Official Ninja Gaiden II Thread.

[Himu]

God. I hate how these bosses have these long ass 20 second throw animations. Hurry the fuck up.

[demi]

The Flails suck dick

[AdmiralViscen]

Looks like Himu is a Ninja Dog

[Himu]

i beat him.

boss is based entirely on luck. he does so much random shit. god.

[Himu]

God. I hate how these bosses have these long ass 20 second throw animations. Hurry the fuck up.

I think multi-hit throws are a staple of Itagaki titles. They've been a major complaint of mine since Dead or Alive 2.

Wow, the lighting in the next area after the Zedonius II fight. . .  Absolutely beautiful.

absolutely shitty. more bloom lighting. i fucking hate bloom lighting.

[Solo]

I sort of missed the boat on this one due to MGS4.

NG1 was my favorite title for the original X-Box. So, EB, is this a worthy sequel/worth a purchase?

[AdmiralViscen]

I sort of missed the boat on this one due to MGS4.

NG1 was my favorite title for the original X-Box. So, EB, is this a worthy sequel/worth a purchase?

Yes.

[demi]

Ninja Gaiden 2 makes a good compliment alongside DMC4. Both are good additions to your library, but DMC should be placed on the rack above. The cool kids rack.

[Solo]

My only two concerns are:

/shallow - from commercials and screenshots, it doesnt look too hot graphically /shallow, and
- its just a bunch of separate levels, right? I loved the overworld hub from NG1

[demi]

Its Ninja Gaiden 1 HD, and yes its just seperate levels

[Solo]

GAYYYYYYYYY

[AdmiralViscen]

The graphics really start to pick up in the later levels IMO

[MCD]

separate levels = no backtracking.

and they are better designed.

some levels like chapter 8 look like shit, others look good.

[Draft]

Some of the later levels are astounding looking. Like they're from a whole different game.

[Solo]

Gah, I cant resist! NG2 will have to be my next purchase.

[MCD]

yeah, the texture work on the later levels are pretty good, though chapter 12 need to tone down the bloom.

[CHOW CHOW]

My goodness... these tests of valor are endless, at least on Warrior diff. I skipped the 2nd one but am trying the 3rd as we speak and the werewolves / flying dragons just do not stop. I must've killed like 30 or 40 of em with my maxed kusari-gama (worshippy.gif) but they kept coming. Itagaki is absolutely relentless... I can't imagine what these are like on Mentor and Master Ninja. I guess I'll just do them on Acolyte some other time.

btw, anyone trying test of valor #3... what's working best for me so far is ultimate techniques because the werewolves tend to wait and delay their attacks so you can just keep charging up. But the problem is the dragons keep raining fireballs down on and also swooping by...

[MCD]

i kept attacking and obliterating them with my claws and UT when the time is right.

use items, you can always buy them you know.

and the most dangerous thing about obliterating werewolves is that they will throw their buddies dismembered parts at you and it hurts a lot.

[demi]

Just use Flying Swallow and dont stop moving

[MCD]

werewolves dodge that 80% of the time.

OT+UT is the best way.

[Draft]

Any test of valor with ranged dudes requires you to deal with the ranged dudes first. It just makes life so much easier.

For that one, keep dash dodging around the arena auto aiming arrows while jumping. You can get two arrows of very quickly during a jump, and you're relatively safe from harm as long as you're reasonably far away from where you were a second ago. Once the fireball monsters stop spawning you can clean up the werewolves at your leisure.

[Beezy]

I can't deal with this game right now. I'm not getting any better at all. I'm gonna stop playing it until I'm done with Lost Odyssey.

[demi]

werewolves dodge that 80% of the time.

OT+UT is the best way.

Nah, Flying Swallow works on everything, you're doing it wrong

[CHOW CHOW]

I haven't used the dragon sword since chapter 1...or whenever the second weap shows up, so I don't use flying swallow at all.  It's a boring, generic, shitty weap.  I much prefer the kusari-gama, falcon claws, and lunar staff.  Haven't got the tonfas yet.  I've fallen in love with the kusari-gama.

btw, funny post from xbox.com forums (probably fake but if it is, it's really well done):

You know i thought id give this game a try, cus i like ninjas, and i watch naruto all the time, cus thats really how ninjas used to do things.  so i spent the time convincing my mom that this game wasnt going to be bad,  i mean, i played grand theft auto ( its so dumb that cus a games rated M, they think a kid cant play it).  So i finally did and she bought it. then i starded playing and all of the sudden i had to slice peoples heads off. thats not fun Thats just stupid. and then i go into new york and they make me kill little doggies, i almost cried. And then those purple monster things started attacking and i got so scared i had to turn on the lights in my bedroom.  and its so dumb how all the games about is slicing the limbs off of bad guys and looking at girls with big breasts.

you know whats worse is my mom walked in on me playing it, now i cant play xbox anymore and she took my legos away.  i dont even like playing this dumb game. i want to just go play viva pinata. and im pretty sure im gunna have bad dreams. Maybe they should have put somewhere on the game that it was so violent and scary.

