TIM BENITEZ

   Right off the bat, I want to say that I love ninja video games. Games where the player controls a talented ninja through barrages of evil warlords, enemy ninjas, samurais, monsters, or whatever else we want to throw a ninja at to fight. I like both kinds of ninja games from stealth to insane, super fast, action. There are many series of ninja games that I indulge in from Shinobi, Tenchu, Wrath of the Ninja, Strider, Ninja Gaiden (both Xbox and NES). If there is a game with a ninja being the major part of the game, I will most likely check it out. But what you will see here is an analysis on one of my most favorite ninja games of all time, Ninja Gaiden for the the xbox. I actually played the upgraded version, Ninja Gaiden Black.

Having been made by Team Ninja, the people who brought the hit fighting game Dead or Alive, Ninja Gaiden is a game that boasts of intense action packed battles, forcing the players to learn the moves of Ryu Hayabusa, and use them to their max potential. The game has been re-released on the PlayStation 3 and PlayStation Vita under the title, Ninja Gaiden Sigma, giving it even more content and updated visuals. Like all ninja games, this game is difficult. I mentioned that the player is forced to learn the lead character's moves and use them well. The game has extreme martial arts melee combat and fantastic acrobatic moves to traverse through the terrain of the game.

   The story of the game is that Ryu Hayabusa is a lead ninja in his Hayabusa ninja clan who is charged with keeping watch over two powerful swords. Of course, if the swords fall into the wrong hands, the world could take a turn for the worst. There are monsters in the world which are called fiends and they want the power of these legendary blades. The fiends set out to retrieve at least one of these blades from the Haybabusa clan. This is just about at the beginning of the game. But I'm going to talk about what happens just before the fiends invade the Hayabusa land. That's right, we are stepping into the first chapter of Ninja Gaiden.

   Now most ninja games are either set in Japan, or show some sort of Japanese origin. After all, ninjas seem to have a Japanese origin. At least that's what I gather from ninja games. Well, the first level is set at a mountain very close to the Hayabusa village, which happens to be in Japan. This makes sense for the first level, as the first level of a game is usually the training ground for the rest of the game. Don't we receive most of our training near home, or in our home land? So it's appropriate for players to understand that they are at home for their first lessons in this game. The home of Ryu Hayabusa, who they are controlling throughout the game.

   Being the training ground, all moves are taught next to each other, and the player is given the choice to pay attention to these teachings or find out through trial and error on their own about the special abilities or our hero ninja. The player will see kunai (ninja knives) thrown at the wall right in front of them. Interacting with these will give the player a description of an ability. These abilities will be used immediately to traverse the terrain to progress further into the level. It's a tutorial level, but the game doesn't necessarily stop and take you out of the level to make you learn the ability. This is important for immersion as the ninja learns each lesson as he moves forward. The kunai is later used as transmitting certain information to the player. Again, to immerse the player in the level like they are really receiving information from an informant.

Regarding the space and size of the level, the player is given adequate space to move around, try out all the abilities, learn the controls, and apply them. There are numerous acrobatic abilities where the ninja jumps on walls, runs along the walls, and jumps over gaps. There are no fatal areas for the player to experiment with these abilities. The series of challenges to learn the basics of the game guides the player down the critical path and does it in a way that helps the player feel as if they are progressing from one part of the level to another.

   The player first starts at a low part of a mountain, where he must climb up the outside and in caves. Once the ninja reaches the top of the mountain, the player reaches a Japanese building. Could be a castle, or some other Japanese building. One thing is for certain. It is a ninja training ground with trap doors and secret passages. This provides a feeling of what the rest of the game's levels will require. Some degree of exploration. There is a small puzzle where the player is required to find an item to get a key to open the door to the level's boss. Each room gives adequate game space for the ninja to engage in combat.

   Combat is one of the prime focuses of this great game. This is where the player will either survive or not. The player will quickly learn that this is not just a button mashing action title. They must defend, dodge, run on the walls, etc. to successfully vanquish their foes. As mentioned, the game space is of sufficient size to combat enemies. The player is able to move around freely in the 3D space to attack the foes from the angle necessary. This is important for the first level, so the player doesn't feel too clostrophobic if they are picking up this game for the first time. And the way the enemies come into the scene is well done. First, the enemies drop down from the mountain to pincer attack Hayabusa, then he encounters some in a cave. Just when the player reaches the aforementioned Japanese building, enemy ninjas come running out to greet the young ninja warrior. Within the building there are ninjas that drop from the ceiling and jump through trap doors. Each encounter feels like a ninja assault and is in enough space to fight in. Especially since the battles have a lot of movement. All the battles give a sense of what the boss battle is like. Fast paced, and in an open area.

   The level is kept very simple, but requires the player to learn how to play the game, yet requires the player to master it fast. Sure, this may be somewhat of a poor design, having a tutorial level be so difficult, but it is training for the rest of the game. This is a game for the hardcore action gamer with fast twitch thumbs. After all, it is a ninja game, and no ninja mission is easy.