Wednesday 20 Aug 2008

Two or three hours into Ninja Gaiden II, you will come to a very important realisation. It’s the kind of realisation that one sometimes gets in a game; that ‘Aha!’ moment when some characteristic or design principle is suddenly made clear as daylight and your perceptions of said game are shifted, redefined and solidified. This particular moment in Ninja Gaiden II happens during a boss fight – one of the earliest in the game – and the realisation is this: you are not having fun.

It’s a moment that will perplex you. It will shock you and unsettle you and make you question whether this was a true insight, or perhaps just some intrusive, baseless thought, brought on by fatigue or too much Mountain Dew. The reason you will question it is because you could swear you really were having some great fun up to that point, despite some niggles, and that it really seemed as if the game was building up to a magnificent crescendo of limb-severing and decapitations and gazillion-hit combos. But no, ultimately you’ll have to resign yourself to the fact that the build-up has fallen flat, and that the crescendo you were expecting turned out to be a jarring cacophony instead.

And that is the central problem of Ninja Gaiden II. It’s an infuriating tease of a game. It will lure you in with seductive promises, stir your passions and get you in the mood. And then just as the heat is nearing boiling point, it will coldly and bluntly turn its back on you, sometimes breaking your heart in the process.

A mixed bag

Let’s be clear from the outset: despite my obvious disappointment, Ninja Gaiden II is not a bad game, not by a long shot. But it is a deeply flawed game. Last generation’s Ninja Gaiden (Xbox) was universally praised as one of the best action games ever made. It was a game so good they released it twice more: first as the tweaked and enhanced Ninja Gaiden Black, and then again as last year’s PS3-exclusive Ninja Gaiden Sigma. So there is a profound sense of disappointment during those ‘Aha!’ moments – and there are many – when you realise that Ninja Gaiden II represents several steps backwards for the series, and is simply not as good as it could have or should have been.

Like its predecessor, Ninja Gaiden II follows the exploits of Ryu Hayabusa of the Dragon Lineage. Predictably, he has to pursue a horde of unleashed Hellspawn, whip their butts back to the underworld, and prevent some unspeakable evil from being released. Assisting him in his quest is Sonia, a CIA agent who inexplicably dresses like a dominatrix.

The story here is barely functional, and not executed with much competence. Characters, including Ryu, are little more than avatars to facilitate game play. The writing and voice acting are generally half-hearted and forgettable. Whatever design process the game’s creators followed, it’s clear that the story and characters never really got more than a brief moment’s consideration.

One might argue that that’s hardly a glaring weakness in a game such as this. After all, the previous Ninja Gaiden had the exact same problem and was still excellent. But the action-gaming landscape has changed in the four years since that game was released. Games such as God of War, Heavenly Sword and Uncharted: Drake’s Fortune came along and proved that even action games can benefit significantly from stylishly presented stories with interesting, well-defined characters. So in that sense Ninja Gaiden II doesn’t measure up to what else is on offer.

Combat fit for a ninja

Fortunately, the combat system fares much better. The previous Ninja Gaiden was known for its incredibly deep and involving fighting system, and the sequel is not much different in that regard. The fighting mechanics are simply superb. Players who take the effort to learn Ryu’s attacks and combos will be rewarded with him slicing through enemies like a hot knife through butter. It’s appropriately graphic and gory – as Ryu flies through his opponents, limbs are lobbed off by the dozen, and getting the right attack in at the right time will result in enemies being impaled, decapitated, sliced in half, or worse. This is not a game for queasy players.

The fighting system is complemented by a generous and interesting range of weapons. Most of the weapons of the previous game make a return, as well as some impressive new ones. Different weapons allow for different attacks and combos, and players will find they have their own favourite(s) based on their preferred style of play. Ryu’s arsenal is further bolstered by several ranged weapons, as well as some magical attacks.

