Ninja Gaiden...Really?

The high praise that Ninja Gaiden consistently gets is something of a shocker to me. I've played the original (never got any updates) and it's been a while, so I was on the fence about getting Sigma for a while but then I played the demo.

It served to remind me that Ninja Gaiden is perhaps one of the dumbest premises in an action game of the whole last generation. It doesn't look bad, but it's certainly not inspired visually. The combo system is surprisingly fluid, as is the rest of the gameplay, though the movement speed always felt a little fast for me, but whatever. The level and enemy designs aren't glaringly flawed or bad in any way, but they're not creative or brilliant either.

It amazes me that the impressive controls and action design from bosses to regular enemies could make up for everything else that's lackluster, even terrible (the story is quite terrible) and still be regarded as one of the best games ever?

Yeah, but you don't need to have a terrific story to be an awesome game. I mean, Mario platformers have horrible storylines (save the princess...again!) but they're some of the best games of all time.

Guess it's the same story with NG. People love the gameplay and atmosphere the game presents so much that they're willing to overlook the lack of a compelling storyline.

Ninja Gaiden is awesome, without that game i probably would've never got back into third-person action titles again.

It's a good game and i owe it personally, but you have your own opinions. I just want it to be harder.

Try playng the originals...they're darn near impossible.

Personally, I don't like the black series...but then again, I hate Devil May Cry's gameplay too.

Try playng the originals...they're darn near impossible.

Personally, I don't like the black series...but then again, I hate Devil May Cry's gameplay too.

goblaa

I unlocked the originals in the xbox version, and damn, I think they are impossible.

NG is all about gameplay. its just that good/fun.

so is DMC. story sucks too. chars arent really likable... they come off to me as annoying anime cliches

GOW's story is excellent and has solid gameplay tho it's not as deep as NG's or DMC's gameplay

You didn't point out many reasons why you didn't like Ninja Gaiden... Yeah sure it's story is pretty shallow, but other than that is has pretty darn good gameplay.

It's the only Hack & Slash game next to DMC3 & GOW that is actually good so saying it's lackluster is practacally saying the hole Hack & Slash genre is lackluster. :|

The high praise that Ninja Gaiden consistently gets is something of a shocker to me. I've played the original (never got any updates) and it's been a while, so I was on the fence about getting Sigma for a while but then I played the demo.

It served to remind me that Ninja Gaiden is perhaps one of the dumbest premises in an action game of the whole last generation. It doesn't look bad, but it's certainly not inspired visually. The combo system is surprisingly fluid, as is the rest of the gameplay, though the movement speed always felt a little fast for me, but whatever. The level and enemy designs aren't glaringly flawed or bad in any way, but they're not creative or brilliant either.

It amazes me that the impressive controls and action design from bosses to regular enemies could make up for everything else that's lackluster, even terrible (the story is quite terrible) and still be regarded as one of the best games ever?

ace52387

it is the VERY BEST action title for me, if you want slow, try GOW or DMC, both of which i did not like at all

The high praise that Ninja Gaiden consistently gets is something of a shocker to me. I've played the original (never got any updates) and it's been a while, so I was on the fence about getting Sigma for a while but then I played the demo.

It served to remind me that Ninja Gaiden is perhaps one of the dumbest premises in an action game of the whole last generation. It doesn't look bad, but it's certainly not inspired visually. The combo system is surprisingly fluid, as is the rest of the gameplay, though the movement speed always felt a little fast for me, but whatever. The level and enemy designs aren't glaringly flawed or bad in any way, but they're not creative or brilliant either.

It amazes me that the impressive controls and action design from bosses to regular enemies could make up for everything else that's lackluster, even terrible (the story is quite terrible) and still be regarded as one of the best games ever?

ace52387

I agree didn't find the version on the ps3 anything special.Think heavenly sword way alot better.Don't understand the hype for NG2

The high praise that Ninja Gaiden consistently gets is something of a shocker to me. I've played the original (never got any updates) and it's been a while, so I was on the fence about getting Sigma for a while but then I played the demo.

