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Ninja Blade is "seamless" 12-hour slasher

From Software outlines 360 exclusive.

Ninja Blade producer Masanori Takeuchi has revealed more about From Software's upcoming Ninja Blade, announced yesterday, and reckons it will distinguish itself from Xbox 360 exclusive stable-mate Ninja Gaiden II.

"Unlike most games that bounce between slow-moving cut scenes and twitchy gameplay, Ninja Blade offers a seamless action-movie experience that keeps you in control," Takeuchi told IGN following a question about Tecmo's recent alternative.

He also explained that the player-character, a budding ninja called Ken, will unlock special powers as you progress, and already has one inherent advantage. "Ninja Vision is a powerful technique that reveals hidden information, like enemy weak spots or navigation clues," Takeuchi explained. "Of course, such great power comes with a price. You'll need to be careful to calculate when and how to use it best."

You will have around 12 hours of single-player within which to be calculating, said Takeuchi, during which you will also claim crystals from downed enemies (mostly zombies, apparently) in order to upgrade your weapons. Xbox Live features will be revealed soon.

The developer is "definitely considering" a pre-release demo, Takeuchi said.

Check out the Ninja Blade launch trailer on Eurogamer TV. Hopefully Ninja Blade will fare better than From's last ninja outing, the rather dreadful Tenchu Z, when it comes out next year.