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Ninja Gaiden 2
Posted by MangaPunkSai on August 30, 2008
I haven’t played a Ninja Gaiden game since the Sega Genesis, and I see not much has changed since then. The nonsensical plot, which is thrown at you in eye-raping red-backed embossed text that might have looked cool ten years ago and sounds like something a 15 year old weeaboo might pen, almost makes me nostalgic for the horrendously bad video game plots of the early to mid 90’s. Even the atmosphere is the same as it always was, in the first level you’re running about in some futuristic TMNT-esque version of Tokyo where cherry blossom trees grow everywhere and provide a constant stream of petals to the wind. Before meeting Ryu Hayabusa and his tiny Asian package, which is quite distractingly visible through his tight spandex onesie, we’re introduced to a female CIA agent who resembles a slightly more realistic Ivy from Soul Caliber and dresses in some elaborate leather straps and miniskirt combo which would be impossible to wear without careful taping in several places. Despite her established status as a trained special agent she’s of course completely helpless, easily chained up and kidnapped by evil ninjas in the first scene. And you rush off to help her despite not knowing or caring who she is because the game gives no indication if Ryu knows this chick from previous titles or not. All this just further confirms my suspicions that Team Ninja hasn’t altered their game-making methods since about 1992. But how does it play? Read the rest of this entry »
Civilization Revolution was far far below my radar seeing as I’m a consoletard and my PC gaming experience encompasses basically the original 1992 Alone in the Dark, Myst, and The Sims. Having never played a Civilization game before I didn’t know what the big deal was. I had also made a solemn vow not to buy any games until Spore and Fable 2 (especially after getting so badly burned by the