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Ninja Gaiden(2004 video game)

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Ninja Gaiden
European cover art
Developer(s)Team Ninja
Publisher(s)
Director(s)Tomonobu Itagaki
Producer(s)Tomonobu Itagaki
Designer(s)
  • Masanori Sato
  • Noriaki Kazama
  • Katsunori Ehara
Programmer(s)Takeshi Kawaguchi
Artist(s)Kenichiro Nakajo
Writer(s)
  • Masato Onishi
  • Daisuke Suzuki
Composer(s)
  • Ryo Koike
  • Wakana Hara
  • Makoto Hosoi
SeriesNinja Gaiden
Platform(s)
Release
March 2, 2004
  • Xbox
    • NA:March 2, 2004
    • JP:March 11, 2004
    • EU:May 14, 2004
    • AU:May 28, 2004
    Black
    Xbox
    • NA:September 20, 2005
    • JP:September 29, 2005
    • EU:October 21, 2005
    Sigma
    PlayStation 3
    • JP:June 14, 2007
    • NA:July 3, 2007
    • EU:July 6, 2007
    • AU:July 13, 2007
    Sigma Plus
    PlayStation Vita
    • WW:February 22, 2012
    • JP:February 23, 2012
    Sigma (Master Collection)
    Nintendo Switch, PS4, Windows, Xbox One
    • WW:June 10, 2021
Genre(s)Action-adventure,hack and slash
Mode(s)Single-player

Ninja Gaiden[b]is anaction adventurehack and slashvideo gamedeveloped byTeam Ninjaand published byTecmofor theXbox.It was released in March 2004. Set in the futuristic version of the 21st century, players controlRyu Hayabusa,a masterninja,in his quest to recover a stolen sword and avenge the slaughter of his clan. It was inspired by Tecmo'sNinja Gaidenseries,and is set in the same continuity as Team Ninja'sDead or Alivefighting games.

Tecmo developedNinja Gaidenfor five years, targeting a western audience. The game's violence created difficulties obtainingcontent ratings,and it was censored in some regions. Making use of theXbox's internet connectivity,Tecmo promotedNinja Gaidenwith a series of internationalonline contests;record-breaking numbers of players competed for places in the live final held at the 2004Tokyo Game Show.

Ninja Gaidenwas critically acclaimed and sold 362,441 copies in North America in the first month of release; however, Japanese sales were poor. Team Ninja released two packs ofdownloadable content,which were also incorporated into a reworked version,Ninja Gaiden Black(2005). In 2007,Ninja Gaidenwas ported toPlayStation 3asNinja Gaiden Sigma,with extra content and graphical improvements; this was released on the portablePlayStation VitaasNinja Gaiden Sigma Plus.Ninja Gaidenwas followed byNinja Gaiden II(2008) andNinja Gaiden 3(2012).

Ninja Gaiden Sigmawas released forNintendo Switch,PlayStation 4,Windows,andXbox Oneas part of theNinja Gaiden: Master Collectionon June 10, 2021.[1]

Gameplay[edit]

Ninja Gaidengameplay screenshot, showing the game's protagonistRyu Hayabusafighting against enemies

Ninja Gaidendevelops its narrative thread through the actions of its player-controlled protagonist,Ryu Hayabusa.Viewed from athird personover-the-shoulder perspective, in typicalaction-adventurefashion Ryu starts the game with basic, low-level abilities and weapons that can be upgraded as he progresses, by discovering or buying items. In keeping with hisninjapersona, his character can interact with the game environment to perform acrobatic feats, such as running along and jumping off walls, swinging from pole to pole, or running across water.[2]The game world is made up of several distinct regions,[3]most of which are connected via the city of Tairon, which functions as a hub.[4]Access to these regions are obtained by fighting enemies, finding keys, or solving puzzles, inspired by the mechanics ofThe Legend of Zeldavideo games.[2][5]Dragonbustsscattered throughout the regions provide the means to save player progress, permitting gameplay to be resumed at a later time.

