this may become a review of my own, as I have spent a dozen or so hours with this since buying it. For now, a few things roiling around in my head.

This game is deserving of the praise it's getting. It may be the best thing I have played this year, combining an interesting premise (powerful-feeling ninja stealth), smooth and versatile controls, and extremely well integrated UI with Klei's stylized art. These elements put together so well in a full retail game would be an easy GOTY contender, and even in a downloadable, they hold up enough that this will make a high spot on my list.

It's close to as well put to together as Bastion, in my opinion, but is more of a game. Bastion's story and music made it a more emotionally charged game experience, where everything in Mark of the Ninja is slick as hell. This game should get played now if you have an XBox, and soon if it makes it to PC.