It served to remind me that Ninja Gaiden is perhaps one of the dumbest premises in an action game of the whole last generation. It doesn't look bad, but it's certainly not inspired visually. The combo system is surprisingly fluid, as is the rest of the gameplay, though the movement speed always felt a little fast for me, but whatever. The level and enemy designs aren't glaringly flawed or bad in any way, but they're not creative or brilliant either.

It amazes me that the impressive controls and action design from bosses to regular enemies could make up for everything else that's lackluster, even terrible (the story is quite terrible) and still be regarded as one of the best games ever?

ace52387

it was the best game when it came out. years and years later the same game came on PS3..... it was kinda dated then. but still an amazing game. people forget about time reference very often.

Ninja Gaiden Sigma grabs a baseball bat and starts smashing me in the face on a regular basis. It's brutally hard. I really like third person action games (are there first person action games?), they are, in opinion, the purest expression of what a videogame is.

On a completely unrelated note, I've been playing Star Ocean 3 and man, the cutscenes and general story is AWFUL. Looking back, I've come to realize that videogame stories, scriptwriting and general characterization really need to step forward.

I gave up on the first Ninja Gaiden on the Xbox, they expect me to go up against dozens of ninjas, three red dragon things and a weird octopus boss without and potions or save spots, not going to try. I know Sigma probably fixed those problems but I don't have a PS3 so for now, I'm not the biggest Ninja Gaiden fan.

who plays ng for the story line? ITS ALL ABOUT THE ACTION!!!!!!!!!

if you play videogames for their stories, find another hobby.

The two most important parts of a videogame are:

1. Gameplay

2. Graphics

Ninja Gaiden is top notch in both categories. If anything, its underrated.

if you play videogames for their stories, find another hobby.

The two most important parts of a videogame are:

1. Gameplay

2. Graphics

Ninja Gaiden is top notch in both categories. If anything, its underrated.

skullkrusher13

I gave up on the first Ninja Gaiden on the Xbox, they expect me to go up against dozens of ninjas, three red dragon things and a weird octopus boss without and potions or save spots, not going to try. I know Sigma probably fixed those problems but I don't have a PS3 so for now, I'm not the biggest Ninja Gaiden fan.

solidte

I gave up on the first Ninja Gaiden on the Xbox, they expect me to go up against dozens of ninjas, three red dragon things and a weird octopus boss without and potions or save spots, not going to try. I know Sigma probably fixed those problems but I don't have a PS3 so for now, I'm not the biggest Ninja Gaiden fan.

solidte

The challenge is the draw with Ninja Gaiden. It has old school difficulty with modern graphics. If you get hit or killed, it's your own fault (I get hit and killed a lot), only skill will save you and that takes a lot of practice.

[QUOTE="skullkrusher13"]

if you play videogames for their stories, find another hobby.

The two most important parts of a videogame are:

1. Gameplay

2. Graphics

Ninja Gaiden is top notch in both categories. If anything, its underrated.

Platyphyllum

Gotta say, I haven't really found any video games with stories better than the lowest pulp fiction. I agree with you about the atmosphere one, though. STALKER is a great example of atmosphere over graphics.

It's the combat system, and the enemies with their dynamic AI that makes NG one of the best of it's genre. NO action/adventure game has a deeper combat system than NG, and the same applies to it's AI, it's an incredible achievment.

If your looking at it's plot then your looking in the wrong place for brilliance :wink:

You could say NG is very old school, brutally hard combat with no real story. But it's lack of plot is made up for tenfold by it's gameplay.

i find NG awesome because the gameplay is near-perfect and it's a challenge

it seems so hard to begin with, and it is, but once you master the combat/blocking/dodging etc it becomes so fun .. so far one of the only games where the difficulty level is perfect for me

it felt so good to finally finish the game .. there were times early on when i thought i never would

few games give you that feeling of accomplishment

[QUOTE="Platyphyllum"][QUOTE="skullkrusher13"]

if you play videogames for their stories, find another hobby.

