Strike one more in the ninja’s column for Microsoft as has another addition to their game roster in the form of Ninja Blade. Developed by From Software, the creators of Armored Core for Answer and Chromehounds, Ninja Blade is a Microsoft published Xbox 360 exclusive with high ambitions of allowing players to experience cinematic battles. Does it accomplish its lofty goals? The quick answer is both yes and no. Assuming the role of a generic lead character named Ken, players will experience a betrayal within the first hour of the game that sets up the storyline for the rest of the game. With friends and family in his ninja clan, they must stop the spreading of a deadly infection that is caused by demonic parasites that are invading the city.
If you have played either Ninja Gaiden or Devil May Cry, you’ll feel right at home with the storyline since it’s neither too deep nor intelligent as it could’ve been. Cliché after cliché fills up the story arch, so there’s no reason to be playing Ninja Blade for a thoughtful plot. The missions are presented in your typical linear fashion, but Ninja Blade goes a bit farther with epic battles. While in other fast paced action games, the game revolved around fighting lackeys and dozens of goons until the end of the level where you battle a boss, Ninja Blade offers up a tremendous amount of sub-bosses to entertain the gamer before reaching the final boss. These encounters should keep a gamer on their edge of the seat as they battle to the death with the parasitic bosses. If the nonstop action isn’t enough, there are a few puzzles to push through, but nothing drastic that’ll have you scratching your head. Equipped with three different weapons, Ken isn’t going into his battles unprepared.
He’ll have his all-around Ninja Blade sword that he receives from his father, a gigantic sword that can smash through walls and Twin Falcon Knives that can slice and dice up an enemy without any hesitation. Each of them can be imbued with elemental attacks such as wind, fire and electricity. The simplicity of switching between the weapons is accomplished through using the D-Pad. The controls are easy to manage, so there shouldn’t be any problem with understanding the controls of the game. In addition, for the controls that relate to the cinematic portion of Ninja Blade, From Software have implemented Quick-Time Events to have players paying close attention to the action at all times. For the majority, players will encounter these QTEs when they fight sub-bosses and bosses to finish them off in great fashion.
