Ninja Gaiden Series

[Spark Of Spirit]

Ninja Team simply needs a good director in charge of them. If anything, this game proves that Hayashi is NOT it. The game's ideas can be flawlessly executed, but if the director is giving them bad ideas, there's little they can do except implement it as well as they can.

The answer to the problem is to simply get a new director.

[Dr. Ensatsu-ken]

Well, I should clarify that "technically" Hayashi wasn't the director of this game. Officially he's the producer. The actual director is some guy I can't be bothered to remember the name of. That said going by all of the interviews leading up to this game, it was clear that Hayashi was the main man behind the scenes, calling the shots and saying what belongs in the game and what doesn't. He seems to have taken credit for the ideas, so he may as well have directed this game.

But yes, you're right. Team Ninja is a talented team of PROGRAMMERS. They can make great looking games with great mechanics....if they actually have a competent leader who leads them in the right direction. I'm sure Hayashi is a brilliant programmer (after all he headed a lot of the main programming for Ninja Gaiden Black, believe it or not), but he's an incompetent director. He doesn't have the creative prowess or talent to actually design and make an action game from scratch. People may have liked the Sigma games, but those were still just Itagaki's games with Hayashi tweaking them to his preferences. This was the first time Hayashi got to have a big role in leading an action game that he and Team Ninja built up from scratch without any base game made by Itagaki to work from, and it proves that his leadership of the team was clearly too weak and uninspired.

[Foggle]

The NG 3 GameFAQs boards are hilarious.

Holy s***! *idea*

Tameem and hayashi-chan should team up and make a cross over game! It would be the best thing EVER!!!!!!! XD

I'm with you on that.

Imagine...

Listen to me on this one...just hear me out..

Dante and Ryu

Yes...Dante and Ryu

Both dual kunai climb.

Boom....the world would explode in anticipation for a Dante and Ryu co-op kunai climb.

It be a game soley based on kunai climbing really tall structures by alternating trigger buttons and throwing shurikens at pigeons as you scale mountains, skyscrapers and planes as you progress each level.

It be a game with deep meaning about life and looking deep into your heart for the answers.

Kunai Climb over that to your very soul and let loose with trigger buttons.

I bring you

KUNAI CLIMB - DmC x NG

[Dr. Ensatsu-ken]

You know, one thing I have always praised the Ninja Gaiden series for was its superb combat animations. I mean, other hack n' slash games have good animations, but Ninja Gaiden is just on a whole different level. Back when the first game in the 3D series came out in 2004, it was WAY ahead of its time in this department, with a flow to it that even few action games today can come close to matching. You really get a closer feeling of martial arts in this game's combat than in other games that attempt the same thing, IMO.

I bring this up because that's one thing the first game did so right that even the sequels basically just recycled the same animations for the most part. Of course, Ninja Gaiden II added in quite a few more of its own, but its something that the first game can really attest to since even to this day those same animations are still being used and it still looks good in action. Yes, even in NG3 at least the game "animates," well. But, that kind of brings me to my point....I've watched a good deal of gameplay of the game, and did you know that literally 99% of that game's animations are completely recycled from the first 2 games? Now, like I said, the first game was so far ahead of its time that even the 2nd game stuck to its animations, but it still added MANY more new ones. When it came out with the dismemberment feature, it added a plethora of new weapon animations in the form of finisher moves and even how enemy attacks animated when they were missing specific limbs. In other words, even though it obviously recycled things from the first game, you could tell that a lot of effort was still put into enhancing the game in every possible aspect, even the areas it was strong in.

I was thinking that the only areas NG3 looks OK in is during segments where Ryu isn't constantly being interrupted by QTEs and can just free-form his combat, even if its only with just 1 weapon....which is also obviously just recycled from previous games that actually has WAY more than just that to recycle from, but I digress....

