"Violent content is a big feature," says Ninja Gaiden 2 project lead Yoshifuru Okamoto, well aware of the obvious nature of his statement. Subtlety isn't a concept that's welcome in this particular Tokyo hotel room, with even the faintest hint of it soundly beaten with an over-sized mallet before being strapped to the hood of a car barreling into an exploding train... falling out of an airplane. Which also happens to be exploding.
Team Ninja's long-awaited, not-a-remake sequel to Ninja Gaiden has already garnered attention for its gratuitous and unyielding violence, with early screenshots depicting massive arterial blood sprays, decapitations and all manner of lopped and lobbed limbs. It's further exacerbated when seen in motion, as enemies clutch bloody stumps and roll about in agony when separated from their legs. If you didn't consider series protagonist Ryu Hayabusa to be a murdering machine before, Ninja Gaiden 2 should provide enough visual evidence to convince you otherwise.
The key to creating thrilling combat in an action title, says Okamoto, is turning every encounter into a "life or death situation." When death happens to be so boldly portrayed, it becomes less of a shock tactic and more of a visual reward for dispatching foes efficiently. In many ways, it's a direct reinforcement of one of Ninja Gaiden's most important qualities -- the sense of empowerment. As the long-standing relationship between an enemy's head and his neck comes to an abrupt ending, you're reminded that you control the most agile and powerful being in the game. The choice between life and death is entirely in your hands.
Of course, your choice in this important matter is aided by an array of new and returning weapons, with the immensely useful Dragon Sword and Sigma's dual katanas falling under the latter category. Okamoto notes that Team Ninja doesn't "think in numerical values," pointing out that its goal wasn't simply to increase the number of available weapons. "We ask ourselves... what would be the most bad-ass?" New sharp (and decidedly bad-ass) implements granted to Ryu and equipped via a pace-preserving in-game menu include an intimidating scythe and a set of wolverine claws, neatly matched by a pair of bladed boots ideal for use in satisfying kick-capitations. The man wielding these weapons still boasts some remarkably fluid animation, accentuated by dramatic close-ups whenever an unrestrained killing blow is delivered.
Much like Rachel's throws in the PlayStation 3's Ninja Gaiden Sigma, Ryu is now able to cut to the chase, often by cutting to a vital organ within the body of significantly weakened enemy. These fatal attacks greatly speed up the pace of the combat and allow you to better deal with large attacking groups, though letting your guard down is still not a viable option. Even when reduced to nothing but an angry torso and a pair of flailing arms, an enemy ninja is able to cling to Ryu's feet and commit an explosive suicide with an incendiary shuriken. These folks don't give up without a fight!
For those who did give up without a fight in the previous title, Team Ninja has implemented a limited health regeneration system in Ninja Gaiden 2. Ryu is now able to automatically recover a certain amount of health after receiving damage, with the condition that each major blow reduces the maximum amount of health that may be regained. Okamoto fully admits that this is a concession to gamers who had trouble assailing Ninja Gaiden's steep learning curve, pointing out that it would allow a wider range of gamers to play and appreciate the game without destroying their controllers in the process. Of course, widening the appeal in this manner risks disappointing those who appreciated Ninja Gaiden for its unforgiving (but not unfair) challenge. Though the exact effect on overall difficulty has yet to be seen, health regeneration is certainly the preferred alternative to weakening enemy AI or boosting Ryu's already considerable strength.
A weakness on Ninja Gaiden's part was the 3rd-person camera, which many insisted to be clumsy and ineffective within smaller environments. This too will see great improvement, promises Okamoto, both in terms of functionality and stylish presentation. We didn't spot any obstructive angles during Ryu's run through the somewhat static but beautifully lit canal city of Aqua, but further judgment on the camera will have to wait until we're closer to the game's 2008 release date.
In its current state, Ninja Gaiden 2 appears to be a focused and thrilling sequel to what many consider to be one of the action genre's defining moments. As you watch Ryu Hayabusa flicking the blood from his weapon amidst heaps of lost lives and limbs, you may just start believing that when it's time to take on the the world, you might actually win.