The two most important parts of a videogame are:

1. Gameplay

2. Graphics

Ninja Gaiden is top notch in both categories. If anything, its underrated.

osirisomeomi

Gotta say, I haven't really found any video games with stories better than the lowest pulp fiction. I agree with you about the atmosphere one, though. STALKER is a great example of atmosphere over graphics.

Yeah, but you don't need to have a terrific story to be an awesome game. I mean, Mario platformers have horrible storylines (save the princess...again!) but they're some of the best games of all time.

Guess it's the same story with NG. People love the gameplay and atmosphere the game presents so much that they're willing to overlook the lack of a compelling storyline.

the-very-best

Yeah, the story was bad, but that's not the biggest problem. Games don't need serious plots. They do on the other hand, need to not feel like they're the brainchild of a 9 year old obsessed with ninjas. The premise, and atmosphere of Ninja Gaiden is pretty ridiculous, and not in the wacky, charming way either. Have you guys ever seen the karate kid, the 3 ninjas, or American ninja? It's that kind of ridiculous. Facefulls of cheese. Any drama becomes melodrama, and to top it off, never stretches itself past cliche.

This isn't the ol' gameplay vs story idea. The whole concept of ninja gaiden doesn't strike me as engaging; the kind of game someone would look at and be really excited about. Granted I have never played heavenly sword, but it looks rather imaginative, cinematic, and its Asian themed atmosphere meshes with itself (which NG's doesn't. Monsters + urban settings/trad. ***. settings + ninjas...it's just confused) . Before I played devil may cry, it looked pretty amazing. I think devil may cry 3 had the same overzealous approach as NG, but ultimately, I maintain that the original was a much more engrossing and enjoyable experience than the level crunch that NG was. Other than the need to just finish it like I would a menial task that I started, there wasn't much motivation driving me to finish. Yes, the act of tackling the enemies was pretty fun, if a bit frustrating sometimes, but nothing compelled me to play more than 1 level a day, and I had to force myself to finish it because it was borrowed.

Yes the gameplay is polished, but it's by no means on a separate level from many of the other top action games. In many comparisons, the difference is more a matter of preference than polish, or creativity of design. It just surprises me that it can hold itself up amongst the most highly regarded games in that genre despite it's ridiculousness.

funny how cows suddenly turned on NG2 when it's announced exclusive for 360 :lol:100Gamer

Wow, if you don't have anything to say about the topic, stfu pls?

Really? I'd say you could find just as much depth in DMC3 as you could in NG, not that my opinion of that game is any higher. Anything beyond depth and enemy design is pretty much preference as far as gameplay goes no?ace52387

Once you said ninja gaiden wasnt visually inspiring it told me one of two things.

1. You never played the game when it first came out

2. MOOOOOOOOOOO!

if you play videogames for their stories, find another hobby.

The two most important parts of a videogame are:

1. Gameplay

2. Graphics

Ninja Gaiden is top notch in both categories. If anything, its underrated.

skullkrusher13

There's no meaning without a story.

[QUOTE="skullkrusher13"]

if you play videogames for their stories, find another hobby.

The two most important parts of a videogame are:

1. Gameplay

2. Graphics

Ninja Gaiden is top notch in both categories. If anything, its underrated.

sainraja

There's no meaning without a story.

If there were no meaning to video games without the story, we wouldnt have made it past intellivison.

Also 99% of Nes games had no story and we know how that turned out so basically u fail.

Once you said ninja gaiden wasnt visually inspiring it told me one of two things.

