Review: Ninja Gaiden Sigma 2

by Denis Ivanov - February 10th, 2010

Ninja Gaiden Sigma 2, the most recent title in the Ninja Gaiden series, which is already known for adrenaline-filled games with unbelievably fast-paced action. The series has never been big on developing elaborate story lines, and Ninja Gaiden Sigma 2 is no exception to this rule. However, the difficulty of the game is significantly altered by the changes we can witness in this game, such as infinite ammo for ranged weapons, lower enemy count and new bosses.

Ninja Gaiden 2 is coming to PlayStation 3 under the name of Ninja Gaiden Sigma 2. Much to the fans' delight, it is expected for this game to be more than just a simple port from one console to another. Everyone is looking forward to new characters, new categories of enemies, additional weapons and new sets of moves and stances.

In addition to the story of Ryu Hayabusa, a character that is also available for Xbox 360, a new story mode will also focus on Ayane, the character from “Dead or Alive”. Given the fact that Ayane has been in her sister's shadow until now, it is very likely that the import to the Ninja Gaiden franchise to make her stand out from the rest of the characters. Momiji is another character that we are looking forward to seeing in Ninja Gaiden Sigma 2.

The addition of new character costumes has also been announced towards the end of last year. We are talking about a new special white costume for Ryu, as well as Venice Festival outfit for Ayane, and several others.

Although it would be hard to classify Ninja Gaiden Sigma 2 as the best game in the history of the series (as a personal opinion may be too subjective), it is safe to say that this new title revolutionizes the franchise, mostly on account of the notable differences between it and the rest of the titles in the series.

The visuals are great, and the characters, their animations, the enemies and the surroundings are nothing short of amazing, at least as seen by a veteran of the franchise. If you are a perfectionist, you will probably notice some minor issues with the camera system, as well as some texture tearing, but it's only fair to say that these very well balanced out by the outstanding artificial intelligence of the game, as well as by its great scoring system. In addition to this, both the story line and the gameplay are more engaging as compared to the previous titles of the series.

The bottom line is that if you're into fighting, cutting off limbs and hacking off your enemies' heads, Ninja Gaiden Sigma 2 has a lot to offer. You have a vast array of awesome weapons to use and learn how to master, such as the dragon sword, the Vigoorian flail, shurikens, Emma's Fang, the Howling Cannon, the eclipse scythe, the Fiend's bane bow, and so on. To sum up, it's safe say that Ninja Gaiden Sigma 2 has all the right ingredients to make for a very enjoyable experience, especially if you are a fan of the series.

Play Ninja Gaiden Sigma 2 for up to 14 days free with a rent trial.

GameAccess (US/Canada)

GameFly (US)

UK/Europe coming soon

Related Links

Game

• Ninja Gaiden Sigma 2

News

• Ninja Gaiden Sigma 2 Confirmed For Release in the Fall
• GDC 09: Ninja Gaiden Sigma 2 Trailer Revealed!