If Team Ninja is known for two things, it's sex and violence, but that doesn't look like it's going to be the case going forward. Gamasutra has an article with interesting comments from Yosuke Hayashi, who took over as team lead after Tomonobu Itagaki resigned. He talks about how the tastes of the gamer audience have changed, and so making games that appeal to the more base aspects that the studio was known for under Itagaki (copious blood and huge, scantily clad breasts) and little else are a thing of the past. The team is apparently more focused on integrating games with emotion and reason; things that seem absurd when you consider things like the DOA Extreme games, but according to Hayashi, DOA5 is going to make an effort in treating the female characters as more than bouncy tits to gawk at.

And honestly, I can see where they're going with this. Like the story or not (and it should be noted that Team Ninja did not write the game's story), Metroid: Other M's narrative elements were deeply integrated into the gameplay to the point that there's a natural flow between the break in gameplay and the start in a cinematic. Similarly, Dead or Alive: Dimensions made the effort of retelling and tying together the stories of DOA1-4. The game wasn't entirely successful (for reasons I've laid out here), but it shows that the studio has started putting in more effort in bringing at least some level of depth to these characters. Ninja Gaiden 3 appears to be headed down a similar path, as well.

It'll be curious to see how this new direction works out for them. I had a feeling that without Itagaki at the helm, Team Ninja was destined to go in a different direction, and this is a direction I like. I hope it works out for them.

Curious to see where they go with that. It seems like Itagaki's whole shtick was company pressured to begin with from what I've read. I'm optimistic

sex and violence? sounds great

Yeah, Patrick said some stuff about Team Ninja and making adults think, or something to that extent back in the E3 Bombcasts. It was about adding weight to sword slashes and senseless killing, or "the crunch of the bone"......

Huh. I always wondered how much of that shit came from Itagaki. I suppose this doesn't quite answer that question, but I'll be happy if the world has less of what old Team Ninja offered. I wonder how it feels to acknowledge that your studio's claim to fame was females with large independently-wobbling tits. Pretty sobering, I'd guess.

However, if they're shooting for emotional resonance, I really hope the Ninja Gaiden QL isn't the full scope of their efforts. Can't say I felt much of anything for that soldier dude who whined for mercy before Ryu diced him into kibbles.

Sounds good overall, but it still sucks for Ninja Gaiden (maybe). Aside from the awfully stupid large breasted females in those games I thought the gameplay was astoundingly good, and judging by the quicklook it seems this altered studio isn't even matching those last two efforts, much less exceeding them.

Best of luck to 'em I suppose, but I get the feeling that my love for Ninja Gaiden is going to wane and that makes me sad.

To be honest, I support their next new direction. I like sex and violence as much as the next guy, but I feel the Team Ninja variety was wearing out it's welcome. And although I can't say one way or another how well Ninja Gaiden 3 will succeed with what it's trying to do, I love the idea that the game is going to supposedly keep reminding you, "yo think about all the people you're killing. That's fucked up." I completely understand the arugments and worries of people who say those games were never about and don't need a story, but what is the game industry if someone doesn't dare to try something new once in a while?

@Brendan said:

Sounds good overall, but it still sucks for Ninja Gaiden (maybe). Aside from the awfully stupid large breasted females in those games I thought the gameplay was astoundingly good, and judging by the quicklook it seems this altered studio isn't even matching those last two efforts, much less exceeding them.

Best of luck to 'em I suppose, but I get the feeling that my love for Ninja Gaiden is going to wane and that makes me sad.

It's really hard to judge from the Quick Look, but I'll give them the benefit of the doubt for now. Hayashi was the lead on both of the Sigma titles, so he is familiar with Ninja Gaiden.

I say to them: good luck.

@Hailinel said:

@Brendan said:

Sounds good overall, but it still sucks for Ninja Gaiden (maybe). Aside from the awfully stupid large breasted females in those games I thought the gameplay was astoundingly good, and judging by the quicklook it seems this altered studio isn't even matching those last two efforts, much less exceeding them.

Best of luck to 'em I suppose, but I get the feeling that my love for Ninja Gaiden is going to wane and that makes me sad.

It's really hard to judge from the Quick Look, but I'll give them the benefit of the doubt for now. Hayashi was the lead on both of the Sigma titles, so he is familiar with Ninja Gaiden.

Weren't those Sigma games both kind of less than fun than the original versions?

I loved Ninja Gaiden Black. That's easily one of my favorite games, but Ninja Gaiden 3 doesn't look nearly as tight in the control scheme. Which is what made those games so amazing.

I really hope they team up with Nintendo again, I loved Other M. I just don't see it happening, unfortunately :(

@Doctorchimp said:

@Hailinel said:

@Brendan said:

Sounds good overall, but it still sucks for Ninja Gaiden (maybe). Aside from the awfully stupid large breasted females in those games I thought the gameplay was astoundingly good, and judging by the quicklook it seems this altered studio isn't even matching those last two efforts, much less exceeding them.

Best of luck to 'em I suppose, but I get the feeling that my love for Ninja Gaiden is going to wane and that makes me sad.

It's really hard to judge from the Quick Look, but I'll give them the benefit of the doubt for now. Hayashi was the lead on both of the Sigma titles, so he is familiar with Ninja Gaiden.

Weren't those Sigma games both kind of less than fun than the original versions?

I loved Ninja Gaiden Black. That's easily one of my favorite games, but Ninja Gaiden 3 doesn't look nearly as tight in the control scheme. Which is what made those games so amazing.

It depends on who you ask, but the games weren't really that much "lesser." Sigma was made primarily to get Ninja Gaiden on the PS3, and Sigma 2 fixed issues that plagued the original NG2; people were upset that the blood was removed from the limb-hacking, but that's the only real complaint that I was aware of.

@xyzygy said:

I really hope they team up with Nintendo again, I loved Other M. I just don't see it happening, unfortunately :(

I'd really love to see them team up again, as well.

Sweet, I hope they pull it off.