If Ninja Blade looks familiar, that's because it is so unapologetically derivative, borrowing game design elements wholesale from Japanese action-adventure titles like Ninja Gaiden, Devil May Cry and Onimusha. Ogawa can pull off killer combos, upgrade his weapons with harvested orbs—here called Blood Crystals—and topple foes of any size and shape. Even crab shaped!

Like every other action game, Ninja Blade pits its hero against deadly, world-threatening demonic bad guys, from rank and file zombies... err... Carriers to gigantic, skyscraper hugging worms. Where Ninja Blade differs is in its heavy use of "Quick Time Events," the rapid reaction button presses that From Software hoped would make the game feel "cinematic," and its "Ninja Vision" gimmick, which slows down the action and lets Ogawa see what non-ninja can't.

Does Ninja Blade flatter the games it imitates? Or is From Software's borrowing just an insult?

Loved
Never, Ever A Dull Moment: Outside of some rather uninteresting cut scenes, the action in Ninja Blade never lets up. You're either fighting batches of low-level Carriers, engaged in a big boss battle, tapping out button presses, or manning a mounted machine gun. With very little in the way of exploration, players likely won't find the experience dull, as the game's pacing is carefully delivered. The ludicrous Quick Time Events ensure that anyone watching the game won't be bored either.

Hilarious In Its Absurdity: We hate to spoil, but the game's rampant ridiculousness is noteworthy. Not only will Ninja Blade star Ken Ogawa ride a motorcycle down the side of a regurgitated bus in the sky, he'll use that motorcycle's gas tank as an explosive to finish off the giant worm that had just vomited it forth. Ogawa can also stop a runaway jetliner by himself, braking it with nothing more than the strength of his sword and powerful ninja feet. Ninja Blade is full of riotous attempts at cool that result in "WTF?" laugh out loud moments.

Character Customization: Adding to the silliness of Ninja Blade are the game's unlockable outfits. If you're unsatisfied with standard ninja black, go fluorescent green, go leopard print, then edit your own color scheme. It makes the ride that much more insane.

Hated
Constant Quick Time Events: If you even remotely dislike reflexive button jamming, you're going to despise Ninja Blade. From Software piles on the QTEs, even though they really don't have much of an impact. You can simply replay them over and over again until you get them right. With the exception of the stylish combo kills one can pull off for extra Blood Crystals during regular combat, the overused QTEs quickly become annoying.

Ugly Aesthetics: While technically capable in the graphics department, Ninja Blade's art direction is horribly dated and unattractive. Everything's black, shiny, and lifeless, with sickly green lighting that feels like an imitation of the imitation of The Matrix. Enemy designs, while occasionally interesting, generally boil down to giant crustaceans and mutated insects. Ogawa himself looks dopey, exactly "how silly Ryu Hayabusa would look without the mouth piece of his ninja outfit" to quote Mike Fahey.

Clunky Controls and Camera: Ninja Blade doesn't control nearly as well as the games it steals from, with a combat system that's just capable enough to get the job done. Ogawa bounces back and forth between enemies with little ninja grace, sliding toward his foes in a way that evokes flashbacks to Too Human and hacking away mindlessly. Camera issues can make wall running far less fun than it should be, resulting in unnecessary deaths and a general feeling that ninja aren't actually that cool. That camera can also make combat, especially when sprinting down the side of a skyscraper, annoyingly chaotic. Good thing button mashing works so well.

Technical Problems: When the action gets heavy, Ninja Blade can suffer from some serious frame rate issues. Unfortunately, this is exactly when we need the game to behave at its technical best.

My ten hours with Ninja Blade reminded me often of another game I'd recently played, 50 Cent: Blood on the Sand. Both are just-capable-enough action games that liberally swipe from titles of higher quality and better value. Both saturate the player in ludicrous conversations and far fetched situations. Both should only be played by gamers who have absorbed every ounce of gameplay from their forebears, because what's been done in Ninja Blade has been done better by games released in previous generations.

Players will likely forget about Ken Ogawa and the events of Ninja Blade quickly, as the game doesn't offer particularly memorable mechanics—that "Ninja Vision" gimmick actually becomes a hindrance when used to exhaustion—nor does it introduce us to a likable hero. It does offer some spectacular motorcycle stunts though, making it worth watching when someone else is driving.

Ninja Blade was developed by From Software and published by Microsoft Corp. for the Xbox 360, released on April 7th. Retails for $59.99 USD. Completed main campaign, spent way too much time customizing outfits.

Confused by our reviews? Read our review FAQ.

It's an expanded version of the demo we played at Tokyo Game Show this past October. While the trial version has certainly been improved upon and extended on both ends, the gameplay remains largely the same.

If you're a fan of ninja, particularly the motorcycle-riding, quick time event-reacting kind, go grab Ninja Blade.

