EGM's Ninja Gaiden 2 mini-preview.

Ninaj Gaiden 2

Microsoft Game Studios - Spring 2008

The Agenda: Action games rarely come as feral as the Ninja Gaiden seris, and fans of the jumping, rolling, stabbing, and wall-climbing Ryu Hayabusa will be glad to know that much-anticipated sequel's bite is much worse than its bark. Wrapped in tight black leather and armed with the dealiest weapons an assassin could want, Hayabusa will wage war against the Black Spider Clan in locales across the globe. This time around, the violence moves up a few notches with the addition of beheadings, dismemberments, and "obliteration techniques" to the ninja's assorted talents. The series legendary difficulty remains intact, too, ensuring that this game - even with a new regeneration-based health system- is still strictly for the hardcore.

Skeletons in the Closet?

Despite the developers claim, NG2's visuals simply dont have the same impact as when the series debuted on the original Xbox.

Ninaj Gaiden 2

Microsoft Game Studios - Spring 2008

The Agenda: Action games rarely come as feral as the Ninja Gaiden seris, and fans of the jumping, rolling, stabbing, and wall-climbing Ryu Hayabusa will be glad to know that much-anticipated sequel's bite is much worse than its bark. Wrapped in tight black leather and armed with the dealiest weapons an assassin could want, Hayabusa will wage war against the Black Spider Clan in locales across the globe. This time around, the violence moves up a few notches with the addition of beheadings, dismemberments, and "obliteration techniques" to the ninja's assorted talents. The series legendary difficulty remains intact, too, ensuring that this game - even with a new regeneration-based health system- is still strictly for the hardcore.

Skeletons in the Closet?

Despite the developers claim, NG2's visuals simply dont have the same impact as when the series debuted on the original Xbox.

EnergyAbsorber

So the only thing wrong with it is that it's not one of the best looking games on the 360? I don't see that as too bad.

NG2 looks better then Sigma.

Despite the developers claim, NG2's visuals simply dont have the same impact as when the series debuted on the original NES.

EnergyAbsorber

Fixed. Gaming culture FTW.

NG2 looks better then Sigma.

PS3_3DO

yep, but still not very impressive. the action looks great, but the graphics should have made a bigger leap.

[QUOTE="PS3_3DO"]

NG2 looks better then Sigma.

Always-Honest

yep, but still not very impressive. the action looks great, but the graphics should have made a bigger leap.

Yeah but as long as there is better gameplay I don't mind.

[QUOTE="EnergyAbsorber"]

Despite the developers claim, NG2's visuals simply dont have the same impact as when the series debuted on the original xbox.

Wintry_Flutist

Fixed. Gaming culture FTW.

[QUOTE="Always-Honest"][QUOTE="PS3_3DO"]

NG2 looks better then Sigma.

PS3_3DO

yep, but still not very impressive. the action looks great, but the graphics should have made a bigger leap.

Yeah but as long as there is better gameplay I don't mind.

very true. the gameplay looks brutal.

I'm surprised NG2 doesn't get talked about much around here. I guess it'd help if we had more detailed info on it besides what was given to us almost a year ago. As NG being one of my favorite games last gen (definitely favorite action game), the wait for part 2 is unbearable. :(Kook18

Part of it is the lack of info to salivate over, but part of it is also due to the exclusivity fallout. A whole lot less people got excited for this game when they found out it wasn't coming to their system.

The PS3 is a bit more powerful hardware than the 360 and yet Sigma didn't look amazing. Is anyone really that surprised they aren't pushing the envelope very far with NG2 on the 360? The graphics don't make NG the game it is. Ironically enough, NG2 does look better than Sigma.

Considering Team Ninja's ART style with NG..its hard to really make it look any better, considering it doesn't go for complete realism.

Many have to understand the fact that the Devs are making sure its at a constant 60fps and holding up top notch fluid animations....doing so will effect visuals, but considering its a fast NINJA game its needed and it's why NINJA gaiden is so good gameplay-wise.

NG2 looks awesome, IMO and very impressive...a lot happens on screen, don't forget. again, its not final product so lets wait and see.

I dunno about regenerative health. One of the best parts of NG was going into a boss fight, bloodied and battered and just squeezing out the victory.PBSnipes

Your health won't regenerate in battle. Trying to run around in circles in hopes of your health regenerating will be useless.

Health only regenerates outside of fights.

