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Ninja Gaiden II: The Official GAF Thread of Chaos

Agent Icebeezy

Welcome beautful toddler, Madison Elizabeth, to the horde!
TheRagnCajun said:
-Hard is a problem to some if they don't have the patience for it.
-Good Players being able to cope with a flawed camera does not change the fact that the camera is flawed. Thats like saying "Good players at Lair can perform the fickle guesture motions consistently"

The camera isn't flawed.
 

Kai Ozu

Member
sandman said:
Famitsu give NG2 9, 9, 8, 8 34/40.
Anyone know what did they give NG 1 black and sigma?

That's good. They must like it more since it's not as openworldish as the last game. And I recall them giving NG1 9,8,8,7.
 

Drewsy

Banned
Mamesj said:
they'll talk about everything on the surface, but they're not going to go into any useful depth. None of these reviewers have established themselves as authorities on this game-- they're writing casual reviews for casual fans

With that in mind, the real review is yet to come. Maybe Team Ninja nerfed NG2 somehow-- perhaps they screwed up guard crushes, gave too many enemies sabaki type properties, maybe the tonfas are useless-- it's these kinds of details a lot of us want.

exactly.
 
DC R1D3R said:
It's probably been posted before but here's Giancarlo Varanini's review
news to me.


Varanini said:
you’ll find that there’s a flow to the action that’s even more enjoyable than that of the original Ninja Gaiden.

Varanini said:
the original Ninja Gaiden feels stiff compared to the action in Ninja Gaiden II

Varanini said:
The only thing that misses the mark in terms of new content is the additional weapons. While it’s great to have access to nine weapons just for the sake of changing things up, you don’t really need to use more than two of them to get the job done--the combination of the dragon sword and the falcon’s talons are more than capable of getting you through the entire game. But the great thing is that you may find a combination of weapons that’s better suited to how you play--just as you would have a preference in a fighting game for one type of character over another.

all I need to know.
 

Vaxadrin

Banned
sandman said:
Famitsu give NG2 9, 9, 8, 8 34/40.
Anyone know what did they give NG 1 black and sigma?

So, going by Famitsu, we know it's at least as good as Haze.

Yes, I know I already used this joke a few pages ago.
 

sandman

Banned
Kai Ozu said:
That's good. They must like it more since it's not as openworldish as the last game. And I recall them giving NG1 9,8,8,7.

I found out they give sigma 9 8 8 8, so NG2 is actually an improvement to them.

Also I am suprised that the achievements are still not revealed yet.
 

Draft

Member
Just a note: I don't think it's fair to lump the original Ninja Gaiden (NES) in with the rest as having a "bad story." If I remember, that game was one of the first to have an actual story, with cutscenes, characters that spoke at length, etc.

It's really one of the precursors to the cinematic story telling techniques used by most games today.
 

Hunter D

Member
Reviewers seem to give games lower scores than they deserve every once in a while. Lost Planet, Dead Rising, and Frontlines are three games I can think of that this has happened to.
 

duckroll

Member
Draft said:
Just a note: I don't think it's fair to lump the original Ninja Gaiden (NES) in with the rest as having a "bad story." If I remember, that game was one of the first to have an actual story, with cutscenes, characters that spoke at length, etc.

It's really one of the precursors to the cinematic story telling techniques used by most games today.

Just because it has a story doesn't mean the story can't be bad!
 

Draft

Member
duckroll said:
Just because it has a story doesn't mean the story can't be bad!
Please.

Bad.

I don't know how old you are, but if you were NES age, like 7 or 8 or whatever during the NES heyday, you know, I mean you KNOW, that the NG story was not bad. It was bad ass. Was there any cooler opening sequence than those fucking ninjas having a jump duel in the middle of the night? When they both land and stand there for a second and then the one drops. And then you see Ryu's face and the shadows are highlighting it in an ominous fashion and the text is all like... REVENGE.

That was the epitome of game storytelling at the time. No doubt. Respect.
 

HondaF1Fanatic

Neo Member
Brandon F said:
You mean Normal right? I'm playing Sigma now and Hard isn't unlocked until you beat the game on Normal first.