1. You never played the game when it first came out

2. MOOOOOOOOOOO!

grimhope

Do you really think Ninja Gaiden was visually inspired? I forget when I played it exactly, but it was before the first content update for xbox live. I'm not talking about the quality of the textures or the lighting. I'm talking about design and direction. The enemies and bosses range from passable to seriously lame. Do you remember the giant skeleton boss?

Practice.

Practice.

Practice.

This is what NG demands. It deserves it too, it's so fun to play.

[QUOTE="sainraja"][QUOTE="skullkrusher13"]

if you play videogames for their stories, find another hobby.

The two most important parts of a videogame are:

1. Gameplay

2. Graphics

Ninja Gaiden is top notch in both categories. If anything, its underrated.

grimhope

There's no meaning without a story.

If there were no meaning to video games without the story, we wouldnt have made it past intellivison.

Also 99% of Nes games had no story and we know how that turned out so basically u fail.

Ugh, didn't think I would have to explain that one....but there is always someone who doesn't understand. What I mean to say is, that there is no meaning to the action without a story....there is no motivation. I forced myself to finish Ninja Gaiden Sigma. (I never did on the Xbox.) They put you in weird settings.....make you fight things that don't make sense. Ninja with arrows vs a Tank.....come on? I did not associate at all with Ryu.....I wanted to, I just couldn't.

Games like Prince of Persia, God of War, Heavenly Sword and Uncharted......all these games have good gameplay and a good story that keeps you interested. I felt for the characters.....I wanted to find out what happens next.....I wanted more.....not so much with Ninja Gaiden.

When I first got it, I was expecting a story.....I had played Prince of Persia: Sands of Time and after finishing that I was looking for another action/adventure title so I asked for Ninja Gaiden (which was a gift).......I was kinda expecting a story....but I was really disappointed.

[QUOTE="grimhope"]

Once you said ninja gaiden wasnt visually inspiring it told me one of two things.

1. You never played the game when it first came out

2. MOOOOOOOOOOO!

ace52387

Do you really think Ninja Gaiden was visually inspired? I forget when I played it exactly, but it was before the first content update for xbox live. I'm not talking about the quality of the textures or the lighting. I'm talking about design and direction. The enemies and bosses range from passable to seriously lame. Do you remember the giant skeleton boss?

Well i guess by you're definition of "visually inspiring" it would simply be a matter of opinion.

However i was so blown away by the grafix and gameplay that i really didnt care about the "art direction" as i take it that is what you are referring to when you say "visually inspiring".

[QUOTE="grimhope"][QUOTE="sainraja"][QUOTE="skullkrusher13"]

if you play videogames for their stories, find another hobby.

The two most important parts of a videogame are:

1. Gameplay

2. Graphics

Ninja Gaiden is top notch in both categories. If anything, its underrated.

sainraja

There's no meaning without a story.

If there were no meaning to video games without the story, we wouldnt have made it past intellivison.

Also 99% of Nes games had no story and we know how that turned out so basically u fail.

Ugh, didn't think I would have to explain that one....but there is always someone who doesn't understand. What I mean to say is, that there is no meaning to the action without a story....there is no motivation. I forced myself to finish Ninja Gaiden Sigma. (I never did on the Xbox.) They put you in weird settings.....make you fight things that don't make sense. Ninja with arrows vs a Tank.....come on? I did not associate at all with Ryu.....I wanted to, I just couldn't.

Games like Prince of Persia, God of War, Heavenly Sword and Uncharted......all these games have good gameplay and a good story that keeps you interested. I felt for the characters.....I wanted to find out what happens next.....I wanted more.....not so much with Ninja Gaiden.

When I first got it, I was expecting a story.....I had played Prince of Persia: Sands of Time and after finishing that I was looking for another action/adventure title so I asked for Ninja Gaiden (which was a gift).......I was kinda expecting a story....but I was really disappointed.

I was only responding to you're quote in which you say there is no meaning without story. Like i said if that were true we wouldnt be playing video games today.

It sounds like to me you just didnt like the game very much.

