Published on March 19th, 2012 | by Paterson Prosper

IGN Gives Ninja Gaiden III a 3 out of 10 :(

One weapon? No upgrades? Enemies that aren’t actively trying to kill you every second? Goddamn, Ninja Gaiden is one of my favorite franchises but this just sounds terrible.

Ninja Gaiden used to be about careful combat for skilled players. Knowing the skill-set inside and out was as important as understanding individual opponents, and digging into the complex mechanics was necessary to succeed. One basic enemy could kill Ryu Hayabusa, and getting him out of each encounter alive was an accomplishment. Ninja Gaiden 3 rejects this identity in an attempt to do something fresh and interesting with its hero.
This is an admirable ambition that’s ultimately responsible for many of the sequel’s numerous failures. Shallow combat, a misguided narrative focus, and awful pacing cripple what could have been the most interesting entry in the series’ history. With Ninja Gaiden 3, Team Ninja displays an obsession with new-found emptiness that anchors the action, betrays fans, and repels newcomers.