Ninja Gaiden

[Vostok 7]

Haven't played the full version yet but I played the demo and all I can say is it's a kick ass game with a camera from hell.

Seriously, 3rd person games USED to be this bad but nowadays there's lots of tricks to get around it like using the right thumbstick to control the camera position... but apparently, this wasn't good enough for Team Ninja who can put 120 different camera views in a sukebe game like DOAX but doesn't have enough sense to make a controllable 3rd person camera in Ninja Gaiden.

Anyone else have this game? I want to buy it, but the camera in the demo is really really putting me off.

Vostok 7

[BoBe-Patt]

I take it that this game is only for Xbox? I only saw commercials for Xbox. I'll get it once it comes out for PS2.

[Vostok 7]

Only Xbox as far as I know. PS2 has Shinobi and Nightshade after all.

Vostok 7

[Abombz!!]

I take it that this game is only for Xbox? I only saw commercials for Xbox. I'll get it once it comes out for PS2.

Its only for Xbox.... ever. Tecmos is MSs new lap dog. Don't expect to see this out on the PS2.... ever. And besides.... the PS2 can't handle it.

[Vostok 7]

Oh yeah, the graphics are killer... It's just that damn camera

Vostok 7

[bandit29]

Only Xbox as far as I know. PS2 has Shinobi and Nightshade after all.

Vostok 7

And Tenchu but that's on the X-BOX too now.

Ninja Gaiden probably would look terrible on the PS2, if it could handle it that is.

[Vostok 7]

But tenchu has a bald guy

Vostok 7

[Abombz!!]

But tenchu has a bald guy

Vostok 7

I always thought bald ninjas were silly.... their bald heads and the moonlight would make them a shinning beacon in the dark.

[Vostok 7]

I always thought bald ninjas were silly.... their bald heads and the moonlight would make them a shinning beacon in the dark.

"hey, whats that glinting up there!"

Vostok 7

[David Hingtgen]

Camera sucks, but it's impossible to adjust well. Just keep hitting R to reset to default. Most of the time, just deal with it. Ryu has such incredible "knows where to go" when blocking or fighting, it doesn't really matter. My main gripe is that the camera is simply LOW, not looking the wrong way. I like the camera to be somewhat above the character, looking forward. Gaiden's camera is DIRECTLY behind Ryu, so you can't really see where you're going.

PS--it's HARD. And fight in the air. Staying on the ground is death, always be jumping or wall-running.

[Abombz!!]

Camera sucks, but it's impossible to adjust well. Just keep hitting R to reset to default. Most of the time, just deal with it. Ryu has such incredible "knows where to go" when blocking or fighting, it doesn't really matter. My main gripe is that the camera is simply LOW, not looking the wrong way. I like the camera to be somewhat above the character, looking forward. Gaiden's camera is DIRECTLY behind Ryu, so you can't really see where you're going.

PS--it's HARD. And fight in the air. Staying on the ground is death, always be jumping or wall-running.

LOL... the camera is the least of your problems when you are having your ass handed to you by the insane difficulty.

[Kanedas Bike]

I've been playing Ninja Gaiden for the better part of (4) days.

I agree that the camera angles can be annoying at time, but not enough to make more than a very minor stink about it. Besides, the right trigger button will 're-center' the camera behind Ryu.

As a casual gamer, I feel like I got my $ 50 worth.

-b.

[Vostok 7]

I'll probably pick it up. The demo was fun... I died twice, once I got pwned by the ninjas on the second time through because I didn't have enough health and I hadn't learned about blocking yet, the second time by the bossman because he's freaking hard.

Those white ninjas are easy.. X X X X Y head goes off, guts come out, that's what Ryu ninja concern is all about.

What do the little energy things that pop out of the guys do?

Vostok 7

[Kanedas Bike]

...What do the little energy things that pop out of the guys do?

Vostok 7

You should pick it up.

The yellow ones (called Essence) give Ryu currency to buy stuff and upgrade other stuff (sword for one).

Blue gives you health, and Red gives you Ki power back, needed to perform specialized attacks.

-b.

[Vostok 7]

OK I just ran through the demo again.

This game just plain rocks, but still I have that nagging twinge about the camera.

I used the nunchuck-like blade things this time and boy do they rule!!!! I was killing 3 enemies at a time and doing 60+ hits! I finally wore down the bossman this time, but I didn't have enough elixir because I had to go through all the ninjas 3 times because I wasn't paying attention lol.

Vostok 7

[KingNor]

i hear complaining about the dificulty, really my main "difficulty" is not being able to see.

the enemys all folow paterns and after a few trys they are easy to figure out (i'm playing through on hard) but god damn if they are hard to kill if you can't see them.

fun game, a little on the B-movie side of things, and the bosses are just a nasty combination of tedious and lame. but the fights with the fodder enemys are fun enough.

[Yohsho]

If I have to gripe its the camera thing. I'm use to have the R stick move the camera around in 3rd person and the trigger going back to default home position. I haven't played very many ninja games where you get a first person mode (I don't think I've used it very often) but I like how you get infinite shurikens Jump up and start throwing. Then come down and start slashing like mad. I think I'm halfway thru the first lvl.

[Smiley424]

I was thinking about throwing up a new topic about Ninja Gaiden, but I was too busy playing it . The camera is an issue, but after playing it, I've gotten used to its nuances. You definately have to be constantly moving while fighting multiple enemies. Learn to use XA, it makes Ryu jump towards the closest enemy, works pretty well most of the time. Graphically beautiful. Holding down Y to suck in the yellow/red/blue orbs is key to getting a high essence score, which factors into your final ranking at the end of levels. I like this game much, much better than Shinobi.

