Watching Ninja Blade in action for the first time at Microsoft's Daitabashi offices, it reminded us of another From Software action classic, Otogi: Myth of Demons.
While Ninja Blade and Otogi don't really have that much in common outside of being hack and slash action games, there's something to protagonist Ken Ogawa's three weapons — especially the giant, armor-smashing sword he carries — that makes us think "Hey, these guys made Otogi. Maybe this'll be good."
Kazuhiro Hamatani, planner for Ninja Blade told us, rather unfortunately, that the game is not a spiritual successor to the two Otogi games that hit the original Xbox.
"[Ninja Blade] was not intended to be Otogi 3," Hamatani said via his translator. "But people who like action action games like Otogi will like this game."
Well, so what *about* Otogi 3? How's that coming along anyway?
"I have no idea," was the response to our inquiries about the possibility of a sequel. We'd consider the matter totally done with, if only Hamatani wasn't deviously giggling while delivering the answer. Perhaps someday...
We'll have hands-on impressions of Ninja Blade later this week, as the game will be playable at Microsoft's massive TGS booth.