Black Magix

Ok so I decided to snag this game off the shelf eagerly awaiting a new Ninja Gaiden game ever since I beat NJ:Black on my Xbox. Couldn't wait to fire it up and get some of classic slash em up game play.

First Things First:
Ok so the opening sequence is the classic Team Ninja sea/rain opening. Configure my audio for 5.1 digital (shiny!) and set my monitor up for gameplay. Set my mode of diffuculty (Acolyte? err...ok) and start the game. After an opening sequence where we watch Ryu being the genuine bada$$ he is we get to start fighting.

Controls:
Controls remind me of the classic black controls with a few extras. The D pad allows for quick access to change weapons or use items or switch ninpo rather then having to hit start and switch the manually. If you still choose to do this, by all means be my guest, they didn't remove that functionality.

Gameplay:
The game adapts. I found as I kept using close combat weapons, the enemies would keep their distance and use ranged attacks against me rather then doing what the did in the beginning and rushing me. As I adapted and started throwing incendiary shurnikens and using my techniques to quickly close the gap and rip them up, enemies started moving in close as a team and hit hard and guard fast. This makes the appearance that the game is constantly changing but in fact the game is adapting your gameplay for the betterment of the enemies to keep the game challanging, rotate your fighting style to avoid this.

Weapons:
WOW!!!! Take your pick of close combat weapons for this game. My favorite: The Scythe, nothing better then slicing someone's torso off and grabbing their corpse and abusing it a bit or slicing someone in half from crotch to forehead. This game is very bloody but still extrodinarily fun.

Diffuculty: Again the game adapts to you. If you don't believe me get your friend who's played the game and uses different weapons to sit in and watch how he completely owns the game in areas where you couldn't even land a hit. The game is very very fun and fast paced. I've run into a problem where I can't see my character because I'm performing moves way to quickly to keep track in the mass of blood and disembodied body parts flying in a million directions.

Level Design: Interesting point here is that the levels did feel cramped at times but the enviroments looked pretty. (My favorite was the venice setting water city where the Werewolf King sits. Bravo!)

Other Thoughts: Ok so the game is flashy. Unfortunately they removed some of the puzzle aspect that made black fun and replaced it with annoying trash mobs of crap to kill you. Some of the classic enemies from black are back as well as a few new ones and the graphics are increased a bit. The game may not take full advantage of the 360 but it certainly does stress it harder then previous titles. In all the game can get annoying and monotonous at times but still provides me with decent stress relief.


7.8/10 - Blood blood and more blood - Ninja Gaiden 2 or your girlfriend having her period....

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blazin-asian

lmao. pretty accurate review i must say. i havent got far enough to get the scythe, but i cant wait now. this game is badazz, but im currently playing Gears of War

btw, your closing statement is hilarious.

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Black Magix

it's true though...seems like everything in that game has 20 gallons of blood to shed.

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