Customer Reviews

Ninja Gaiden II: The Dark Sword of Chaos

5 star:		(6)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

When this game first came out, it was a whopping $44 and up!! But fortunately because I behaved well, my parents got it for me. I started playing it, and instantly fell in love with it. It has an incredible soundtrack and a great feel to it. Ninja Gaiden was good too minus the horrible dreaded stage 6 "challenge of three bosses". This game is one I keep coming back to because it commands respect. They don't make em' like this anymore. I love how the story took a more apoctolyptic dramatic feel.

When it comes to video games, I try to be subjective. While I won't shy away from praising a solid title in conversation, I'm usually able to offer up some criticism to go along with the good. Impartial as one thinks they can be, there are some games even I can't help but fawn over. Ninja Gaiden II: The Dark Sword of Chaos is one of those games.

So what's so special about The Dark Sword of Chaos or Ninja Gaiden in general? As wishy-washy as such an explanation may seem, a lot of Ninja Gaiden's charms have to do with what the games accomplished during their era. The games may have been legendary for their high level of difficulty, but the real reason Ninja Gaiden was able to distinguish itself from the crowd was a novel feature that was dubbed "Tecmo Theater." A form of storytelling that's been incorporated into nearly every game today, "Tecmo Theater" was a primitive take on the quintessential cut scene. As primitive as these "cut scenes" are, they're incredibly powerful in propelling the game's refreshingly adult-oriented narrative forward.

It's this "mature nature" that the Dark Sword of Chaos and the original take to the bank. Characters are stabbed, shot and killed, not just "defeated" like a typical Nintendo game, and the life-and-death struggle that plays out sets a mood that few games (of the time) could match. There is perhaps no greater example of this than the game's opening scene. Point plank, I can't be the only one who gets chills as Asthar scrolls across the screen declaring his allegiance to the forces of evil. It's easily one of the most defining moments I've experienced in a video game and I'm sure I'm not alone.

In regards to gameplay, the most common comparison people make in regards to Ninja Gaiden is old-school Castlevania. The comparison is apt on the most basic level given the game's set-up and look, but is ultimately misleading since Ryu controls a lot differently - and a lot more fluidly - than your typical Belmont. New power-ups like the shadow doubles, coupled with the ability to scale all objects fit seamlessly into the mechanics and can give the player an immense edge when employed correctly. Still, some will be at odds with the knock-back received from enemy attacks. The game pulls no punches when it comes to punishing the player for miscalculations, the result usually being the loss of a life. Cruel as it may seem, the test of a good player is using this hitch to your advantage.

The game's remaining elements go long way in forging an unforgettable adventure as well. Sonically, the game's a tour-de-force that easily matches or surpasses its predecessor, enhancing the action on the screen to an absurd level. One will also find the scrolling/animated backgrounds are a nice upgrade from the static backdrops used in the first game. Simply put, name something and The Dark Sword of Chaos has improved upon it; name something that was fine the first time around and The Dark Sword of Chaos has left it alone.

In the end, games - and sequels - don't get much better than Ninja Gaiden II. Cliché as it sounds, Tecmo created something more than a mere game here; they created an experience. Do yourself a favor and partake of something that transcends an era, something that is greater than its whole.

This game is an action packed adventure that's moderately good. The problem is just as I said in my review. It's too undeniably frustrating.

The story, however, is told out in breathtaking cutscenes that for a game of its age are monumental. It's amazing to watch most of these scenes unfold as they're full of drama, good dialogue and more. Even though we're pretty much faced with the same old damsil in distress at the beginning, the game is pretty worthwhile in terms of story. Especially with its deep and moving cutscenes.

The Gameplay is pretty basic. You'll be playing as a Ninja who goes through each level collecting magic scrolls and using different kinds of abilities to topple your enemies. The powers are large in quantity. Some are more powerful than others, of course. You have ninja stars, a fire that makes you invincible for a moment, and even a shadow of yourself that can help you.

However, my statement still stands. This game is frustrating. Even veteran gamers will have a hard time with this one. I suffered countless deaths because when you get hit, you're pushed back. In this game there are enemies rushing at you left and right. It's easy just to get knocked off a cliff because you jumped too far and hit an enemy. So instead of landing you flew back and fell into a pit. There are too many enemies on screen at a time to compensate. What it turns into is truly seeing if you can just survive long enough to make it to the boss of a level. Even if you make it to the boss, you might not survive. There are several cheap moves a boss can do as well. The frustrating level of difficulty doesn't help the game in the gameplay department. A game that should've otherwise been a lot of fun, turns out not to be because of frustrating deaths. The first level is pretty simple, but once you get to the second act, it's all downhill from there.

The saving grace, though. The music is pretty good, especially for the NES. It's deep storyline also warrant the game as being one of the best of for the NES. But like I said, it's level of difficulty makes the game take such a hit that it'll be a wonder if you can experience all this game has to offer. Ninja Gaiden II is a good game, it's just devastatingly difficult. So much that the fun of playing is gone in light of the extreme difficulty. I died countless deaths that in any other action/adventure title, I'd have some way of preventing. Not in Ninja Gaiden.