[QUOTE="sainraja"][QUOTE="grimhope"][QUOTE="sainraja"][QUOTE="skullkrusher13"]

if you play videogames for their stories, find another hobby.

The two most important parts of a videogame are:

1. Gameplay

2. Graphics

Ninja Gaiden is top notch in both categories. If anything, its underrated.

grimhope

There's no meaning without a story.

If there were no meaning to video games without the story, we wouldnt have made it past intellivison.

Also 99% of Nes games had no story and we know how that turned out so basically u fail.

Ugh, didn't think I would have to explain that one....but there is always someone who doesn't understand. What I mean to say is, that there is no meaning to the action without a story....there is no motivation. I forced myself to finish Ninja Gaiden Sigma. (I never did on the Xbox.) They put you in weird settings.....make you fight things that don't make sense. Ninja with arrows vs a Tank.....come on? I did not associate at all with Ryu.....I wanted to, I just couldn't.

Games like Prince of Persia, God of War, Heavenly Sword and Uncharted......all these games have good gameplay and a good story that keeps you interested. I felt for the characters.....I wanted to find out what happens next.....I wanted more.....not so much with Ninja Gaiden.

When I first got it, I was expecting a story.....I had played Prince of Persia: Sands of Time and after finishing that I was looking for another action/adventure title so I asked for Ninja Gaiden (which was a gift).......I was kinda expecting a story....but I was really disappointed.

I was only responding to you're quote in which you say there is no meaning without story. Like i said if that were true we wouldnt be playing video games today.

It sounds like to me you just didnt like the game very much.

Yes, older games didn't have any story but we're already past that. Story is important now.....more so compared to before. We're talking about current games, not older games....

[QUOTE="grimhope"][QUOTE="sainraja"][QUOTE="skullkrusher13"]

if you play videogames for their stories, find another hobby.

The two most important parts of a videogame are:

1. Gameplay

2. Graphics

Ninja Gaiden is top notch in both categories. If anything, its underrated.

sainraja

There's no meaning without a story.

If there were no meaning to video games without the story, we wouldnt have made it past intellivison.

Also 99% of Nes games had no story and we know how that turned out so basically u fail.

Ugh, didn't think I would have to explain that one....but there is always someone who doesn't understand. What I mean to say is, that there is no meaning to the action without a story....there is no motivation. I forced myself to finish Ninja Gaiden Sigma. (I never did on the Xbox.) They put you in weird settings.....make you fight things that don't make sense. Ninja with arrows vs a Tank.....come on? I did not associate at all with Ryu.....I wanted to, I just couldn't.

Games like Prince of Persia, God of War, Heavenly Sword and Uncharted......all these games have good gameplay and a good story that keeps you interested. I felt for the characters.....I wanted to find out what happens next.....I wanted more.....not so much with Ninja Gaiden.

When I first got it, I was expecting a story.....I had played Prince of Persia: Sands of Time and after finishing that I was looking for another action/adventure title so I asked for Ninja Gaiden (which was a gift).......I was kinda expecting a story....but I was really disappointed.

Also, i did understand what you were saying. You are saying that the story is the driving force for you in playing video games.

Im trying to tell you that this is just you're opinion. Some people could care less about a story.

When i was playing Burger time on the intellivison 25 years ago i wasnt thinking "man this game would be so much better if it told a story about HOW this guy made the burgers". It was fun beacuse the gameplay was fun, it had nothing to do with the story or lack there of.

I don't play Ninja Gaiden for the great plot, or even the clever art direction (it is kinda lacking, though some of the enemies that you don't really see in normal are pretty cool). I play it because I think the combat engine is totally awesome. It's that simple.

Games can work on a number of different levels, depending on what they're trying to do. Ninja Gaiden is all about the gameplay, and it's gameplay is good enough that it can pull it off and be one of the best action games ever.

