Big ups to Sweep - for kicking up this Blog initiative. I remember the old days. I would write these things. It's time to bring the glory days back. So, why don't we indulge ourselves? Let's talk about Video Games. Heck, let's get to the heart of the issue. Let's get to what's important. Let's get to the meat of the matter.

Ninja Gaiden 3

I'm a big motherfuckin' fan of the original Ninja Gaiden. This is also a giant lie. I am a fan of Ninja Gaiden Black. The franchise has had a long and storied history that we do not need to concern ourselves with. However, this game (and it's predecessor, but Black really refined the formula) is, quite possibly, my favourite game of all time. It will never be topped. It will never be kicked off this pedestal. You see, I'm a young man, and it hit me at just the right time, every game I play now is viewed by my jaded, cynical eyes. It had an amazing fight engine, and made me give a shit about high scores. It also had a terrible camera, the worlds most confusing city, a non existent insane story - and fucking ghost fish. And an (obviously) atrocious water level.

Also, it was fucking hard.

So, faced with creating a sequel, a certain insane 13 year old was faced with the question: how to make a sequel? His choice: more. More blood, more gore, more enemies, more insanity. He even managed to fit more breasts in. And more crazy bosses. And even more GOD DAMNED GHOST FISH. It was not as good as Black, certainly in parts it was more 'fun,' and the new weapons were amazing - but it just wasn't as tight an experience. However, I'd say it was a worthy sequel, and whilst I didn't get into re-playing and karma running in the same way, it was a game that got that franchise right.Which brings us up to this. 

I'm not going to be one and say that the previous games were flawless. In fact, they had significant flaws. And they've changed things that are for the better - the woman featured in the trailer seemed to wear clothes, which is great. Some may say that Itagaki's blatant objectification was a flaw of those game. However, Not being serious enough was not one of the flaws. Why yes, the stories were non-existent, they did not need to be existent. You had a ninja. He had a sword. People died in a brilliant way. End formula. When I'm killing a Japanese Cockney(?) anti-ninja trooper, I do not need wish to feel guilt for it. Actually, that's not true - making the player feel guilt in a game is a powerful tool, something that can be used to improve the emotional impact of a video games, and subverting expectations.

Ninja Gaiden is not the venue for it. The core of that series is scoring you on your ability to cut fools up. Attempting to make you feel guilt for that very action is merely going to turn people away. It's not playing to the strengths. I am all for games which explore morality. I am all for games where fools get cut. But putting them together (especially in what looks like poor poor cutscenes) will devalue the combat. There are ways to do this well - I hear Gears of War 3 has this kind of thing, getting to a more emotional story. But just, with everything I've heard, after so much love for this series, there is no better way to say it:

I am very worried about Ninja Gaiden 3.