Ninja Gaiden Sigma

Last generation the original Xbox was the home of one of the best games of the entire generation. Tecmo and Team Ninja released Ninja Gaiden exclusively on the Xbox despite the low install base of consoles compared to the PlayStation 2. Despite the game being critically acclaimed, a vast majority of players were turned off by the incredibly challenging difficulty of the game. To rectify this, Tecmo and Team Ninja released Ninja Gaiden Black that offered players an easier game mode. Now Tecmo is readying an all-new version of Ninja Gaiden. While the game does contain a few new elements, this is essentially a 720p, High Definition version of Ninja Gaiden Black. But is it worth playing the same game again? Keep reading to see how it is progressing.

There is no denying that Sony’s PlayStation 3 is a super-powerful console. Sony’s box has all the power it needs to move HD content, all the way up to 1080p, with ease. This will be seen immediately upon first viewing of Ninja Gaiden Sigma. The game is absolutely stunning on a 720p TV. All aspects of the original Ninja Gaiden have seen a graphical boost from the PlayStation 3 hardware. This is best seen at the unbelievable lighting effects and upgraded polygon count. If you can take your eyes off these gorgeous visuals, there is still more to wow and amaze with Sigma. Team Ninja has made the animation even more fluid than the original. Sigma is definitely going to be a visual showcase for PlayStation 3 power when it is released this summer.

But Ninja Gaiden Sigma is much more than just a pretty game. Featuring the incredibly deep and sophisticated gameplay of the original Ninja Gaiden, Team Ninja has fine-tuned the gameplay and given players some new features with the Sixaxis controller. Players will be able to utilize the controller when using magic. For example, when you are charging up a magic spell–you shake the controller up and down. When shaking the controller correctly, players will be given a visual indication letting them know that they were successful.

In addition to making use of the Sixaxis controller, Team Ninja is adding in several other features in Sigma. The most exciting is players will finally get to control Rachel in three missions. During these levels, we will learn new details on the story and get a chance to learn a new style of fighting. Although some of the gameplay styles are similar between the two characters, their weapons will be different and this will cause you to adjust your play style accordingly. Team Ninja promises several different costumes for Rachel to make every curve take full advantage of that nice, expensive HD set you have sitting in your living room.

While we haven’t seen a lot of Ninja Gaiden Sigma, the game is shaping up to be one of the biggest games of the summer. Although Tecmo is known for their delays, they are assuring us that Team Ninja is on track for release in June. Whether you have previously played Ninja Gaiden or the Ninja Gaiden Black re-release, Ninja Gaiden Sigma should be worth every penny of the purchase price and lead into a nice fall software lineup for the PlayStation 3. Hopefully it won’t be much longer until Team Ninja delivers a true sequel to the franchise. *fingers crossed*