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Ninja Blade - 1/29/2009 Release in Japan

I love this game. It's not nearly as refined as NG or DMC, but it plays ok and the over the top silliness is awesome. I mean, I'm not sure this has anything to do with the exact MWC people, but it's about the same level (not quite, nothing beats the President kicking ass in a mech) and really fun. There are boss fights every ten minutes and half the game is QTEs but it doesn't really matter, all of them are pretty easy and you can't really mess them up, and you get rated on them so it's actually bearable. There are also vehicle sections (shooting, not driving) and the stages have a pretty wide range of objectives (protect a vehicle while kicking the ass of boss monsters, save hostages, find and kill some monsters). I really like this game. I didn't really enjoy GoW when it came out (it was my fault as I was in fact expecting a Ninja Gaiden type game and it wasn't anything like it) and I gave up on it two thirds of the way through, but I think it's pretty much like GoW just with ninjas and monsters from a horror movie and a story that makes way less sense.
 
Just finished my import asia copy and wow what a ride this game is. Why this game isnt getting more credit, I don't know. As others have stated, its like God of War, but with Ninjas and monsters. Everything is just so epic and over the top you can't help but smile and say obscene things while playing. If you like HUGE bosses, you'll love Ninja Blade.

WOW. What a surprise this was.
 
Saying it's like God of War but with ninjas and monsters is missing the obvious point that it's essentially Ninja Gaiden. What shocked me was how identical the control is.

I've just posted a hands-on based on the demo that's coming out next Monday:

http://games.kikizo.com/features/ninja-blade-hands-on-preview-p1.asp

Ninja Blade's gameplay is extremely, ridiculously similar to Ninja Gaiden's. We're not talking Devil May Cry similar, we're talking lawsuit similar.
Click to expand...
 
I don't understand the comparisons to Ninja Gaiden at all. To me, Ninja Gaiden is a much tighter, more "fighter"-esque action game. Ninja Blade, at least what I played of the demo, felt faster and more fluid, as did From Software's earlier game, Otogi. I could really tell the similarities between the two, definitely from the same people.
 
slasher_thrasher21 said:
Just finished my import asia copy and wow what a ride this game is. Why this game isnt getting more credit, I don't know. As others have stated, its like God of War, but with Ninjas and monsters. Everything is just so epic and over the top you can't help but smile and say obscene things while playing. If you like HUGE bosses, you'll love Ninja Blade.

WOW. What a surprise this was.
Click to expand...

If the replay is good, day 1.
 
ninja blade plays nothing like NG if the demo was any indication, as someone who beat ng2 on master, ninja blade felt like a slow, clunky, cumbersome piece of shit in comparison.
 
Peronthious said:
I don't understand the comparisons to Ninja Gaiden at all. To me, Ninja Gaiden is a much tighter, more "fighter"-esque action game. Ninja Blade, at least what I played of the demo, felt faster and more fluid, as did From Software's earlier game, Otogi. I could really tell the similarities between the two, definitely from the same people.
Click to expand...

wat?



Did they seriously change the game final build from the demo? I played the demo with a japanese account and it was NOT like Ninja Gaiden. It felt much slower and less precise. I didn't feel like I was in as much control as I would be in Ninja Gaiden.
 
ultim8p00 said:
wat?



Did they seriously change the game final build from the demo? I played the demo with a japanese account and it was NOT like Ninja Gaiden. It felt much slower and less precise. I didn't feel like I was in as much control as I would be in Ninja Gaiden.
Click to expand...

I played the japanese demo as well, and to me at least it felt faster than Ninja Gaiden. Less precise, sure, but that's because NG is at heart a fighting game in action game clothing.
 
Peronthious said:
I played the japanese demo as well, and to me at least it felt faster than Ninja Gaiden. Less precise, sure, but that's because NG is at heart a fighting game in action game clothing.
Click to expand...

