Is Ninja Gaiden still the best hack n slash action game ever?

I'm playing through sigma again, and I've gotta say, this game is as fresh a garden full of spring flowers, baby... Forgot how awesome the combat was, the game is absolutely beautiful to look at and play. Great boss fights, weapons and replayability... No nonsense gameplay and presentation, like eating Tang with a spoon.

Can you say there has been a better, more complete experience and execution of this genre before working since? Not sure I can.

I'm inclined to say hell yeah!! The game is amazing and already a classic. Now I want to play it again and I don't have time. Damn you!!

@dakur: don't be a ninja dog... Play it!

I'll be home next week and I might just plug in my ps3 and do it and fail the deadline for this project cause ninja gaiden.

Are these games worth getting on PSV? I haven't bought a PSV game in over two years and thought you guys could confirm if they did a decent job porting.

Always preferred the Shinobi series, stuck closer to it's roots as well for the most part.

It have wonderful gameplay, and great mechanics, but I liked DMC gameplay better. However, as for an "overall" experience with the hack n slash genre, I have to side with GOW. I can always replay that series no matter how old they are. The gameplay may not be as engaging as DMC or NG, but it doesn't bother me. However as far as visuals, presentation, and story is concerned, I'll be hard pressed to find another hack n slash game that equals to or is better in those 3 categories than GOW.

Are you playing on PS3?

Never played it on PSV so no idea.

Devil May Cry?

I love GOW but there's something about NGS that feels special and more satisfying than fighting in GOW.

@dakur:

NG isn't anywhere near bad. I'll even go out on the limb here and say that I actually loved NG3. The fighting in NG is definitely more technical than GOW, but to me, the fatalities in GOW made up for the shallowness in the combat.

I mean other than you're playing the wrong fucking version, Ninja Gaiden Black is my 3rd favorite game. Ever. Only bested by my raging boner for all things Metroid and Resident Evil 4. Although Bayonetta is getting up there, but that might be because I currently don't own a Ninja Gaiden Black machine, and I'm not ponying up money and settling for Ninja Gaiden Black: the lets ruin it with those bum Rachel Missions addition.

Ninja Gaiden Black doesn't have the best combat the genre has to offer, hell it's not even the best combat in its own franchise (that honor goes to Ninja Gaiden 2). But it doesn't have the balance issues (read, cheapness) of NG2, and I am more fond of Ninja Gaiden's brand of action and how they do level design. Beat-em ups in general always have the go forward, now we're portal off the room into a square and let you fight it out, NG at least uses that trick more sparingly. And makes a few more spaces, where you can back track a bit to funnel enemies too you. It makes for a better adventure. But custom combos wise Bayonetta and DMC clown it, plus not that I like the stories in these games. But Bayonetta and Dante can be charismatic and fun (in a this super cheesy sort of way). Ryu Hayabusa is kind of a brick, but FFFFFFFFFFFFFFFF that gameplay is still satisfying

Conan we need to get ourselves to replay Ninja Gaiden Black again. Other video games aren't worth it lol.

Why would adding more content ruin it? LOL you seem butthurt.

Because Rachel's missions aren't good?

If it was an assignment ada thing where it was a side thing, it be no harm no foul.

As someone who loves to replay his games, adding additional content that sucks, is not a boon. It's just filler being added to a game that never had any. Her mechanics are half baked at best, her level design is that much worse. Sigma also makes the game easier on the main campaign, armlet of tranquility was dropped, UT spam became easier because it didn't burn essence, other sequences are either cut or actually remade to play worse. The additions it made to the mission mode are solid, but even then I don't think they stack up favorably to the stuff that we got in Black/Hurricane Pack.

Plus the dual swords that were added to the game were basically useless because it wasn't near as fleshed out as the other weapons in the game.

It took me 9 months to beat the Xbox version. I have sigma on PS3 also since it's the definitive version. Alma kicked my ass all over the place. The NES games were pretty awesome back in the day too. One of my favorite all time series along with Castlevania. I was pretty hyped when I heard they were bringing the series back way back when on Xbox. We need more games with ninja's.

Oh as far as completeness is concerned, the Bayonetta games, especially 2.

The weapon diversity is better, the boss variation is nuts, the witch trials are ace, and that game has costumes for days with their own decked out attributes. For instance the Starfox costume turns the jet shooter level, into actual mother fucking starfox where the mechanics are different from what the jet was. I know Eroica, I tear up too playing that game thinking "oh, this is what effort used to look like".

That games replayability is legit as ****.

It's really hard to choose which one is the best between DMC3, DMC4, NGB, Bayonetta, Castlevania: Lords of Shadow.

@jg4xchamp:

Love Bayonetta 2.

Props for the reduced QTE's and solid camera.

God of War 2 is my favorite "hack n slash", though I tend to kind of group the idea of "hack n slash" and "beat em up" together, since they're really similar in how they play except one kind of denotes the use of weapons while the other is more a brawler sound, but in that common area I'd probably tie God of War 2 and Bayonetta 2 as equally about my favorite as far as that goes.

