With the release of Ninja Gaiden II, Fanboys Rejoyce for the return of Ryu Hayabusa. But All Is Not Well With This Title
First off, I'll say this as a disclaimer: I am a Ninja Gaiden fanboy. I've played the original, the remake on Xbox, the remake of the remake on xbox... and the DS title. I think I'm well equipped to review this game.
Ninja Gaiden II starts off with beautiful visuals, just as the previous title had. The combat system is tweaked slightly, with minor changes being no longer rolling out of the block, instead just gliding along nimbly on your toes to evade an attack. All the general attacks are still there, Flying Swallow included... Enemies are tougher, and with removal of their limbs, will do anything to make sure the dragon lineage ends with you.
That all being said, I have major gripes with some of this game.
What's with the stuttering and frame rate problems? It seemed *perfect* in the original, so you would think in this title, it would translate well. Well, it didn't. There are many times so far when there are large groupd of enemies on the screen, the screen stutters and comes to a standstill. Although I can't report a freeze, I *have* been stuck on the same frame for about 5 seconds.
Blood splatter. Who doesn't love it? Really, it's what makes Ninja Gaiden well... Ninja Gaiden.
The problem with this is that blood doesnt seem to splatter directly onto objects. It floats on this invisible wall in front of the object, so when you turn the camera.... Wow... blood is *floating*. Try getting some blood on objects in hayabusa village, and you'll see what I mean.
Enemies are hard... real hard. Deliciously, nutritiously hard. But what's the point if my lifebar regenerates? seems that Items are in abundance on both difficultys available from the beginning, and again, with the lifebar regenerating... who needs them? Save points are *way* too abundant as well. Seems like every corner I turn, there's a save point.
Achievements are *real* easy to get in the beginning, as they basically hand them to you for learning all your various techniques.
All in all... I mean ok, I like the game. I really do. But it's those little things that were perfect before, that well.... aren't so perfect this time around. I'm a bit disappointed by the lack of finishing touches on this title, as it could've been the best of the year hands down. For now though... we wait for patches, and Ninja Gaiden III.