Ninja Gaiden 2: Gameplay Video Roundup

By Johnny Minkley Published 28 May, 2008

All you need is blood.

When everyone else appears obsessed with making games more 'accessible' (boo!) and 'family friendly' (hiss!), what a pleasure it is to welcome back to the gaming fold Tomonobu Itagaki's unapologetically hardcore take on the veteran Ninja Gaiden series.

The 2004 Xbox-exclusive revival of the action-adventure boasted a complex but brutally unforgiving combat system which caused many a gamer's resolve to collapse in the face of the massive challenge. But for the brave of heart (and vast of patience) who persevered and mastered its intracacies, it became one of the defining action titles of the last generation.

It seems apt, then, that the much-hyped sequel should once again appear exclusively on an Xbox console - a system that cannot shake its hardcore reputation, try as Microsoft's marketing ninjas might. But it's a tag that developer Team Ninja sports with pride - and celebrates with a sea of crimson carrying forth the fleshy remains of a thousand severed limbs.

So, as you probably know, Ninja Gaiden 2 delights in the fragility of flesh. "No other action game comes close to Ninja Gaiden 2 for looks, for animation or for ferocity," insisted Rob in his review earlier this week . "Technical problems" and a reliance on "cheap shots" to spike the difficulty elicited a still-commendable seven out of 10 from our man.

But, judging by the forums, there are those of you who would dare to disagree and will not be silenced until the game is finally spinning wildy in your disc tray come June 6th. So before then, we've been slicing our way through the game to bring you a round-up of exclusive gameplay clips to give you a taster of what to expect from Ryu's riotous return.

Ryu's weapon, magic and athletic skills are pushed to the limit in this clip - it's like Gladiators for ninjas, with added giant human death-bats. Get a taster for how the Achievements are structured, before wincing as a boss goes to work with some serious moves.

Ninja Gaiden 2 wouldn't be a hardcore action title without combos. We're quite sure you'll be able to beat our meagre effort, but the towerblock acrobatics will be welcome respite for claustrophobes. And we can certainly empathise with the extreme office-based violence.

Another frantic tunnel fight further into the game, this time up against freakishly oversized insectoids. The clip culminates in another epic boss battle versus the mother of all worms. Dad must be exhausted.

In a game like this, it's a safe bet that entering an old house isn't going to offer up much in the way of relief and sanctuary. And so, spectacularly, it proves; but after the scrapping and item-collection, Ryu knows how to make a stylish exit.

If you haven't figured it out by now, those who suffer with acute insect-related phobias may not find Ninja Gaiden 2 a particularly amenable experience. The mountains provide a beautiful backdrop, but the mutant man-spider is straight out of your nightmares.

Last, in this roundup, but not least, we take at look at Ninja Cinema, the feature which lets you record and share your greatest ninja feats via Xbox Live, applying a neat visual effect for added posturing. When Ryu went down to the woods today, he was sure of a big surprise.

Picture of Johnny.

About Johnny Minkley

Eurogamer TV's Johnny Minkley is a veteran journalist with a lifelong passion for games and the games industry. He uses Twitter more than most people use air.

Read more articles from Johnny by visiting the Johnny Minkley archive page.

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Comments (30) Latest comment 4 years ago

Comments threads automatically close after 30 days, but please feel free to continue chatting on the forum!

  • Benno #1 4 years ago

    i never played the first, but i like ninjas

    i'll probs buy for some post exam stress relief

  • DUFFKING #2 4 years ago

    If you've not played the original I don't think it'll relieve too much stress ;)

  • dudefella #3 4 years ago

    Same dreadful camera, alright.

    Was hoping to see the more annoying/frustrating sections of the game to see if I'd be able to cope with them. I'll probably just borrow it off a friend when he's finished with it, not buying it.

  • M83J01P97 #4 4 years ago

    Isn't there a demo of this meant to appear soon? Anyone know when?

  • DUFFKING #5 4 years ago

    Camera looks just like the original to me, which I never had a problem with...

  • miiiguel #6 4 years ago

    OMG! It's FAST!!!!!

    If the review made me re-think my pre-order, this changed everything back again. It is mine! If only for historical reasons...
    Edited by 2 at 28/05/08 @ 16:28

  • kangarootoo #7 4 years ago

    "OMG! It's FAST!!!!!"

    Tell me about it. It must be my age or something, 'cos half the time watching that I had no f*cking clue what was going on ;(

  • lambtron #8 4 years ago

    Instabuy for me.

  • septimus #9 4 years ago

    Gah.... torn on this game. Might be worth getting. Arrghh.

    And did they EVER fix the camera on the first one? It's still utter crap in Black. If it is no worse than Black I may not throw the controller.
    Edited by 1 at 28/05/08 @ 16:42

  • cyacomini #10 4 years ago

    There was *nothing* wrong with the camera in the original, the black version or Sigma. That's my opinion - others may beg to differ.

