There are a total of seven stages varying from woodlands, wastelands, swamps, temples and cliffs. Each stage begins with the player slashing his way to the end, until he confronts a level boss. The ninja is always armed with the sword Righteous Cloud which can be fluidly used to attack in all directions. Extra weapons include the Swirling Leaf (shurikens), the Bamboo Thunder (bombs), and the Rising Dragon (kusarigama). There are also several powerup items, such as one unleashing multiple ninja ghosts to assist the player.
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A cool and fast paced ninja action game. Having to switch between weapons to dispatch foes is a nice touch. It falters slightly due to levels that are a bit too repetitive, and bosses that take a bit too long to kill.
Enemies have shitloads of HP and just spawn endlessly right in front of you. Controls are very stiff. Jump is very awkward. Visibility is extremely poor with your clones, the visual effects, and the enemies that look similar to you (and your clones).
I just don't really get the appeal here.
I just don't really get the appeal here.
Really cool mix of platformer and shmup. The way your shadows or spirits follow you creates interesting boss strategies.
It's a 4-star game until the last level decides to shit the bed completely, with one of the most egregious quarter-stealing sections I can recall: a very fast drop into a dark pit of tons of ninjas with their swords pointing upward, ready to one-shot-kill you.
Until that point, I was having a great time strategizing my way through the levels and engaging with the game's simple but formidable action. I honestly didn't even realize there was a way to change your weapon for a lonnnng time, and was still having fun (in my ignorance I honestly admired the game's confident minimalism). The sword feels excellent to use, especially when powered up with magic, and the way you can take advantage of your "shadows" (ninjas that follow you, mimicking your every movement and attack) makes for really interesting ways to dispatch the hundreds of baddies that swarm your way.
The ultra-floaty jump bugged me a bit at the start, but I've come to love it.
Until that point, I was having a great time strategizing my way through the levels and engaging with the game's simple but formidable action. I honestly didn't even realize there was a way to change your weapon for a lonnnng time, and was still having fun (in my ignorance I honestly admired the game's confident minimalism). The sword feels excellent to use, especially when powered up with magic, and the way you can take advantage of your "shadows" (ninjas that follow you, mimicking your every movement and attack) makes for really interesting ways to dispatch the hundreds of baddies that swarm your way.
The ultra-floaty jump bugged me a bit at the start, but I've come to love it.
Shmupping taken form as an action sidescroller, and it couldn't kick more ass. The thrill of bombarding a haunting minimalist screen with a flurry of shurikens and bombs is incredible. Easily in my PC-E favorites.
Some very dumb things scattered about that hold it back tho. What's up with that stage 7 pit Irem??? Who hurt you??????
Some very dumb things scattered about that hold it back tho. What's up with that stage 7 pit Irem??? Who hurt you??????
A game that feels like a modern and complex homage to the past, but it’s just Irem operating at a level beyond their peers in a very exciting era for games.