It felt slower and less precise than Ninja Gaiden because it is slower and less precise than Ninja Gaiden. However, it is still very much comparable Ninja Gaiden. To say it's not is insanity in my mind.
 
I don't get the comparisons to Ninja Gaiden at all either. I mean its got ninjas and combat but this game is not nearly as pain stakingly hard. Its more button mashy arcadey like God Of War. Plus the game is more akin to the epic moments in God of War. Ninja Gaiden has some awesome parts but I never felt it reached the epicness of God of War, though thats just my opinion. You can still do the combos but you dont have to be a gaming god to beat it like Ninja Gaiden 1 or 2. I still feel the comparison is more to God of War then Ninja Gaiden.
 
Hm, I could've sworn that some sites were saying that the Ninja Blade demo would go up on the US marketplace today (March 9th).

Not up yet though.
 
KyotoMecca said:
Saying it's like God of War but with ninjas and monsters is missing the obvious point that it's essentially Ninja Gaiden. What shocked me was how identical the control is.

I've just posted a hands-on based on the demo that's coming out next Monday:

http://games.kikizo.com/features/ninja-blade-hands-on-preview-p1.asp
Click to expand...

Ugh...just read this, and it's incredibly false. It's a brawler and it has ninjas but it plays nothing like Ninja Gaiden at all. The combat, if anything, is a GoW ripoff.

Ninja Blade's gameplay is extremely, ridiculously similar to Ninja Gaiden's. We're not talking Devil May Cry similar, we're talking lawsuit similar.
Click to expand...

Especially this...wtf. Unbelievable. Possibly the stupidest article that was possible to write about this game.
 
I just received my North American review copy of the game, time to see if anything has changed in two months.
 
Anyone else play the full retail NA version?

I just tested out the demo....it was halfway decent. No way I'll buy this at full price, but once it drops down to 20 or 30 I might pick it up. Looking at how I don't see anyone playing this game it will probably drop in price soon.

Hmm just checked EB and the full version got pushed back to april 7. Interesting. Also, $59.99. :/
 
Mrbob said:
Anyone else play the full retail NA version?

I just tested out the demo....it was halfway decent. No way I'll buy this at full price, but once it drops down to 20 or 30 I might pick it up. Looking at how I don't see anyone playing this game it will probably drop in price soon.

Hmm just checked EB and the full version got pushed back to april 7. Interesting. Also, $59.99. :/
Click to expand...

I don't think the full retail NA version has been released or leaked. As far as I know, just review builds for debug units.
 
Caspel said:
I just received my North American review copy of the game, time to see if anything has changed in two months.
Click to expand...

Please post impressions when you are done. I wanna know if there's been big changes to the Jap version.
 
ultim8p00 said:
Please post impressions when you are done. I wanna know if there's been big changes to the Jap version.
Click to expand...

While I'll be a monkey's uncle... Microsoft screwed up on the burning of the disc and the game only comes up as a "Mixed Media Disc." Looks like I'll have to wait until Monday to get my full hands-on the NA version. I'll also be shooting video (albeit poor) coverage of the title as they are allowing journos to do their own videos before the review embargo in early April is up.
 
goldenpp72 said:
ninja blade plays nothing like NG if the demo was any indication, as someone who beat ng2 on master, ninja blade felt like a slow, clunky, cumbersome piece of shit in comparison.
Click to expand...
Has to be a joke right? You're bragging about your NG achievements, by taking the insanely inferior sequel? Don't brag about anything concerning NG if you're not talking about NG:Black. Beat NG2 once, and was done with it. Didn't have any motivation to play it again. NG(B) however, I completed about 7 times. NG2 felt like a dumbed down hack'n slash action adventure game like there are so many (DMC, GoW, etc). While that doesn't have to be a bad thing (GoW), it's nothing else then a really fun experience. NG(B) however, is on a totally different level.

Anyway, ontopic, I'm curious about new impressions. Demo was fun.
 