It’s no secret that the previous Ninja Gaiden was a tremendously difficult game, one which resulted in many a controller being thrown against walls. The sequel is slightly more forgiving, as players have the option of playing on Way of the Acolyte from the outset, which is a difficulty level for newcomers to the series. It’s still no walk in the park though, and is easily harder than the Normal difficulty settings of most other action games. But players who accept the challenge by learning the combat system and not just mashing buttons, will earn an immense sense of accomplishment. More hardcore action gamers will be pleased to know that further difficulty modes can be unlocked, ones which are sure to provide a monster challenge for even the most hardcore among us.

So, where does it all go wrong?

As difficult as the previous Ninja Gaiden was, no one could ever accuse the game of being cheap. That is, unfortunately, not the case with Ninja Gaiden II. At various points throughout the game, players will find themselves facing off against enemies that are cheaper than trinkets at a yard sale. Bosses often have tremendously powerful, unblockable attacks, but are themselves only vulnerable to attack during very narrow and limited windows of opportunity. Lesser enemies sporting ridiculously potent ranged weapons will pick off your health across great distances. And sometimes the game will further tack on artificial difficulty by just throwing greater quantities of powerful enemies your way, or through awkward and unforgiving save point locations. More often than not, players will find themselves resorting to cheap tactics to make their way through a battle, which defeats the purpose of having such a deep combat system to begin with. Entire sections of the game end up being tedious grinds, and far too often players will simply not have fun.

Another major problem is the game’s camera. Calling the camera the game’s ultimate boss wouldn’t be a stretch, and it’s an almost unbeatable boss at that. The camera is, simply put, utterly atrocious. In far too many of the game’s battles, players will find themselves having to fight off-screen enemies. It’s a giant flaw, one that diminishes the merits of the fighting system. When you are being attacked and you have no idea who is attacking you or from where, you have little option but to button-mash. Occasionally during boss fights, the camera will get so bad that both Ryu and the boss will be outside the camera frame. We’ve had over a decade of full-blown 3D gaming now, so this is just unforgivable. Towards the latter parts of the game, most players will learn to cope with the camera to some extent, but that’s something that shouldn’t be required of the player in the first place.

While the fighting system is just as good as that of the previous Ninja Gaiden, other aspects of game play have changed, and not for the better. The previous game had some fantastic platforming sections thrown in during key game play sections, and while it makes a return in the sequel, the designers did not capitalise on its potential, and the result feels tacked-on and underdeveloped. Other adventure elements suffered a similar fate. The few puzzles that made their way into the game are hardly worth the effort, and there is virtually no focus on exploration. The environments are completely linear, breaking away from the non-linear (and superior) design of much of the previous game. The environments are also plagued with last-gen design elements. Invisible walls in particular are very noticeable, and smallish objects such as cars can’t be climbed or jumped-on, not even by a superninja. While the visual design is mostly competent and frequently great, it’s also quite inconsistent. There are whole chapters where the art design is simply bland and uninspired. From a technical standpoint, though, the game looks mostly good, with smooth animations and rich textures, although it’s hardly one of the most impressive-looking games on the platform. There is the occasional bit of slowdown, though, and at least one section where it gets so bad that it significantly affects the game play.

Final blows

While there is much to bemoan in Ninja Gaiden II, there is also quite a bit to love, and there is no doubt that many gamers will find much to enjoy here, provided they can get past the flaws. But there’s no getting around the fact that it’s a disappointing game, and what should have been a Game of the Year contender has turned out to be merely reasonably good, and occasionally bad. In a year that has already seen at least two superior action games in Devil May Cry 4 and the superb God of War: Chains of Olympus, Ninja Gaiden II just doesn’t quite make the cut. Gamers who have not yet indulged in the series are encouraged to rather check out Ninja Gaiden Black or Sigma instead. It’s everything that this game should’ve been.

Pros: Terrifically deep and rewarding fighting system; great range of weapons.

Cons: Terrible camera; cheap enemies and bosses; uninspired design.

Rating:
Contributor:	Mark

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