[QUOTE="PBSnipes"]I dunno about regenerative health. One of the best parts of NG was going into a boss fight, bloodied and battered and just squeezing out the victory.dracula_16

Your health won't regenerate in battle. Trying to run around in circles in hopes of your health regenerating will be useless.

Health only regenerates outside of fights.

[QUOTE="dracula_16"]

[QUOTE="PBSnipes"]I dunno about regenerative health. One of the best parts of NG was going into a boss fight, bloodied and battered and just squeezing out the victory.PBSnipes

Your health won't regenerate in battle. Trying to run around in circles in hopes of your health regenerating will be useless.

Health only regenerates outside of fights.

Not all the way. It sounds like you haven't watched gameplay videos of NG2. Your health will increasingly get permanently damaged.

In other words, you can sit and wait for your health to regenerate before a boss fight but there's only so much it will regenerate. It's hard to explain...watch some videos and you'll see.

[QUOTE="PS3_3DO"]

NG2 looks better then Sigma.

Always-Honest

yep, but still not very impressive. the action looks great, but the graphics should have made a bigger leap.

didn't really expect much of a graphical leap since Sigma and this game were in development around the same time

[QUOTE="PBSnipes"][QUOTE="dracula_16"]

[QUOTE="PBSnipes"]I dunno about regenerative health. One of the best parts of NG was going into a boss fight, bloodied and battered and just squeezing out the victory.dracula_16

Your health won't regenerate in battle. Trying to run around in circles in hopes of your health regenerating will be useless.

Health only regenerates outside of fights.

Not all the way. It sounds like you haven't watched gameplay videos of NG2. Your health will increasingly get permanently damaged.

In other words, you can sit and wait for your health to regenerate before a boss fight but there's only so much it will regenerate. It's hard to explain...watch some videos and you'll see.

It's not hard to explain. It's like playing a fighting game like DoA4 or Marvel vs. Capcom...or just about any modern fighter with a tag mode. The character you swap out regains health while they're not tagged in...but there is a maximum limit to how much they can regenerate. After getting half your health knocked off, you may be able to regenerate up to 65% of that bar...but no more.

It's like that.

Its kind of like the deal with DOA4 and even the volleyball game sequel. They have a style that hasn't changed much from XBOX to now. But if you play DOA2 Ultimate and DOA4 you will immediately see the differences. It's just how their games look.JiveT

BINGO!

[QUOTE="EnergyAbsorber"]

Ninaj Gaiden 2

Microsoft Game Studios - Spring 2008

The Agenda: Action games rarely come as feral as the Ninja Gaiden seris, and fans of the jumping, rolling, stabbing, and wall-climbing Ryu Hayabusa will be glad to know that much-anticipated sequel's bite is much worse than its bark. Wrapped in tight black leather and armed with the dealiest weapons an assassin could want, Hayabusa will wage war against the Black Spider Clan in locales across the globe. This time around, the violence moves up a few notches with the addition of beheadings, dismemberments, and "obliteration techniques" to the ninja's assorted talents. The series legendary difficulty remains intact, too, ensuring that this game - even with a new regeneration-based health system- is still strictly for the hardcore.

Skeletons in the Closet?

Despite the developers claim, NG2's visuals simply dont have the same impact as when the series debuted on the original Xbox.

jangojay

So the only thing wrong with it is that it's not one of the best looking games on the 360? I don't see that as too bad.

agreed

it's looks good enough for me .. near perfect gameplay is much more important IMO

[QUOTE="Always-Honest"][QUOTE="PS3_3DO"]

NG2 looks better then Sigma.

PS3_3DO

yep, but still not very impressive. the action looks great, but the graphics should have made a bigger leap.

Yeah but as long as there is better gameplay I don't mind.

QFT

[QUOTE="JiveT"]Its kind of like the deal with DOA4 and even the volleyball game sequel. They have a style that hasn't changed much from XBOX to now. But if you play DOA2 Ultimate and DOA4 you will immediately see the differences. It's just how their games look.cool_guy2000

BINGO!

[QUOTE="PS3_3DO"]

NG2 looks better then Sigma.

Always-Honest

yep, but still not very impressive. the action looks great, but the graphics should have made a bigger leap.

Despite the developers claim, NG2's visuals simply dont have the same impact as when the series debuted on the original Xbox.

EnergyAbsorber

I agree, however, just because they don't have the same impact doesn't mean they are fugly.