Ryu Hayabusa
PS3: Ninja Gaiden Sigma
By Leslie Tan
This latest iteration of the Ninja Gaiden series packs more punch, ups the babe factor and is more than just a thoughtless jump onto the next-gen wagon.
Who's never heard of Ninja Gaiden?
With multiple iterations of this game over a variety of consoles (beginning humbly with the 8-bit NES), you'd be hard pressed to find a gamer who's not heard of Ryu Hayabusa. So to say that the folks at Tecmo and Team Ninja are over-milking the Ninja Gaiden cow would not be entirely inaccurate. However, to call this latest instance of the game a carbon copy port onto the next-gen wagon would be entirely unjustified.
Ryu Hayabusa game play
While sharing similarities with its XBOX counterparts, this game does have some meaty and substantial additions that make it stand out on it's own. For seasoned gamers who've played the XBOX offerings of Ninja Gaiden and Ninja Gaiden Black, there is still much to be gleaned from Sigma. There are new chapters, reworked levels and of course, slicker graphics that are easily handled by the PS3's powerful cell-processor.
For gamers who've not played the series at all, this is a must-play. It's heavy on the action, highly atmospheric and a thoroughly intense gaming experience. Boasting some of the most satisfying gameplay around for any PS3 title at the moment, Sigma is also the perfect stopgap for gamers who are waiting for more titles to arrive for the PS3.
Rachel the fiend hunter
As with it's predecessors, the story of Ninja Gaiden Sigma is standard fantasy swordfighting fare, following ninja extraordinaire Ryu Hayabusa on a revenge mission after surviving the destruction of his village.
So if the story's similar, what does Sigma bring to the table for the Ninja Gaiden series? Well for starters, the most obvious addition is the new playable character of Rachel the fiend hunter. This "top-heavy" babe is a welcome addition to the series, getting three of her own chapters and a few levels in mission mode as well.
As compared to the lithe and wiry Ryu, this buxom babe in the bondage get-up is less agile and playing her requires an adjustment in style. However, she makes up for her lack of speed with the remarkable amount of damage that can be done by her warhammer. She's also got a magic attack, called sorcery, rather than ninpo.
It's also delightful and satisfying to find that her chapters are not just episodic insertions to pad up the game. With the addition of her story, Ryu's tale actually gets a reworking to allow for a more seamless blend of Rachel's quest into the overall big picture.
Aside from the new character addition, there are also new enemies, new bosses, new weapons (dual swords!) and a finely tweaked camera that works with you and not the other way around.
Rachel game play
What's not changed, however, is the difficulty mode of the game. Players of the past two games will tell you that the Ninja Gaiden series offers one of the hardest gaming experiences you can find, anywhere.
In this aspect, Sigma is no exception.
It's hard - perhaps even one of the hardest games available in the market out there. But it's not the sort of difficulty level that makes you give up. Instead, it's the kind of challenge that keeps you going.
The only flaw to be found in the additions is the SIXAXIS integration. As with most games being produced for the PS3 right now, SIXAXIS integration seems to be the most included but least developed area in PS3 game development. In Sigma, in order to get more power for your ninpo skills, you have to shake your controller vigourously. This feels very odd and doesn't gel with the other smoothly integrated controls. Shaking the controller for the umpteeth time, you can't help but wonder if this feature has just been needlessly tacked on to capitalize on the PS3's SIXAXIS like so many other games out there.
Aside from that, the game is quite spectacular to behold. While the graphics aren't exactly next-gen (there is some poor texturing here and there, obviously the evidence of porting), the light, shadows and colours have been greatly enhanced. The Ryu and Rachel animation and movements are also slick, spiffy and a joy to behold; all these, seamlessly coupled with the crisp sound effects and tight soundtrack, create a game play experience that is immensely immersive and totally absorbing.
So, whether you're new to the Ninja Gaiden series or an old hand at the exploits of Ryu Hayabusa, Ninja Gaiden Sigma has lots to offer either way, with satisfying new content, solid gameplay and an overall ace playing experience.
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