NINJA GAIDEN II Read the Deﬁnitive Guide Inside

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Welcome t might surprise some people to learn that the Ninja Gaiden Use the Pla y and Stop controls to the left , series didn’t start in 2004 on the Xbox, but in 1988 in the or click here to see the enhanced version! arcades of Japan. Tecmo’s side-scrolling platform beat-em-up I shared a resemblance to Konami’s Castlevania series, but provided a faster-paced, more addictive experience. Even back then, it was renowned for its difficulty. Yet that toughness didn’t ever feel cheap - Gaiden was always scrupulously fair, just very hard indeed. It was a game that rewarded sharp reactions and required players to practice over and over, learning its stages and enemies until they could be beaten easily. It spawned two sequels on the NES (so this isn’t the first game to be called Ninja Gaiden II) and then disappeared into the night like the titular assassins. Fast-forward sixteen years, and Tecmo decided a modern-day update was in order. Legendary producer Tomonobu Itagaki and his development team, the appropriately-named Team Ninja, created a modern masterpiece that lived up to the original in many ways, providing a faithful update that made the move to 3D look easy. Again, it had the mix of combat and platform-based action, and again it had the series’ sky-high difficulty. Though a few mainstream journalists were put off, hardcore gamers lapped it up, with critics garlanding the game with fulsome praise. It was therefore no surprise when a sequel was announced, though its host platform was a head-turner. Available exclusively on Xbox 360, Itagaki-san boldly stated that it’s the only console which could do the game justice. Join us in this special extensive hands-on look at the game and find out if he’s right, and if Ninja Gaiden II can do the seemingly impossible and improve upon its outstanding last- “Can Ninja Gaiden II do the seemingly generation predecessor... impossible and improve upon its Enjoy the issue! outstanding last-generation predecessor?” Chris Schilling

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“The path of the ninja is not for the faint of heart” Publisher: Ninja Gaiden II Microsoft Game Studios Ryu’s return - the world’s toughest ninja assassin Developer: makes a spectacular entrance on Xbox 360... Team Ninja Heritage: Dead or hen you start a new game Anyone concerned that Ninja Alive series, Ninja of Ninja Gaiden II, you’re Gaiden II’s difficulty would be toned Gaiden immediately given a down to appeal to a wider audience Link: www.xbox. W choice. Do you choose can rest easy - the Warrior path is com/ng2 the path of the Acolyte, Warrior, going to kick your ass more times ETA: June 6th Mentor or Master Ninja? The first – than you ever thought possible, even ostensibly the game’s easiest if you’re a series veteran. difficulty level – gives you a warning. Yet for those who found the “The path of the ninja is not for the original Xbox game a little too much faint of heart. This route is for those like hard work, Acolyte provides a who walk it for the first time.” The more accessible - yet equally second also warns you – “proceed frenzied and frantic - Ninja Gaiden with caution!” And even though this experience. Make no mistake, is the game’s default difficulty, the though this is effectively the game’s warning is no joke. easy mode, your gran’s not going to

The Kusari-gama will undoubtedly provide some of Chapter Three sees Ryu Ninja Gaiden II’s best moments ﬁghting an epic battle atop for expert players. Get the Statue of Liberty - your accustomed to using this opponent here is incredibly unusual weapon and you’ll be powerful but very slow. Quick pirouetting around your players will be able to get opponents, casually lopping off plenty of unanswered hits in limbs left, right and centre. before having to dodge. He’s not getting up from that one - though certain enemies will attempt suicide kills, even when they’re shy of limbs. Make sure everyone’s dead before you move on.

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Tiger’s Fang and Dragon’s Claw are twin swords which tend to make a bloody mess of any rivals foolish Ninja Gaiden II continued enough to get within range.