Anyways, I noticed that quite a few of the "new" animations (which is basically part of the few "new" things which I felt it even had to offer given how much it recycled stuff from previous games while actually dropping most of the other stuff they had and not actually adding anything back to compensate for it) for this game which I thought looked kind of cool were in fact also mostly recycled from previous games. Most of the only new animations this game had to offer were deliberately highlighted in the QTE-like segments of combat....except even a lot of those weren't new. For example, that move that replaced the Flying Swallow where he stabs the enemy from behind and tosses him aside was actually not even a new move, or at least not a new animation. Its kind of obscure but if you played Ninja Gaiden Black on Very Hard mode or Master Ninja, you would encounter tougher ninja enemies and they would have new moves not previously seen. One of them was the very animation in the move that Ryu used to replace the Flying Swallow. Also, those finisher moves that you see him perform on enemies are actually just recycled OT's from NG2.

Well, at any rate that was just a fun bit of trivia that I felt like bringing up mostly out of boredom. I said that more to highlight how far ahead of their time the older 3D NG games were that they can still have less common animations of their's used as highlighted pieces of combat in the new NG3, and most people (including many fans) don't even realize that none of it is really new stuff.

It also highlights just how lazy and cheap Tecmo and Team Ninja are. I have just started to realize that most of the new stuff that this game is using is not new at all. Its just recycled from previous games but they try to execute them in a different way that looks more like modern Western action games, and surely enough they fail miserably at it.

Also, I still can't get over the fact that they were willing to recycle so much but couldn't bother to recycle ALL of the weapons from NG2. That makes them pretty big dumb-asses in my book. I mean, the game would then be criticized for not doing much new, but EVEN then it would still have way more combat depth and variety than most modern action games out there, and it would have probably gotten higher review scores just for that (and it would have been cheap to do, too). In that regard, whoever's decision it was to approve the use of only 1 weapon in NGB seriously needs to be educated in the most basic fundamentals of good game design....actually, in that case, they don't deserve to be making games, period (the DLC doesn't count for shit....and that's recycled too, anyways....and its STILL not even close to as much as what NG2 offered in weapons' variety).

[Foggle]

The sad thing is that NG 3 would have been far better even if it had simply been little more than a glorified level pack for NG 2 (or even NGS 2).

[Dr. Ensatsu-ken]

Pretty much. Like I said, I would actually be more forgiving of Hayashi and this game IF the so-called changes he were brining to the table were something unique and which made this game still stand out from the crowd. If it was a risk that just didn't pay off, then I could live with that. What pisses me off is that he talked big as if he were really taking a big risk and as if he were somehow pulling off a "less is more" sort of thing by somehow only giving you the sword and a gimmicky mechanic that lets you "feel what its like to CUT someone" (which ironically enough actually only further LIMITS combat since now you can't even free-form combos with that mechanic kicking in at random, and being completely out of the hands of player control). He also saw fit to remove the game's currency systems and shops, and basically didn't let you do anything in the game except what he wanted you to do. "LESS IS MORE DOESN'T APPLY TO GAMEPLAY CONTENT YOU AMATEUR DUMBASS! Seriously, someone needs to smack this guy upside the head to get that message into his head. He claims to be a big fan of the old-school NES games and said that he wanted to bring the series back to his roots. If that were true, he should have known (as any fan of the oldschool NES games as well as Itagaki's NG games, for that matter, would know) that what made people a fan of those games in the first place was the exciting challenge they all offered, forcing players to come up with good strategies to overcome tough situation after tough situation. The difficulty level of NG3 is such a joke that even mainstream gamers would find it insultingly easy. This guy has no idea what he's doing.

Also, the so-called changes that he made to justify cutting out so much out from prior games weren't anything new at all. They were just new to the Ninja Gaiden series, and Itagaki never incorporated those into NG2 (even though they were popular gameplay mechanics in Western games even at that time), for a reason. A very obvious reason. They don't fit, simple as that. Hayashi tried to force stuff like QTEs, scripted segments in which you have little control over your character and are forced to proceed in just one direction, and other useless set-piece moments that do nothing to enhance the actual gameplay mechanics of the game. Not a single thing that Hayashi "added" to this game was creative in the least. He just stole them from other games that use those mechanics far better than he could ever implement them.

