Truly a modern gamer's nightmare. But in a good way.
Now that 2d games are out of fashion (I still love them), there hasnt been any game that causes more gray hairs to modern gamers than Ninja Gaiden Sigma (or Ninja Gaiden for the X-Box, but I dont know anything about that). At first the game seems like a common Onimusha style game, where you only need to press one attack button to sweep the floors with enemy bodies. However Ninja Gaiden will quickly bite you to the balls if you continue with this attitude, and this becomes obvious in the very first level. The level itself is pretty easily completed, but once the first boss battle commences, you are in deep doodoo. This was the point where I raised my hat to the truly devious game that actually forced me to learn how to defend and use various other techniques other than square-tapping.
From thereon the game really started to hit me in the face. Basic enemy groups swept the floor with my bloody remains, until I stopped underestimating the standard line troopers and learned to use all available moves in the movelist. And this is when the game really started to excel. Obtaining new weapons were truly worth the trouble and the new different moves on each weapon made you constantly learn new skills and techniques. The game is incapable of becoming boring as you are constantly fighting for your life, even against the common critters.
The plot of the game is really not that interesting. I predicted how it all would all turn out from the very beginning and I wasn't mistaken. But this game doesn't need a plot, the pure intense action makes you return to this game over and over. Especially when you finally learn how to fight back with style. The game also contains challenges that were the biggest obstacle during my first playthrough. They were so hard that I just wanted to bash the TV with my SIXAXIS. My lips are usually very sore after a session playing this game, because I have a tendency of biting my own lips when trying to fully concentrate. And that is the only bad side I found when playing this game. It really brings back the old intense gameplay of old 8-bit games like castlevania, gradius and of course ninja gaiden.
I found all the extra features in the game (the new character and her levels) just useless delays. Id rather play the whole game with only Ryu, but the game forces me to control the busty Rachel (and dont tell me you havent noticed her brests, taken straight out of the DOA games). I dont mind admiring her physique, but playing her is just dull compared to the speedy gameplay of the ninja.
All in all, Ninja Gaiden Sigma is an awesome game. The fighting can easily be called an artform by itself and the difficulty makes the game truly rewarding once you really get going. After that, even completing the game wont make you stop playing it. The only way to get out of the game is to bite your lips till blood start gushing out and you are forcefully taken to a hospital. Hopefully mental hospital.