I actually took the day off from work when Ninja Gaiden 2 was released.   I was such a fan of Ninja Gaiden Black for the original XBox, mostly because of the difficulty involved in mastering the game.  So you can imagine my excitement when I heard that not only would Ninja Gaiden 2 be challenging like its predecessor, but it was going to be crazy violent.  I love crazy violence.

The game hasn’t failed to live up to expectations, and the action in this game is unmatched.  Sure, it doesn’t have a very compelling storyline, but what’s not to like about a bad ass ninja hacking people to bits?

Here are five things about Ninja Gaiden 2 that make this game so much fun:

1. Blood.  Lots and lots of blood.

Blood sprays everywhere when Ryu slashes into his enemies, often covering the ground and walls.  It’s like witnessing an elephant quefing while on her period.  Even better, unlike most other video games, the severed limbs, heads, and chopped-up torsos remain visible on the ground long after your enemies are dead, serving as virtual trophies for sadistic gamers like myself.  Which brings me to…

2. Decapitations!

Decapitation is one of the best ways to kill someone, period.  It’s quick, messy, and leaves quite an impression.  After being pelted with incendiary shuriken and throwing stars, nothing can spell vengeance like a swift slash of a blade across the neck.  That said, I’d rather be decapitated than be tricked into taking salvia.

3. Werewolves

I submit that you can not find a better combination than ninjas and werewolves, but I am willing to entertain arguments for breasts and my mouth.  The lycanthropes in Ninja Gaiden inflict lots of damage and can easily overpower Ryu if he’s not prepared.  To make matters worse, they’ll pick up severed body parts off the ground and fling them in your direction.

4. A Variety of Weapons

Aside from his Dragon Sword, Ryu can attack his foes with a staff, claws, a huge scythe, kursi-gama, tonfas, and - pictured above - Vigorian flails.  Different weapons work more efficiently against different enemies, and half of the fun is testing them out.  The other half is deciding whether you want to slice a fiend in half with a scythe or shatter his bones with the staff.

5. Massive Amounts of Enemies

One of the best things about Ninja Gaiden 2 is that, at least during the higher difficulty levels, the game throws a ton of enemies at you.  And I don’t mean like 20.  I mean a ton.  Regular, in-stage, non-boss battles can require over ten minutes of focus and concentration, which, in my case, is usually followed by another ten minutes of swearing and crying, a broken controller, and then 45 minutes of apologizing to my girlfriend.  I love ninjas!

Share

More Unreal Posts

• Ninja Gaiden Sigma 2 Trailer Could Use More Blood
• Breaking Down the Best: Ninja Gaiden 2
• Unreal Power Rankings: The Top 5 Video Game Ninjas
• Mega Man 2.5D
• Ninja Gaiden Rap

Trackback URI | Comments RSS