It was actually on hard, I didn't own a PS3 then so I borrowed my friend's to see if I wanted one (at that point I had just had two RRoDs and was deciding whether or not to take the jump into a PS3 or keep testing my luck with a 360). He had already beaten it so I just picked hard for shits and giggles. I died a TON but it was still fun and manageable.
 

DuckRacer

Member
Vaxadrin said:
Geez, I know Haze was bad but mentioning it shouldn't be ban-worthy.
The whole comparing scores and going "so ____ is worse/as good as/better than ____" is bannable, for better or for worse.
 

DC R1D3R

Banned
God's Beard said:
you’ll find that there’s a flow to the action that’s even more enjoyable than that of the original Ninja Gaiden.


all I need to know.

That line got me too :]

So it seems as though the reviewers are split into two groups. NOVICE and HARDCORE.

When I go to a martial arts class, I don't require a novice of that same martial art to tell me shit.

I feel exactly the same way towards a Ninja Gaiden review.
 

-tetsuo-

Unlimited Capacity
Draft said:
Please.

Bad.

I don't know how old you are, but if you were NES age, like 7 or 8 or whatever during the NES heyday, you know, I mean you KNOW, that the NG story was not bad. It was bad ass. Was there any cooler opening sequence than those fucking ninjas having a jump duel in the middle of the night? When they both land and stand there for a second and then the one drops. And then you see Ryu's face and the shadows are highlighting it in an ominous fashion and the text is all like... REVENGE.

That was the epitome of game storytelling at the time. No doubt. Respect.

This man never lies
 

clav

Member
CPaladino said:
As far as the demo status - yeah, I'll clear up the details tonight or tomorrow morning, I don't have access to the info here on the bus.
So.... any update about this from the Gamerscore blog people?
 

Mamesj

Banned
Duck said:
The whole comparing scores and going "so ____ is worse/as good as/better than ____" is bannable, for better or for worse.


the current theory is that that was a sp0rsk rule (a dumb one of no value, possibly useful at some point but now only in place as an invisible land mine to catch unsuspecting posters.)
 

Vaxadrin

Banned
Duck said:
The whole comparing scores and going "so ____ is worse/as good as/better than ____" is bannable, for better or for worse.

I know. We've been over this before a few pages ago.

DC R1D3R said:
That line got me too :]

So it seems as though the reviewers are split into two groups. NOVICE and HARDCORE.

When I go to a martial arts class, I don't require a novice of that same martial art to tell me shit.

I feel exactly the same way towards a Ninja Gaiden review.

That's why I kind of trust the IGN review. Sure it's still a laundry list generic game review (like all theirs), but watching the video review it's obvious they know how to play the game. There was a line in the video review that sums it up nicely.

"It's a refreshing kind of action game, the likes of which you don't really see these days."
 

Monocle

Member
Mamesj said:
These are the same reviews we read when Ninja Gaiden 1 came out:

--omg so hard
--the camera is broken
--the story is bad
--the action is repetitive
--the environments are bland
--the platforming sucks

this time, the scores are lower, but the reviews are just as uninformative and they bitch harder and more furiously. After a couple days with NG1, it was apparent to people playing it that there was a lot more to the game than simple "action" and that it was a deeper, DMC-style action game that could be played forever. The reviews didn't convey that side of the story. In that sense, these NG2 (and NG1) reviews are like fighting game reviews--they'll talk about everything on the surface, but they're not going to go into any useful depth. None of these reviewers have established themselves as authorities on this game-- they're writing casual reviews for casual fans (because that's the way the wind is blowing in the industry these days.)
You make some very good points. I have to say your evaluation of the NG series' critical reception seems reasonable; critics' usual inexperience with deep, skill-based games and their obligation to write for a casual audience are important factors in determining the worth of their impressions on a title such as NG2. For these very reasons I find myself having to read between the lines of most reviews for action and fighting games. Interestingly enough, though, your list of critics' most common complaints about the first NG isn't that far off:

- The game is notorious for its high difficulty. (Of course, gamers like you and I take this to be a good thing.)
- The camera leaves something to be desired.
- The less said about the story, the better.
- As engaging as the action is, it can be very repetitive. (This is, in fact, my biggest issue with the original game.)
- The environments could be a bit more inspired. (They're excellent for the most part, so I don't really count this against the game.)
- The platforming is atrocious.