Ryu's movements are directed using the consolegamepad.The game's control system, which comprises the leftthumbstick,two attack buttons, and a block button, was described as fluid and responsive,[6][7]andNinja Gaidenwas regarded as having one of the deeper combat engines amongXboxgames at the time, comparing well to thePlayStation 2action-adventuresGod of WarandDevil May Cry.[8][9][10]Eric Williams, the designer of theGod of Warcombat engine, explained thatNinja Gaidenprohibits players from stopping or changing attacks in mid-stroke. In contrast,God of Warallows players to do so, andDevil May Crygrants this freedom to certain attacks. Williams said that, compared to those two games, the combat system inNinja Gaidenwas harder to master; however, it lets players fight their computer controlled foes on equal terms.[8]

Ninja Gaidenfeatures a large selection of weapons for Ryu to wield, each with advantages and disadvantages that affect the way the player approaches combat. These include one-handed swords, such as the Dragon Sword and Kitetsu, which grant quick attacks, and a move called the "Flying Swallow", which allows Ryu to leap and slash through enemies. In addition these light weapons allow Ryu to smash foes into the ground and perform his signature Izuna Drop—a spinningpiledriver.Heavy weapons, such as the Dabilahro and the Unlabored Flawlessness, are slow but cause more damage to opponents. Withflailsandstaves,the player can string together long sequences of attacks. To engage distant foes Ryu can throwshurikenand shoot arrows.[2][11]In addition to using standard melee techniques, Ryu can employ essences—colored globes of energy that are released on the death of enemies and absorbed into Ryu's body when he comes into proximity with them. Essences have an important role in general gameplay, acting to heal Ryu, restore his magic, or increase his cash. However, in combat the player can cause Ryu to deliberately draw in essences, which can then be used to unleash powerful attacks known as Ultimate Techniques that allow Ryu to damage enemies without taking damage himself.[12]These techniques deal heavy damage and make Ryu immune to injury for a short time.[13]

Ninja Gaidenalso provides Ryu with magical spells in the form of ninpo spells. When activated by the player, these make Ryu cast fireballs, ice storms, or bolts of lightning. Functioning in a similar manner to the bombs or grenades ofshooter action games,these spells allow Ryu to inflict heavy damage on enemies while potentially avoiding damage himself.[14]But, dissatisfied with their programmed visual effects, the game's directorTomonobu Itagakiwanted to deter players from using ninpo. He therefore tweaked the game to award bonus points when players cleared stages without employing magic.[15]For Ryu's defense, the player has two options. First, Ryu can stand still and attempt to block attacks. However, certain enemies can break his guard—either through particularly strong attacks or bygrapplinghim. The second option is to make Ryu dodge, by rolling away from the attack in a maneuver called "reverse wind".[16]

Plot[edit]

Inspired by the1980sNinja Gaidenseriesfor theNintendo Entertainment System(NES), the 2004 version was originally set in a re-imagined game world based on another Team Ninja creation, theDead or Alive(DOA) series offighting games.However, interviews with Tomonobu Itagaki indicate that the Xbox games areprequelsto the NES series and that both possibly share a singlecontinuity.[17][18][19]

Ninja Gaidenis set in the game world of theDead or Aliveseries.[20]Located mainly in Japan and the fictionalWestern Asiannation of the Vigoor Empire, the game draws onHeian periodstructures for its Japanese locales—a ninja fortress and village set in the mountains. In contrast the Vigoor Empire, with its capital city of Tairon, is a blend of architectural types from around the world.[13]European-style buildings and the monastery in Tairon exhibitsGothicinfluences with a vaulted hall, pointed arches, and large stained glass windows. A hidden underground level features statues with the heads of cats, walls covered with carvings,hieroglyphics,Aztec pyramidand alabyrinth.[21]This mix of styles was the result of Itagaki's refusal to constrain the game's creative process.[20]Ninja Gaiden's story spans 16 chapters, each beginning and ending with acutscene.