Played the demo and it seems like a pretty fun game. Game seems to be paced really well and looks good. Like an above poster said, I'll wait till it drops to 20-30 to pick it up.
 
Whoa, the American Demo is way better than the Japanese one.

I was interested after playing the JP demo, but now my interest has turned to must buy.

Taking down that Spider boss piece by piece is pretty epic. I had more enjoyment in this Demo boss than with any of the boss fights in NG2.

Regular enemy combat, though, Devil May Cry and NG are both a few notches ahead of this.

Glad they aren't releasing until April. I'll be ready for a new game by then. Good timing, day 1.

Also, not to get involved in the NG vs. NB argument, but if the actual game is as polished as this demo, NB > NG IMO.
 
Arpharmd B said:
Whoa, the American Demo is way better than the Japanese one.

I was interested after playing the JP demo, but now my interest has turned to must buy.

Taking down that Spider boss piece by piece is pretty epic. I had more enjoyment in this Demo boss than with any of the boss fights in NG2.

Regular enemy combat, though, Devil May Cry and NG are both a few notches ahead of this.

Glad they aren't releasing until April. I'll be ready for a new game by then. Good timing, day 1.

Also, not to get involved in the NG vs. NB argument, but if the actual game is as polished as this demo, NB > NG IMO.
Click to expand...


Wait, so the American demo is different? Woah.
 
Mr. Durden said:
Has to be a joke right? You're bragging about your NG achievements, by taking the insanely inferior sequel? Don't brag about anything concerning NG if you're not talking about NG:Black. Beat NG2 once, and was done with it. Didn't have any motivation to play it again. NG(B) however, I completed about 7 times. NG2 felt like a dumbed down hack'n slash action adventure game like there are so many (DMC, GoW, etc). While that doesn't have to be a bad thing (GoW), it's nothing else then a really fun experience. NG(B) however, is on a totally different level.

Anyway, ontopic, I'm curious about new impressions. Demo was fun.
Click to expand...

NG2 on master is far harder than the (superior) ninja gaiden black, not in a good way, but it is harder and the combat is better. Don't be such a moron.

Ninja blade is NOTHING like ninja gaiden aside the button scheme being similar, but its mushy, slow, redundant and shallow in comparison, it's nothing like it, that's like saying devil may cry and soul calibur are the same games.
 
ultim8p00 said:
Wait, so the American demo is different? Woah.
Click to expand...

It is.

The first part where you fight the enemies is longer. Then there is a part where you run across a building dodging the spider that wasn't in the JP demo. Than the entire last part of the Spider fight was all new.

The the JP demo you just fought him on the roof and that was it, in this one you get to take him out completely, including the very cinematic finishing blow to him.

Demo is almost twice as long overall. Subsequently, they released this Demo on the JP marketplace too. So now there are 2 demos in Japan. And the new one is region blocked (yeahhh, that makes sense.)
 
goldenpp72 said:
Ninja blade is NOTHING like ninja gaiden aside the button scheme being similar, but its mushy, slow, redundant and shallow in comparison, it's nothing like it, that's like saying devil may cry and soul calibur are the same games.
Click to expand...

I wouldn't say that. This plays totally different from NG or DMC, no doubt. I never played GOW (Gasp), but it's probably closer to that from what I've read.

Outside of these two games having Ninja in the title, the comparisons end there. It's a unique experience (at least for 360, haven't played GOW).

GOW even has quicktime events too, right? Which BTW I'd like to say, really work well here. The Demo gives you a nice mix of combat, QTE, platforming, and boss glory. If the final product is as good as this, I'm sold.
 
I played the demo and I had fun with it. The boss battle was the best part of it. I think that normal combat does feel weird, like a little slow/unresponsive? I think the combat could get boring. I will probably give it a look when the price lowers after it releases.
 
played the demo yesterday.