[MCD]

maybe they dodge the claws flying swallow then, i only used the dragon sword at chapter 11 and at the start of the game.

[drew]

Nah, Flying Swallow works on everything, you're doing it wrong

So does Nero's Buster, but you won't see me spamming that either.

[MCD]

go into new york and they make me kill little doggies, i almost cried.

[Don Flamenco]

Kusari-gara takes off limbs like nobody's business.  Especially on the larger enemies like werewolves.  Then you run in, Press Y, and VOILA-- no more mr. enemy.  Jesus they tore the balls off this one.

There are a lot of moves with flying swallow-esque powers.  XXY with a level 3 Lunar is some god-tier shit.  Hold forward + X with Lv3 Kusari-gara = goodbye limbs.

[demi]

Nah, Flying Swallow works on everything, you're doing it wrong

So does Nero's Buster, but you won't see me spamming that either.

Well maybe that's because you are a newb

[Narag]

Spamming buster in DMC is detrimental to the goals of the lgame, flying swallow is beneficial.

Amen. The buster just slows things down and screws a man out of his SSS rankings as its a magic win button.

[drew]

Spamming buster in DMC is detrimental to the goals of the lgame, flying swallow is beneficial.

I'm no Karma expert but I'm pretty sure the game rewards you for using advanced combos.

[CHOW CHOW]

Finally beat the test thanks to the arrows trick.  That worked amazingly well.  You can even keep running around the arena lobbing arrows at the wolves if you're low on health. 

Btw, Flying Swallow is nothing but a broken move to help Ninja Dogs get through the game. 

[patrickula]

Holy shit I just got the Eclipse Scythe
I've just got it at level 2 I'm not sure I'll need to use anything else.

[patrickula]

Thanks for the advice, the claws (and Dragon Sword) are my other go to weapon so I'll remember that.
I got the sickle thing to level 3 and it was pretty bitchin' for the second half of level 6 but I'm not sure I'll be needing it anymore 

[Himu]

Chapter 13 is the anti-chapter 12. In a word, it rocks. Natural lighting! I can actually see the enemies!? Enemy guantlet with some of the hardest enemies in the game 5-6 rooms one after another?! FUCK YES

[Himu]

Btw, Flying Swallow is nothing but a broken move to help Ninja Dogs get through the game. 

It's great for crowd control. It's not like all enemies allow you to use flying swallow.

[Draft]

I feel like the Flying Swallow actually serves a purpose in this game as opposed to just being a cheese technique for Ninja Dogs.

The Dragon Sword doesn't have a lot of Psycho Crusher style moves that push Ryu around and give him invincible frames. Flying Swallow is nice for creating breathing room and closing distance on enemies. You have to finish them off with actual combos but the FS gets you in range to do so.

It also owns the FUCK out of Ninja Dogs (the enemies, not the players.)

[Himu]

Bubububut UT and OT's are only there for ninja dogs to get through the game! Bullshit. NG is all about survival. YOU HAVE TO DO ALL YOU CAN TO SURVIVE. If I have to bunch a bunch of enemies into a corner and use flying swallow to weaken them, so be it. At least I have to use STRATEGY to do it, unlike that...OTHER game.

[Draft]

OTs are an awesome addition to the combat system. I don't see how anyone can disagree.

[CHOW CHOW]

It also owns the FUCK out of Ninja Dogs (the enemies, not the players.)

Btw, I've noticed some framerate problems in the game.  They tend to be totally random.  I'm now at the pause screen fighting the skull boss and before that with the skull scorpions, I used the wind ninpo lvl 3 and afterwards it slowed to around 20 fps for a few seconds.  There were also couple random incidents where there were no enemies on screen and it would drop for several seconds.  With that said, they're nothing game-breaking or even really an inconvenience, not to me at least.  I remember the reviewers mentioning framerate issues but it's really not a big deal.  The only ridiculous one is that stairs segment early in the game.

[CHOW CHOW]

Wow the skull boss was really easy

[MCD]

yeah, the framerate dips when casting ninpo or when the enemy launch rockets or ninpo at you.

[CHOW CHOW]

Holy crap, Test of Valor #4 (Chapter 6) is a cakewalk.  I didn't use a single heal item.  The only enemies are a few water demons, which were promptly slaughtered by my kusari-gama  , and a bunch of bats who don't even have a ranged attack.  They just fly around doing nothing.   

[Himu]

KINGDOM HEARTS LMAO

[CHOW CHOW]

well i'm ninja fatigued for tonight... i can't play more than a couple hours straight of this monster of a game.  can't wait to wake up tomorrow and start again!

[demi]

I feel like the Flying Swallow actually serves a purpose in this game as opposed to just being a cheese technique for Ninja Dogs.

Wasn't it you going around screaming DASH AND SLASH? What do you think Flying Swallow is?

