Ninja
Gaiden Sigma is a solid revamping of the first two Ninja Gaiden titles on
the Xbox. The visuals have been upgraded to full high-def with added
details such as light-sourcing, backgrounds and other objects such as
falling leaves. Sigma leaves the basic gameplay mechanics and levels
largely unchanged, though there are a few extra missions that players can
unlock. While it's a remake, not a completely new game, PS3 owners who
haven't played the previous installments will find this to be a
challenging, engaging combat title with slick visuals.
Tecmo's world-famous Team Ninja
developers have revamped their now-classic Ninja Gaiden Xbox releases for
the Playstation 3 and the results are impressive from an aesthetic
standpoint. This was always one of the more impressive looking and playing
games on the last-generation and this edition offers what should probably
be considered the 'director's cut' of the game. Updating the last edition
is a fairly simple proposition, sine it never appeared on any Playstation
platform during the last generation. Beginning as a next-generation remake
of the classic NES games for the Xbox, Ninja Gaiden broke new ground upon
release with it's razor sharp visuals, challenging gameplay and engaging
storyline. However, Tecmo wasn't satisfied with this and released several
additional and even harder levels online in what were called the Hurricane
Pack and were later compiled into a disc based-upgrade called Ninja Gaiden
Black. While the graphics were impressive, players found the actual
gameplay ranged from very hard to ridiculously hard depending on their
skill level. The hero had an impressive array of moves at his disposal and
could slice enemies, attack from behind, crawl and jump over walls and
perform some impressive special attacks with ease. Along the way, he found
a variety of health potions, magical upgrades and other items to help in
during battles. Players will also find numerous scrolls hidden throughout
the levels which give them useful hints about what to do next. Once an
item is collected, its added to his inventory and can be used at any time.
This helped him during the numerous battles with the many ninja foes he
faced, and some of these potions are especially useful during the epic
boss battles. Some enemies can drain your health quickly so you need to
use them wisely. The game's structure is fairly simple with standard
exploration missions punctuated by intense boss battles that are typically
waged with an incredible cinematic flourish. Each level in Ninja Gaiden
offered a nearly complete, self-contained experience that challenged even
the best players. The level of difficulty is high throughout, but the game
is consistent which helps to keep things from becoming overly frustrating.
The
later stages and levels also improved the game's camera system and the
title was surprisingly good for its time and allowed players an
unprecedented amount of freedom of attack movements. Players can perform
stylish special moves and perform different styles of attack which helps
to further immerse you into the game. This makes for an exciting, if
sometimes frustrating game that stands out from most of the mainstream
releases out there. You probably won't be able to beat it in a single
sitting, but the satisfaction is definitely worth the effort. This is one
of those rare games where you have to earn your stripes before you can
move on. There's little of the hand-holding that most modern games suffer
from and its this hard-core approach that makes the game so appealing.
From a gameplay standpoint, the PS3 edition hasn't been watered down, and
stays faithful to the design and style that has made this modern version
of the franchise so successful. Ninja Gaiden Sigma is like a director's
cut, with enhancements, tweaks and upgrades. However, there are some
additional missions that players can unlock later on starring the
mysterious female ninja Rachel who brings her own special moves and style
to the game. These missions stay fairly close to the first Ninja Gaiden
and add some replay value without interrupting the nearly flawless flow of
the original.
From an aesthetic standpoint, this is
still one of the best designed games ever produced for a modern system.
Ninja Gaiden Sigma's character designs are superb and embellished by some
truly outstanding backgrounds and details that bring its world to life
vividly. Excellent light sourcing, beautiful shadows and superb water
effects are just the beginning. Even the anonymous ninjas you face
throughout Ninja Gaiden Sigma look and animate beautifully which brings a
level of consistency and polish that makes for a coherent and believable
game. The visuals look much sharper this time around and fully support
1080p and its engine has been fully overhauled with additional details
such as improved light sourcing, better draw distance, enhanced character
models and objects plus a myriad of small changes that when added together
help to bring the game into much better focus. Ninja Gaiden Sigma retains
the superb soundtrack and music that made the original game so memorable
with the excellent voice acting adding a dramatic flair to the game's
cinematic scenes. These upgrades really mark an excellent showcase for the
PS3 hardware and help illustrate what a true High Definition next
generation title should look like.
This
is a fairly solid remake from any standpoint, but the question isn't
whether this is a decent game, but whether it's a good value. Tecmo has
released two versions of the game - one is a standard edition that only
offers the main game. This retails for the usual price and feels a bit
expensive considering its mostly rehashed, yet enhanced content. The other
edition is a limited edition that contains a bonus disc featuring
interviews with Team Ninja and a code used to unlock the extra missions.
Costing a bit more than the standard edition, this is a pricey addition to
any PS3 collection and should be considered for the hardcore fan only.
While Ninja Gaiden Sigma is basically a remake of a nearly 5-year old
title, those who haven't played it yet will find this to be a challenging
and entertaining stopgap between PS3 releases. If you've already played
the previous Xbox versions, you should be warned - the new content is
minimal and its HD graphics upgrades can't hide the fact that this is
essentially the same game you already own. However, don't mistake these
facts for a negative evaluation of the game. Based on its merits, Ninja
Gaiden is highly recommended to those who haven't experienced it yet -
this remains one of the best action/combat titles released for the last
generation and the upgrades make it even better.
Grade:
B+
