Hack and Slash games haven't got any better than this yet for Ninja Gaiden it's the ultimate HnS action experience.
Even it the combo list isn't as big as say SC it's way bigger than DMC's (even you even you can't string combos in that capcom fashion) and at least it doesn't keep things too random when your start button mashing unlike SC cause, Yes, this is a skill based game and pushing buttons randomly will get you killed ASAP. Works at the beginning but later on you'll need to know what you're doing and this kinda implicates, for the most irritable or common player, to have the control pad thrown against the wall, many, many times, at least I threw it a lot and the xbox set wasn't even mine. Yes, Ninja Gaiden can be difficult and it even borders the frustrating but only to make you feel better once you find the way to kill a specific enemy or boss or whatever. After you play this game all the mobs in other games seem wussified to you cause these guys, right from the start are out to kill you. And they get smarter and trickier like these ninjas with bombs that force you to constantly dodge everything at the last second. When done the right way it looks really cool. Lucky for you, you've got almost 16 weapons at your disposal and all of em are quite different from each other, even if some are only variations of the same weapon with a few cosmetic changes and some new moves. Still, it's better than having like 5 or 6 weapons. Or only two like in GoW. Even so you'll only need your first weapon the so originally called "Dragon Sword". All the others are just fine and if you can master yourself to a point where you can use other weapons, yea, they're there, but even so the Dragon Sword it's the most versatile of the whole game. And when leveled up you're out to wreak so havoc. You have this move I haven't seen in any other game which allows you to slash across a crowd of enemies just by pressing forward, forward, slash, a move reminiscent of numerous animes. So yea, it's a very animeish move, and the other moves at your disposal are nothing short of amazing and practical. And the controls respond exactly as it should in this department. Everything in this game's completely over the top, from the difficulty to the grim satisfaction you get when you pull off these moves and see enemies get decapitated all at once with a perfect gushy sound I've only heard yet in Dead Rising. So yea, it's pretty visceral if you ask me. And even better, you can mix these moves while on the air, or on the walls and you can even run across the water. Speaking of sound, while the sfx are pretty good the music isn't so bad but it could be much much cooler and I think that in this type of game something more catchy and retro instead of this sort of crappy cinematic score would serve the mood much better. Same goes for most of the game, I think it could look a bit more "Ninja" cause sometimes it looks like you're a ninja just by chance and you're traveling in these areas like churches and military fields and you could been something else rather than a ninja. More on that later. Coulda've been more like the old Ninja Gaiden games for nostalgia sake.
Even so, there's pretty good music in the game though it tends to make the game seem like it is taking itself too seriously. Speaking of serious, this game is seriously difficult. Have I mentioned this game is hard?
It wouldn't be so bad if you'd have some sort of checkpoint saving system but it doesn't. It only makes it more frustrating, and okay, I respect that in a oldschool kinda fashion but there's a later part in a game which is a labyrinth, and there's this kinda tough boss at the end of the labyrinth. Well, should you lose against the boss and it's back to you going across the labyrinth all over again fighting these horrible... ghost... piranhas? Other than that, when you're stuck on something it's mainly your fault cause you quite haven't figured something out. The camera doesn't help at times but unlike what people say it isn't that bad.
Same goes for some of the sets which could be more imaginative and some worlds you'll explore look nice but most of the game is spent of this city that doesn't look all that cool. While the first level has a great "ninja" oriental feel to it, and it's best looking area of all the game, it could look nicer considering this runs on a xbox which supports bumpmapping and all that cool stuff you see in directx9 games. Sometimes it looks downright flat without any shadows and quite clear textures, almost like a Dreamcast game with a higher polycount. Most of the enemies coulda've been more imaginative too but the most important characters have cool designs. Ryu looks quite cool in a Power Ranger Cyborg Ninja Guyver straight-to-video movie kind of way. It doesn't have much to do with the rest of the game tho. Enemies vary a lot, you've got ninjas, commandos, zombies, flying critters, ghost piranhas, zombie commandos and even tanks and helicopters if i remember. Oh yes, you've got dragons who look like digimons and respective ice and fire variants as well. Should you beat the game and discover the final plot twist (there's not that much story in this game, but the cutscenes look cool and give you sometime to rest after your rampaging) you've got only a new ninja costume for Ryu (which looks even more like a Power Ranger mixed with Guyver) which is cool and it gets you this free modified version of the dragon sword which is the plasma saber mk2. Sounds cool but it's the same as the dragon sword with a different but still satisfactory sound set. Replaying the same game without all of your acquired weapons is a bore and having to play through some of the environmental puzzles and key hunts might push you away from playing it again. If that's the case, there's Ninja Gaiden Black which I haven't got but fulfills the untapped potential of a great great game which makes Devil May Cry and alike pale in comparison. Do you have what it takes or will you sit around and waste your time with the numerous unassuming flawed clones? I don't even know why game companies keep on trying to make this type of game if they don't even try to top this one. Ninja Gaiden for all i know, is the ultimate action\adventure game.