Ninja Gaiden Sigma

July 10,2007 - Ninja Gaiden Sigma is not just a port of the 2004 and 2005 Xbox releases. It’s been reworked, refined and given yet another graphical boost. All the content featured in the last version of the game is here and, of course, there’s a whole lot more crammed into the package. Some parts of the story that were only cut-scenes are now playable. There are new enemies to slaughter and some previously unseen weapons make an appearance, like the Dragon’s Claw & Tiger’s Fang. These are two Japanese swords that Ryu Hayabusa can use simultaneously to rip his foes a new one. The collector’s edition of Sigma also boasts some behind-the-scenes footage.

A big addition to the gameplay this time around is that you can play as both Hayabusa and the absurdly busty Rachel. She was originally just an intriguing character shown through cut scenes and is now exclusively playable in Sigma. She has her own chapters in the story mode and a few levels in mission mode. It’s quite a surprise to see how well she handles in the game. It’s really because her movement mechanics are essentially the same as Ryu’s, but Rachel’s got her own unique and brutal fighting style. She shreds through her story chapters with her war hammer, a projectile weapon that might remind you of the “hook-shot” and some of her own sorcery abilities. Thankfully, Rachel’s story chapters don’t feel as though they‘ve been loosely attached. They’re given quite a bit of context because Ryu’s chapters have been mildly altered to support the new character.

While the extra content makes things fresh for sure, it doesn‘t screw with the franchise’s winning formula. If anything, certain additions like the “Item Shortcut Menu” just make it all the more streamlined. The menu is displayed on the bottom left of your game screen and provides you with the option to use health and magic potions on the fly so you don’t have to pause the (abundant) action.

You’ll find yourself running through a number of stages, battling all sorts of crazy bosses and killing hordes of demons and humans. Take, for example, the agile spider clan ninjas and crack-you-over-the-head-with-an-electrically- charged-baton super soldiers. All these enemies tie in pretty nicely with the game’s story, which is a typical over-the-top revenge plot that turns into a “save the world from unimaginable destruction and chaos” kind of story. Ryu’s village is attacked and the Dark Dragon Blade is stolen. So Ryu’s out to retrieve the sword and bring down all those responsible for the attack on his village. The story is more amusing than it sounds because Hayabusa’s a badass.

There are a few easy to solve puzzles scattered throughout. But you‘re not playing this for the puzzles, are you? You’re playing for the action. Combat is fast-paced, and the controls are responsive. Executing attacks is easy--you’ll be feeling like a ninja in no time. You’ll have all sorts of combos and throws at your disposal, much like a fighting game, and every weapon has its own combos and special characteristics.

But this is no mash-and-pray brawler. Enemy attacks can get real technical real quick. Learn the ebb and flow of battle, grasshopper, or get schooled. You’ve got to know when to attack and when to block or use the evasive maneuvers. There are also different magical attacks which, like melee weapons, can be leveled up. These attacks are easy to perform, but to cause maximum damage you’ll have to shake your sixaxis controller--which is pretty stupid. This is really the only out of the blue addition to the game.

As mentioned earlier, Sigma received a big graphical boost. Lighting and character shadows are smooth and realistic, and character animations are stunning and fluid. Blood sprays and stays where it hits, which is always a nice addition. The audio presentation is roughly the same as the original Ninja Gaiden, if not a bit better.

The story mode will take around twenty hours to beat. The length of the game is obviously dependent on whether or not you’re familiar with the series, but even after you’ve beaten the story campaign there are the extra missions with which to occupy your time, as well as more difficulty settings. Then there are the online leaderboards. The new package, while a bit uninspired, is still worth the money, whether you’re new to the game or not.

For those of you who haven’t experienced this title in any of its iterations: now is as good a time as any to get with the program and play the game. You won’t regret it. Though Ninja Gaiden is an excellent game, let’s hope we don’t see a Ninja Gaiden Sigma Black for the Xbox 360. It’s time for a full-on sequel.

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