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Ninja gaiden black. Still classic.

kikkis

Member
I finished ninja gaiden black couple of weeks ago. Haven't enjoyed playing anything else since. And I have tried skyrim and metro exodus. When it comes to being a picky action gamer there simply ain't lots of games to play.

Ninja gaiden is almost two decades old at this point and it surpasses many current day games easily. Even the graphics look decent on X.

There isnt lot to critique, but some issues are ue spam which is the best tactic but makes combat somrwhat dull. Dragon sword is best weapon so there isn't many reasons to try other weapons. Tanking and counter attacking is bit too easy and bosses apart from doku, were bit too easy. Manual saving is bit annoying sometimes but that was how times were.

At this point elden ring is my only hope for a game that aligns to my tastes for the forseeable future.
 

Beer Baelly

Al Pachinko, Konami President
my man denzel GIF
 

Shut0wen

Member
True, id also criticize the camera, enemsy get alot of cheap shots just for the camera being awkward, ng 2 kinda fixed it vyt was still an issue on there as wwll
 
Bought an Xbox one X last year mostly because of Ninja Gaiden Black & Ninja Gaiden 2 (OK, and Panzer Dragoon Orta).
Replayed them both for the 10th time on my Series X, they're THAT good.

I don't know how the fook it's possible for NGB, a 20 year old game to (still) look this good - i still remember playing it for the 1st time on my OG Xbox, it was (and still remains) one of the most "next-gen" experiences I've ever had, Team Ninja truly performed some black magic on that hardware...

NG2 still has the best combat of any character action game IMO, game's still unrivaled and it came - what ? - 14 years ago ? Finally managed to finish it on Master Ninja after all these years, I still don't know how i made it, game's friggin' unbalanced above Mentor.

Also : BC work on these games is amazing, they're basically free "remasters" for Christ's sake.

Between NGB and NG2, well, i don't know which one to choose as my favourite, they're both timeless classics.

The only (really) bad thing about these games ? No, it's not the camera, it's the hideous/ugly art-direction, i mean, you have giant cockroaches, ninjas, giant pink demons, headless smaller pink demons, worms, blonde porn-stars wielding giant hammers and... mechas amongst other shit, they don't blend too well and everything comes off as incredibly tacky, zero visual design coherence, then again, this is Team Ninja we're talking about so, yeah...
 
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Y0ssarian

Banned
I finished ninja gaiden black couple of weeks ago. Haven't enjoyed playing anything else since. And I have tried skyrim and metro exodus. When it comes to being a picky action gamer there simply ain't lots of games to play.

Ninja gaiden is almost two decades old at this point and it surpasses many current day games easily. Even the graphics look decent on X.

There isnt lot to critique, but some issues are ue spam which is the best tactic but makes combat somrwhat dull. Dragon sword is best weapon so there isn't many reasons to try other weapons. Tanking and counter attacking is bit too easy and bosses apart from doku, were bit too easy. Manual saving is bit annoying sometimes but that was how times were.

At this point elden ring is my only hope for a game that aligns to my tastes for the forseeable future.
Based. Try Otogi as well, an earlier FromSoft action/adventure game exclusive to Xbox. They just made it backwards compatible and it's on the estore
 
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FingerBang

Member
Yikes... we refer to it as Ninja Gaiden BIPOC now!

Jokes aside, that's true. The game still feels so fucking good to play. Too bad they only remastered Sigma. Wish they really made a definitive edition with the best of both versions.
 

SkylineRKR

Member
I think all weapons are equally useful.

The Dragon Sword is good general purpose, but I tend to go Dahbilaro against dragons. The flails against ghost fish and those green blood creatures. The Lunar is very powerful as well, once maxed. I prefer NG2. I didn't really like the backtracking in the original. Especially not during replays.

NG is one of those reasons I won't part with my Xbox. Master Collection might be good enough but personally I only accept NGB and vanilla NG2. They're simply the best versions and if you have Xbox there is to me zero reason to go for MC.
 
Literally the first thing I did when I got my Series S is buy Ninja Gaiden Black and Ninja Gaiden 2. They're both in my top 10 best games of all time list. They have not been surpassed.

I'm optimistic that someday Team Ninja can make another one that is worthy of the series name. Nioh 2 is one of the best action games ever made, for sure in my top 15, and was my GOTY when it came out. Definitely play those if you haven't.
 

Aldynes

Member
It's the perfect blend between a fighting game and an adventure game for me, the moves and combos and the intense ennemy encounters makes the gameplay loop perfect, it's amazing to have to do second to second choices with the essence system and the balance between having more currency to upgrade / buy new stuff or using it to instant ultimate attack someone that in turn give you a bigger essence to collect.
 
Might get an OG Xbox soon so that would let me play through the copy I got

Edit: I found out it works on the 360 sooooo bazzzzinga! Will start it soon
 
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Tazzu

Member
I don't know why I find this game harder to play now than when I did as a kid. Before anyone says age, I've become a better gamer since and played other hard games too.
 

