[Game On] 'Ninja Gaiden II' for Xbox Goes Heavy on the Gore and Glitches

Bloody Good, Not Great
Ninja Gaiden II pours on the gore—and glitches

It's probably a good thing Game On wasn't around to review Ninja Gaiden when it hit Xbox in 2004—we probably would've written an awesome, brutal, majestic action masterpiece, then filled the rest of the space with crude crayon drawings of ninjas. Because really, there'd be nothing else to say.


NG2: Nothing stains your whites like werewolf blood
NG2: Nothing stains your whites like werewolf blood

The real difference here—and the one Tecmo hyped in its NG2 publicity campaign—is the bloodshed and lots of it. Nothing like the Nerf batons wielded in Soul Calibur, the swords here actually cut—and cut deep, leaving splashes of blood and sundry appendages to litter every map you tear through. Then it cranks the carnage to 11 by pouring on hordes of foes; a few of the battles here number more enemies than there were in all of NG1. One fight later in the game, up a long staircase, features a mob of ninjas so thick they seem to cascade down the steps to meet you, like a black-garbed waterfall swirling with razorblades. It might be discouraging if you had more than a split-second to actually take it all in; instead, it's merely sublime.

In terms of that sort of over-the-top awesome, NG2 delivers. One battle takes place in a coliseum filled with thousands of werewolf spectators, who naturally decide to jump the wall and run you down when you get the upper hand on their champion. Then there's the zombies armed with chainsaws and bazookas—that's zombies armed with chainsaws and bazookas! To some, that would merit a 10 out of 10 right there.



Later on, there's a moment of unusual quiet: Walking slowly through a bamboo forest, a few ninjas lie in waist-deep grass, waiting to spring an ambush. After getting nailed by a few, you start creeping through the bracken, baiting attackers into showing themselves and engaging them one on one.


Ninja Gaiden II from Microsoft for the Xbox 360, $59.99. ESRB Rating: M (for Mature). Score: 8 (out of 10).