Characters[edit]

Ryu Hayabusa,the "super ninja", is theprotagonistofNinja Gaiden,[22][23]and the primary player-controllable character in the game. Itagaki believed that creating extra player characters might distract his team from focusing on Ryu's development, despite this, Rachel is a playable character in the Sigma version of the game.[24][25]Ryu has a long history with Tecmo; he was the star of the 1990sNinja Gaidenseries and has been part of theDOAroster since 1996. His roles in these games played a part in his popularity among fans and thevideo game industry.[26][27]Ninja Gaidenprovides a backstory to Ryu's appearance and character as seen in theDead or Aliveseries, being set two years before the firstDOAgame.[20][26]

Rachelis the leading female character, andtragic heroineof the game. She and her twin sister, Alma, are afflicted with a blood curse that turns humans into fiends.[28]Believing that there is no cure for their condition, Rachel seeks to kill Alma to redeem her sister's soul. The relationship between the sisters and the Greater Fiend Doku, who cursed them, serves as aplot deviceto drive the game forward,[29]with Rachel occasionally needing to berescuedby Ryu. Although not a player-controlled character inNinja Gaiden,in a few sections of theNinja Gaiden Sigmaremake she is controllable.[30]Two other characters assist the player in the game.Ayane,a young female ninja and one of theDOAregular cast members, acts as a guide throughoutNinja Gaidenby supplying advice and objectives to the player.Muramasa,abladesmith,has shops scattered throughout the game world where players can purchase useful items and upgrades for Ryu's weapons. Muramasa also givesquestsand relatesback-storiesand other crucial information; for example, he tells Ryu how he can obtain the item required to upgrade his Dragon Sword to its full potential. Players have the option to customize the appearance of player characters, with selectable costumes for Ryu and hairstyles for Rachel.[30]

Most of the enemies are fiends—humans changed into monsters by their blood curse. Three Greater Fiends lead their lesser brethren against Ryu, playing major roles in the game's plot: Alma, Rachel's sister, whose story forms a significant part of the game; Doku, Ryu's mainantagonist,whose raid on Hayabusa village and theft of the Dark Dragon Blade comprise the main plot thread; and Marbus, lord of the fiend underworld who is responsible for the final set of challenges Ryu faces in the realm of the fiends before encountering the Vigoor Emperor.[31]

Backstory[edit]

Centuries ago, the Dark Dragon Blade was forged from what was believed to be the bones of a dark dragon. It carried an immense power of evil that whoever wielded it would become the devil incarnate. It brought plague and death to the world during the age of ancient myth until it was sealed by those of the Dragon lineage. Its sister blade, the Dragon Sword, which had been used to slay the dark dragons, was handed down from generation to generation in the Hayabusa Ninja Clan, the modern descendants of the Dragon lineage. Its current successor is Ryu Hayabusa.

Story[edit]

Ryu infiltrates the Shadow Clan fortress to visit his uncle, clan leader Murai. During their chat, Ayane delivers news of a raid on the Hayabusa village. Fighting his way back to his village, Ryu encounters Doku, who has killed the Hayabusashrine maidenKureha and has taken the Dark Dragon Blade. Ryu is cut down by Doku with the stolen Blade, but he is brought back to life as a "soldier of revenge" by a falcon, the spiritual animal of the Hayabusa clan.

Seeking vengeance for the death of his childhood friend, Ryu learns from Murai that the raiders are from the Vigoor Empire, a mysterious clan that takes refuge in the city of Tairon. Due to its exclusionist foreign policy, Ryu stows away on anairshipto reach his destination.[24]In Tairon, Ryu not only battles the Vigoor Empire clan but also monstrous enemies called Fiends and a rival clan called the Black Spider Clan that also seek the Dark Dragon Blade. Eventually, he meets Rachel, a Fiend Hunter who too seeks vengeance on Doku for turning her twin sister Alma into a Greater Fiend. In the background, Ryu is shadowed by Gamov and the Dark Disciple, two mysterious figures with an unknown motive.

Ryu eventually encounters Alma and defeats her in a battle that wrecks the city but leaves her to Rachel's mercy. Conversely, Rachel cannot bring herself to kill her sister,[32]and instead is taken by Doku, who prepares to sacrifice her in a ritual to enhance Alma's power. However, in a strange turn of events, Alma sacrifices herself and rescues Rachel, destroying Doku's spirit in the process. With his dying breath, Doku casts the blood curse on Ryu, which turns his skin blue and eyes red.[33]The only way to lift the curse is to kill the clan's leader, the Holy Vigoor Emperor. While Rachel mourns the death of Alma, Ryu storms the Imperial Palace and faces the Holy Vigoor Emperor in a fiery volcanic pit. Once the Emperor is destroyed, Ryu's curse is lifted and the realm begins to collapse. Ryu seizes the Dark Dragon Blade and ascends to the surface with the help of Rachel but in the process, he loses his grip on the evil Blade.

