Now that the holidays are over and I've cut down my backlog a bit, I figured it was time to start going through the rest of the Wii U games I got at launch. Tonight, I started playing Ninja Gaiden 3: Razor's Edge in earnest. Two things I have learned:

1. Fuck, does this game not hold back. I'm stuck on a helicopter boss that keeps punching me in the balls.
2. The DLC for Momiji and Kasumi is now available. No DLC download menu or anything like that. They're included in the game's 1.2 patch and are playable in a selection of the game's modes. It's actually pretty cool playing as Kasumi in a game other than Dead or Alive for once.
3. I will have better thoughts to share once I get further in and my brain isn't fried from failing at the same section of the game forty times. Holy Christ.

Maaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaan I'm super jealous I really would like to play this game but fuck it I can't justify buying a WiiU right now.

Also, have you played the original release? If so how does this one compare?

@Demoskinos said:

Maaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaan I'm super jealous I really would like to play this game but fuck it I can't justify buying a WiiU right now.

Also, have you played the original release? If so how does this one compare?

I didn't play the original release. I saved myself for the Wii U version (which was the smart move, really). But man, blood and severed limbs everywhere.

@Hailinel: Nice. Have you played Kasumi yet? Any analog in previous games to compare how she plays? Does Momiji still have her double jump and air UT?

@Demoskinos said:

@Hailinel: Nice. Have you played Kasumi yet? Any analog in previous games to compare how she plays? Does Momiji still have her double jump and air UT?

I've only played Kasumi a little bit so far and haven't touched Momiji yet. I'll be able to tell you more about them once I've spent more time with the game (and maybe also have something to say about Ayane once I play up to a point where she appears in the story).

@Demoskinos said:

@Hailinel: Nice. Have you played Kasumi yet? Any analog in previous games to compare how she plays? Does Momiji still have her double jump and air UT?

OK, having had more time to play the game, here are some brief observations:

1. If there's a character Kasumi's play style closely matches, it might be Ayane, but that's only for the fact that she's fast and uses short swords as her weapons. Her moves aren't really the same.
2. Momiji doesn't double-jump. I'll have to play more to see if I can pull off an air UT, but I kind of doubt it.
3. I guess the original NG3 had some sort of steel-and-bone quick time events? Whatever they are, they've been totally removed and replaced with a mechanic where, when your weapon glows red, you hold X like you're performing your UT and the character will temporarily become a whirling dervish of death.
4. Ryu and Ayane can both be upgraded by spending karma points during the story mode to unlock new moves and abilities. There are also golden scarabs and crystal skulls to collect. Collect enough golden scarabs and you'll eventually be able to upgrade your health. Not sure what the crystal skulls do.
5. Ayane's first story mode stage ends with a complete asshole of a boss that is actually not too bad, so long as you spam her UT and dodge like there's no tomorrow (It only took me a day to learn this).
6. Dudes get really pissed off when you take their arms and legs.
7. Helicopters suck.
8. Demons suck.
9. The ninja trials get really hard, really fast.

@Hailinel: I hope you aren't totally insane and are trying to play this thing without a pro controller.

@Demoskinos said:

@Hailinel: I hope you aren't totally insane and are trying to play this thing without a pro controller.

Actually, the Wii U GamePad works really well. Same control layout as the pro controller with some touch screen shortcuts. I've actually found it more natural to use Ninpo from the touch screen.

@Hailinel said:

@Demoskinos said:

@Hailinel: I hope you aren't totally insane and are trying to play this thing without a pro controller.

Actually, the Wii U GamePad works really well. Same control layout as the pro controller with some touch screen shortcuts. I've actually found it more natural to use Ninpo from the touch screen.

Yeah. The game plays perfectly fine with the Game Pad.

Kasumis ZL+A does wonders against block happy foes

On one hand I wish I could play this but one the other i'm glad I can't. I am interested in playing as Kasumi. How does that work? Does she have seprate chapters that are thrown in the main game with little thought to pacing like in NGS and Racheal?

@Hailinel said:

@Demoskinos said:

@Hailinel: I hope you aren't totally insane and are trying to play this thing without a pro controller.

Actually, the Wii U GamePad works really well. Same control layout as the pro controller with some touch screen shortcuts. I've actually found it more natural to use Ninpo from the touch screen.

I don't know man... possibly but I've held a WiiU controller and I can't see myself being as dexterous with that thing as I could be with a regular ass controller.

@ImmortalSaiyan said:

On one hand I wish I could play this but one the other i'm glad I can't. I am interested in playing as Kasumi. How does that work? Does she have seprate chapters that are thrown in the main game with little thought to pacing like in NGS and Racheal?

Kasumi and Momiji aren't playable in the story. They're only available in challenge modes.

@Demoskinos said:

@Hailinel said:

@Demoskinos said:

@Hailinel: I hope you aren't totally insane and are trying to play this thing without a pro controller.

Actually, the Wii U GamePad works really well. Same control layout as the pro controller with some touch screen shortcuts. I've actually found it more natural to use Ninpo from the touch screen.

I don't know man... possibly but I've held a WiiU controller and I can't see myself being as dexterous with that thing as I could be with a regular ass controller.

It's really no that heavy and the controls are all laid out well. I haven't had any issues using it at all. The game is compatible with the pro controller though, if you're concerned.

@Hailinel: Oh I know it is. Possibly it would just take me actually having a WiiU and playing with the pad enough to get used to it.