[QUOTE="grimhope"][QUOTE="sainraja"][QUOTE="grimhope"][QUOTE="sainraja"][QUOTE="skullkrusher13"]

if you play videogames for their stories, find another hobby.

The two most important parts of a videogame are:

1. Gameplay

2. Graphics

Ninja Gaiden is top notch in both categories. If anything, its underrated.

sainraja

There's no meaning without a story.

If there were no meaning to video games without the story, we wouldnt have made it past intellivison.

Also 99% of Nes games had no story and we know how that turned out so basically u fail.

Ugh, didn't think I would have to explain that one....but there is always someone who doesn't understand. What I mean to say is, that there is no meaning to the action without a story....there is no motivation. I forced myself to finish Ninja Gaiden Sigma. (I never did on the Xbox.) They put you in weird settings.....make you fight things that don't make sense. Ninja with arrows vs a Tank.....come on? I did not associate at all with Ryu.....I wanted to, I just couldn't.

Games like Prince of Persia, God of War, Heavenly Sword and Uncharted......all these games have good gameplay and a good story that keeps you interested. I felt for the characters.....I wanted to find out what happens next.....I wanted more.....not so much with Ninja Gaiden.

When I first got it, I was expecting a story.....I had played Prince of Persia: Sands of Time and after finishing that I was looking for another action/adventure title so I asked for Ninja Gaiden (which was a gift).......I was kinda expecting a story....but I was really disappointed.

I was only responding to you're quote in which you say there is no meaning without story. Like i said if that were true we wouldnt be playing video games today.

It sounds like to me you just didnt like the game very much.

Yes, older games didn't have any story but we're already past that. Story is important now.....more so compared to before. We're talking about current games, not older games....

Well i agree that a story can make a game better, its definatly not necessarly important to make a good game.

Geometry wars is an excellent game no story there, Super mario galaxy, not much of a story there, Sports games, no story there.

What you mean is A STORY IS IMPORTANT TO YOU, not necassarly so much for everyone else.

Yes, older games didn't have any story but we're already past that. Story is important now.....more so compared to before. We're talking about current games, not older games....

[QUOTE="ace52387"][QUOTE="grimhope"]

Once you said ninja gaiden wasnt visually inspiring it told me one of two things.

1. You never played the game when it first came out

2. MOOOOOOOOOOO!

grimhope

Do you really think Ninja Gaiden was visually inspired? I forget when I played it exactly, but it was before the first content update for xbox live. I'm not talking about the quality of the textures or the lighting. I'm talking about design and direction. The enemies and bosses range from passable to seriously lame. Do you remember the giant skeleton boss?

Well i guess by you're definition of "visually inspiring" it would simply be a matter of opinion.

However i was so blown away by the grafix and gameplay that i really didnt care about the "art direction" as i take it that is what you are referring to when you say "visually inspiring".

I actually said visually inspired. Which means...artistically inspired; creative/original on some level. In an action game, enemy design and character design is in my opinion, just about as important as anything polygonal.

I don't play Ninja Gaiden for the great plot, or even the clever art direction (it is kinda lacking, though some of the enemies that you don't really see in normal are pretty cool). I play it because I think the combat engine is totally awesome. It's that simple.

Games can work on a number of different levels, depending on what they're trying to do. Ninja Gaiden is all about the gameplay, and it's gameplay is good enough that it can pull it off and be one of the best action games ever.

sonicmj1

Yeah, and I agree, though I would add that the whole premise and atmosphere of the game is bland, if not completely ridiculous. I made this thread because I was just confused as to what was going on. I wasn't sure if people held it in such high favor for nothing but its gameplay, and acknowledged that relative to prince of persia, god of war, and the original devil may cry, it is seriously lacking in atmosphere, visual coherence, and plot, or if people actually liked the ridiculous premise and story.

If the latter were true, then I'd have to go with the next question which involves DOA fans. Maybe i just have something against itagaki...now that I think about it, I always hate his IP's more than anything else.