Outside the Imperial Palace, the Dark Dragon Blade lands at the feet of the Dark Disciple, who takes it and kills Gamov. The Disciple reveals himself to be Murai and admits that the raid on Hayabusa village was part of his plan to restore the Blade's evil power, using souls harvested by Ryu.[34][35]Drawing on the Blade, Murai transforms into a devil incarnate and attempts to kill his nephew. Ryu defeats Murai and shatters the Blade with the True Dragon Sword. Victorious, Ryu turns himself into a falcon and flies to the Hayabusa village. In the final scene, he places the Dragon Eye, used to enhance his sword, on Kureha's tombstone and disappears into the night.

Development[edit]

In 1999, Team Ninja started work on the "Next-Generation Ninja Gaiden Project".[26]The first stage of development was to create the game on theSega NAOMIarcade system board. They then planned to move the project to theDreamcastconsole for further development and release, but this was abandoned whenSegaannounced the end of Dreamcast product line in 2001.[3]At this point, Tecmo decided to releaseNinja Gaidenas a launch game for theSonyPlayStation 2 in the United States.[36]Itagaki, however, had other plans; impressed with thesoftware development kitsfor the Xbox, he pushed for Team Ninja to develop for theMicrosoftconsole.[26]The company kept silent on this change in direction, and surprised both the games industry and fans when they announced atE32002 thatNinja Gaidenwould be released exclusively on the Xbox gaming console. Most fans who voted on Tecmo's poll wanted the game on theNintendoGameCube.[37]

Ninja Gaidenwas Team Ninja's first action game. Its initial concept had nothing in common with the originalNinja Gaidenseries that was released for the NES.[38]However, for retail reasons Tecmo wanted to retain a link with the previous games, which had many adherents in theWest,[26]so Itagaki was asked to rethink his ideas to target the foreign market.[3][38]Analyzing the earlier games, he concluded that their violence appealed to players, and included gory content, such as beheadings, in the Xbox game to retain that spirit.[3]He also aimed to make his new game hard but alluring;[20]it would challenge players on their reflexes rather than on their memories of layouts and timings.[7]His team made a point of designing smoothly-flowing gameplay with high-quality animations that reacted quickly to the player's input.[20]Itagaki paid homage to the earlierNinja Gaidenseries by including updated versions of foes and special attacks.[2][14]Team Ninja based their3D computer models,from the pistols of the henchman upwards, on real world material. Character models were taken from studies of human anatomy, and the team hiredmartial artistsin order to digitally capture their movement. Rather than import themotion capturesdirectly into the game, however, the animators used them as templates to give a sense of realism to the game characters' exaggerated movements. Itagaki found it more interesting to design nonhuman creatures than human enemies.[39]

Release[edit]

In 2004, Tecmo released ademo discofNinja Gaidenin Japan, bundled with the February 26 issue ofFamitsu Xboxmagazine.[40]The demo let players try the first chapter of the game on two difficulty settings with a few fully upgraded weapons and ninpos.[41]On March 2, 2004, a year later than originally planned, Tecmo releasedNinja Gaidenin the United States.[42][43][44]It was subsequently released in Japan, the United Kingdom, and Australia on March 11,[45]May 14,[46]and May 28, respectively.[47]

Regional censorship[edit]

As released,Ninja Gaidencontained bloody acts of violence,decapitationsand grotesque monsters. The North American games rating body, theEntertainment Software Rating Board(ESRB), rated it as a "Mature" game, which prohibits sale to anyone under the age of 17 in several states.[48]The depiction of beheadings, though, attracts stricter ratings in other parts of the world.[49]In Germany, theUnterhaltungssoftware Selbstkontrolle(USK) deemed these excessive, and refused to rate the game at all. Since this had the potential to placeNinja Gaidenin Germany's "List of Media Harmful to Young People",which would have meant that shops could neither advertise the game nor sell it unless by request to customers of 18 years or older,[50]Tecmo censored the EuropeanPALversion to obtain a USK rating.[51]A year later, Tecmo managed to obtain a USK 18+ rating for the uncensored release ofNinja Gaiden Black.

