Ninja Gaiden 3 – Review

The ninja is arguably the most clandestine of all adversaries that any army could face – terrorists are looking to take over the world, so who would be better to wipe out the threat than the stealthy, ruthless killer?

Cinematic cut scenes, movie-esque loading screens, and the obligatory stereotypical Asian look in everything but the lead character certainly give the sense that this could be a film, albeit one ladled full of cheese. This game instantly feels like a sort of Metal Gear Solid / Devil May Cry hybrid (MGS in the presentation and storytelling, and DMC in the relentless swashbuckling, sword-swinging action). It does neither very well though, and that’s the game’s biggest problem; it’s trying too hard to take elements of two very good titles without matching them.

The cut scenes look very good and it comes across as quite a polished title, but in the most vital of all aspects, gameplay, it falls short of the mark. Initially the hacking action doesn’t seem all bad, with helpful tips to defeat enemies while floating down from on high, instructions on how to block the advances of the gun-toting terrorists who are hell bent on watching you die a slow painful death, before taking out a group of them amidst a fine display of graphical bloodsplatter across the pseudo camera lens. However, within ten minutes or so of play there’s a feeling of knowing what’s coming next. There’s no real variation in the pattern of attacks, and the only difference is that the odd enemy has the ability to block advances, occasionally. The repetition extends to the voice acting too, with the gun-toting enemies seemingly only having the odd line of profanity to express their fear or their plans to derail the mission.

After defeating a number of assailants there’s the chance to use ninja magic and unleash an “inferno”, which brings a swooping dragon of fire across the screen wiping out almost every enemy in the path. Other than that, there’s a little bar at the top of the screen where it doesn’t really feel like a combination of kills is really achieving anything, and in this style of game a combo or hit counter would enhance what it’s trying to be. It gets very manic, and while defeating a group of enemies brings a sense of achievement, it also seems a little random too – button bashing more than calculating moves can see a player through the initial levels.

It looks very good, it has an oriental feel in how it’s set, and it has a dusky, hued and sinister backdrop, with the end of level bosses being typical fare in this sort of title, from the Spider Tank to the eerie looking “super ninjas” who have brought you to London on your quest, and the soundtrack is quite thumping even on the title screens.

Taken online there are co-op and clan modes to take on the enemy, with more suits and more clan modes available as DLC. It just feels as though they are flogging a dead horse though – it doesn’t really enhance the game other than aesthetically. This is no doubt a title which will have a loyal following as it has a manga / oriental feel, but that cannot carry the game by itself.

Ninja Gaiden 3 isn’t what you’d expect from a game about the stealthy secret martial art. It’s big and brash, but anyone who has played any of its predecessors will already know that. It’s like a coin-op – it has instant gratification and is visually attractive, and would certainly prompt throwing a pound into it if it was in a cabinet in the local arcade. At home though, more substance than the glossy exterior is needed for the money.

Our rating: 6.5/10