Collectively, the reviews managed to paint a surprisingly accurate picture of NG1. This is part of the reason I don't think it's the best idea to completely ignore them this time around. Some of the observations made in reviews of NG2 about inconsistent difficulty and framerate issues would be hard for even a novice gamer to get wrong.

With that in mind, the real review is yet to come. Maybe Team Ninja nerfed NG2 somehow-- perhaps they screwed up guard crushes, gave too many enemies sabaki type properties, maybe the tonfas are useless-- it's these kinds of details a lot of us want. So, the ballot is still out, but I won't let "bad camera" and "too hard" sway me.
True, and it's the same for every major action or fighting game release. Still, speaking only for myself, balance changes and new subtleties of the combat system aren't nearly as important as the game's technical performance for the time being. As worrying as the reviews are, I'm leaving the last word to players like you. Next week, if the majority of reports suggest NG2 is at least as technically sound as its predecessor, I'll pick it up right away. Otherwise I'll probably wait for a sale or, fingers crossed, Black-style special edition.


Edit:
grap3fruitman said:
So the demo's up according to someone on the IGN boards but it's not showing up for me.
It's probably a lie. I check both the NA and JP Marketplaces and couldn't find it.
 

DC R1D3R

Banned
Vaxadrin said:
"It's a refreshing kind of action game, the likes of which you don't really see these days."

LOL


grap3fruitman said:
So the demo's up according to someone on the IGN boards but it's not showing up for me.

20tmfwo.png
you ain't pullin my leg are ya?
 

Vaxadrin

Banned
Remember in Ninja Gaiden when he crashes two trains into each other for no reason at all? It was just an excuse to dump you near the entrance to the aquaducts.

It was fucking awesome.
 
pizzaguysrevenge said:
Has GAF sunken to the "The only reason you don't like it is because you're not good at it" defense?

For shame.

When Ninja gaiden 1 came out a reviewer went on and on about how difficult (and bad) the game was, Every sing image he took from his time showed Ryu in his ninja dog uniform.
Most reviews are fucking mass market sheep.
 

Agent Icebeezy

Welcome beautful toddler, Madison Elizabeth, to the horde!
Oldschoolgamer said:
The only thing I saw on new arrivals was nascar. :(

God damn.

Set the demo free. :(

NASCAR is up? Cool beans. If they fixed the fucked up control from last year, I'll buy it.
 

Agent Icebeezy

Welcome beautful toddler, Madison Elizabeth, to the horde!
PhatSaqs said:
Someone post the GAF NG review again :lol

http://www.gaming-age.com/cgi-bin/reviews/review.pl?sys=xbox&game=ninjagaiden

Ninja Gaiden is just not the Ninja Gaiden I expected. It's overwhelmingly mediocre, not enjoyable to play, and the horrendous camera alone destroys any redeeming factors the game may have. Most PlayStation 2 owners should remember Square's similarly over hyped The Bouncer. I'd almost go as far as proclaiming Ninja Gaiden to be the Xbox equivalent.

Che: Those are badass!
 

Brandon F

Well congratulations! You got yourself caught!
chespace said:
The Forza community says hello to Ninja Gaiden II. :lol

1111111115.jpg


1111111114.jpg


I really wish there were some speed videos of people building these Forza paintjobs. It would be so awesome to watch it go from scratch to finish in hyperspeed. Amazing stuff.
 
This is a small guide I hope will help new comers learn and whiny reviewers understand the basics of Ninja Gaiden combat. This is not for advanced NG fans, but basically to help people get used to the core of what makes NG fun and awesome.

Before we start let me describe a small FPS game "Halo". Part of what makes Halo combat fun is it's basis on key elements: Shooting - Grenades -Melee - Pointing the gun towards the enemy and shooting( Yes you have to point the camera towards the enemy you want to shoot. Mind blowing isn't it?).

Just like any action game NG basics include : Blocking - Dodge/Roll - Attack - Ultimate Techniques - Keeping enemies in your line of sight or knowing where they are.

Blocking - I cant stress this enough. The minute you are put into combat hold down the left trigger and watch your enemy patterns. Block effectively, attack when there is a opening and make the best use of it. This system begins to change when you move onto the later levels and get new techniques such as counter attacks.