Hayabusa83

Banned
Timeless classic/masterpiece. Black and Ninja Gaiden 2 are two of the most beloved games in my collection. They look absolutely spectacular on Xbox Series X.
 

Roxkis_ii

Member
Ngb is a classic. So hard, but so satisfying. I don't even think they could remake that game today and it be as awesome.

Man, the Xbox 360 was a legendary console gen.
 

stn

Member
I usually go between NGB and Morrowind as my #1 favorite game of all time. I would love nothing more than a remake that keeps the same aesthetic, missions, and music but adds things like weapons, skins, and stance-switching.

I'm also planning to replay vanilla NG2 at some point. I remember liking it a lot but it was still a disappointment because of how much I loved and continue to love NGB. Even a 9/10 sucks when you're coming from a 10/10.
 

IbizaPocholo

NeoGAFs Kent Brockman


While we’ve seen modern sequels and reimaginings of classic series like God of War, Devil May Cry, and Bayonetta, there’s one 3D action game pioneer that still has not seen a new entry in over a decade: Ninja Gaiden, the best pure action game of all time.

  • 🎮 Mitchell loves video games, especially character action games, which he considers his first love.
  • 🎮 Mitchell thinks that Ninja Gaiden Black is the best pure action game of all time, due to its combat, enemy AI, and level design.
  • 🎮 Mitchell compares the combat of Ninja Gaiden Black to that of Devil May Cry and Bayonetta, highlighting how Ryu's combat style is less about style and more about doing whatever it takes to stay alive against hyper-aggressive enemies.
  • 🎮 Ninja Gaiden Black's combat system involves a risk-reward mechanic with Essence and Ryu's ultimate techniques, making it a unique combat system that stands out in the genre.
  • 🎮 Ninja Gaiden Black's enemy AI is among the most ferocious in any video game, which contributes to making the combat fresh, challenging, and fun.
  • 🎮 Ninja Gaiden Black's level design is designed to be challenging, but fair. The levels have a flow that makes you want to keep playing and mastering them.

OVERALL SUMMARY​

Ninja Gaiden Black: The Brilliance of Its Combat System
Ninja Gaiden Black, the game that hasn’t seen a new entry in over a decade, is considered by many as the best pure action game of all time. In this article, we will explore the brilliance of its combat system.

The Flashy Combat​

Although Ninja Gaiden is part of the same genre as Devil May Cry and Bayonetta, its combat system is much different. While those games focus on style and spectacle, Ninja Gaiden’s combat is less about style and more about doing whatever it takes to stay alive against hyper-aggressive enemies.

Powerful Techniques​

Rio Hayabusa, the protagonist, can do powerful things to enemies that you just don’t typically see in other action games. His flying swallow attack allows him to almost instantly close the distance on any enemy, potentially kill them in one hit with a decapitation, and otherwise deal big damage to them. The azuna drop is a one-touch-kill combo on most enemies with huge amounts of splash damage. Ryu also has access to screen-clearing nympho attacks that deal massive single-target and AOE damage.

Essence System​

At its core, Ninja Gaiden’s combat system shines even brighter with its risk-reward mechanic involving essence and Ryu’s ultimate techniques. Essence comes in three forms: yellow as the currency used to purchase items and upgrades at the shop, blue essence restores your life, and red essence restores one of Ryu’s nympho uses. The true value of essence comes from the fact that you start to charge Ryu’s ultimate attack while there’s essence around. Ryu will suck it in and instantly charge the attack. If it lands, you get a much larger orb of essence with several times the amount of currency, but if it doesn’t land, then you lose that essence.

Deeper Levels​

When you start to dig deeper, Ninja Gaiden’s combat system manages to shine even brighter. Once you get a handle on Ryu’s abilities and a couple of upgrades under your belt, playing as Ryu Hayabusa is one of the best power trips ever. You start to learn how to use roll jumps to time quick charge ultimate attacks, how to use shurikens to cancel the recovery animations of your attacks and restart combos quickly, and how to use your counterattacks to knock down enemies for a free flying swallow.

Conclusion​

Ninja Gaiden Black’s brilliant combat system is something that’s so wholly unique to the game. The game’s combat system manages to shine even brighter with its risk-reward mechanic involving essence and Ryu’s ultimate techniques. The combat system in Ninja Gaiden Black is, without a doubt, one of the best action game combat systems ever made.
 




  • 🎮 Mitchell loves video games, especially character action games, which he considers his first love.
  • 🎮 Mitchell thinks that Ninja Gaiden Black is the best pure action game of all time, due to its combat, enemy AI, and level design.
  • 🎮 Mitchell compares the combat of Ninja Gaiden Black to that of Devil May Cry and Bayonetta, highlighting how Ryu's combat style is less about style and more about doing whatever it takes to stay alive against hyper-aggressive enemies.
  • 🎮 Ninja Gaiden Black's combat system involves a risk-reward mechanic with Essence and Ryu's ultimate techniques, making it a unique combat system that stands out in the genre.
  • 🎮 Ninja Gaiden Black's enemy AI is among the most ferocious in any video game, which contributes to making the combat fresh, challenging, and fun.
  • 🎮 Ninja Gaiden Black's level design is designed to be challenging, but fair. The levels have a flow that makes you want to keep playing and mastering them.