    If they havent changed the camera at all, I'll be delighted.

  • The-Bodybuilder #11 4 years ago

    @ Benno

    Ninja Gaiden? Stress Relief?

  • The-Bodybuilder #12 4 years ago

    I rarely had issues with the camera.
    And I'm beginning to doubt some of Robs claim. Truth is, certain parts of the original WERE CHEAP (the bone monster, who at one stage decided to do nothing else BUT throw giant boney spairs at me, constantly. The Second fight with doku, he decided to use one attack over and over and over and over again. Getting firey shuryukens out of nowhere WAS IN THE FIRST GAME).

    And I was fixated on the game being a 7, I forgot that most reviews have given ti high 8s and 9s.

  • TONYgr #13 4 years ago

    i think it plays and feels the same with black and sigma,only faster!9/10 for me.

  • Xerx3s #14 4 years ago

    Ehm, it may be just me but where exactly is the game unfair?

  • miiiguel #15 4 years ago

    maybe it's unfair if you have to complete it in 3,46 hours in order to post a review.

  • TRUTH #16 4 years ago

    I can't understand why people keep going on the camera. Press the bloody button and the camera goes behind Ryu. Simple!...Nerver really was a problem just used to over exaggerate by typical game reviewers .
    Edited by 1 at 28/05/08 @ 18:02

  • Bangaioh #17 4 years ago

    Well... looks bloody awesome to me. Will buy!

  • Xerx3s #18 4 years ago

    "maybe it's unfair if you have to complete it in 3,46 hours in order to post a review. "

    I seriously doubt that rob is that unprofessional and without proof, comments like this can start to lead their own life.

  • miiiguel #19 4 years ago

    my comment meant no disrespect, although I know my english is poor so it might sound like that. What I tried to say is that reviwers might have a tight schedule which may turn their experiences not exactly fun ones but stressfull.

    but there's alwyas the "bias" and "MS handed a bag full of money"...
    Edited by 1 at 28/05/08 @ 18:12

  • Ace_McCloud #20 4 years ago

    It's Ninja Gaiden one! Hurrah!

    And what's wrong with the camera? You press L and it goes behind you in the blink of an eye (With a cool "whoosh" sound effect I might add). Done.

  • Ace_McCloud #21 4 years ago

    I was thinking about this whole cheap debate (which I'm on the side of, cheap is shit btw). It doesn't surprise me too much, in the old days most action games were only hard if they were cheap because the AI was crap. Ninja Gaiden 1 was so retro it should've been wearing neon t-shirts under suits with rolled up sleeves. That's why I loved NG. Cheapness is a shit side effect of writing a love letter to the past I reckon... a shit bad side effect that should've been kicked to touch.

  • Vice.Destroyer #22 4 years ago

    This is something that Team Ninja seem to have done with their last high profile sequell. Turn up the speed. I am not quite convinced that a faster game is a better game. I thought that was one of the reasons that DOA4 was worse than DOA3. No point in giving more moves if you have to devote your life to pulling those moves out of the bag instinctively. You end up only learning 4 or 5 and use them all the time.

    But maybe I am just getting old.

    But as before, instant purchase.

  • lemonfist #23 4 years ago

    This looks too awesome. 7/10 is the new 10/10!

  • The-Bodybuilder #24 4 years ago

    >"No point in giving more moves if you have to devote your life to pulling those moves out of the bag instinctively. You end up only learning 4 or 5 and use them all the time. "

    That can be said for any fighter since the dawn of time (or at least since SFII).

  • Vice.Destroyer #25 4 years ago

    @The Bodybuilder.

    No, no, you misunderstood my complaint. Having more moves is not a negative. Upping the speed to a degree where your attacks have to be instinctive, rather than measured, that is bad.

  • woodyrulesok #26 4 years ago

    I have never played this game, is there more to the game than there looks in the videos?
    It appears as though it's a one button mashing hack n slash game not very far advanced from golden axe?

  • RexRunti #27 4 years ago

    @woodyrulesok

    Well if you tried button mashing in the original you would end up very dead very quickly. By the time you get good at the game almost every combo you perform is intentional. It was the sort of game that when you take on two tanks with a bow and arrow it doesn't feel rediculous because you're just that hard, despite feeling human as opposed to some kind of super hero.

  • lambtron #28 4 years ago

    "I have never played this game"

    I would never have guessed - if you ever have a chance to play it try button mashing and see how far you get ;)

  • The-Bodybuilder #29 4 years ago

    @ Vice.Destroyer.

    That is valid, which explains why the VF have always been somewhat slower.
    But NG kinda forces you to learn new moves, when you face new enemies.

  • muscleblade #30 4 years ago

    Im getting this today. Too bad im not quite finished with GTAIV. Ill do it later i guess. Ninja Gaiden 2 cannot wait on my shelf.
    My friend at my local gaming store told me it probably arrive today or tomorrow.
    Edited by 1 at 29/05/08 @ 11:02