, you never have enough time to actually aim because there bombs will hit your forcing you to start all over again. Having to fight OTHER enemies while dodging the cheap bombs, greatly adds to the frustration factor of this game. Most of these bomb throwers are standing by exploding barrels and many times these idiots will shoot the barrels lighting themselves on fire because the game's AI apparently isn't sophisticated enough to do anything other than being cheap. If you are lucky you can shoot the barrels before they do, but good luck in doing that on a consistent basis. If this wasn't bad enough there is one area on this level in which you have to walk between landmines while also dodging these bomb throwers who are now shooting out of a 3 story building. Then when you get close to them, you ALSO have to contend with some automatic gun turrets coming from another direction! Give me a break! How CHEAP can this game get?
  
  Most of the bosses in this game are extremely difficult unless you get lucky. Keeping true to form as the other bad guys, the bosses are cheap as well; they will just grab you all day long leaving you powerless to do anything to counter until they are done having their way with you. Nippos are useless so you have to resort melee combat or try your hand at aiming your arrows. One good thing however is that once you get killed by a boss, you can try again at the boss and not have to spend time a lot of time back tracking to get back to it. You also restart the battle as if you never fought it before meaning that any health items or Nippos you may have used are reset to what they originally were when you first encountered the boss. The only thing is that if you decide you are tired of fighting that boss for the day, you will have to start from the save point when you turn the game on again.
  
  NGI was an absolute gem, and I suppose Team Ninja took the many compliments they received and went way overboard this time around. They figured we would like the increased "challenge", but the problem is, it's not a challenge anymore, it's just CHEAP! Even the countless moves and techniques each weapon has to offer are impossible to effectively perform due to the cheapness of the AI and nearly all battles just end up being a repetitive button mashing affair; not fun!
  
  To me, I don't think this game has much replay value; it's just too frustrating for me to want to go back and beat it again; I just want to beat it, be done with it and move on. I don't know what happened, but NGII does not live up to the hype, and Team Ninja did little to make this game as fun as NGI. Rating this game is difficult because I really WANTED to enjoy it; at LEAST as much as I did NGI. I honestly feel bad about being hard on this game, but it is what it is. On a 1 - 10 scale, I'll give fun rating a 6.5 and the overall rating a 7.5. Rounding these values, this correlates to a 3 for fun and 4 for overall. The only thing saving this game from a 3 overall are the fluid animations, superb graphics and sound, and despite the cheapness, I would still say it's worth completing.
  
  
• I don't even know what to say...
  By A2VY10XJ3C9WRL on 2008-06-05
  Dude, I truly do not even know what to say about this game. Just look at the cover of this game! I own and have played each Ninja Gaiden game a million times over and I keep coming back for more. I did not think they could do any better until June 4, 2008 came around. The game play is classic with a couple extras. The picture is pure phenomenal. The story line is perfect and the action is never ending. If you are even remotely debating on whether to buy this game I give you my word you will absolutely love it! It is rare that a game is worth all $60 bones!!! Go for it!
  
  
• Stop reading this review and go buy the game
  By A1CCT0CWK40OL9 on 2008-06-05
  Seriously though...
  
  This is easily one of the most insane, jaw-dropping, undeniably fun action/hack-n-slash games I've ever played. Ever wanted to fill the shoes of a kickass ninja? I'm not talking about the quiet, stealthy assassin more accurately portrayed in history books. No no no, my friend. Silence, stealth, or espionage has nothing to do with this game's hero. I'm talking about the quintessential pop culture ninja. I'm talking Ryu Hayabusa, practitioner of ninpo magic and master of just about any weapon on god's green earth. There is nothing quiet about this man. He is the kind of ninja that flips the f#$% out at any given millisecond, decimating boatloads of monsters and rival ninjas simultaneously...all by himself. If your answer is yes and you own an Xbox 360, calmly stand up from your computer, leave your house, drive to your local store, and buy this video game. It's loud, proud, and doesn't hold back for anyone.
  
  I know what you may be thinking when I say that this is a "hack-n-slash" game. It'll be a whole bunch of endless button mashing, right? Well...you'd be partially correct. But if you leap into battle in this game and start mindlessly pressing buttons while surrounded by a dozen enemies, guess what? Ryu is going to get the ever loving crap beat out of him and look like an incompetent fool in the process...especially if you're on a difficulty setting higher than Acolyte (Easy). There is a rhyme, a reason, and a rhythm to this combat system. Timing and defense is essential if you want to master it. Pay attention to the techniques shown through the tutorial sequences you come across. Look up the combo listings on the weapons menu. Apply them and you'll get better. You'll begin to experiment with different moves. Pretty soon, it'll start to seem like second nature. You'll get into a fantastic sort of "groove" where you dance from foe to foe, dealing death with wicked precision. And let me tell you, it'll be a blast when you do.
  