Weapons of choice get anywhere. The franchise’s Evisceration for beginners... legendary difficulty remains intact - it’s merely rock hard rather than too hard this time. When you do pluck up the courage to press start to begin, perhaps the first thing you notice is the quality of the graphics. As protagonist Ryu Hayabusa plunges “In the right down from a skyscraper in Sky City hands it’s poetry Tokyo (the game’s opening level) to rescue a young woman in the in motion” process of being kidnapped, the amazing character models and is poetry in motion. Running at a opponents. stunning environments combine to silky smooth sixty frames per Ah, yes - the gore. A Melee Projectile Ninpo provide a treat for the eyes. Start second, it’s incredibly fast and slick, while ago, when speaking about his playing and it’s even better - this with the beautifully animated Ryu intentions for Gaiden II, Director game, particularly in the right hands, making literal mincemeat of his Tomonobu Itagaki repeatedly stated his intentions to make every battle feel important - like a fight to the Melee death. And it does, it really does. The melee weapons are the ones you’ll use the most Your armed foes attack from all throughout the game, and there are plenty of them - all fully angles, right from the outset, in an upgradeable to become utterly devastating (as opposed to aggressive manner that’ll terrify just extremely deadly). Ryu can whirl the Lunar Staff around inexperienced newcomers. You have to take out assailants quickly, and also lunge forward, to have your wits about you repeatedly jabbing the sharp end into enemy stomachs - immediately - making sure you’re very handy in those narrow corridors. The Falcon’s Talons ready with a block, parry and are a very short range weapon, but they can tear foes to counter for your opponents’ vicious absolute shreds, while the Kusari-gama chain and sickle assaults. Time it right, and you’ll can be used in some amazingly violent combos, tearing off pierce their defences, showering limbs or bludgeoning enemies to death with the weighty blood everywhere. Hit them again spiked ball on the upgraded version. and again with fast attacks, and you might just see a few limbs fall to the Use the Pla y and Stop controls to the left , floor, splashing claret across the or click here to see the enhanced v ersion!

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While it might take time to amass enough currency to upgrade, the Falcon Talons extend signiﬁcantly in range once they’re levelled up.

Ninja Gaiden II continued floor and Ryu’s Dragon Blade. Yet They won’t come back from that don’t think that a legless opponent is one. One wave down, and the completely ‘armless, too - these rooftops are painted blood red, with guys are like Terminators, and will gruesome evidence of your struggle absolutely not stop, ever, until you spread for tens of yards in every are dead. They’ll drag their bloody direction. One group down, several carcasses towards you as you face hundred to go... off against their comrades and This might sound a little off- ROLL OVER perform suicide attacks - pinning you puttingly difficult, but it’s simply a down, stabbing you and exploding, case of learning the ropes, and THE BIG sending body parts flying across the learning them fast. Ryu can pick up PICTURE screen. Like the presumed-dead scrolls which teach him new baddie in a teen horror movie, you techniques, all of which are hugely can’t turn your back on them for a useful in battle. Even something like “The variety in fighting styles second. Ryu has more than one trick the wall run - a Prince of Persia- up his sleeve to deal with such esque moment of magic which sees is unmatched by any other horrors, though - his more powerful Ryu sprint along vertical surfaces attacks can often decapitate with great ease - can be utilised in current generation title” enemies in one brutal swipe, while combat as well as the game’s close-up obliteration techniques see platforming sections. It’s quite him slice opponents clean in two. something to jump onto a wall behind an opponent’s head, spring back down and plunge a sword into his torso, instantly killing him. Yet Kick Flick though there are a wealth of One of the game’s most innovative features is the Ninja different manoeuvres to learn, Cinema mode. You’re able to record footage of your play, they’re all executed very simply - the which can be saved to your hard drive and uploaded Xbox controls are amazingly intuitive and LIVE if you want to show off your skills. If ever a game was accessible, yet flexible enough to allow for a variety in fighting styles suited to replays, it’s this one - despite the blood, there’s an ROLL OVER almost balletic grace to the action when performed by the unmatched by any other current most talented combatants. You can even add a ‘Kurosawa generation title. Devil May Cry? Well THE BIG filter’ which pays homage to the legendary film director by Dante probably would weep to see PICTURE turning everything black and white and adding a grainy filter Ryu at his best. to make it look like an old ninja movie. Once you’re used to spending most of your time blocking with the Genshin is the game’s first boss, but that’s not the last you’ll see of him. His Black Spider Ninja Clan are Ryu’s main rivals in Ninja Gaiden II.

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The plot involves a female CIA operative trying to stop the enemy clan from resurrecting the Archfiend - Ninja Gaiden II continued though the cutscenes are left trigger and timing dodges with reduced to piles of useless flesh is kept to a minimum so the moves of the analogue stick - so worryingly gratifying. game can maintain one hell each enemy sword thrust misses its You might be best saving your of a fast pace. target - you can start showboating. energy for the game’s guardians, Or, if you’re surrounded by foes with however, which are some of the seemingly no way out, then maybe hardest opponents you’ll ever fight in it’s time to pull out the ninpo. any videogame. Sky City’s boss is a This magical power allows Ryu to gigantic spider demon who will perform special attacks, usually on decimate all but the most careful groups of opponents, or on the players on their first go. But learn his game’s huge boss characters: attacks and you’ll soon be lopping simply hold Y and B and you’ll be off his legs - though it’ll make even able to launch a powerful fireball - The Art of the Inferno - which will immolate several assailants within the vicinity, while The Art Of The “Some of the hardest opponents Wind Blades sees razor sharp vacuum waves dice your enemies you’ll ever fight in any videogame” to pieces. Seeing four or five foes

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You can quite literally paint the town red with Ninja Gaiden II - it’s a gore-ﬁend’s delight.

