inja Gaiden 2 was the sequel to the Xbox hit, Ninja Gaiden. The series was thought to be dead with 4 years going by without a proceeding title. However, in 2008, Tecmo released the highly anticipated second title which revived the franchise. Most gamers will find that the storyline of Rio Hayabusa continues from the original. Although a continuation, gamers will acknowledge that most of the story line makes almost no sense, but the use of travel helps fill in the gaps where narrative is needed. Cut scenes are frequent, making the pace of the game very intense. There really is no time to gather yourself or take a breather when playing because of the rampant speed of the gameplay. The general feel remains similar to that of the original game, however Ninja Gaiden 2 is based solely on interactions resulting in combat. Centered around speed and gore, the game has a mortal kombat feel with a bit more depth and character development.
Gameplay
The levels are designed in a way that keeps the gamer constantly moving from one battle to the next without any time to get bored. Your character, Rio Hayabusa, starts out with his basic Dragon sword and quickly gains access to 8 different melee weapons. Every weapon has its own attacks with various lethal combinations . Ninja Gaiden 2 is not for the intro-gamer or faint of heart. Even on the easiest difficult level, this game will bring you to wits end; forcing you to question your gaming ability. Similar to Mortal Kombat, you can button mash till your fingers hurt, and that will get you somewhat far. However, learning combos and subtle fighting techniques will make you a much more competent gamer and allow you to truly enjoy the game.
Blood, Guts, and Gore
This was by far one of the bloodiest at the time, which actually holds up even to today's gore levels. The game mechanics allowed for the decapitation of your enemies. Although this may seem somewhat normal for games nowadays, for the time, this was not common. To top off the ability to decapitation, was your characters ability to use said decapitated body part as a weapon on the now-wounded enemy. Newly added obliteration techniques resemble that of finishing moves in mortal kombat but give their own spin on it.
Challenge Accepted
New gamers to the series and people that have played the previous title, will find entertainment value and challenge. Its one of few games that playing the original doesn't aid in your playing ability; refreshing in some instances but also somewhat disheartening. Over the years, it seems to be a common theme among game developers to rebrand a previous title with similar mechanics, aesthetics and general feel. The fact that Tecmo didn't do this comes as quite a surprise. If you still have a Xbox 360 and want to rekindle your love for fighting games, this game should not be overlooked.
Watch our video below for an in-depth review!
