ChiChi_BBQ

PhantomVI

Spiffyness

Nedus

Heck, NG:DS was excellent, but it didn't sell that good.

Still, at least we have a really good game to play now!

Ultrasinc

Since MS is publishing it I highly doubt it...

FYI, MS didn't Publish NG or NGB, which is why it was on the PS3.

TxKARATEDUDE

Just curious, did this one come with a weapon? The were giving shurikens to the press with the first game.

Zero_Beat

Oh, right. It's in the background.
I wonder if there'll be any cameos. I'd love to see Dr. McNinja make a appearance.

Wookiee1

Also, those knife-in-mouth dogs were in Shinobi series, too. I wonder if Team NINJA lifted those from Shinobi... or if they both lifted knife-wielding dogs from Japanese folklore.

Xiedo

Wookiee1

excel_excel

STHD

On a more serious note, after reading this article and IGN preview, the game doesn't sound nearly as close to being finished as it should be for a game coming out in less than 2 months which worries me. I don't want the game to be delayed until September :(.

Samos42

mphz

wtf007

vantesaur

HawaiianActor

djHEAT

The only reason I'm raving on here is because I downloaded the game again just to give it another go, and I rediscovered how perfect it was. It's brutally difficult, but I still haven't seen a better combat system in any action game before or since. God of War is close, but still doesn't hold a candle to the breakneck speed and intensity that Ninja Gaiden attained.

Mujah

So again, thanks ;)

DaiMacculate

xanavi

btw, you guys really need to start proofreading things. this article feels like some sort of sentence correction exercise for gmat students except that, if i remember correctly, kotaku was labeled junior high level by some mysterious authority on reading levels.

thaKingRocka

Btw, anyone seen the new pics of the kusarigama? Seriously, if there's a NGIII, Itagaki has exhausted nearly every kick ass weapon known to ninjas. All that's really left is for Ryu to actually use the kunai on his legs.

Last note, for anyone complaining about difficulty they did confirm Ninja Dog in NGII will be even easier than Ninja Dog in NGB. So, yes, it's basically Ninja Dog's Bitch. NGII MN is also supposed to be harder than NGB MN, so Team Ninja is broadening the spectrum both ways.

Xiedo

Superstar90

Bam345

vanderblade

NG took some time for me to enjoy. I got my ass royally handed to me repeatedly in my first go around with Alma in the church; so much that I had to take time off from the game. I finally got sufficently motivated, and put in some time to learn the gameplay nuances. It payed off and I kicked Alma's ass the first time on my second play-thru attempt. After getting past my initial "button masher" reaction, I was able to enjoy what it was Itagaki talked about when he descibed his game.

coalhalo

Tull

Prince of Persia struggled through it. PoP 3D was vomit in a bucket, but Sands of Time was glorious.

Komrade_Kayce

mrantimatter

haha 2d NES Ryu FTW. I remember when games started going from 2d to 3d...best innovation EVER!!!

Seiven

Seiven

America:
[vgchartz.com]
Selling well.

Remember, tastes between the Japanese and American markets do differ. Team Ninja games can be said to be more geared towards Western markets.

Tepoz

Explain to me how they would make a Ninja Gaiden game without putting it in a third person leaping jumping slashing action.

What are you, like 14. Ryu's been around longer than these 3d gameamajigs, son.

Komrade_Kayce

Johnny_Sokko

Kyle81

reminds me too much of devil may cry or similar.

great game but not original at all....

lonesn1per

DaiMacculate

GustoGaiden

sascha23

(did I ever tell y'all I used to be an altar boy in a catholic church?, now that's hardcore)

Cruithne

Someone over on NeoGAF said it did 4K on its first day, which is pretty bad.

[www.neogaf.com]

No idea how well it did in the US though.

x3sphere

KirbyMorph

Also the pissy camera. I hope they bothered to fix it, mostly for the boss battles where they forced the camera on the boss and never on their minion helpers. But hey, I've bitched this bitchery before, no need to go into it again. I'm sure it could be a perfectly fine game if Itagaki's team fixes those flaws from the first. Then again, after two remakes and no fixes, I wouldn't be surprised if they didn't.

Maldron

So do you actually have that info, or do you just feel that it flopped? I've seen you get called on and corrected for this in the past as well, so it might behoove you to provide your data in the future if you're going to make the statement so often.