[gunswordfist]

Yesterday, after playing it over my cousin's house at her son's 1st birthday party, a friend of the family let me borrow Ninja Gaiden II. I believe it was after midnight when I started playing. Got to the 2nd stage again after getting their for the first time yesterday. I'm getting used to the camera (shut up, I don't want to hear a lenghty rant about the camera...again) and I'm loving the Falcon Claw's and the Lunar Staff. It makes me sad that this is going to be the last available good hack n' slash for awhile.

Also, I realized I was on Warrior and not Acolyte when I noticed the chest at the beginning was missing and the enemies were clearly harder and had more difficult types among them. Back in 2008 when Ninja Gaiden II and Devil May Cry 4 were the very first games I brought for my 360, I must have skipped Acolyte because I thought it was the ignorable Easy mode like I do for all games but this is Ninja Gaiden so I don't mind going through all the difficulties. I forgot what part in the 2nd level I left off on but I do remember that I leveled up the Lunar Staff and Falcon's Claws.

[Dr. Ensatsu-ken]

My only problem with the game on Warrior is that it actually gets a bit too easy later down the line when you fully upgrade most of your weapons since they don't really ramp up the enemy difficulty that much. That said Mentor is by far the best difficulty in tihs game, and it feels like Ninja Gaiden proper pretty much the whole way through.

The weapons in this game are great, and they each have their own strengths and weaknesses that make them fun to experiment with in different situations. The Falcon's Talons are great but they also have a really cheap and exploitable FS transition into ID move which newbies can spam (I refrained from doing this, though, because it just wasn't actually much fun to abuse cheap tactics in a Ninja Gaiden game). The FT at level 3 have some of the coolest combos in the game, and they are the 3rd fastest weapon in the game so its easy to chain combos with them.

The Lunar Staff is downright overpowered if you realize that its alternate UT absolutely rapes anything that gets in its way. Its not my favorite weapon in the game for combos, but it is by far the most practical and powerful weapon in the game.

You should keep on a look out for the Vigoorian Flails in this game (its just a shame that they are the last weapons you pick-up, and on top of that you find them in the WORST level of the game....and just as a warning, Chapter 9 is complete garbage, by far the worst level I've played in any Ninja Gaiden game). Knowing that you are a big DMC fan, the VF in this game (which are completely upgraded from NGB), have TONS of aerial combos and they are the best weapons to juggle enemies with. Admittedly they are also the least practical weapon in the game, but they are fun to do for combo and skill runs on New Game + where you can use them from the beginning of the game.

The Tonfa are probably my favorite melee weapon in the game mostly due to its many useful nuances. If you are a fan of the finer points of combat systems in these types of games, GSF, take note that the Tonfa allow you to combo-cancel, which you should know is an extremely useful feature in hack n' slash games from playing DMC, I would suspect.

Oh, just as a warning, Gigadeath from Chapter 3 is a cheap motherfucker. Its a shitty boss fight that thankfully you only have to deal with once, but just be weary that you should keep well-stocked on healing items for that boss fight just so that you don't have to pull your hair out from pure rage at how badly designed he is.

[Foggle]

My only problem with the game on Warrior is that it actually gets a bit too easy later down the line

For you, maybe.

[gunswordfist]

My only problem with the game on Warrior is that it actually gets a bit too easy later down the line when you fully upgrade most of your weapons since they don't really ramp up the enemy difficulty that much. That said Mentor is by far the best difficulty in tihs game, and it feels like Ninja Gaiden proper pretty much the whole way through.