Japan'sComputer Entertainment Rating Organization(CERO) ratedNinja GaidenandBlack,on their release, as18+games.[52]At the time, CERO ratings acted as guidelines for consumers. However, on March 1, 2006, the Japanese rating system changed. A scale from A to D was introduced, with an additional Z rating for games with large amounts of gore, violence and crime. The Z rating is legally enforced, it being illegal to sell such games to anyone under the age of 18.[53]As a result, Tecmo removed the human beheadings inSigmato obtain a D rating for theEast Asianmarket. However, CERO reclassified the two previous games as D, despite them also depicting human decapitations.[52]

Post-release[edit]

Team Ninja kept working on theNinja Gaidenproject after its release, with the aim of pushing the action genre and their first such game as far as they could.[39]To this end, they released downloadable expansions, known as Hurricane Packs, free of charge. Itagaki said that since the packs were born out of his team's interest, they did not care to charge players for their efforts.[54]The two packs were available overXbox Livein the third quarter of 2004.

  • Hurricane Pack 1 was a revamped version of Story Mode; Team Ninja tweaked the encounters andartificial intelligence(AI) of Ryu's foes to increase the difficulty of the game. The pack introduced additional foes such as humanoid cats, giants wearing dinosaur skulls, andcyborgs,and Team Ninja made a key change to thecamera systemby which the on-screen action is displayed; players could now control the camera and change its viewing angle.[55]Another feature of the pack was to enhance the combat engine; the new "Intercept" skill let players counter any enemy attack with the proper timing.[56]
  • Hurricane Pack 2 kept the enhancements of the first but took place in an alternative world comprising only two regions, where players have to fight through several encounters to rescue Rachel from two new bosses (Nicchae and Ishtaros). This expansion introduced fiends who wield giant swords and cast fireballs.[57]

Team Ninja later compiled both expansion packs, and added new features, to createNinja Gaiden Black.This game, which Itagaki viewed as the final version ofNinja Gaiden,[58]went on sale on September 20, 2005.[59]A few years later, Team Ninja upgraded the graphics of the game andportedit to thePlayStation 3(PS3). This version was released asNinja Gaiden Sigma onJune 14, 2007.Blackbecame anXbox Originalgame on February 11, 2008.[60]

Online competition[edit]

The contest's World Championship at theTGS2004. Finalists played on walkways above the crowd while commentators talked about their actions on the big screen.

The Master Ninja Tournaments were a series of three online contests held by Microsoft and Tecmo in 2004. They took place over Xbox Live, and were open to participants in Europe, Japan, and North America. Winner selection was based on the scores achieved through playingNinja Gaidenor its Hurricane Packs. Players had 14 to 24 days to complete the required games and submit their scores to an online scoreboard.[61][62][63]

The first two tournaments formed regional qualification stages for a liveNinja GaidenMaster Tournament World Championship, held on September 25 at the TGS 2004. Competition for places was intense, with both tournaments breaking records for online participation in Xbox Live events.[64][65]Six of the highest scoring players from Europe and North America wonbokkensbearing Itagaki's signature,[64][66]and five regional winners were selected to proceed to the final. Here, the finalists simultaneously played a custom game drawn from Hurricane Pack 2 while commentators called out the action. They had 15 minutes to complete the game and post the highest score; the winner emerged only in the last 20 seconds, when Yasunori Otsuka cleared the game and outscored his rivals. At the award ceremony, the finalists received their prize plaques from Itagaki.[67][68]

The tournaments were not without controversy. Players complained about Microsoft's tardiness in posting the official rules for the first playoff, and it was believed that the top posted score was not achievable by fair means.[69]Officials, however, stated that the score was possible, and allowed the results to stand.[70]In the second playoff, Microsoft initially named the runner up as the North American finalist,[71]after disqualifying the winner for no publicly stated reason, but eventually had to send the second runner up to Tokyo when the first was unable to produce a passport in time.[72]

Master Ninja Tournament 3 started on September 27 and lasted 26 days. Rankings were decided by scores obtained while playing Hurricane Pack 2, and the prizes were Tecmo apparel and Team Ninja games.[73]This marked the end of official tournaments forNinja Gaiden,although Microsoft have retained the ranking boards for players to upload their scores.