OVERALL SUMMARY​

Ninja Gaiden Black: The Brilliance of Its Combat System
Ninja Gaiden Black, the game that hasn’t seen a new entry in over a decade, is considered by many as the best pure action game of all time. In this article, we will explore the brilliance of its combat system.

The Flashy Combat​

Although Ninja Gaiden is part of the same genre as Devil May Cry and Bayonetta, its combat system is much different. While those games focus on style and spectacle, Ninja Gaiden’s combat is less about style and more about doing whatever it takes to stay alive against hyper-aggressive enemies.

Powerful Techniques​

Rio Hayabusa, the protagonist, can do powerful things to enemies that you just don’t typically see in other action games. His flying swallow attack allows him to almost instantly close the distance on any enemy, potentially kill them in one hit with a decapitation, and otherwise deal big damage to them. The azuna drop is a one-touch-kill combo on most enemies with huge amounts of splash damage. Ryu also has access to screen-clearing nympho attacks that deal massive single-target and AOE damage.

Essence System​

At its core, Ninja Gaiden’s combat system shines even brighter with its risk-reward mechanic involving essence and Ryu’s ultimate techniques. Essence comes in three forms: yellow as the currency used to purchase items and upgrades at the shop, blue essence restores your life, and red essence restores one of Ryu’s nympho uses. The true value of essence comes from the fact that you start to charge Ryu’s ultimate attack while there’s essence around. Ryu will suck it in and instantly charge the attack. If it lands, you get a much larger orb of essence with several times the amount of currency, but if it doesn’t land, then you lose that essence.

Deeper Levels​

When you start to dig deeper, Ninja Gaiden’s combat system manages to shine even brighter. Once you get a handle on Ryu’s abilities and a couple of upgrades under your belt, playing as Ryu Hayabusa is one of the best power trips ever. You start to learn how to use roll jumps to time quick charge ultimate attacks, how to use shurikens to cancel the recovery animations of your attacks and restart combos quickly, and how to use your counterattacks to knock down enemies for a free flying swallow.

Conclusion​

Ninja Gaiden Black’s brilliant combat system is something that’s so wholly unique to the game. The game’s combat system manages to shine even brighter with its risk-reward mechanic involving essence and Ryu’s ultimate techniques. The combat system in Ninja Gaiden Black is, without a doubt, one of the best action game combat systems ever made.

Great video. Thanks for sharing!
 

Orbital2060

Member
I just finished Wo Long yesterday. And the Ninja Gaiden DNA is carried on in some ways there with how movement and combat feel. The running animation, the weird springy jump, and a gaiden feel to the martial arts and how the character moves.

The purple swords players leave behind upon death reminds me of the NGII title screen with all of the katanas stuck into the battlefield.

Played Ninja Gaiden II most recently as one of the first games when I got my Series X and with the fps boost and patched stairs. Just an awesome experience. Sometimes unfair and unbalanced but such fun videogaming. That doesnt take itself too seriously which is why I love the clash of aesthetics sometimes aa Giallo Corsa Giallo Corsa mentioned above with the wide range of artwork from serious to goofy; traditional Japanese art to pink demons and giant cockroaches. Same with Wo Long to a degree, with bosses ranging from Aoye to Lu Bu and Blind-Folded Boy later on.
 

NeverYouMind

Gold Member
NGB is better than Sigma. Sigma has a few Rachel chapters. Her combat mechanic is awkward, inferior compare to fast and agile Ryu's mechanic
Hard disagree. The upgrades to water-related and projectile shooting mechanics are a major improvement. Also, Rachel chapters can be speed ran with ease and have challenging survival segments for those that understand her power oriented playstyle. Her inclusion in Sigma is infinitely better than Sigma 2.

P.S. Wo Long has grown on me. Love the Three Kingdoms conquest theme for levels.
 
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Gaiff

Gold Member
Best character action game ever, period.

I've played the DMC, Vanquish, God of War, Bayonetta, and many others but none managed to topple Ninja Gaiden for me. It's probably the slickest game I've ever played with marvelous response, enemy reaction, combos, and overall combat weight and feel. 2 is also excellent but the level design falls short. I go back to this game every few years and it gets better every time.

A masterpiece if I've ever seen one.
 

Northeastmonk

Gold Member
Ok, admission time. I never beat Ninja Gaiden 2. I still own it.
Beat it. You’ll enjoy the final battles and the bloodbath leading up to it. Granted you’re playing the 360 version.

I love the NG games. Makes me want to fight Alma again just by reading this.
 
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