MikeE21286 said:
I played the demo and I had fun with it. The boss battle was the best part of it. I think that normal combat does feel weird, like a little slow/unresponsive? I think the combat could get boring. I will probably give it a look when the price lowers after it releases.
Click to expand...

yeah the boss battle was awesome. i'll also echo your feelings on normal battles. Fighting with the dual swords in particular feels weird. It's like there's no real 'weight' to the combat. It's better in the boss battle since it felt like I was actually hitting something there.

I might give this game a try, but there are sooo many QTE's. Can people who have played the full version tell me if it's like that throughout the entire game?
 
I don't really have a problem with the QTEs; they seemed pretty contextual, unlike, say, Mercs 2, which may as well have had random buttons thrown in there. The game itself just like Otogi, which I loved, so I'm really anticipating this release.
 
so the 1st level is on par with Ninja Gaiden 1 when it comes to storyline. I was confused as hell with a few people's motives. I caught a lot of footage and it'll be going up on my YouTube tomorrow.
 
I've just got the game, beat the first chapter...
WOW.

I fucking loved every single minute of it, what a pleasing game!!
An absolute blast to play, really.

And i enjoyed a lot QTEs as well: i usually hate them but they do feel a lot more dynamic here.

Great work From Software!!!
I hope this game sells good!
 
I've beaten the first 3 missions, and the game keeps delivering.
It's truly good: cheesy, over the top, intense... and the rhythm, fuck it takes your breath away!
I LOVE the way the action progresses, and the QTE are just pure win here.

This game deserves A LOT more attention, wake up guys! :D
 
Beat the game during the weekend and LOVED it.
So damn entertaing and always cheesy and over the top, a truly great experience.
It's really the surprise of the year for me, I rated it 8 out of 10 on eurogamer.it.

Support this game guys, it deserves A LOT more attention!
 
Mdk7 said:
Beat the game during the weekend and LOVED it.
So damn entertaing and always cheesy and over the top, a truly great experience.
It's really the surprise of the year for me, I rated it 8 out of 10 on eurogamer.it.

Support this game guys, it deserves A LOT more attention!
Click to expand...


Seriously this game is way better then I ever expected. I walked away with the same feelings you did. More people need to pay attention to Ninja Blade. Level 4 I think it was,
the one that took place on top of the airplane,
WOW.
 
slasher_thrasher21 said:
Seriously this game is way better then I ever expected. I walked away with the same feelings you did. More people need to pay attention to Ninja Blade. Level 4 I think it was,
the one that took place on top of the airplane,
WOW.
Click to expand...
Yeah that one is pretty epic.
But i really love the atmosphere, and the Todomé stills when you kill a boss are just AMAZING.

Looking at the achievements i've found out a weird thing: i beat the game but i did NOT get the achievement for doing it. O_O
WTF?

And how do you max out the swords and the Ninjutsu?
 
Mdk7 said:
Yeah that one is pretty epic.
But i really love the atmosphere, and the Todomé stills when you kill a boss are just AMAZING.

Looking at the achievements i've found out a weird thing: i beat the game but i did NOT get the achievement for doing it. O_O
WTF?

And how do you max out the swords and the Ninjutsu?
Click to expand...


If I remember correctly...been a while since i played the game:

The quick sword can be maxed out when you average A+ (no need to a+ all missions, just on average)
Heavy sword can be maxed out by getting all the Shinobi Moji and taking them to the cavern in the mission where you have to find the invisible bosses that blow up, don't remember the number
Ninjutsu's maxed out by completing the game on Hard
 
Flachmatuch said:
If I remember correctly...been a while since i played the game:

The quick sword can be maxed out when you average A+ (no need to a+ all missions, just on average)
Heavy sword can be maxed out by getting all the Shinobi Moji and taking them to the cavern in the mission where you have to find the invisible bosses that blow up, don't remember the number
Ninjutsu's maxed out by completing the game on Hard
Click to expand...
I see... thanks man!!
 
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