OVER HYPED, NOT SO MUCH

OVER HYPED, NOT SO MUCH

Slick graphics (1080p HD visuals at 60 frames per second), playing as a deadly Ninja, dual-wielding Katanas (Japanese Samurai swords)... all-in-all yet not enough. How could you go wrong, Tecmo?

This is not the reason I bought a PS3. This game reminds me of Lost Planet: demoed very well but the final product came short of expectations. There are just too many issues and stupid design choices. Just to list, here are some:

• Attack button is also "interact" button, which is square button. Result? Open door accidentally while in combat.


• Lots of loading, even mid-combat and several times in a single room. Result? A complete deal-killer. Seriously, why bother with 60fps if it becomes 0fps (game completely freezes) at crucial combat moments?! Even using the Install option (takes 3 gigs of your HDD) does not solve the problem.


• Camera. The 1st Ratchet & Clank game has a better camera. Even the level design is against it (many closed areas where the camera either loses the player or sticks too close).


• Lost essence (the games equivalent for money). Here's a scenario: you finish a fight, door opens in cut-scene-like shit focused view which takes barely a second or two, then all essence left from the dead enemies is lost.


• OK, this is an action game so puzzles are meant to be simple, right? Wrong. Maybe simple but not completely stupid where the developer is not even trying: pick key, open gate right next to it. Are you kidding?


• Rachel (check image below so I don't need to give any details on this).


• The locations of most save points seem to be thrown here and there randomly: either too close or too far (you sometimes have to fight more than one boss till the next one)


• The Continue option (once your character dies) is nothing more than a Load option.


• Some enemies look like Ryou (the main character) which leads into losing track of your character in mid-fights.


• Screen tearing (so much for the brilliant graphics and killer colors).


• No option to Load mid-game (must die or quit to main menu, leaving you with yet another loading screen).

This simply makes Ninja Gaiden Sigma one hell of a roller coaster ride on PS3 till one of the above happens. And believe me: it happens a lot.