  The controls during combat are quick and responsive. The graphics are absolutely stunning. The music is fast paced and fits the action nicely. The combat animation is spectacular. The fluidity of the movements as Ryu transitions between attacks is astounding. There have been many battles where I could have sworn it looked like a choreographed fight sequence in a movie. Moments where, after my last enemy hit the ground, I just sat there slack jawed for a good ten seconds to catch my breath. Parents, there's blood in this...and tons of it. There are limbs and heads flying every which way. This thing is violent as hell. But if you're mature and mentally sound enough to not let these kinds of games warp you, it's awesome. Words can't describe how crazy it was when I made Ryu execute a flying kick through a fusama door, then decapitate a ninja with a blade weapon on his foot before he landed. Phew. Just get it and see for yourself. You'll have plenty of your own crazy scenes. There's even a feature that lets you record footage of your fights and share them with others online.
  
  That being said, the game isn't perfect. There are some aspects of the gameplay that are a bit on the annoying side. But they weren't severe enough in my opinion to warrant a lower star rating. Sometimes the platforming parts in Ninja Gaiden 2 can be a little finicky. You may find yourself accidentally jumping off of a platform instead of wall running like you intended. You may also find yourself wrestling with the camera angles at times. I found that this was a problem mostly during the platforming stuff. If you make use of the right trigger and right analog stick, the camera usually doesn't cause too much concern during combat. The levels where enemies are bombarding you with rockets from afar are frustrating. The story is very basic and treads along the same lines as your typical cliché ninja anime...demons trying to take over the world and all that jazz. Not that it's terrible by any means...it's just not very deep or original at all. I wouldn't mind a more enriching story to go along with the great gameplay. But I guess it's true...who's playing a Ninja Gaiden game for the storyline anyway? Also keep in mind, this game is difficult. Even the later chapters of the easiest difficulty can be challenging at times. But I don't see it as a bad thing (yet, anyway). If anything, it will be more rewarding when your skill develops and you are actually able to get through the tougher situations.
  
  Anyway, I'll finally wrap this review up. This game rocks. It is the best display of total asskickery I've ever witnessed in a video game to date. You heard me! Total asskickery, people! If you have an Xbox 360 and you enjoy action games, Ninja Gaiden 2 is an absolute must have. If you don't have an Xbox 360, here's one of the great exclusive titles that could easily validate the purchase of one.
  
  
  
• NOT GLITCH FREE
  By A1AFBLHAJXW2MS on 2008-06-09
  This is a awesome game!! It is very challenging and the gameplay is excellent!(not to mention this is some of the best graphics ive ever seen on a game) The only complaint I have is a glitch. I got to a level where your in some caverns and you come along a big worm boss. Well, i got him down to almost no energy left when he dissapeared. I waited and walked around for almost an HOUR and he never appeared. I am going to try again soon but if it happens again off to gamestop I go!!
  
  
• Ninja+Swords=Awesome
  By A18WYMR09AIO6B on 2008-06-11
  I'll admit right off the bat that I'm a ninja fanboy, so I may have a less critical view of the game. I'll also say that I'm only 1/3 of the way through the game as well so I can't say how the end is or if the game continues to impress as it goes on. What I will say is that after this is one of the most fun, intense games I've played in a really long time. It has a very visceral feel and and the game play is so brutal and fast paced that it's hard not to get into it. I particularly enjoy that team ninja doesn't start you off with some lame tutorial with some disposable bad guys, but opts to throw you right into the fray. Also Ryu is insanely strong to start off with compared to the last Ninja Gaiden game (as though he kept most of his health increases and some of the skills from upgrading the dragon sword). The cool thing about that is that rather than nerf Ryu and provide some weak excuse about why he can't take a punch anymore, team ninja decided to make the enemies stronger to match Ryu. An added bonus from that is that it's very rewarding when you beat a bunch of enemies in NG2 because it wasn't easy.
  I would recomend this game to everyone but there are a lot of casual gamers who will find the game frustrating and too hard. Also definetly not for children or those easily offended by copious amounts of blood and gore (it's tamer than the hostel series).
  