That has got to be the strongest business man ever, punching that ninja so hard that his ninja powers are erupting from his stomach in a burst of light. Probably not what's really happening in the screenshot, but sometimes it's more fun to make up your own story, rather than wait for an official explanation on why the helicopter in the shot below is covered in giant snails. Your imagination is your ticket to a world of wonder such as the world has never seen, or something.

Ninja Blade is coming to the Xbox 360 in early April.

The Asia region has English language support (text and voice). It's also region free. Interested parties, import away!

Ninja Blade Ready In English, Just Not Here [Siliconera]

Sure the action looks intense and the enemies look immense...none of this matters when your main character looks like he rode the short bus to ninja school. The first thing they do when teaching you to be a deadly killer is to cover your face, unless you're an attractive woman. Ken Ogawa is not an attractive woman. I checked.

Oh well. Check out the new screens anyway, and enjoy the fact sheet that comes along with them.

Ninja Blade Fact Sheet
Title: “Ninja Blade”

Age Rating: Rating Pending

Availability: Q1 2009

Product Overview: Step into the dark and mysterious world of “Ninja Blade,” where gamers will be given the epic task to defend Tokyo and ultimately humanity itself from a horrific, genetically mutating disease.

High atop the towering skyscrapers of modern-day Tokyo, Ken Ogawa and his team of skilled ninjas are deployed to destroy the infected monster horde and stem the spreading disease as humanity hangs in the balance. Matters quickly take a turn for the worse as Ken and his team are betrayed from within their own ranks. After narrowly escaping death, Ken is left to fight the daunting battle alone while also attempting to understand the motivations behind his betrayal.

Armed with an extensive arsenal of specialized ninja weapons, tools and skills including the powerful forces of “Ninja Vision” and “Todome,” players must fight insurmountable odds, and once again bring peace and order to Tokyo.

Features:
Unique Ninja abilities. To help defeat the genetically mutated monsters, players will have the special abilities of “Ninja Vision” and “Todome” at their fingertips. Enabling “Ninja Vision” will allow players to detect and analyze potential enemy weak points, secret paths, and hidden information within the environment. Beware though, while using “Ninja Vision,” characters become susceptible to excess damage. “Todome” is a special attack that destroys an enemy character’s core (heart), by dealing a fatal wound. Balanced and calculated use of both these abilities will be critical to progressing through the game
Variety of weapons, tools and “Ninjutsu” – specialized Ninja powers - offer an enticing array of options. Varied environments force players to think strategically about which set of weapons and tools will be most effective at conquering thier way through different levels. Everything from dual wielding swords, to grapple wire hooks, to grenades each have distinctive features and characteristics, so choose wisely! “Ninjutsu” is a special power that results in an explosive electrical force to either stun enemies or protect oneself from attack. Only true Ninja Masters can achieve this technique
Interactive quick-time events. Scattered throughout integral parts of the storyline, characters will come across various quick-time events where players will have the opportunity to directly interact with in-game cut-scenes. Quick reflexes will be rewarded as players interact with controller buttons as directed on screen during intense battles
Modern Realism. “Ninja Blade” offers a fresh twist to the classic ninja saga by basing all 3D gaming maps directly from the actual skyscrapers and building tops in modern day Tokyo

Developer
Information: FromSoftware, Inc. Founded in 1986 as business application developer, and has been releasing popular franchises such as mechanic action “Armored Core” and stealth Ninja action “Tenchu,” since its entry in console game development in 1994. FromSoftware, Inc is currently making the most of its technical knowhow to run a 3D online virtual world metaverse “meet-me” where real world is virtually created in the game. FromSoftware’s developer team was awarded GameSpot’s”Most Surprisingly Good Game” for “O¥TO¥GI “developed for Xbox.

Upon first glancing at the video I was hard pressed to notice much of a difference between this and Ninja Gaiden, but extended viewing reveals the game's more colorful side. By colorful I am of course referring to the four colors of Xbox 360 controller buttons, which appear on the screen with disturbing regularity during the 9 minute demo, indicating possibly too-frequent Quicktime events. They're lovely when used sparingly, but too many and you might as well be playing Dragon's Lair for Dummies.

Then the gigantic spider arrived, I peed myself, and ran away. Check out the full video below while I go clean up.

Ninja Blade Demo: Playthrough & Analysis [Inside Digital Foundry]

It will be released on Japanese Xbox LIVE on December 29. See, there's this demo will be a demo from a family of demos...

フロム・ソフトウェア、Xbox 360「NINJA BLADE」
臨場感溢れるアクションを満喫できる無料体験版を配信 [Game Watch]

Seeing Ninja Blade at Tokyo Game Show this year didn't leave us wanting for From Software to hurry up and get the thing out the door. It looks, well, a bit bland.

But when you ratchet up the cinematic silliness, making the titular ninja rope in and ride a motorcycle mid-air on the side of a bus which is also plummeting to Earth, we'll give you the benefit of the doubt, From. (For the record, that's a ninja who can land a plane, then bring it to a halt with his feet.)

