Well, let's give Itagaki what is his. He created the series. Problem was, besides being a great game designer, he has a crappy character, which when combined with his xbox360 fanboy-ism rezulted, i think, in his dismissal from team ninja. Companies want money, the money "managers" decide on exclusivity, not the paid developer. They wanted multiplat, itagaki didn't. They saw how the 1st ninja gaide sold on ps3 and when they wanted to make a 2nd one and itagaki probably went berserk with his behavior, he got fired (of course i know the MAIN story, he didn't get paid he said, etc).
I'm saying he has a rat character because as i remember(i think i read it here, on kotaku), when ninja gaiden sigma was launched, some guy in japan went with a copy of the game to a game shop or something where he knew itagaki was, to get it signed. And itagaki didn't sign it, because he said he won't sign that crap cos he didn't make it, and apparently was also mad on the fan.
As long as it has not asstastic camera angles and the enemies can't all hit you at any point in time, from any distance, including when you can't even see them and they're halfway across the area, I would like another Ninja Gaiden.
That drove me NUTS about NG2. The combat system was so refined, and for the first 5 levels it was like action game godhood...
Then they introduced the mecha demons and the chaingun homing bazooka ninjas and I threw my controller at the wall. I believe Hayashi said adjusting balance was his FIRST priority in the game after fixing the camera though, so I'm hoping that will be less prominent in Sigma 2.
I predict that Ninja Gaiden III will be on both the 360 and the PS3 now that Itagaki is no longer in charge. His love of Microsoft's hardware was really the only thing that made the original versions of those games exclusive.
I kinda feel betrayed by the PS3 ports with new stuff. A lot of people bought Ninja Gaiden II when it came out - so Team Ninja puts a ton of new, console-exclusive content out for no extra price on another platform?
@Brmarlin: I felt the same way, but I'll just say this. Go ahead and get a PS3. It's actually not that much anymore. When you have both systems, it's all just bonus after that. I'm a diehard Ninja Gaiden fan from 360 and XBOX 1, and I'm now looking forward to Sigma and Sigma II with my recently purchased PS3.
@Shinta: In my opinion, there's nothing to Sigma that justifies buying a PS3 for it, when you can enjoy the original version of the game on the Xbox 360.
If they go multi-plat from now on, kudos to them. I still don't think either console has the exclusives to justify having both...it comes down to multiplat performance on that system.
@Brmarlin: it is kinda the same way with the whole "MS steals all of our exclusives." This is just sony getting even and more aggressive against MS and their "backstabbing ways".lmao!
@LllusionX loves the inFamous demo!(to death): Except purely on a developmental scale, and not "directly" towards sony and MS, but you can bet that sony had to shell out some dough to get this.
@forzak: i think you have it backwards. Multiplatform performance is good and all, but what causes one to justify a purchase over another is the exclusives. As we've seen so far, multiplatform titles dont hold specificity as to which system they work better on, it all boils down to how much time a given developer spends making said game, and that is a variable that can change from game to game, developer to developer, and shouldnt be a basis as to which you buy. Truth be told, people buy consoles for the quality of their exclusives that set them apart from the competition, and in my opinion, especially this year, the PS3 is having the better of all exclusive line ups in terms of gameplay quality, graphics, sequels, story, etc. If a choice it to be made on which to buy, and if you care for aforementioned characteristics, then i would recommend getting a PS3.
I fully expect to see a Ninja Gaiden 3 in the future. Probably DoA5 first, but NG3 is inevitable. Itagaki only masterminded the series' current DMC-ripoff status; he didn't create it. It'll be interesting to see how someone else would handle the series.
@Archaotic: I doubt it's going to go anywhere besides DMC-ripoff status. If you think about it, it's current inception really was just an evolution of the play style that started in the arcades/NES.
Well, what I'd like to see is the game become a little looser, a little more free-form. NG2 STARTED down that path, but the reason I've always preferred DMC to NG (and I still like both games a LOT) is that NG's combos are a lot more restrictive; they're tighter, but they're more like dial-a-combos than I'd prefer.
They're so close to getting it right, too. Who knows, Hayashi might even be able to pull it off in Sigma 2.
@Gam3r: And I'd like to gouge my eyes out with forks that are on fire and shove them up my ass before consuming six gallons of paint thinner and hiking up a mountain that was once feared for its metallic, razor-sharp surfaces but is now dangerous only because of the heaping masses of human remains that covers every inch of its massive glory.
@levo: Exactly. No. Just No. Just because cross-overs like Marvel vs Capcom and things like Freddy vs Jason work, I don't think Ninja Gaiden would work. Since you know, it's like one guy and some boob jugglers, it simply wouldn't work.
@jjammerzs: Miyamoto didn't direct "Super Mario Galaxy"- it was developed by Nintendo EAD Tokyo. it was still an amazing game.
Itagaki is not the beginning and end of this franchise. in fact- Ninja Gaiden 2 only proved that lightning doesn't often strike twice, as it was largely received as an underwhelming follow-up to the first Ninja Gaiden (which many would agree was his only real hit).
i think this series has a lot of room to grow and improve- i'm excited to see what team Ninja has in store.
