Ninja Gaiden II (Xbox 360, 2008)

I loved this title. It is challenging so it may not be for more "casual" gamers. I was impressed with the levels and detail work that went into them. Some of the levels just felt epic! The enemies are relentless, so there's not much time to enjoy the scenery. Too bad the camera angles are relentless at times also. I like the ability to change weapons instantly and the variety of them too. The bosses are big and fun to fight! It reminds me of the old school game bosses, where a boss actually makes a impact on presence and intimidation. The game is paced just right and length seems to be on spot also. Although, not for everyone, if you're a fan of action games, this one should be a most welcome addition to your library!

Back to battle the minions of evil once more, Ryu Hyabusa returns as our ninja brandishing spandex ready to deal damage by the dozens in this non-stop action romp.

If you were a fan of the first Xbox release, you'll know what to expect and you will not be dissapointed. This is hack n' slash at its very best.

Buckets of blood, busty vixens, and flying appendages make this title both recommended for a more mature audience, and not for the faint of heart.

Pros:

-Gorgeous Graphics
-Tons of Weapons and Power Ups
-Vast array of moves
-Easy to pick up (As long as you play on Normal, that is:)
-Fans of the first Xbox release will love it

Cons:

-Dialogue reeks of cheese
-Somewhat tedious gameplay
-Linear gameplay all the way

Overview:

An excellent hack n' slash release that will satisfy fans of the original. This game at the very least deserves a weekend rental.

-J.

Ehhhhh... Where to start. Ninja Gaiden II while it does look pretty good, it in my mind just still doesn't really stick out as a huge Next-Gen look. It's really more frustrating than it is fun to me. While it's pretty sweet cutting through your enemies watching their head as well as all their limbs go flying, the camera is a pain most of the time. You'll find yourself constantly trying to adjust the camera to see who you need to attack next, and if your camera is out of position you'll find yourself attacking/diving in the wrong direction a lot of the time. Of course it wouldn't be a team ninja game unless it was quite difficult and if you're like me, I'm more of a recreation player and don't really try to "hone" my gaming skills to be able to beat games that are so tough. It really doesn't give you much of an option for an easier difficulty either, it's tough or tougher and it doesn't help when you can only cary three minor healing items and three major healing items at one time. These go very quickly when you're in a battle and a character gets one powerful attack on you that takes 3/4 of your life away! They mention how it's good b/c your life regenerates, while this is true it only regenerates when there's no more enemies around. Also with your health gauge when you start out your life gauge will be full, but then as you take damage your "maximum" amount of health consistantly goes down, so after you defeat your enemies and your life regenerates it only regenerates to your new maximum amount of health depending on how much damage you took in the fight. Your maximum health will remain as such until you use a healing agent and get it back up to 100%. I really emphasize on this because a lot of my friends didn't understand the concept, they heard "regenerated health" and didn't think anymore of it until I told them. As I was saying, if you enjoy really tough games, and annoying camera controls don't bother you, this is probably your cup of tea. As for me, I'm probably selling my copy in the very near future.

In this action packed sequel to Ninja Gaiden you are Ryu Hayabusa the ultimate Ninja action hero. Destroy everything in your path as you embark on a quest to avenge your clan and prevent destruction of the human race from a brutal and relentless enemy. Armed with special moves, deadly weapons and the ruthlessness of a Ninja, you shall leave a wake of death in the name of honor.

I purchased this item primarily as I did not have the manual for the copy of the game that I already own. The first thing that I did not like about this product is that the seller did not mention that there was a burn ring on the disc from the laser-lense. Other than that, the game play and story are awesome and pull you into the game as if you are right there with Ryu. For a first person fighting game, I would rate this one right up there with the rest of the first person fighting games.

I was a fan of ninja gaiden for xbox, and had to play this when it came out. It's the same fast paced action, heck, you start in the middle of a battle! There's new foes, friends, moves, weapons, stages, it's got a lot of up-grades. The camera angle is a little weird, but really doesn't take all that much away from the game. The big difference I saw was you can rebuild health (to a point) which is made up for by enemies that kick your butt a lott more, even when you're riding block. It's a great game, lots of fun. I played the first time, and was going to go to the next save point, but ended up going for a good hour and a half because I couldn't put it down. Highly recommended for old fans, and people looking for a face paced, smash and slash game that requires skill.