[Don Flamenco]

OTs are an awesome addition to the combat system. I don't see how anyone can disagree.

Because the game gives you a freaking win button...NG2 in general is a much shallower game and it all stems from limb hacking and energy re-gen. 

[Narag]

OTs are an awesome addition to the combat system. I don't see how anyone can disagree.

Because the game gives you a freaking win button...NG2 in general is a much shallower game and it all stems from limb hacking and energy re-gen. 

I thought it was a nice tradeoff as OT only gives yellow essence and iirc it allows ryu some invincible frames which his nice as well during the chaos.

[Don Flamenco]

I thought it was a nice tradeoff as OT only gives yellow essence and iirc it allows ryu some invincible frames which his nice as well during the chaos.

you are completely invincible during an OT and have full advantage in pulling one off...it's way worse than a flying swallow, which actually leaves you vulnerable while recovering   Sure, you have to get a limb off, but that's a non-issue, they come off like drunken panties on prom night.

[Narag]

This is true. I'm new to the NG system and still learning stuff as I could never get far in NGB. The red fiends in the city always wasted me so I gave up. 

[Don Flamenco]

This is true. I'm new to the NG system and still learning stuff as I could never get far in NGB. The red fiends in the city always wasted me so I gave up. 

right on.  I know I'm shitting up the thread, but I can totally see why someone would like the stuff in NG2 better.

[Narag]

I really don't think you are shitting it up. Its nice to have different viewpoints from people new to the franchise and longtime fans.

[MCD]

yeah, ot might be a win button but sometimes i hate having some fuck suiciding on me, especially later with the white ninjas, deadly damage.

[Himu]

I beat the game tonight. Definitely one of if not the best 3d action title ever.

[Draft]

OTs are an awesome addition to the combat system. I don't see how anyone can disagree.

Because the game gives you a freaking win button...NG2 in general is a much shallower game and it all stems from limb hacking and energy re-gen. 

Disagree. You're fighting 2x-3x as many enemies at once. OTs are necessary for clearing them out, and it brings up the pace considerably.

[Don Flamenco]

OTs are an awesome addition to the combat system. I don't see how anyone can disagree.

Because the game gives you a freaking win button...NG2 in general is a much shallower game and it all stems from limb hacking and energy re-gen. 

Disagree. You're fighting 2x-3x as many enemies at once. OTs are necessary for clearing them out, and it brings up the pace considerably.

It does serve that purpose. The game is closer to NG: DS where you fight tons of guys and kill them like nothing.  And when you can't, ninpo does it for you (and unlike NG1, there are parts where you pretty much have to use it.)  I'm just not into that kind of pacing, I guess. 

[CHOW CHOW]

Wow the battle with Volf is crazy... I loved the environment, the arena with the thousands of werewolves.  What a badass Volf was

[Draft]

OTs are an awesome addition to the combat system. I don't see how anyone can disagree.

Because the game gives you a freaking win button...NG2 in general is a much shallower game and it all stems from limb hacking and energy re-gen. 

Disagree. You're fighting 2x-3x as many enemies at once. OTs are necessary for clearing them out, and it brings up the pace considerably.

It does serve that purpose. The game is closer to NG: DS where you fight tons of guys and kill them like nothing.  And when you can't, ninpo does it for you (and unlike NG1, there are parts where you pretty much have to use it.)  I'm just not into that kind of pacing, I guess. 

No, it's not like NG:DS, because those enemies aren't brutal fucks like the enemies in NG2.

The AI and attack patterns of NG2 enemies aren't toned down at all from NG1. If anything they are more aggressive and obnoxious. And now there's more of them. So to balance that out, Ryu has been beefed up.

Maybe you're just a super player with cat reflexes and fingers of steel, but I certainly don't consider these fights nothing. I've died a whole bunch to regular packs of enemies on Warrior, just like in NG1. I mess up, get comboed, and bam, 3/4 of my lifebar is gone.

And yeah, Ninpo is actually part of the combat system now. You're supposed to use it. It's more or less Ryu's Devil Trigger.

[Don Flamenco]

I didn't mean it's exactly like the game-- just the pacing.  I didn't feel like I was doing that well...it felt like the enemies weren't that good at defense and that too many moves were overpowered.  The werewolves fucked me up at first, but I found some good moves to take off their limbs, so they became incredibly easy and that was the story of my play through.  The only thing to complicate that are the spider fiends (best enemy design in any game ever) and off screen projectiles.

So yeah, I have a lot of critiques for the game, but it serves a different purpose than NG1 (which is a much nerdier game from a gameplay/technical standpoint. I play it for karma score for the most part.)  You can't chop into a headless neck on a limbless body, then slam it on the ground in NG1    NG2 is fun because its so damn brutal. 

[CHOW CHOW]

These bosses are absolutely adorable.  I just beat the armadillo and almost felt bad about it cuz of his stubby little feet.  I also liked the way the skull boss fell down on his butt.