DaiMacculate

Modus_Operandi

Witzbold

okenny :)

That's badass, but whats better to hear is that this is NOT a button masher.. now I'm interested in this one.

Abdar

Kyle81

Seriously though, I probably beat Ninja Gaiden and Ninja Gaiden Black at least 20 times! So it goes without saying, I'm excited!

NinjaBurg3r

Cruithne

And for difficulty, I don't know, so far Itagaki insists that the game is harder than before, so if anything it seems like they are going more for the hardcore

Kyle81

okenny :)

okenny :)

Kyle81

If NG2 is as hard as the first one, I might have to pass. I dont think I could take the punishment all over again.

KirbyMorph

Tull

Bottom line: can't wait to say "Thank you, sir, may I have another!" about a thousand times a sitting during this $109.98 game ($59.99 for disc, $49.99 for replacement controller). It's only the sequel to my favorite Xbox game BY FAR, and one of my All-Time Top Ten.

jollydwarf

I think the dismemberment will end up being just "for show" at least in original NG enemies die in a couple of hits anyway so i dont see dismemberment playing a huge row besides maybe bosses and huge monsters.

shaselai

shaselai

greeble

Certainly go for Black on the Xbox. It's the only game I would recommend someone to buy despite not getting half-way through.

I'm no good at the genre either, but the first half alone is worth it.

Krondonian

mugido

My brother is pretty pro at it, so kept on urging me to play more as he wanted to show me show much quicker he could beat everything. And the game is so bloody great.

The only things I think that could be done to improve it would be:

1) No goddamn bow bits.
2) More checkpoints.
3) A Ninja Dog's Bitch Difficult
4) More dismemberment
5) NO GODDAMN FIRST PERSON BOWING
6) And a quicker, more helpful camera.

So far Ninja Gaiden II sounds like THE game I will buy with a 360.

Krondonian

The second basically looks to be expanding on it in every way you would want. Better graphics, more weapons etc

It really is like Crecente says, button mashing in NG is not going to get you very far.

The first NG had so many little touches that made it incredible as well. Something tiny that I guess most people wouldn't notice is if you stood on a small rock rather than clipping through it or your other foot floating a little off the ground Ryu would actually rest his foot on it. Tiny graphical touches like that are what for me take a game from being great looking to incredible. Like in RE4 how rain splashes off Leon, his gun etc. One of the biggest dissappointments for me in GeoW was that the rain wass much worse than in RE4, it didn't interact with the character.

Zim

You've got to play through black. At least to get through the somewhat rough acclimatization to the difficulty. Trust me, you have to give this game I chance. I was so frustrated that I brought this back to eb to trade it in until succumbing and getting it to play again and loving it.

Buy it, and give it a chance. If you can give it a go on hard before 2 comes out.

fav

JoDark117

Sonic_and_Tails

Gray665

What do you guys think, buy the BC Xbox version for my 360, or jump right in with 2 as my first attempt?

Shandy706

I didn't mind the 'copter. When I was playing the original the tanks were ruthless, especially in the mission were they threw infantry at you as well.

At least in Sigma they added the ability to fire arrows in the air mid roll-jump.

fav

CHU BOI

Cruithne

kelptocratic

K-Squad! (Badass Edition)

I beat NG on Very Hard (highest difficulty on original), and I beat Black on Master Ninja.

I got to get around to playing Sigma on Master Ninja now before the game comes out.

All in all over 500+ hours dedicated to this game on my part so far, pure awesome.

It'll be interesting to see how the guys over at iberiansng.com approach this game. They're f'in hardcore and they'll rip this gam apart if it has any perhaps not so serious flaws to a more casual gamer.

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theCornerinvasion

Cheers Crecente.

splines

*ba dum cha*

LittlestLamshi

ShaggE

PRE-ORDER NOW!!! Where do I sign up?

lionkitten

Stormrider

The game is soo fast that until you learn combos and the flow of combat, it puts you in this crazy rush and state of panic almost. Once you start figuring it out, it becomes more about thoughtful strategy that you are planning 3, 4 moves into the future or more.

Rubix42

Pezdispenser

yashichi8bit

Len Bias Cocaine Surplus

I love games like this. They force you to become better.

GwennBlackfeather

Shinamano

majiesto

jcsunshine

Candlejack

Kickinstuff13