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Ninja Gaiden II continued the most hardened gamer’s jaw drop With that in mind, it’s a good thing when he arrives mid-way through the that you’re able to save and next stage as a mini-boss. regenerate your health at reasonable Chapters Two, Three and Four see intervals - these rest spots aren’t equally epic scraps, and they’re not spread quite as thinly as before, and just reserved for the end of the are positioned more fairly. No levels. The graphically-stunning, rain- traipsing back through several lashed New York of Chapter Three roomfuls of foes once you’ve been sees a gigantic bat-eating demon beaten by a boss - here you’ll be able rise up from the ground. You might to restart from a much closer Use the Play and Stop controls to the left, think he was a little easy to defeat position. You’ll get more assistance or click here to see the enhanced version! compared to some of your tougher from prodigiously eyebrowed old battles at that stage, but then man Muramasa, whose shop returns two more appear, - in here you can buy health items which, there’s an impressive range rather than removing you from the and you realise and herbs which restore some of of ways to rip your enemies to game and taking you into a menu. “Team Ninja Itagaki has just your ki (used to execute those shreds, from the standard Dragon We can say with absolute confidence upped the ante powerful ninpo moves), as well as Sword through the long and heavy, that Itagaki-san and Team Ninja have produced once more. upgrading your weapons. Talking of but slightly unwieldy Lunar Staff. The have produced yet another Falcon’s Talons are a particular action masterpiece. It improves another action ORDER YOUR highlight - turning Ryu into a on the original in every COPY NOW! masterpiece” Wolverine-like menace - handy, conceivable way, and is sure considering the many vulpine foes to please both newcomers and he has to deal with at certain stages. veterans alike when it’s released on Ninja Gaiden II might not be an June 6th. Put simply, we can’t wait... easy game, but it does plenty to make the player more comfortable - so you know that if you do perish, it’s never anyone’s fault but your own. The camera can now be centred behind Ryu by pressing the right trigger, so you’ll always have the optimum viewpoint of your surroundings, while the quick weapon-change and ninpo select on the d-pad is an absolute godsend, The close-ups look spectacular, though in real-time they’re over in a flash. You’ll need sharp eyes to spot some of the goriest effects, though some of keeping things flowing much better the more dramatic kills are clear enough to make you wince.

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WIN! AN XBOX 360 An Xbox 360 signed by Ninja Gaiden II producer Tomonobu Itagaki is up for grabs. Five runners-up win copies of the game. Simply answer the question

for your chance to win... Competition closes June 30th 2008. For standard T&C, see www.gamerzines.com.

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VISIT WWW.XBOX.COM/NG2 Ninja network Not content with providing a fantastic interactive experience Stay Tuned on its website, Microsoft is also For budding assassins everywhere, the official site bringing fresh Ninja Gaiden II content to will train you in the ways of the ninja! mobile phones. So if, f you want to keep up to date with get them ingrained into your head like Ryu Hayabusa, Ninja Gaiden II, count down the before the game arrives. you’re always on the days until release, or simply find out Even better is the ability to use move, you can still more about the game, then the these moves in a series of challenges, keep up to date with I the game. As well as a official web page really is a site to facilitated by Xbox.com via email - behold. There are plenty of things to you’re given five seconds to input as brief overview, keep you busy - the Embrace The Blade many techniques as you can, and can Microsoft has provided wallpaper generator allows you to then view a video sequence showing a wallpaper and trailer select from a host of weapons to the moves you used against your online to download, with a create your own customised NGII opponent. After you’ve both taken your host of action-packed desktop, while Release Your Wrath turn, the winner is revealed, with the screenshots for you to allows you to use an Xbox 360 site tracking your total wins and losses. gawp at the game’s controller to Fancy showing off about your online gorgeous graphics. enter moves. A achievements? You can create a Finally, there’s a perfect way to screensaver which adds the blade of number of links to practice your your defeated opponent each time you related products like fighting win a battle, while a Facebook kill excellent RPGs Lost techniques and counter will allow you to brag about Odyssey and Mass your prowess while Effect, and a look at networking with pals. the forthcoming Too Finally, there’s an Human. Text ‘Xbox’ embeddable widget to 80880 to find out Pull off as many powerful which keeps track of more. attacks as you can before the timer counts down to your win count - simply copy and paste the win online battles. Watching CLICK THE ICONS replays of a particularly code into your website impressive combo is a to show the world TO FIND OUT MORE uniquely satisfying thrill. The Ninja Gaiden II site is an invaluable you’re a master ninja! OUT reference point for the game, and a huge help TH to newcomers learning the ropes. JUNE 6

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