Perhaps six minutes worth of Ninja Blade cheese-play will win you over?

The theme comes bundled with wallpapers and the Avatar backgrounds seen above, all for just 250 Microsoft Points. Pricey? Maybe, but you really can't put a dollar figure on something this useless. Expect even more wallet whittling microtransactions for the next... forever.

Ninja Blade Pre-Launch Events [Impress Game Watch via Siliconera]

And that's Ninja Blade in a nutshell, according to From Software planner Kazuhiro Hamatani. That might set the mood for how inspired the Xbox 360 cinematic hack and slash game is. Yes, it's "cinematic" as you're a super ninja fighting off demons atop Tokyo skyscrapers and during freefalls from helicopters. But that doesn't necessarily mean it's exciting.

Ninja Blade feels mostly adequate at this point. It's joined by a handful of gimmicks that could eventually turn out to be refreshing. The main character, ninja master Ken Ogawa, can sprint down the face of a building, slicing up hellspawn en route to the ground floor. In the Tokyo Game Show demo version, this was more than a bit jarring, as each attack on the winged demons that plagued Ogawa forced a transition to a new camera angle. Unsettling, in its current form.

From Software's other tactic for making Ninja Blade feel cinematic are its numerous timed button presses. We call 'em Quick Time Events round these parts. Ninja Blade's are a bit more exciting than some of its action competitors and certainly far less frustrating. Miss one and you'll simply do it again.

There's some variety in these QTEs. The button press for a "Dodge!", "Wire!" or "Endure!" may change with each attempt. It keeps you on your toes, but unless there's some tangible penalty, they don't really feel very tension-filled.

We'll admit though, that our battle with the giant rock skinned spider attacking Tokyo was made better by the cinematic Quick Time Events.

The standard combat isn't that exciting, though. Button mashing seemed to do the job, our hack, slash and jump attacks quickly whittling down the zombie-like hordes who pestered Ogawa. On-the-fly weapon switching helped to add some spice, as did Ogawa's wind manipulating ninjitsu skill, but the swordplay felt a little dry when inevitably comparing it to Ninja Gaiden.

Ninja Blade's "ninja vision" mode, flipped on with the Xbox 360 pad's left bumper, didn't quite sell itself in our hands-on. It slows the action down a bit, giving Ogawa an improved — and more orange-hued — look at the action. It didn't, however, showcase its usefulness quite yet. Perhaps in a more complicated boss fight.

Our brief time with Ninja Blade left us wanting. The action doesn't yet seem solid enough to dethrone titles like Ninja Gaiden or Devil May Cry 4, nor does the visual design help us to overlook some of its gameplay faults. It's dark, dreary and all too familiar at this point. Hopefully, though, From Software will surprise us with something we've yet to uncover in the game soon. Otherwise, the game may be deserving of its "Ninja Bladen" me-too nickname.

There was also a bit of news shaking loose before the show officially kicked off. Here's the run down:

Microsoft Has Over 140 Demo Kiosks, Buddies With Square Enix
Patapon 2 Helps You Keep Your Groove
Xbox Japan Booth Babes Adore New Booth Babe Outfit
Sorry, But Ninja Blade Is *Not* Otogi 3
Banjo Kazooie's Japan Inspired Backpack
LocoRoco 2: Afros, Home, Luft Balloons and Water
Loads Of LocoRoco 2 Screenshots
LocoRoco 2's Number One Fan
Let's Patapon 2 Multiplayer

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.

This new batch, sent our way from Xbox 360 USA, gives a bit of a better glimpse into the game which has players defending Tokyo from a "horrific, genetically mutating disease."

Ninja Blade Cutting Up Xbox 360 [IGN]

Lips, according to 8bitjoystick, is vaguely described as having "something to do with voice communications" but is also speculated to possibly be a hardware accessory used in a music title like Rock Band or SingStar. With an already established digital distribution model, a burning desire for more casual market bucks and a gaping karaoke hole in its line up, we wouldn't flinch if a SingStar (and SingStore) clone was coming.

The mystery accessory is said to be separate from the rumored waggle wand—codename "Darwin"—that Microsoft is supposedly showing off at its San Francisco area event, but details beyond that are scant. Sadly, NeoGAF is currently down, so you won't be able to enjoy the rampant speculation (or Kotaku adoration) there for the time being.

In addition to the early spill on Lips, listings for Ninja Blade, Scene It? 2 and Viva Pinata: Trouble in Paradise were uncovered. You've probably heard about that last one.

Check in with us early tomorrow morning for more details. Or, you know, later tonight when this leak turns into a torrent.

Xbox to Unveil Accessory Lips Tomorrow [8bitjoystick]
Possible new games at MS Gamer's Day: Ninja Blade, Scene It 2, Viva TiP, etc [NeoGAF]