It's with great pleasure that I've received the review code of Ninja Gaiden 2 last Friday and that I've spent some quality time (but not enough) with the game this week-end. You'll find nothing less than 4 720p 60 fps videos of the first level of the game inside, and while waiting for them to download you'll even be able to read my impressions!
Ninja Gaiden 2 can only be described as a direct sequel of the first Ninja Gaiden, implying a lot of good things, but also a few bad ones.
Let's start with what's not so good, and the camera. As you may know the camera here is more or less the same as in Black. Meaning it's better than the one in the first Ninja Gaiden, but still can get in the way quite often. During close quarters fights like in the stairs of the second level, it was sometimes difficult to see anything of the action. The good old right trigger is still here, but I had hoped for more.
Another bad point, the game isn't perfectly smooth. Most of the time it runs at a perfect 60 fps and all is good, but during heavy action scenes I've seen some tearing and even some major slowdowns happens. It's rare thankfully, but still disappointing. Also disappointing, and we've become used to this coming from Team Ninja, the shadowing and lighting is still very basic and doesn't seem to be that much different from the Xbox games.
But still, the gameplay itself is as good if not even better than before. The new life bar system that will replenish itself (but not fully) when a fight ends both adds and remove tension from the game. On one side we don't have to worry as much as before about health bonus, but on the other each fight now becomes a bit more challenging than before, and death can occur very quickly!
Despite its flaws, I've enjoyed my time playing Ninja Gaiden 2 a lot, and I can't wait to get back home tonight for more!
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All comments (116)
Commented on 2008-05-26 19:15:50
Commented on 2008-05-26 19:17:48
Commented on 2008-05-26 19:19:18 In reply to Anik
Commented on 2008-05-26 19:19:24"The designers are extremely random in terms of putting save-points directly before or after bosses, although at least they have the decency to auto-restart you at the beginning of a boss battle if you die during one. But one encounter, where you fight two bosses in a row with no intermediate save point, perfectly sums up the overall problem. Upon defeating the second boss (one of the game's cheapest, with lots of phases where you're expected to dodge bombardments of projectiles covering most of the play area), you get the final animation - sinking your scythe into its unprotected skull. For most of the game, this means the battle is over. In this specific battle, however, the boss explodes, and if you don't have enough health to survive it, or can't turn and block in time (which didn't seem to block all the damage anyway), you die and have to do the entire battle again."
This is just ridiculous, it shouldn't be, it's that simple. The difficulty was ok in the first one, but I couldn't beat the game in anything more than default difficulty, so I wonder if I should even bother with this game. So far the answer is no, and I'll just wait for more reviews.
Commented on 2008-05-26 19:23:29This is a Joke... Ninja Gaiden is THE BEST ACTION GAME on this planet. You have problems with it just because your brain and fingers aren't able to control it.
Nothing can stop my love for this game, this is one of the three reasons why 2008 is wonderful for gaming. (other two: GTA4 and Gears of War 2)
Commented on 2008-05-26 19:29:12Am I right on this one?
Commented on 2008-05-26 19:30:03 In reply to LEBATO
Commented on 2008-05-26 19:40:57
Commented on 2008-05-26 19:55:44And I don't know what easy is on the DS, so I can't even comment on that noobified version.
Commented on 2008-05-26 19:56:03 In reply to bromanIf they unlocked the hardest one, there would be no satistfaction that you accomplished a difficaulty, even if it is easy for the vets.
The design is Team Ninja, and after all these years of they making games, it should not be any surprise.
Commented on 2008-05-26 19:56:37Great vids. Watched 'em in HD and wow, the game looks pretty!
Commented on 2008-05-26 20:03:56Q: Let's say I choose normal, and then I get stuck on $*(&&($( area or boss, I just can't beat it. Can I change the difficulty from normal to easy DURING the game? Or do I have to start the game from the start?
Commented on 2008-05-26 20:35:06
Commented on 2008-05-26 20:37:54 In reply to LEBATOQ: Let's say I choose normal, and then I get stuck on $*(&&($( area or boss, I just can't beat it. Can I change the difficulty from normal to easy DURING the game? Or do I have to start the game from the start?
Commented on 2008-05-26 20:42:38 In reply to LEBATOIf that was the case, Itagaki would hate this game from start :P
But who knows, in my opinion that is stupid to have, just a cheap way to go around the hard stuff, might as well play on Easy from start to finish and call it a day you know.
But that is me, but I beat Master Ninja so I am a bit bias here...but Blim might answer it if he has the time...to put away the controller for a few minutes ;)
Commented on 2008-05-26 20:49:03
Commented on 2008-05-26 21:46:44
Commented on 2008-05-26 21:47:22
Commented on 2008-05-26 22:01:21Well, bilm..., you mention early someting about MOAR FOOTAGE. For when, if I may ask?
Commented on 2008-05-26 22:08:58
Commented on 2008-05-26 22:15:53
Commented on 2008-05-26 22:22:33Keep it up GAMERSYDE. These vids are phenomenal.
There´s a further thing that I noticed. I can watch all HD vids (Gametrailers, 1up, Gamespy etc). Yes and even the awesome HD vids from Gamersyde. but this new vids don´t play smoothly on my PC all of a sudden. Is it the 60fps that overstrain my PC?????????????????????????????????????????????????
After a few seconds the images and audio are asynchronous
Commented on 2008-05-26 22:23:37
Commented on 2008-05-26 22:33:03i am located in germany and use dsl 6000.
will there be more videos blim?
Commented on 2008-05-26 22:36:45Itagaki: I think it's probably the Attract mode which you might have seen when you leave the screen on without doing anything. It shows a ninja graveyard. That's my most memorable moment.
He seems quite proud of it. Now i'm kinda curious to see it!