Merchandise[edit]

Tecmo has built up a line of merchandise around theNinja Gaidenname. Its online shop carries apparel and accessories such as caps, wristbands, T-shirts, key holders, and mugs. Most of the merchandise is based on that associated with the variousNinja Gaidengame launches or given as prizes in the Master Ninja Tournaments.[74][75][76]Tecmo also published the original soundtrack of the game under their record label Wake Up on March 20, 2004. Kotobukiya, a figurine maker, includes 1/6 scaleplastic figurinesofNinja Gaidencharacters in their range of products. As of 2007, they have produced figures of Ryu, Ayane, Kureha and Rachel.[77]

Other versions[edit]

Tecmo published two additional versions ofNinja Gaiden:Ninja Gaiden Blackfor Xbox andNinja Gaiden Sigmafor PlayStation 3. Essentially the same game as the original, they tell the same story of Ryu and the Dark Dragon Blade but include additional content and updated game mechanics. Although Itagaki deemedBlackto be the final version ofNinja Gaiden,[58]Tecmo subsequently ported the game to thePlayStation3asSigma.

In addition to the narrative Story Mode,BlackandSigmaintroduced a gameplay variation called Mission Mode. Focused on action rather than character development, this provides combat-based missions set mainly in small areas, where the player's goal is to "destroy all enemies".[78]In both Story and Mission modes, game scoring is based on the player's speed in clearing encounters, the number of kills achieved, the number of unused ninpo spells remaining at the end, and the amount of cash collected. Players can compare their scores on online ranking boards.[79]

Ninja Gaiden Black[edit]

Tecmo announced at E3 2005 that Team Ninja was working onNinja Gaiden Black,[80]and later exhibited a working version of the game at the TGS 2005.[81]Blackis a reworked compilation of the originalNinja Gaidenand the two Hurricane Packs.[58]The game features new foes, such as exploding bats anddoppelgängerfiends who can imitate Ryu.[82]It contains more costumes than the original, and swapsNinja Gaiden'sunlockable NES gamesfor anarcade version.[83]

One key feature of this version is its two new difficulty settings—the easy Ninja Dog and the very hard Master Ninja.[78]Itagaki added Ninja Dog after receiving complaints ofNinja Gaidenbeing too hard in its default incarnation,[84]although he believed that, with persistence, any player was capable of completing the game.[85]Hence he ensured that those players selecting Ninja Dog would be subjected to gentle mockery by the game—players on this difficulty setting receive colored ribbons as accessories, and Ayane treats Ryu as an inferior. In compensation, Itagaki made the other difficulty settings harder than inNinja Gaiden.Another feature ofBlackis its Mission Mode, which comprises 50 combat missions, one of which is adapted from the custom game designed for the Ninja Gaiden Master Tournament World Championship final. The last five missions are based on those in Hurricane Pack 2 and form a linked series known as "Eternal Legend".[83]While most of the improvements made in the Hurricane Packs carried forward through this game, including the camera system tweaks and new boss battles, the Intercept maneuver, introduced in Hurricane Pack 1, was not included inBlack,adding to its increased challenge.

Ninja Gaiden Blackwas also available through Xbox's Game Pass forXbox One SandXbox One X,but was removed in September 2019.Ninja Gaiden Blackis also enhanced for theXbox One Xconsole, which improves the game's resolution to 4K UHD-levels.

Ninja Gaiden Sigma[edit]

In 2006, Tecmo andSonyannounced the development ofNinja Gaiden Sigmafor the PlayStation 3.[86][87]Eidosobtained the European publishing rights for this game.[88]Itagaki had no direct role inSigmaand judged it a flawed game,[89]although he acknowledged thatSigmagave PlayStation owners a taste ofNinja Gaiden.[90]

