 hen word trickled down the digital grapevine that Tecmo planned to release a new version of Ninja Gaiden that would feature an Easy difficulty setting, I seriously contemplated rallying the gaming nation to help me stage a protest. My battle cry would have been “Learn how to play the game, you whining, sniveling, good-for-nothing sissies!” If a designer like Tomonobu Itagaki, who embraces the notion of pushing gamers to their breaking point, starts neutering his games to appeal to the casual fan, I have a bad feeling about the future of gaming.
Well, Ninja Gaiden Black is upon us, and although I was apprehensive of this re-release, I feel that Team Ninja handled the lowering of the difficulty in the best way that they could. The new Ninja Dog setting isn’t available from the outset. Taking a tip from Devil May Cry 3, it won’t be presented to you until you die in the same spot repeatedly. If you chose this setting, you will be properly humiliated and heckled. Ayane will appear in a cutscene that has been inserted with the specific intent of telling gamers how pathetic their skills are. Bloody brilliant.
Throughout the course of the game, you will be reminded of your ineptitude as you communicate with NPCs and acquire additional health potions and accessories from Ayane. Interestingly, the Ninja Dog difficulty setting is still fairly challenging. The enemy AI hasn’t changed in the slightest. Hayabusa is just a wee bit stronger. Granted, boss fights won’t seem as soul-crushing as before, but don’t be surprised if you still find yourself hanging your head dejectedly in front of the TV.
Ninja Gaiden Black isn’t just for the gaming wimps of the world, however. Team Ninja has inserted a ton of new content that will give skilled ninjas reason to come back for more. A fourth difficulty level, appropriately titled Master Ninja, requires absolute perfection. It is so challenging, in fact, that only one tester at Team Ninja was able to complete it. I couldn’t even reach the first boss! This mode is good for a few laughs (and tears), but it will only appeal to a very small fraction of players.
The area where you’ll likely sink most of your time into is Mission mode. Here you will find roughly 50 tough-as-nails mini-stages that pit you against unfathomable combinations of enemies. You’ll have the chance to fight the first boss again, but this time he has swarms of henchmen at his side. You’ll even spar against two bosses at once and a mirror version of yourself. If you can complete a stage, you’ll earn Karma points that can be uploaded online into a ranking system.
All of the handy updates such as the new camera system from the Hurricane Packs are included in this version, and on the outer fringes you’ll find the classic Ninja Gaiden arcade game.
Even if you already have a copy of the original game in your library, Black is an absolute necessity. I’ve probably already invested more time in Mission mode than I have in the entire game, and I haven’t even touched the surface of it. On the flip side of the coin, the dented ugly side, if you couldn’t get past the second level on Normal, you may actually see the third stage.
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9.75 |
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I’ve purchased the same movie on DVD multiple times (No more versions of The Professional, please), and it looks like I’m about to do the same thing for a game. Ninja Gaiden Black is like that tasty special edition DVD you just can’t resist. Even though you’ve already experienced its main attraction, you have to get it again for the new content. Or, if you’ve never played it before, now is the time. The new, easier Ninja Dog mode is a great way for more casual gamers to experience the amazing combat, and even if you’ve beaten the game on Very Hard mode, it’s worth playing through for the new content and disparaging jokes. Plus, with the inclusion of the arcade game and Mission mode, this is all the ninja madness you could ever need on one disc. And if you don’t like ninjas, then there’s simply something wrong with you. |
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9.5 |
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| CONCEPT: |
| Essentially ninjas with training wheels. This updated version features two new difficulties (one for studs, another for losers), plus a brilliantly conceived Mission Mode |
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| GRAPHICS: |
| Ninjas lopping off heads, ninjas running on walls, gamers weeping over the glorious visuals |
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| SOUND: |
| The thumping soundtrack is perfect for the explosive action. Ayane now narrates tips |
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| PLAYABILITY: |
| Incredible enemy AI, varied level design, and some of the prettiest moves around |
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| ENTERTAINMENT: |
| Well worth revisiting. Hours upon hours can be vested into the new missions |
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