Ninja Gaiden II

Ninja Gaiden II is the upcoming sequel to Ninja Gaiden for the Xbox 360, due for release on June 3, 2008. It is being developed by Team Ninja and published by Microsoft Game Studios exclusively for the Xbox 360. This is the first time a Team Ninja developed game will not be published by Tecmo. While sharing the same number as the NES game Ninja Gaiden II: The Dark Sword of Chaos, it is not a conversion of that older title. The game will not be released in Germany due to lack of a USK rating, and has been confirmed to be a Mature rated title under the ESRB.

Gameplay
Ninja Gaiden II' keeps most of the core elements its predecessor, Ninja Gaiden'', utilized. Protagonist Ryu Hayabusa (voiced by actor Josh Keaton) will engage the world in a third person over-the-shoulder perspective, beginning the game with basic, low-level abilities and weapons that can be upgraded as he progresses by discovering or buying items. Ryu can interact with the game environment by running along and jumping off walls, swinging from pole to pole, or running across water. Ryu will travel around the world, ranging from New York, Tokyo, the familiar Hayabusa Village, the Aqua Capital (with an environment similar to the canals of Venice), and regions of non-human origins, such as the Northern Purgatory, Lifeblood Shrine and Niflheim.

In-game cut scenes serves as the narrative to the story, and Dragon busts can be used to save player progress, permitting gameplay to be resumed at a later time. Certain busts will enable the player to record films of gameplay and upload the videos onto Xbox LIVE for users to download and watch. Ninja Gaiden II will use the same scoring system, based on the player's speed in clearing encounters, the number of kills achieved, the number of unused magic spells (or ninpos) remaining at the end, and the amount of cash collected. Players can compare their scores on online ranking boards.

The Story Mode for Ninja Gaiden II will consist of four difficulties: Path Of The Acolyte being the easiest, followed by Path Of The Warrior, Path Of The Mentor, and Path Of The Master Ninja being the hardest.

Combat System
Ninja Gaiden II's new combat system allows Ryu to decapitate his enemies, severing their limbs and tearing their bodies apart. Unlike Ninja Gaiden, there is more gore and graphic violence. Dismemberment will handicap or immobilize an enemy, but not necessarily kill them; in fact, a handicapped enemy will be prone to use suicide tactics, forcing the player to quickly finish off his opponents before they can get the upper hand.

Aside from his standard melee techniques, Ryu can absorb nearby 'essences' in combat. These colored globes of energy are released from the bodies of enemies, and absorbed into Ryu's body when he comes into proximity with them. Essences have an important role general gameplay, acting to heal Ryu, restore his magic, or increase his cash. However, in combat the player can cause Ryu to deliberately draw in essences, which can then be used to unleash powerful attacks known as Ultimate Techniques. New Obliteration Techniques can be triggered in the presence of a handicapped enemy, but only if they are missing a limb.

Ryu will utilize his signature Dragon Sword in combat, but new weapons, such as the Eclipse Scythe, Blade Tonfas, kusari-gama and the Falcon's Talons (a pair of sharp claws and bladed greaves) will allow the player more variety in enemy encounters. Ryu's new magical spells, in the form of ninpos, includes the Art of Phoenix Flames and the Art of Piercing Void. However, previous weapons and ninpo from Ninja Gaiden will return, in the form of the Lunar staff, the Vigoorian Flails and the Windmill Shuriken.

Characters

 * Joe Hayabusa
 * The father of Ryu Hayabusa, Joe has returned from training in distant lands to resume his duties as the leader of the Hayabusa Ninja Clan, only to be injured in one of his many battles against the forces of evil. He lays in rest at his home in the Castle of the Dragon, unaware that the evil shadow of the Black Spider Clan slowly descends upon his village.


 * Genshin
 * Overlord of the Black Spider Ninja Clan, Genshin's lust for power is matched only by his hatred of Ryu Hayabusa and his bloodline. Hoping to gain an upper hand in the struggle for Ninja superiority, Genshin enters into an uneasy allegiance with the Fiends. He will stop at nothing to destroy Ryu and put an end to this centuries-old feud once and for all.


 * Sonia
 * She apparently works for the CIA and is looking for Ryu to stop the Black Spider Clan from obtaining the Demon Statue, possessed by the Hayabusa Ninja Clan, in order to resurrect the Arch-Fiend.


 * Elizebet
 * Ruler of Blood and Queen of the Greater Fiends, Elizébet is tasked with retrieving an important ancient artifact from the ancestral village of Ryu Hayabusa, setting into motion a sequence of events that will threaten the very existence of the human race.Her name and the fact that she is the Ruler of Blood is probably derived from the murderous Elizabeth Bathory also known as the Blood Queen


 * Volf
 * Ruler of Storms and one of the Four Greater Fiends, Volf is a vicious warrior who seeks an opponent worthy of himself. His Lycanthrope underlings have taken over the canal-lined streets of the tranquil Aqua Capital as he sits in his throne in the castle above.


 * Muramasa
 * A legendary blacksmith who first appeared in Ninja Gaiden, made a cameo in Dead or Alive 4, and then in Ninja Gaiden: Dragon Sword. In the game, it is shown that he is an accomplished swordsman as well.


 * Alexei
 * One of the Four Greater Fiends, and Ruler of Lightning, his hatred of humankind knows no bounds. He has taken the city of New York in his evil grasp and waits perched upon the Statue of Liberty, challenging Ryu Hayabusa to come and face him.


 * Zedonius
 * One of the four Greater Fiends and Ruler of Flame, Zedonius has nothing but contempt for human life. He has descended upon the capital of a once-great military superpower, threatening all humankind with an ultimatum: submit to the will of the Fiends or be burned by infernal flames. Ryu must ascend the city's clocktower to put an end to his fearsome reign. He claims that he bestowed fire upon the humans centuries ago. He has a habit of calling humans "apes" and "monkeys".