Dodging - Blocking does not always mean you are safe from enemy attacks. In later stages enemies are going to break your guard and put you down. When you have a lot of enemies attacking you, roll away and position yourself for an attack.

Attack - Well this is the no brainer. Before you begin using any weapon try to learn some of the combos, eventually you will be able to pull of the tougher moves. Ninja Gaiden combos are not tough to execute, its all in timing and the situation you are in. Using the previous techniques effectively will always give you a chance to deliver devastating blows to your enemies. I think everyone know how that ends. Obliteration!

Counter attacks is another way you can finish enemies. While blocking, watch when the enemy attack connects your blade and press X or Y to do a reversal and chop that suckers arm/leg/head off ( Wow, so many options to choose and people still whine ).

Using the above three techniques will definitely make you a good player and open you to perfect some of the advanced techniques.

Well the story doesn't end there. If you master the game using the above three, ultimate techniques will finish the rest of the enemy group.

Ultimate techniques: Try your best to make quick work of the initial 2-3 enemies. Then use UT's on the remainder. Having said that don't just hold down the "Y" button when you see an enemy jumping towards you or circling around you. Use ultimate techniques whenever necessary. But use them effectively. Another thing that you have to notice is, as long as your blocking you will never absorb the essence around you. This is the best way to hold onto the floating essence and use UT whenever you see fit.

Camera: Using the camera in Ninja Gaiden is not a skill or technique, it is your responsibility to make it right when it strays away and doesn't suit your point of view. I have seen numerous videos so far and I have to say lot of them seem to use the right thumb stick to position the camera or put themselves in awkward positions and angles by using the same move over and over again.
This is what I have to suggest.
KEEP YOUR THUMB AWAY FROM THE RIGHT THUMBSTICK. NO MATTER THE SCENARIO DONT USE the Free form camera.
Now that we have it out of our way. The right trigger/Camera snap-on is your friend at all times. Initially getting used to the camera is tough, even i find myself in tough situations sometimes. To counter that you have to be good at the first three techniques. Roll away until you are in a perfect position and snap the camera.

Ninja Gaiden is a tough game there is no denying that fact, spending some time learning the basics will definitely reap benefits. This is one game that makes you feel like a super ninja and a badass superhero both at the same time.

For all you whiny reviewers complaining, you can all go _____ (use your imagination and fill in the blank).
 
Draft said:
Please.

Bad.

I don't know how old you are, but if you were NES age, like 7 or 8 or whatever during the NES heyday, you know, I mean you KNOW, that the NG story was not bad. It was bad ass. Was there any cooler opening sequence than those fucking ninjas having a jump duel in the middle of the night? When they both land and stand there for a second and then the one drops. And then you see Ryu's face and the shadows are highlighting it in an ominous fashion and the text is all like... REVENGE.

That was the epitome of game storytelling at the time. No doubt. Respect.
Yeah it's awesome storytelling, but doesn't mean the story itself is good, only the way it's presented (like with God of War).

Still, people bitching about needing a good story in Ninja Gaiden..... since when are there games in the genre with an actual good story.
 

Draft

Member
Mr. Durden said:
Yeah it's awesome storytelling, but doesn't mean the story itself is good, only the way it's presented (like with God of War).

Still, people bitching about needing a good story in Ninja Gaiden..... since when are there games in the genre with an actual good story.
No, it WAS good.

Look.

The modern day gaming slob may scoff at a simple tale of Ninja revenge, but in the late 1980s? This was gaming's equivalent of Shakespeare.
 

sandman

Banned
Draft said:
No, it WAS good.

Look.

The modern day gaming slob may scoff at a simple tale of Ninja revenge, but in the late 1980s? This was gaming's equivalent of Shakespeare.

For original NES Ninja Gaiden, I only played 2 and 3, I thought the story were good for what it is. How big usually is a NES cart, 128k? There wasn't alot action game with stories any way.
 

OgnodoD

Member
Draft said:
No, it WAS good.

Look.

The modern day gaming slob may scoff at a simple tale of Ninja revenge, but in the late 1980s? This was gaming's equivalent of Shakespeare.

Don't ever change. :D
 
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