@jjammerzs: Itagaki was nothing more than the John Romero of Team Ninja, and just as id got along great without Romero, Team Ninja will be fine without Itagaki.
I find it amusing how everyone is acting like Itagaki singlehandedy designed, produced, directed, coded and created art assets for every Team Ninja game ever.
Hayashi has been with Team Ninja a long time. Any Team Ninja game you've played, he's either programmed for or directed.
I hate to say this but the only reason Team Ninja games were on Xbox first or exclusively was because of Itagaki and the other Team Ninja Vets. Even though he created Team Ninja and DOA they are going to be very different in what they do from now on. Don't know if it is good or bad but I know one thing, Itagaki's wrath will come.(he is working on something and he isn't the type to sit around)
Hayashi is one of those "vets", and a lot of the people on the original team are still on board (while some left years ago).
Itagaki created Team Ninja and his big mouth made them what they are. However, given the fiasco that followed his departure, I don't think any existing developer will actually welcome him on board. He'll either have to create his own studio or actually do what he went to college for: practice law.
06/08/09
I'm saying he has a rat character because as i remember(i think i read it here, on kotaku), when ninja gaiden sigma was launched, some guy in japan went with a copy of the game to a game shop or something where he knew itagaki was, to get it signed. And itagaki didn't sign it, because he said he won't sign that crap cos he didn't make it, and apparently was also mad on the fan.
Bad
06/08/09
05/17/09
Glad to see the spirit of Itagaki lives on in mind and body...And in this case, in wang!
05/15/09
05/15/09
05/15/09
05/15/09
That drove me NUTS about NG2. The combat system was so refined, and for the first 5 levels it was like action game godhood...
Then they introduced the mecha demons and the chaingun homing bazooka ninjas and I threw my controller at the wall. I believe Hayashi said adjusting balance was his FIRST priority in the game after fixing the camera though, so I'm hoping that will be less prominent in Sigma 2.
05/15/09
05/15/09
Yeah, Hayashi mentioned that in the interview; the next game will be on both platforms.
05/15/09
Does anyone else feel this way?
05/15/09
05/16/09
If they go multi-plat from now on, kudos to them. I still don't think either console has the exclusives to justify having both...it comes down to multiplat performance on that system.
05/16/09
05/16/09
05/16/09
As we've seen so far, multiplatform titles dont hold specificity as to which system they work better on, it all boils down to how much time a given developer spends making said game, and that is a variable that can change from game to game, developer to developer, and shouldnt be a basis as to which you buy.
Truth be told, people buy consoles for the quality of their exclusives that set them apart from the competition, and in my opinion, especially this year, the PS3 is having the better of all exclusive line ups in terms of gameplay quality, graphics, sequels, story, etc. If a choice it to be made on which to buy, and if you care for aforementioned characteristics, then i would recommend getting a PS3.
05/15/09
05/15/09
05/15/09
Well, what I'd like to see is the game become a little looser, a little more free-form. NG2 STARTED down that path, but the reason I've always preferred DMC to NG (and I still like both games a LOT) is that NG's combos are a lot more restrictive; they're tighter, but they're more like dial-a-combos than I'd prefer.
They're so close to getting it right, too. Who knows, Hayashi might even be able to pull it off in Sigma 2.
05/15/09
05/15/09
But we can't all have HORRIBLY PAINFUL things.
05/16/09
05/15/09
05/16/09
No.
05/16/09
05/16/09
05/16/09
05/15/09
05/15/09
05/15/09
Itagaki is not the beginning and end of this franchise. in fact- Ninja Gaiden 2 only proved that lightning doesn't often strike twice, as it was largely received as an underwhelming follow-up to the first Ninja Gaiden (which many would agree was his only real hit).
i think this series has a lot of room to grow and improve- i'm excited to see what team Ninja has in store.
05/15/09
05/15/09
@Shinta: Can you really stack Tekken 3 against DOA 2 and say DOA is anything in comparison?
If so, my hats off to you. I love boobs, but I don't love boobs that much. For every unnecessary jiggle, there is a completely broken juggle.
05/15/09
05/16/09
Also consider how bad Ninja Gaiden II was, remember that it was WITH Itagaki; maybe a new one without him wouldn't be THAT bad...
05/16/09
It'll be 'fun'.
03/24/09
theres a new sheriff in town and his nam is Hayashi-San!
if he cures the disease that was NG2, he will be well on his way to forging his own path.
lest not forget NG Sigma on PS3 was no fucking slouch.
03/24/09
Hayashi has been with Team Ninja a long time. Any Team Ninja game you've played, he's either programmed for or directed.
03/24/09
03/25/09
More like there's something OUT of the water at Tecmo.
03/24/09
03/24/09
Hayashi is one of those "vets", and a lot of the people on the original team are still on board (while some left years ago).
Itagaki created Team Ninja and his big mouth made them what they are. However, given the fiasco that followed his departure, I don't think any existing developer will actually welcome him on board. He'll either have to create his own studio or actually do what he went to college for: practice law.
03/24/09
Microsoft will probably scoop him up as a development leader for XBOX Japan.