JPH said:
Really good idea, thanks jumpman17.
Do you mind typing up the Ninja Gaiden review, when you get some time?
The DS has seen more than its share of trail-blazing, innovative software, but Ninja Gaiden: Dragon Sword may be the most impressive achievement on the handheld to date. Team Ninja has accomplished what previously seemed impossible, creating an action game controlled entirely via the stylus that's actually... fun. Really, really fun.
Set six months after the events of Ninja Gaiden for Xbox, Dragon Sword marks the return of legendary ninja Ryu Hayabusa. The story begins with the Hayabusa clan enjoying the peaceful tranquility of its newly rebuilt village, but as is wont to happen, a new threat emerges and forces Ryu into battle once more. Players hold the DS sideways, book-style, and control all of the ninja's actions using the touch screen (with the lone exception of blocking, which is performed by pressing any button). Given that, one might reasonably expect the action to be watered down or feel stilted. But Team Ninja has done a masterful job of translating the franchise's robust combat to the new interface. With a little bit of practice, you'll be dashing around the screen, hurling shuriken, and cutting through any evildoer foolish enough to stand in your path. Dragon Sword's action is every bit as slick and stylish as its console counterpart, and gives you that same sensation of feeling like a total badass. It's both comfortingly familiar and unlike anything you've played before; a traditional gaming experience made fresh by the DS.
Dragon Sword's presentation is equally remarkable. The pre-rendered backdrops are absolutely gorgeous, painting scenes of astonishing depth and detail for a DS game, whether it's the lush foliage and gently flowing stream of a secluded forest or the crumbling ruins of an ancient temple. The environment goes fully polygonal during boss battles, allowing the camera to zoom in behind Ryu and showcasing some of the most amazing 3-D ever squeezed from the handheld. Likewise, the sound quality is top-notch, making the most of a subdued soundtrack and ambient sound effects. This is the rare third-party game that seems to tap into the hardware as effectively as Nintendo's first-party efforts. Beautifully illustrated comic-book-style cut-scenes tie everything together, and while the overall narrative is nothing to write home about, there are some nice moments of genuine sweetness that you wouldn't expect from Team Ninja.
Like the previous Ninja Gaiden, Dragon Sword is supremely confident in its identity. Aside from a few very light puzzle elements sprinkled here and there, this is pure, unadulterated action from start to finish. The developers understand that the fun here derives from slicing and dicing bad guys, and they're mindful to never stand in the way of that. There are no minigames or touch-screen gimmickry; because the game takes advantage of the DS's unique interface in such a fundamental way, it needn't resort to such tactics to justify its existence.
Although this is Team Ninja's first-ever handheld project, the developer clearly realizes the importance of adapting to the portable experience. Dragon Sword is divided into short chapters, and each provides a satisfying, bite-sized chunk of action perfect for the morning commute or a lunch break. Additionally, save points are generously placed, making it even easier to jump in and out of the adventure. Partially because of that, however, the game is considerably less challenging than its (in) famously difficult predecessor. It's not a walk in the park by any means (and once you unlock Head Ninja difficulty, all bets are off), but hardcore fans probably won't see the Game Over screen on more than a handful of occasions. Whether or not that's a good thing likely depends on your level of masochism.
At approximately five hours, Dragon Sword is a bit on the short side, but I have a tough time complaining when those five hours are so tight and extremely polished. Drawing things out would have run the risk of overstaying the game's welcome; as is, I didn't feel the least bit unsatisfied when the credits started to roll. This is an exciting new standard for the action genre on DS, and a game from which other traditional developers should take inspiration.