The gameplay forSigmais very similar to the original version, albeit with some modifications made to the game. Like the original version, the player's movements and combat system are directed using the consolegamepad,which comprises the leftthumbstick,two attack buttons, and a block button. The game features a large selection of weapons for Ryu to wield each with advantages and disadvantages that affect the way the player approaches combat. A new addition to Ryu's arsenal is a pair of dual-wield swords, Dragon's Claw and Tiger's Fang. It also provides Ryu with magical spells in the form ofninpo,which allows him to inflict heavy damage on enemies while potentially avoiding damage himself. By shaking theSixaxiscontroller, players are able to increase the power of their ninpo spells.[91][92]Rachel,a non-playable character in the 2004 game, became playable in three new chapters, featuring the new bosses, Gamov and Alterator. Some of the design elements of the old levels was also changed and several new enemy types were introduced.[30][93]

In addition to the narrative Story Mode,Sigmaincluded a gameplay variation called Mission Mode. Focused on action rather than character development, this provides combat-based missions set mainly in small areas. In both Story and Mission modes, game scoring is based on the player's speed in clearing encounters, the number of kills achieved, the number of unused ninpos remaining at the end, and the amount of cash collected. Players can compare their scores on online ranking boards.[94]In addition, players have the option to customize the appearance of player characters, with selectable costumes for Ryu and hairstyles for Rachel.[30]

The more powerful hardware of the PlayStation 3 gave Team Ninja the opportunity to overhaul the game graphics to use larger and more detailedtextures.Changes were made to the game world, with a few new areas and several additionalsave pointsand shops,[93]and alterations to the game engine let players shoot arrows in mid-air, fight on water surfaces, and play as Rachel in some chapters and missions.[30][95]

In July 2007, Tecmo released ademoand a new game mode, Survival Mode, forSigmaover thePlayStation Network.[96]The demo limits players to the first chapter of the game, but lets them play as Rachel in a separate mission.[97]Survival Mode comprises missions in which players keep fighting until they have either killed all their opponents, or their character has been defeated.[98]

Ninja Gaiden Sigma Plus[edit]

Ninja Gaiden Sigma Plusis a port ofNinja Gaiden Sigmafor thePlayStation Vitareleased in North America and Europe on February 22, 2012.[99]LikeNinja Gaiden Black's "Ninja Dog" mode,Sigma Plusfeatures an easier difficulty called "Hero" mode, making it more accessible to casual gamers. It also takes advantage of the additional features that the Vita offers, including gyroscopic first-person aiming (by tilting the PlayStation Vita, the player can adjust the camera angle in first-person viewing modes), back touchpad controls (tapping symbols using the rear touchpad will allow Ryu to boost the power of his Ninpo), touch screen controls (players can go into first-person mode by tapping the touch screen). In addition,Ninja Gaiden Sigma Plusoffers new sets of accessories that Ryu and Rachel can equip.

Reception[edit]

Ninja Gaidenwas released to critical acclaim.Greg KasavinofGameSpotcalled it "one of the best most challenging action adventure games ever made",[2]and his publication named it the best Xbox game of February 2004.[123]IGN's Erik Brudvig said that it "sets a new standard for third-person action games in terms of length, depth, speed, and gore",[14]whileElectronic Gaming Monthly(EGM) called it "an unmissable instant classic", and declared that "no Xbox should go without [Ninja]Gaiden."[124]Critics also regarded it to be one of the most difficult games released prior to 2007.[125][126]The game received a runner-up position in GameSpot's 2004 "Best Action Adventure Game" category across all platforms.[127]

Its enhanced version,Ninja Gaiden Black,also impressed reviewers. GameSpot noted that it had the best visual and audio presentation on the Xbox and praised its new Mission Mode for "[distilling] the game down to its purest essentials."[78]IGN called its release "a rare and welcome day", which brought their "excitement levels back to the first time [they] played the game."[115]

Consumers purchased 1.5 million copies ofNinja GaidenandBlackby August 2007,[128]with the bulk of these sales going to North America and Europe. According to theNPD Group,in its first monthNinja Gaidensold 362,441 copies in the United States.[129][130]By August 2006,Ninja Gaidenhad sold 550,000 copies and earned $27 million in that country. Between January 2000 and August 2006, it was the 100th highest-selling game launched for thePlayStation 2,XboxorGameCubeconsoles in the United States. Combined sales ofNinja GaidenandBlackreached 800,000 units in the United States by August 2006.[131]These sales figures reflect Tecmo's decision to target the non-Japanese market. Japanese gamers were not particularly excited—according to Itagaki, only 60,000 copies ofNinja Gaidenwere sold in Japan in the four months following its release.[39]The critical and commercial success ofNinja Gaidenhave ledCNETandGameSpotAsia to induct the game into their halls of fame.[132][133]