Just beware that in the demo, Ryu's weapons are fully powered so you have all combos available to you, in the game you have to upgrade the weapons to unlock more powerful combos.

I recommend it to those who like these kind of games.

[Hoptimus]

Usually I throw shurukens in the air when the camera goes wonky. That way I can tell where the enemies are coming from.

[areaseven]

Too expensive for me right now. I'll wait until Ninja Gaiden becomes part of the $20 Platinum Hits Collection.

[isamu]

Hey Abombz did you get my PM?

[Protoplast]

I take it that this game is only for Xbox? I only saw commercials for Xbox. I'll get it once it comes out for PS2.

You are definitely a PS2 fanboy.. hehe

[kalvinmaui]

I take it that this game is only for Xbox? I only saw commercials for Xbox. I'll get it once it comes out for PS2.

I doubt the PS2 could handle the graphics this game produces. It would be a really toned down version if it were to come out.

[areaseven]

Well, what do you know? Yesterday, a friend of mine bought me Ninja Gaiden as a late birthday present. So far, I've completed the airship stage. The graphics and sound are awesome, but I have two major complaints:

- The camera work need improvement.

- This game is ridiculously hard.

I can't wait to finish the game to unlock the original Ninja Gaiden.

[Briareos]

Love what Penny arcade has to say bout ninja gaiden

So hard your friends will die.

http://www.penny-arcade.com/view.php3?date=2004-03-08&res=l

Ninja respawning

http://www.penny-arcade.com/view.php3?date=2004-02-20&res=l

[Briareos]

Well, what do you know? Yesterday, a friend of mine bought me Ninja Gaiden as a late birthday present. So far, I've completed the airship stage. The graphics and sound are awesome, but I have two major complaints:

- The camera work need improvement.

- This game is ridiculously hard.

You don't know hard yet. Try facing 4 black spider clan ninjas

[Jemstone]

I played this game for a good part of last night to get the feel of it. So far my only beef is the camera. I the difficulty is a welcome change. Most games lately seem to have been pussified from their originals and very easy. This game is the opposite. Did bring abck fond memories when I played the original trilogy and how happy I was when I had beat them all. They were all very hard but easy to master once you learned the pattern of enemies appeared and moved in. So far this one is turning out quite the same.

Abombz, thanks for the tips the other day. So far the game hasn't sucked but you were right about the story. Ninja nonsense!

[Abombz!!]

I played this game for a good part of last night to get the feel of it. So far my only beef is the camera. I the difficulty is a welcome change. Most games lately seem to have been pussified from their originals and very easy. This game is the opposite. Did bring abck fond memories when I played the original trilogy and how happy I was when I had beat them all. They were all very hard but easy to master once you learned the pattern of enemies appeared and moved in. So far this one is turning out quite the same.

Abombz, thanks for the tips the other day. So far the game hasn't sucked but you were right about the story. Ninja nonsense!

I think I might have been a little picky on my review. The game isn't bad, but its not the greatest action game ever, by any stretch of imagination. The graphics are still pretty lack luster, Hayabusa doesn't walk like a ninja, and the over all game feels like a trainwreck between Onimusha and Devil May Cry.

As far as challenge goes.... the game is easy period. I went back and restarted the game, and I went through the first 3 stages without being hit. Black Spider Ninjas? They are a joke!! All you have to do is block their combos untill they freeze for 5 seconds (like every enemy), and do an air combo finishing with izuna drop. Not only will you kill the particular ninja, you will also severely dmg the ninjas that are caught in the drop blast. The only thing that makes the game hard is the fact that Hayabusa can't take any dmg before crying for his mom. I don't even know why they put a health bar in that game.

IMO the toughest enemies are the black soldiers with shields, since you can't always block them and they can grab you. And the enemies get much easier as the game progresses.... the zombies are a joke, and so are the fiends. The SWAT soldiers are easy preys to the flail, 2 hits is enough to decapitate most of them.

The bosses? Only the big breasted pink demon lady presented a challenge. The rider was easy to beat, all you had to do was kill the magic ninjas and use the charge attack against him. The fat guy.... flying ssparrow his ass to death. The giant zombie dragon was pretty easy too.

The controls.... they are ok. Some of the moves are really hard to do, like the flying sparrow that I seem to do out of sheer dumb luck. Aiming the bow is a pain too. As for the camera... I don't understand why ppl complain about it. Can't see the enemies? Then you are not paying much attention since the camera always moves funny when an enemy is nearby.

Greatest action game ever? Sorry.... the first Devil may Cry eats this game raw any time any day.

[areaseven]

You don't know hard yet. Try facing 4 black spider clan ninjas

Well, that's exactly where I left off.

[Abombz!!]

Question... anyone got past the first Chopper battle? My game freezes when I go up to get the long bow, and the system gives me a read disc error. Maybe its impersonating a PS2 or something, but the CD is not scratched and the system works fine with everyother game.

Is my copy broken or is it a bug?

[wakobi]

As far as challenge goes.... the game is easy period. I went back and restarted the game, and I went through the first 3 stages without being hit.

Question... anyone got past the first Chopper battle? My game freezes when I go up to get the long bow, and the system gives me a read disc error.

I thought you had already finished the game? In any event abombz, my copy doesn't appear to have any problems and as such I was able to beat the chopper in short order. Perhaps you should take your copy back and get it swapped over?