The weapons in this game are great, and they each have their own strengths and weaknesses that make them fun to experiment with in different situations. The Falcon's Talons are great but they also have a really cheap and exploitable FS transition into ID move which newbies can spam (I refrained from doing this, though, because it just wasn't actually much fun to abuse cheap tactics in a Ninja Gaiden game). The FT at level 3 have some of the coolest combos in the game, and they are the 3rd fastest weapon in the game so its easy to chain combos with them.

The Lunar Staff is downright overpowered if you realize that its alternate UT absolutely rapes anything that gets in its way. Its not my favorite weapon in the game for combos, but it is by far the most practical and powerful weapon in the game.

You should keep on a look out for the Vigoorian Flails in this game (its just a shame that they are the last weapons you pick-up, and on top of that you find them in the WORST level of the game....and just as a warning, Chapter 9 is complete garbage, by far the worst level I've played in any Ninja Gaiden game). Knowing that you are a big DMC fan, the VF in this game (which are completely upgraded from NGB), have TONS of aerial combos and they are the best weapons to juggle enemies with. Admittedly they are also the least practical weapon in the game, but they are fun to do for combo and skill runs on New Game + where you can use them from the beginning of the game.

The Tonfa are probably my favorite melee weapon in the game mostly due to its many useful nuances. If you are a fan of the finer points of combat systems in these types of games, GSF, take note that the Tonfa allow you to combo-cancel, which you should know is an extremely useful feature in hack n' slash games from playing DMC, I would suspect.

Oh, just as a warning, Gigadeath from Chapter 3 is a cheap motherfucker. Its a shitty boss fight that thankfully you only have to deal with once, but just be weary that you should keep well-stocked on healing items for that boss fight just so that you don't have to pull your hair out from pure rage at how badly designed he is.

II has New Game +? Ah sweet fuck yeah!

Thanks for the info oh and I'm not much of a technical gamer.

[Dr. Ensatsu-ken]

Ah yes, my bad. I can't expect every average gamer out there to be on my godly level of skill in gaming, after all.

[gunswordfist]

You're probably are compared to me. I'm just more persistent than most.

[gunswordfist]

That stage 3 boss really is a son of a bitch. I had use all my ninpo and healing items, including that life of the thousand whatever maximum health upgrade that I believe I got from the trial in that stage. Even then I was more than likely one hit away from dying but luckily I beat him on the first try. Also stage 4's mid boss is a bitch and I think I had use every single item I had again including another one to boost my maximum health so I could heal all the way. That scream attack has no apparent warning and takes like half my health bar. WTF?! I was circling him like no one's business and still got blasted. I'm inside the Statue Of Liberty right now. I believe right before the trail since I went to sleep knowing beating this one will take forever.

[Dr. Ensatsu-ken]

That stage 3 boss really is a son of a bitch. I had use all my ninpo and healing items, including that life of the thousand whatever maximum health upgrade that I believe I got from the trial in that stage. Even then I was more than likely one hit away from dying but luckily I beat him on the first try.

Well, I warned you.

Also stage 4's mid boss is a bitch and I think I had use every single item I had again including another one to boost my maximum health so I could heal all the way. That scream attack has no apparent warning and takes like half my health bar. WTF?!

This boss is actually pretty easy if you know what you're doing. For starters, you shouldn't be attacking him from the front. If the fact that it has no eyes isn't a big enough hint, I'll make it easier for you: its blind!

That means you should instinctively sneak around him and attack him from behind (I just realized that there's no way to say a line like this without it sounding like some sort of sexual innuendo ).

I was circling him like no one's business and still got blasted. I'm inside the Statue Of Liberty right now. I believe right before the trail since I went to sleep knowing beating this one will take forever.

OH, HAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHA! Just going by how much trouble you had with the mid-boss of the stage, you are NOT going to like Alexei. He's not really cheap or anything, but lets just say that out of all of the bosses in the game he requires the quickest reflexes for you to dodge his attacks, and he attacks you A LOT!

[gunswordfist]

I meant to say Trial not trail. I swear I edited that before I posted it.

Anyway, that's for the warning, ass-fucker.