Ninja Gaiden Sigmasold 46,307 units in the first week of its release in Japan, making it the third highest selling game during that period.[134]According to theNPD Group,in its first monthSigmasold 63,637 copies in the United States.[135]Next Generationreported that as of April 2008, 470,000 copies ofSigmahave been sold in Europe and North America.[136]Tecmo announced that they have sold 500,000 units worldwide.[137]

LikeNinja GaidenandNinja Gaiden Black,Ninja Gaiden Sigmahas received positive reviews, currently holding an average score of 87% atGameRankingsand 88/100 atMetacritic,based on 58 and 46 reviews respectively.[100][103]Critics varied in their views on the technical aspects ofNinja Gaiden Sigma.Although the gaming site1UP.comcalled the updated graphics "a gorgeous reworking of the modern ninja classic,"[107]Pro-G said that they were average by next-generation standards and showed occasional "tearing, jagged edges, and mismatched collision between bloodstains and walls."[94]

Legacy[edit]

TheNinja Gaidengames gained a reputation throughout the gaming community for their difficulty and attention to detail.[26][138]Although they appealed to gamers who, like Pro-G's Struan Robertson, wanted a "bloody hard, but also bloody good" challenge,[116]it was feared thatcasual gamerswould find the learning curve daunting. IGN warned that gamers with lesser skills might not "get as much out of this game as others due to [its] incredible difficulty",[115]andEdgecommented that "Tecmo's refusal to extend any kind of handhold to less dedicated players is simply a failure of design, not a badge of hardcore honour", and "it's impossible to believe they couldn't have found a way to increase the accessibility of the game without undermining the gloriously intractable nature of the challenges it contains."[139]EGMfound the challenge to be "rewarding" as it "motivates you to actually get better at the game."[124]Clive Thompsonfocused onNinja Gaidenin hisSlatearticle examining the motivation for playing difficult games. He contends that extreme levels of challenge can be initially very frustrating and may cause a game to be abandoned in disgust. However, where a game also rewards a player's perseverance by teaching the skills required to overcome its challenges, that player will have the motivation to finish the game.Ninja Gaiden,in his opinion, strikes the correct balance between challenge and reward; completion brings "a sort of exhausted exhilaration, like finally reaching the end ofWar and Peace."[140]In 2012,CraveOnlineincluded it on their list of five "badass ninja games", calling it "the pinnacle of action gaming at the time, holding onto that crown for an entire year untilGod of Warreleased in 2005 "and" a true video game classic, and maybe the best ninja game of all time. "[141]That same year,G4tvranked it as the 83rd top video game of all time, also calling it "the best ninja game ever made and one of the all-around hardest."[142]

From a technical point of view, critics regardedNinja GaidenandBlackas the best of the available Xbox software at the time; the console hardware had been pushed to its limits without showing significant drops in performance. Game Spot's Kasavin was impressed with their "first-rate presentation" and said that no other games at that time came close in visuals and audio.[78]According to IGN, the games could "make [them] momentarily forget about the next generation of consoles".[115]BothNinja GaidenandBlackwere top-sellers, which led to them beingcompatiblewith theXbox 360for all regions on the new platform's release.[143][144][145]Ninja Gaidenattracted criticism for the way on-screen action is framed by the game's camera. The default camera system centers the action on Ryu and his surroundings, but reviewers were frustrated by occasions when the camera locked on to part of the scenery, thus losing track of Ryu.[115][139]Tecmo attempted to address this with the introduction of manual camera controls in the Hurricane Packs,[55][78]and most critics judged that either the camera frame was usually acceptable, or thatNinja Gaidenwas a good enough game that its flaws could be overlooked.[78][124]

Notes[edit]

  1. ^PlayStation Vitaport released under theTecmo Koeipublishing label.Master Collectionport released under theKoei Tecmopublishing label.
  2. ^Japanese:ニンジャ ガイデン,Hepburn:Ninja Gaiden

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External links[edit]

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