@Telekill: I'm playing it on vita this time... I really think they did a fairly good job porting the combat, but the touch screen arrows are a fucking nightmare. Sorry, best way I could say it.

@TheEroica: No, honesty is best with me so it's appreciated. Thanks for the reply.

Ninja gaiden: black is the only way to go if we are talking new series since the Xbox. While it's combat isn't as "deep" as dmc3 or bayonetta, it makes up for it that it's the most satisfying game out of the 3. Perfect balance, good platforming, collectibles are good and very rewarding.

The story makes no sense, though the same could be said about the others in the genre. The rest of the game is so good, that it doesn't matter that the story is crap.

Beating this game on master ninja is still one of my greatest gaming achievements. Too bad I didn't get an actual achievement for it.

God of War.

@Telekill: I own both on Vita. They are still fun to play on it. It helps that they aren't as hard as Ninja Gaiden on Xbox, NG2 on 360

Definitely in the top 3, they need to make another one.

Ninja Gaiden on the Sega Master System is my favourite 2D hack & slash game.

Ninja Gaiden Black on the Xbox is my favourite 3D hack & slash game.

In other words, that means a yes.

If we're counting 2D games, then Shinobi III is my favorite, but Ninja Gaiden is definitely my favorite 3D one. I'm still hoping that we can get a collection consisting of the first two Xbox games.

I love Ninja Gaiden Sigma, but it's definitely not the best hack 'n slash game...that title belongs to Devil May Cry 3 IMO.

Nope. DMC3 is

Yup Black was the best.

Well, you can always select the levels you want to replay after beating the game once. C'mon man, thats nitpicking... but I agree, Rachel has bad combat. Ayane and Momiji are cool though

good what now? 0_o

NG platforming is horrible due to the bad camera. It always has been.

@jg4xchamp: that's basically what I think while playing... "this badass itakagi, who basically disappeared after the second game, made a masterpiece because he wasn't afraid to engage gameplay as the driving force behind the game..."

Take a fucking note, gaming industry. That's how to make a memorable video game.

@jg4xchamp: I'm also playing it on Vita... Its like drinking fine bourbon out of a sippy cup.

But I'll be damned if I'm not enjoying it.

@Heil68: vita... I'm on chapter 4 with no hand cramp yet. Haha. Looks gorgeous on the small screen. Plays mostly fine. The bow and arrow are not good... Or at least I haven't got it down yet.

@Vatusus: I can't remember if the other versions are the same, but in sigma the camera is manually controlled by the right thumb stick during gameplay. It also floats on its own, but you can adjust it on the fly with little issue.

you are history's greatest monster.

The original is definitely up there. the 2nd one was alright. the 3rd was trash.

Bayonetta is up there as well. it's a hard choice between the 2

@Vatusus: the platforming was good for me. I never had any issues with the camera. I used the button to center the camera behind Ryu alot. I think it was one of the triggers. It has been a while since I played it

The Razor's Edge version is actually fine and, imho, it has the best combat mechanics in the series. The new counter mechanic made things easier, sure, but oh man its just so satisfying...

@jg4xchamp: the bow and arrow mechanic with the touch screen is so bad it feels like I went from Ninja Gaiden to Fruit Ninja in the tap of a button... Luckily theres still a quick aim/draw which usually hits a target, but specific target aiming? Pphhhaa! **** no.

That scene on the airship in chapter 3 where you have to shimmy across the line to go destroy the generator. The three enemies come out and start shooting at you... That took me like 4 tries because of the aim. . In fairness, I did get moderately better at it as the game has gone on, but it is a straight up bad design to begin with... At no times do I want my ninja Gaiden Game to go to first person mode... Not to mention, having the balls to take us from the quickness of a ninja to your feet being stuck in cement. Yuk.

Still I press on... Histories greatest monster.

It's my favorite hack n slash so yea.

yes I loved this game once I figured out its combat. before that though its a tough beast to play easy afterwards but a greta game.. I oroginaly played it on the orig xbox then again on ps3..

Black is pretty tied for the title with DMC3, followed by Bayo, angry man Kratos is somewhere in the rear

I bought a used copy of Ninja Gaiden Black for my original Xbox and played the game after I finished playing Dark Souls 1 and I can tell you that Ninja Gaiden makes Dark Souls look like a joke. It was way harder and bosses such as Alma was tougher then Ornstein & Smough. It took me three days to beat her. And then you have that helicopter boss that also took forever to beat. I tell you after I finished beating the game I never played it again lol.

@TheEroica: Ninja Gaiden was NEVER the best hack and slash game... Not even close.

How dare you insult Devil May Cry (2001) like that.

I'd also rate God of War and God of War II over any NG or HnS game that is not DMC1.

Black is still the best version, none of those bullshit Rachel missions and the difficulty isn't nerfed.