  
• Camera View!!
  By AW247DQEVZ3K3 on 2008-06-29
  Bloody camera view is the most frustrating thing about this game. It constantly sweeps around and half the time it's impossible to know where the enemies are. Not to mention the camera sweeping and panning around makes one have to constantly change the direction they want/need to go with the thumb stick. It's more annoying that Mass Effect's camera system. Simply frustrating to no end! Am I the only one that's just annoyed at how the camera system works? One can use the right trigger to center on Hayabusa's back to keep the camera from constantly sweeping around, but it would have been better if the button made the camera focus on the bad guys instead so one wouldn't have to jump around blindly to find them. Sure, you could turn around and look for them, but by then you'd have a sword in the back.
  
  
• HARD-CORE, but glorious
  By A2FZX7WHZ411OB on 2008-06-30
  The other reviews have already mentioned that this game is has gorgeous graphics, scenery, etc. However I don't think that this game's difficulty was explained fairly. Therefore this review is just about the games difficulty level, which separates it from all other similar games.
  
  This is without a doubt the toughest game that I have ever played. The game is not necessarily "cheap" but it certainly does demand perfection. Every enemy in the game can be easily killed once you have found the right technique, but many gamers will simply want to mash buttons and see limbs fly. If that is what you are looking for DON'T BUY THIS GAME. If you are looking for an action game that is as technical as any fighting game out there, this is your game. Just be warned that it is brutally tough at times, but when you finally do beat a level, it is as rewarding an experience as a game can offer.
  
  
• Very challenging but much fun
  By A3DNZ1YKZGVB41 on 2008-07-01
  Ninja Gaiden 2 is overall a very fun, interesting, and challenging, game. For fans of the first game, this one follows up quite well. In some aspects it is less challenging, like being able to heal when you save, but sometimes it is much harder, as in you fight many more enemies throughout the game. The boss fights are still as hard as ever, but if you havent played the first or could never beat it, there is an "easy" difficulty. All in all, if you were a fan of the first game, or you like fast, challenging gameplay, this is the game for you.
  
  
• My first run with the 'new' Ryu
  By A2IGYCFXDRB359 on 2008-07-03
  I bought this game for the gift card and how I heard NG Black was so great. First, let me say this game focuses more on survival than stylishly beating up on enemies. You'll get ambushed many times by numerous enemies, sometimes spamming projectiles to no end.
  
  I feel kind of bad for using items, but I suppose this game encourages it, because your score is not affected. Still, it makes me feel like an amateur. The gameplay is as deep as you want it to be. You can use one weapon and spam the same combo everytime, or you can do many different combos with many different weapons.
  
  This game is glitchy so beware. I've had to restart twice due to game freezes, and sometimes the camera gets skippy. Oh yeah, the camera.. The bane of everyone's existence. It's usually too close and not high enough, so you can't see very well. And I really hate it when stuff is exploding all around you and you can't see anything. Also, sometimes I get a wall or door between me and Ryu, so I can't see a thing. Right trigger readjusts the camera but it doesn't always help.
  
  This feels like an unfinished product and is frustrating at times so I'll give it two stars. Probably deserves three, but I am kind of annoyed at the moment. I know many would like to disagree with my rating, but I'm not all that happy with my purchase. I guess they feel like the gore and combos make up for its shortcomings. Not me, I'd trade in the delimbing fests for a more polished game.
  
  
• Of course it can't match the original's completeness; nevertheless, a really fun and challenging game
  By A23TJGGBIVDQIE on 2008-08-02
  As a huge fan of the original Xbox remake (and subsequent re-releases since then) back when it was first released in 2004, I have to admit that initially I was kind of disappointed with Ninja Gaiden 2.
  
  One of the things I love about all Team Ninja games is that they feature beautiful and often very kickass CGI movies as rewards for beating a chapter or the game. However they are not in this game, which kind of took me as a surprise considering that the first trailer for Ninja Gaiden 2 was all pre-rendered CGI. But then, I actually started playing the game and that was when I knew that, ultimately, higher quality CGI was not needed. The game looks beautiful on an HDTV and the in-game cutscenes are still of very high caliber. Just don't expect an amazing storyline like in a Bioware or Square Enix title though; this game is not an RPG so everything is focused on the action, and the plot only exists in giving you a reason to unleash all hell and watch stuff explode. It certainly isn't as bad as some people have said it is.
  
