Ninja Blaiden

The comparisons are unavoidable: on first impression Ninja Blade looks, sounds, plays and feels like last year's Ninja Gaiden. Both games have you playing as a Ninja; feature good ol' fashioned Hack 'N Slash action, occasional platforming bits and the odd magical attack; and both are exclusive to Xbox 360. But spend some time with Ninja Blade, and you slowly realise that it's the Austin Powers to Gaiden's James Bond.

Ninjadelic, baby!

What does that mean? Well, Ninja Blade takes itself less seriously; that's what. For instance, rather than giving you a slow-paced tutorial with a steady stream of footmen to defeat, Ninja Blade isn't afraid to start you off freefalling parachute-less out of an aeroplane, bursting through plate glass, hacking up zombies and shortly thereafter sprinting down the sheer face of a skyscraper, away from an enormous building-sized spider.

It's quite an intro, and yet that doesn't mean Ninja Blade is all that difficult. Developers From Software have gone for a game that's big on spectacle, lite on frustration: the huge-scale set pieces are handled with The Force Unleashed style button-prompted cutscenes (also called Quick Time Events, or QTEs for short), and if you miss a prompt, the game simply rewinds the scene rather than making you do the whole long sequence again.

All of which makes for a game that's more over-the-top than its big inspiration – and easily more immediate. Where Gaiden gave gamers ferocious, focused combat to the death, Ninja Blade delivers a more pick-up-and-play take on the genre that balances nicely between frantic button bashing and stylish swordplay.

On your Ninja's back you'll find enough weaponry to help him fight a small war, but your attacks basically boil down to light or heavy sword slashes on X and Y, with an elemental throwing disc on B which can be used to solve a few simple puzzles – wind blowing out fire, for example. The right trigger gives a temporary dash, which can be used alongside attacks to devastating effect.

Katana tactics

On RB meanwhile is your Ninja Vision, which has two distinct functions. Firstly, it slows down time, allowing you to react faster to oncoming threats; secondly, it overlays the screen with a heat map effect, which like Runner Vision in Mirror's Edge allows you to spot both enemy weak points and your route through a level.

Put all of this together and Ninja Blade proves slightly more tactical than you may have first thought. You're able to switch between your three core blades at any point using the D-pad, and each has its own properties: the light blades are faster, chain more attacks, and have chords attached that turn them into a makeshift grappling hook; your katana is an optimum middle ground; while your heavy sword can smash through armoured foes, making it essential for boss fights. Used in conjunction with the dash and Runner Vision, you'll be able to work out where to hit an enemy, which weapon to use, and skilfully glide in for the kill even as buildings crumble around you.

Ninja Blade even has a built-in levelling system that sees you power up your character as you go using orbs collected from defeated foes. It's all very familiar, but adds a neat sense of progression that might make you want to revisit Ninja Blade even after your first run through. Plus, the option to change your costume on a whim is always a laugh. There's nothing more ridiculous than leading your martial arts mentalist into battle against a fifty foot worm whilst sporting the latest in pink leopard print latex.

Silly and solid

When you aren't fighting in Ninja Blade, you'll be wall-running, swinging and jumping around like a blade-wielding Lara Croft. In truth, it's the weakest part of the package, but still does a pretty enjoyable job of making you feel like an athletic, badass Ninja – and coupled with the epic QTEs, enormous bosses, fast-paced action and generally slick presentation, it's actually hard to be too critical.

That's because, when you get right down to it, Ninja Blade is silly, solid, cinematic Hack 'N Slash fun. It's no Game of the Year contender, but it's brash, ballsy and bonkers enough to make it worth a look. It's Ninja Gaiden, then, with its tongue planted firmly in its cheek.

GAME's Verdict

• Absolutely mad, over-the-top Hack 'N Slash Ninja action.
  
• Really pick up and play.
• QTEs that instantly rewind when you fail are a nice touch.

• Platforming isn't as accomplished as the action.
  
• Lots of QTEs aren't everyone's idea of a good time.
• Hardcore Ninja Gaiden fans won't find Ninja Blade as deep or challenging.

Review by: Mark 'Shuriken' Scott
Version Tested: Xbox 360
Review Published: 27.03.09