Ninja Gaiden 3 feels like a letdown

April 5, 2012

The legendarily difficult Ninja Gaiden games have always demanded patience and a deft touch. So why does Ninja Gaiden 3 feel like such a letdown? The reasons are numerous, starting with the absence of Tomonobu Itagaki.

Fans were right to dread the departure of Team Ninja's lead designer, and the crew that picked up the franchise in the wake of Itagaki's departure from Tecmo have eased up on the difficulty to make the game more accessible.

Bad. Idea.

While the game is stripped down enough for newcomers to enjoy, the hard-core players who loved the challenge of mastering Ryu Hayabusa's arsenal of weapons and finishing moves will cry foul.

With the bland combat in this entry, the so-so story stands out, even though Team Ninja is trying to tell a more complex tale. It has something to do with terrorists and a curse that destroys your Dragon Blade, turning Ryu's right arm into some kind of demonic appendage. When you pile up enough kills, your arm glows red, making a combo flurry available.

We're also offered a small glimpse into Ryu's mind, but one has to ask: So what? Does anyone care about a deadly ninja's motivation? Just give him a ton of foes to maim and the tools to do it with.