This is truly a game for expert gamers. Someone you'll make it through, it'll just be a long while. This is definitely a game for gamers who are not frustrated easily.

I was just reading the comment made by i didnt copy the dudes name but when he said this game was too frustating i was like WTF!!
This game i played when i was a young lad of 13 years old when i was first getting into nintendo yes i was a late bloomer i had the Sega Master system which was a underrated system I loved it anywho.
I could go through this game with no problem no gamegenie no cheat or nothing,i was so good i would reset the score lol!! But for this game to be a hair puller heck no you just wasnt good, now if you wanna talk about hair pulling play the first Ninja Gaiden trying to be that one was a challege,I had to use the Force to beat that one, then Ninja Gaiden 3 i aint even going to go there with the challege to that game.
This game had awesome music for a NES game it was up there with Blaster Master,Kick Master(pick that up awesome game)the cinimas screens which told the story was awesome indeed most peeps i can say probably didnt realize after you beat a boss they would press start but dont press it lol!!
But to everyone who played this game if you thought this game was diffcult then u need to give up your gaming licence because there are far more tougher games out there like......Ninja Gaiden 2......on the XBOX360!!

This game is at times so frustrating that I want to pull out my eyebrows, but it does have an endearing premise, in that ninjas kick ass. Also, the cutscenes blow away the crap that is generated these days, and the backstory is somewhat intriguing by comparison. More seriously, it does seem to have decent replay value, and overall maintains a basically challenging gameplay. As a platformer, this game does a few things that are annoying, but it is still one of the best in the genre. For instance, you can fall off a tower and not die if you are on-screen, but the minute you cross screens, kaput. In physics terms, there is a ridiculous amount of knockback that seems to not take inertia into account. Also notable is that you may find yourself accidentally climbing a surface you merely wanted to brush against, and furthermore might fire off a few of your secondary weapons, mistakenly tapping those dry early on. This is notably irritating in certain areas, but is basically tolerable.

On the other hand, there are some cool powerups, chiefly the phantom double (1 or 2 shadow versions of the player that follow in his footsteps and mimick his actions, which is essentially critically important in defeating at least one boss), windmill shuriken (which does the ridiculous "boomeranging" that i still find belongs in cartoons, not games, but is useful nevertheless), fire ninpo(the upward angling attack), and art of the fire wheels ninpo (the barrier). They tap into a fairly limited supply of energy/mana, but that can be extended by a powerup called "energy scrolls". The powerups are located statically, which may be uninteresting but is quite useful at times, and allows for precarious placement of more valuable powerups, like the scroll mentioned.

The levels have some notable complexity for their time, including a level which sports quickly changing winds that can send you careening down a pit, or into an enemy, if you don't time just right, one that is dark but features lightning that temporarily lights your way, and one that features a number of waterfalls, although Ryu can climb waterfalls, because he is a badass. Which reminds me to mention that the graphics are quite appealing for being 8-bit. The soundtrack is pretty awesome as well, undoubtedly adding to the suspense for those of us who are not hearing impaired, although this is not a critical element of the game. Also noteworthy is the fact that you are not forced to watch any cinematics, and may skip them at any time if desired. This alone should curry some favor in the player base, as we all know how annoying it is to be made to complete a tutorial or watch a cutscene we have already done 100 times. It does have enemies that move annoyingly fast and always seem to strike, but overall: This is a more consistently playable yet challenging game than I've seen released in years. It stands alongside few great games and shines as one of the best.

I consider myself a moderate to semi pro when it comes to video games. This game at times b/c of the level of difficulty, can cause a heap of frustration. You have enemies coming at you from every angle. If you try and run past them, they'll continue to follow you. The challenges just keep on rolling.

I'm writing this review after recently passing this game. I actually downloaded it onto my Wii station b/c I never owned this game as a child. I had part one and love it. But in terms of difficulty, this game is harder, at least for me.

If you can stay persistent, you can pass this game. But there is a fine line between enjoying a tough game and feeling like it's a chore just to pass. I felt like the latter on stage 7-2. I know i'm not an expert but at the same time, I can't imagine some 7 year old having an easy time with this.

I will probably tackle part 3 and write a review in the near future but for the time being, after Gaiden, it was time for a break.

This game I find a bit harder than Ninja Gaiden, which I really like because I like difficult games. The graphics are also noticeably better and the gameplay is better, including things such as stage hazards. My only complaint is the control. Ninja Gaiden had bettter control than this game. I don't know why, but it just seems more stiff in this game. For example, when you are on a wall, in Ninja Gaiden, you could jump off and move back onto to the wall easily, making you a little higher on the wall. However, this game, I have a little harder time trying to do that. I don't know why, but it does make it a problem because I use that little trick quite a bit. However, I think the gameplay, graphics, and difficulty outweigh that, so I rate it a 5/5. I would recommend this to any gamer.

A SICK old school game that comes about as close to perfection as you can get on the original NES.

Don't leave without playing Ninja Gaiden: Dark Sword of Chaos.