  Anyways, the most important aspect of this game is without a doubt the gameplay, so thankfully that is not an area of any disappointment at all. In fact, the gameplay has evolved to such a high point of awesomeness that if not for Ninja Gaiden 2's many minor flaws, I would proudly proclaim it as my favorite game of all time. Ultimate techniques have now been made easier to pull off, and new moves called obliterations have been introduced as a very stylish and fun way to finish off your amputated enemies. The gore has been increased dramatically with the ability to slice off not only the head but every limb as well, and with that comes added difficulty, because your crippled foes will become even more deadly and try to kill you with suicide bombings. Plus, you have many new fun-to-wield weapons to massacre with, such as a scythe and wolverine claws/razor boots combo. All that, in addition to the new challenges of lasting damage and even more aggressive enemy AI make for an incredibly enjoyable and rewarding experience.
  
  Sadly, what other people have said about the camera being annoying and the framerates dropping or actually slowing to a crawl are true. Then those damn ghost fish are back. So those things aren't fun, but they don't tarnish the game's overall experience too greatly. People have emphasized these flaws to a point where you might think the whole game is bad, but if you just use the right trigger to center the camera when needed, and turn off the recording feature, you shouldn't experience them much at all--except the ghost fish are frequent enemies and there is one scene on a stairway that is unavoidably like playing a game in bullet-time.
  
  All in all, I'd say Ninja Gaiden 2 is a fantastic game but one that does not really deserve 5 stars (more like 4.4), but I figured I would give it the full rating to offset other people's lower reviews. You should play it if you love action games period, because it is so fun (and much better than Devil May Cry--being better then God of War is debatable, though I'd say so). So yeah.
  
  
• If you thought it was Hard you suck
  By A1CUYYG77SUN5I on 2008-09-15
  Ninja Gaiden was a visually stunning game with brutal executions and great ninja moves. The game puts a good challenge and I think was easier than the first one. The game is more user friendly with the capability to explore the other weapons easily.
  
  
• Fun Fast Furious
  By A3V6Z4RCDGRC44 on 2008-10-22
  The successor to the Ninja Gaiden game for the Xbox, Ninja Gaiden 2 is one of those rare sequels that seems to improve on everything done by the first game while adding worthwhile new features, enemies, and levels.
  
  The basic gameplay is the same as the first Ninja Gaiden game, featuring fast-and-frantic swordplay and various ninja abilities to supplement it. You play as Ryu Hayabusa, last ninja of the Dragon Clan lineage, and your mission is to seal the ancient Arch-Fiends away before they destroy the world. The action is almost non-stop in NG2; Ryu has a wide array of acrobatic actions at his disposal to aid in his swordplay. There are fast and slow attacks that can be linked as a combo for different effects, and there's a lot of leaping and diving to throw into the mix as well. In addition to melee weapons like a sword, a staff, claws, and a scythe, Ryu also has a few ranged weapons as well - shurikens (regular and exploding) and a bow. Finally, Ryu has certain magical abilities like fireballs and cutting winds to attack his enemies with, though their use is limited. His enemies range from ninjas - armed with equipment similar to Ryu's - to demons, large and small.
  
  The gameplay is smooth, but fast and unforgiving. Your enemies attack ferociously and without mercy - no fair-play "one on one" duels here, your enemies will be doing their absolute utmost to make Ryu die. Human enemies (the ninja) have a wide variety of "abilities", for lack of a better word, that differentiate them from other random grunts in other games. The ninjas in Ninja Gaiden can lose limbs (arms or legs) and keep fighting - and this will happen a lot, be assured. Heavily injured enemies will try to grab on to Ryu and detonate their bomb as a last-ditch suicide attempt. Ninja types range from melee combatants with swords and claws to ranged types with bows and magic spells. Even without these skills, it's hard to keep up with their attacks, which require dodging, guarding, evading, and counterattacking to deal with - you can't just wade in and mash the attack buttons and expect to survive. The demons are even harder, being less predictable, depending on their type. Some are small, bat-like creatures that swarm Ryu faster than he can swing his sword, while others are hulking colossi that can grab Ryu and squeeze the life out of his body. There are bosses on every level as well - these enemies are generally much larger than any regular enemy, and their strength makes guarding useless, forcing Ryu to jump and dive for his life. Furthermore, they're not fazed by your attacks, requiring you to time your attacks so that you'll have time to escape before they counterattack. Overall, Ninja Gaiden is a relatively simple game in that it keeps the same basic premise for combat; there aren't really any segments that deviate from the established gameplay.
  
