“The fine line between honour and vengeance will be crossed by one”

Ninja Gaiden 2 is the flagship of developers 'Team Ninja' released in June 2008 [Xbox 360] with an all new combat system. Players now have more freedom than ever and can truly get the feel of a Ninja. With fluid controls and spectacular acrobatics this game most definitely lived up to its predecessors' incredibly high standards. Playstation 3 gamers can expect to bloody their hands in October 2009.

Graphics and Presentation

Ninja Gaiden 2 has more than its fair share of amazing visuals with cinematics on a whole new level. These movie scenes, which can all be viewed in 'Theatre Mode' upon completion, are up there with the best. What could be more rewarding than sitting back after winning a ferocious battle with one of the many bosses and watching your character deliver them a fatal blow in a stunning display or gore and agility?

Despite this, it has been noted that the camera angle can hamper player movement and control, making ascending the cogs and gears on the clock tower level an absolute nightmare,  leading to the nearest wall needing to be re-plastered. It's a minuscule setback on an otherwise beautifully presented game. With each new weapon giving further variety in the moves available, you'll be spoilt for choice on how you want to watch your enemy meet their bloody grave.

Sound

The music for Ninja Gaiden 2 is fabulous. Changing in each scenario the player is involved it can go from a mellow, quiet instrumental as you brisk through the streets of Tokyo to a rush of drums as the enemy start rappelling down the sides of buildings on your position.

I can speak from experience when I say your body fills with adrenaline as your health bar is flashing red, you've no potions to heal and the last save point was well over an hour away. No enemies on screen as of yet, just the sound of those drums.

I'm sure I wasn't the only one who let out a slight cheer upon hearing Ryu's voice for the first time  inNinja Gaiden 2. Fans of the original will know Justin Gross had the perfect voice for Ryu and will appreciate the fact he makes a return. Every characters voice seems to go well with their appearance, further adding to the beauty of Ninja Gaiden 2.

Gameplay

Ninja Gaiden 2 is an incredible game for keeping the player focused and entertained with very little repetition. The player will control Ryu Hayabusa, a member of the Dragon Lineage whose clan members were slain by the forces of evil and is hell-bent on destroying them all.

Ninja Gaiden 2 will open like most; with a magnificent cinematic, showing a character from the prequel engaged in conversation with someone unseen before, moments before they are attacked. Enter Ryu, jumping in from a rooftop; he is unable to save this new character from captivity, leaving the player to clear up the remaining few enemies and dive into an intense battle before they've learnt to walk! It's these sort of challenges which make the Ninja Gaiden series so respectably hard and rewarding.

After the initial fight the player will then receive slight hints as they make their way through the progressively difficult levels. Acquiring new weapons, both melee and ranged, with the ability to upgrade them at select points throughout the game with the 'essence' collected from dead enemies that is released upon killing them. Essence is the effective currency in Ninja Gaiden; it can be used to buy items, combo's and pieces of armour/clothing increasing the players skill in one way or another.

It also has another usage however, as essence can be used to speed up Ryu's charged attacks allowing him to unleash a perfectly executed flurry on multiple enemies, giving the player a few seconds' rest to witness something of sheer magnificence before they continue their onslaught.

The basic storyline of Ninja Gaiden 2 is to defeat the several 'Greater Fiends' in order to get closer to the ArchFiend. The most powerful enemy which, if met with death, will lead to the riddance of the fiend presence off Earth. As simple as it sounds, the storyline becomes intensively gripping causing a mix of sweat, tears and Red Bull when 'Continue – Yes or No' appears on screen after those apparent allies cannot reach your location in time before you are swarmed with literally hundreds of Werewolves in the Colosseum after an already exhausting battle against the Werewolf Captain.

It's the small, simple things however which make the game as brilliant as it as. There are two buttons for melee attack, one for jumping and one for ranged attacks, you might think this may lead to button bashing but those that think it can be completed like this will fail at the first hurdle. There are hundreds of available button combinations giving the player a huge variety of ways to fight their foe from sending a charged explosive arrow into each of their limbs to flying through the air, decapitating the enemy in a matter of milliseconds. Other things like Ryu performing the chiburi – the act of swatting the blood off of his weapon – can sometimes go unnoticed but those with a keen eye will respect the effort Team Ninja have put into making this breathtaking game.

Closing Comments

Ninja Gaiden 2 will always remain on my shelf. Its stunning visuals and rewarding challenges are something that I couldn't bare to part with. The downloadable content only adds to its replay ability. It's the type of game where, regardless of what's happening inside or out, you can play it and become instantly attached. Ninja Gaiden 2 really is something special, something extraordinary, something, ladies and gentleman,  which will forever remain as one of the best titles in console gaming.

Jimmy Morter