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Ninjas and video games have been married for a long time. Every console generation sees the release of innumerable variations or non-variations on this established genre. From Shinobi to Ninja Gaiden, from Tenchu to now Ninja Blade – a ninja game every year is now more certain than taxes. The latest entry on the scene is a little number developed by From Software, that studio of Armored Core fame, and is published exclusively by Microsoft for the Xbox 360. Ninja Blade is a game that at least knows what it wants to be, and that is a kind of greatest hits collection of seemingly every action game gimmick that ever was.
Ninja Blade wants to be Ninja Gaiden. Let’s get that out of the way immediately. From the costume of protagonist Ken Ogawa (which even features a Ryu-like headdress) to the combo-laden sword combat, Ninja Blade doesn’t bother to hide where it draws most of its inspiration. The plot is even similar to the Ninja Gaiden games, although Ninja Blade replaces Ninja Gaiden’s demonic invasion storyline with one about a biological outbreak that what else – turns humans into demonic monsters. But let’s not kid ourselves; no one plays this sort of game for the promise of deep human drama.
The game also wants to be God of War. In fact, at least one of the boss fights is ripped almost directly from that game, from the enemy design down to the actual game play mechanics of the fight. Beyond this, there is also the over-implementation of quick time events. God of War didn’t invent them, but it perfected them, and Ninja Blade uses them to the point of exhaustion. At first, these QTE segments are quite enjoyable, as they are accompanied by some of the most over-the-top cinematics seen in a video game (surfing on an airborne missile or riding a motorcycle up the side of a building for example).
The problem is that the button presses associated with these segments never evolve or become more challenging. It’s simply press A here to jump, hit the attack button, jerk the stick left to dodge – over and over again. And if you mess up, the quick time event rewinds back to a second or two earlier, and gives you another try. What was initially rather fun quickly becomes tedious as the game wears on. Some criticize games that have cut scenes that encroach on the actual game play. Here, there is reason to criticize games that feature more quick time events than actual game play. Some of Ninja Blade’s most exciting moments could have had compelling game play attached, but instead, you’re just pushing buttons based on prompts. It kind of resembles that twenty-year-old game Dragon’s Lair.
When the game releases you to fight enemies as you would traditionally expect, with combo-driven slicing and dicing, things get a bit more fun. The combo system is rather deep, and the fighting is fast and visceral. Successful confrontations are rewarded with the chance to execute brutal finishing moves, and element-based ninja attacks offer increased versatility and strategy. The problem is that you could conceivably get through most fights by simply button mashing, and you will find yourself ignoring many of the available combos in favor of a few reliable attacks. The other issue is that many combo attack animations cannot be canceled, and often leave you vulnerable to get beaten up by flanking enemies. This isn’t a deal-breaker, but can lead to a few frustrating moments where you feel like the capabilities of the combat engine aren’t up the challenge of the encounter. But ultimately, the fighting is much more accessible (read: easier) than Ninja Gaiden, and on Normal difficulty won’t tax experienced games overmuch. The tradeoff is that the fighting is not as satisfying on a strategic level. At times in almost all of the levels, the on-foot fighting is broken up by – get ready for a shocker – rail-shooting turret sequences.
The visuals are standard fare, although I will say that the cityscapes of Tokyo (where the bulk of the game takes place) are good-looking. There’s nothing special about the enemies, as there are just a handful of types, all of which are mutant humanoids similar to any other action game of recent years – think Locust Horde with a martial arts flavor. Bosses were obviously inspired by a trip to Red Lobster, as most of them are giant, screen-filling, crab-like things. If you like the bosses, you’re in for a treat because you’ll fight most of them more than once. Additionally, there is at least one level that is recycled as well.
An enjoyable aspect of Ninja Blade comes with the customization system. During the course of the game, you’ll unlock several alternate costumes for Ken, which can be further altered by changing the colors. You’ll also unlock additional logos for that aforementioned ninja headdress. The game’s swords are also upgradeable, giving you a reason to want to defeat more enemies and earn upgrade crystals.
If the bulk of this review seems negative, that is because Ninja Blade is almost defiant in its unwillingness to do anything original and its consistent desire to walk the line of mediocrity. The ten hour campaign is not devoid of fun, but on the other hand, it’s not devoid of tedium either. If you’re a fan of action games and need something to carry you through the slow period then this game might come recommended. For everyone else I’ll say this – try before you buy.
I actually just bought this game the other day...so yeah I'm a little late to the party. I actually like it, and not sure I agree with everyone taking off points for all the cut scenes. That is pure opinion based, so some people may actually enjoy them, and would see their interactiveness as a plus.