  As a whole, the controls are good and also notably responsive. In some other games, you have to adjust your timing to the game and pause between pressing buttons so that the moves you've inputted can be executed. In NG2, the game moves roughly about as fast as you push buttons - if you're smashing the buttons really quickly, then the moves will get executed really quickly. To give an example, Ryu has the ability to walljump between two adjacent parallel walls. At first I thought I had to adjust my timing to wait for when he landed; I quickly realized that I could just mash the A button and ascend as quickly as I tapped. The game really rewards you for having good reflexes, and tries not to hinder you as best it can. The only really annoying parts about the controls are the camera (which is kind of unresponsive at times) and sensitivity with regards to hanging on pipes and running on walls, both of which have to do with the camera (since running on a wall is "running forward", if the camera changes it can mess you up mid-run).
  
  The graphics in the game are really good looking, though "realistic" isn't quite the word that I'd use to describe them. They're clearly fake, but it's on purpose, so even though the characters have flawless, one-tone skin with no wrinkles or anything, it looks good and like it was done on purpose. The in-game graphics are really good, too. Combat is quick and highly cinematic without distracting or detracting from the gameplay experience. The most notable detail is the bodies, which are persistent - kill a bunch of ninjas, and their bodies don't fade (not while onscreen, at least). Furthermore, I never thought I'd think of blood and severed limbs as being "artistic", but this game really has the prettiest blood sprays and dead bodies that I can think of. Blood splatters on walls depending on the angle that you cut, and you really get the feeling with this game that you're an absolute ninja murder-machine. One of the more impressive details is the blood that accumulates on your blade - when a fight is over and Ryu stands idle for a few seconds, he whips the blood off the blade (throwing an extra splatter onto the floor) and re-sheathes it.
  
  The sound in the game isn't particularly notable, except that the sounds of combat are really well shown - the clangs and screams, in addition with the music, create a mood-setting level of background noises that keep you in the action. The music in general doesn't have any tracks that are particularly good, though.
  
  As a whole, Ninja Gaiden 2 is a really fun game to play - one of the first games in a while that really feels like a game and not just an interactive story. Flimsy demon-based story aside, Ninja Gaiden 2 is really just an excuse to kill a bunch of ninjas and demons with fancy moves and look really awesome while doing it. The only real problem is that the game is so hard that it might be intimidating to casual players, but for players with good reflexes and a strong will Ninja Gaiden 2 offers nothing but good, fun gameplay.
  
  9/10
  
  
• Still Hitting Hard!
  By A1D2NDKVAS8NG1 on 2008-06-05
  The original Ninja Gaiden was an incredible feat of gaming. It alone brought the franchise back in full force into the 20th century. Assuming you don't require Ninja Gaiden II to do the same thing, it will be the best action platformer of the year if not longer. This game doesn't do anything new, which in many ways isn't a bad thing at all! It takes exactly what was great about Ninja Gaiden and made it faster, stronger, bloodier, harder and more beautiful than ever before. I have to admit, I believe they did have to tone down the visuals on the environments a bit to maintain a steady 60fps (frames per second - 60 fps is what game developers strive for to provide fluid gaming experience), but this doesn't degrade the gameplay a single bit. In fact, if you would just stand there to look at the environment there is a good chance you would become headless very shortly.
  
  "Why should I buy this game?" Instead of going into all the details regarding what rank the graphics, gameplay, sound, etc are 1-10 i'll just say why this game might be worth purchasing or not.
  
  WHY I SHOULD BUY: The game has solid and fluid gameplay complete with amazing visuals are great mechanics. The game is a great challenge complete with a nice variety of weapons, all providing you different fighting styles and advantages, as well as making the game extremely hard to put down.
  
  WHY I SHOULDN'T BUY: The game is a great challenge, but it's also so hard that sometimes it might make you put your controller through your TV. To some that is nice but to casual gamers that can be a turn off. The Story, though many will argue isn't important for a game like this, is almost non-existent. The Camera can be very annoying as well. Often you are attacked by people you do not even see. This can be avoided by using the left shoulder button and the right trigger button at the correct times to keep the camera behind you or looking the way you want. Eventually if you get into the game enough, hitting these buttons becomes part of your fighting style but a lot of casual gamers do not want to invest that much effort into something many other games make automatic.
  
  _____________________________________________________
  
  I would greatly recommend this game to hardcore gamers and casual alike. They have an easier mode this time around for someone just getting into the world of Ryu (main character). There isn't much that goes wrong in this game but it's not for kids or those who hate gore.
  
  Go get it!
  
  
  
• The Usual Tecmo storyline, the Usual Tecmo Gameplay.
  By AKN9JZGVV2GJ6 on 2008-06-05
  Normally, I rate a game based on story, foremost... but the gameplay here is so satisfying, and so fast-paced and realtime that the thirty stars it acrues far outweigh the three earned by the storyline. Not to say there's no story, it _does_ exist and there's nothing wrong with it, but those players spoiled by games with high-tensity, jerking-you-out-of-your-seat plot-twists will understand where I'm coming from. The game looks amazing and the combat is so polished that Gaiden II's commands remind me of Halo 3 in feel and brain-to-controller travel time. Picking this game up is outrageously easy if you've played Ninja Gaiden Sigma; the controls are almost identical, and playing the previous ninja gaidens undoubtably helped me prepare for the ne'er faltering unfairness of the situations the PC gets tossed into.
  
  The dismemberment is awe-inspiring, the combos are easy to execute but it takes practice to know _when_ to use them properly, and the interaction between your swords, ninpo and your enemies is tasty in a toe-curling kind of way.
  
  Playing this game is a treat. I love it.
  
  Cleanly done.
  
  -yardy249
  
  
• Much Better Than The First One
  By ADIY3IXY2FDJQ on 2008-06-07
  The first game was one of those games that you could easily get burnt out on. This one, that isn't the case. With the different selection of weapons and changing from Tokyo to New York City keeps things interesting. The bosses are also harder in this game. I had to repeat the Chapter 2 boss at least 10 times before I finally beat the crap out of him and won. I would suggest this game to those who are blood thirsty, feel like being a ninja and like a good story line with not too many holes in it.
  
  
• Non-stop action at it's best!
  By A1IMPZYRB79DMS on 2008-06-10
  Ninja Gaiden was one of the reasons why I purchased an original Xbox years ago, the gameplay, graphics and story were amazing. The game became an instant classic for me. Now it's 2008, next gen is here and so is the long awaited sequel from Team Ninja and Tecmo.
  
  First, let's get this out of the way. Yes, the in game camera is bad, and there will be more than a few times when you'll be facing enemies that you wont be able to see at first. To remedy this, I just use my left thumb to cross over the controller and adjust the camera, it's not that big of a deal. I think people are making way too much out of the camera, especially since you can control it. If you think it will be an issue, then rent the game first before buying, but I think you'll agree that it's been blown out of proportion a bit.
  
  As far as sequels go, this game had some huge shoes to fill and expectations to meet after the first game. Is it better, does it measure up? Yes and no. The graphics are amazing. This is an Itagaki game guys, with all the 3D models, environments, textures and cut scenes made by the incredible designers and programmers at Team Ninja (they're the best in the buisness - in my opinion). So the visuals are unparalleled. The violence and level of gore in the game have really been ramped up since the original. Beheadings, dismemberments and even full body explosions are the norm here. If there's a more gruesome game out there, I haven't seen it. The gameplay is fast and furious on the Xbox 360. Hayabusa wields his weapons with a frenetic pace, even large weapons like the Eclipse Scythe (the large sickle Hayabusa is holding on the box cover). There is some slight slow down, I've beaten the game, and there were only two times I experienced this, and one of those moments involved taking on an overwhelming, almost endless stream of Ninjas, so it wasn't that big of a deal.
  The legendary difficulty that Itagaki is known for putting in his games (Ninja Gaiden, Dead or Alive 4 and Dead Or Alive Xtreme 2) is still present. Plus, with multiple levels of difficulty, and rewards for defeating each one, the game provides numerous opportunities for replay.
  
  My only real complaint is with the story. It really only gets good near the end, but I spent most of my time just wanting to get to the next level and not caring about the lackluster story at all. This wasn't the case with the first installment. Story aside, this game is a blast and my copy of GTA IV has been collecting dust ever since Ninja Gaiden II came out. In my opinion, it's arguably the best action game currently on the Xbox 360.
  
  At the time of the game's release it was announced that Itagaki was no longer a part of Tecmo and Team Ninja. So, this will be the last game Itegami is involved in with the amazing characters from the Dead or Alive world. However, if he's going to go out with this title, it's a fitting end to his amazing run with Tecmo.
  
  Here's a tip, DO NOT use your "Lives of the Thousand Gods" when you find them or are rewarded with them. I saved all of mine for the final stage where you must face not 1, not 2, not 3, but 4 bosses practically in a row. I wouldn't have survived without doing that.
  
  

• Ninja Gaiden 2: Prima Official Game Guide (Prima Official Game Guides)

• Grand Theft Auto IV
• Star Wars: The Force Unleashed
• Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots
• Gears of War 2
• Fable II