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Almost all of the game is great

4 Rating: 4, Useful: 0 / 0
Date: April 23, 2008
Author: Amazon User

The first stage of this game where you are fighting on the aircraft against the cyborg ninja is horrible. Miraculously, from the second stage on, the graphics look great, the music is great, the maps and enemies are more interesting, and the game is just more fun in general. Did a different team create the first level?

That aside, Nightshade is an action/adventure game similar in control to the PS2 Shinobi. The difficulty is not as high as in Shinobi at the default setting, but this can be increased or decreased in the options. If you want to evaluate this title, I recommend a play through of at least the first 2 levels to see what this game is really all about. I found the aerial maneuvering, special moves, and controls to be very good; at least as good if not better than Shinobi.

Hack-n-slash ....... nothing more

3 Rating: 3, Useful: 0 / 0
Date: December 18, 2007
Author: Amazon User

This kind of games are what the PS2 don't need, Im a RPG guy so maybe this may see a little harsh ...... Really i don't care

Lets start with the basics, the game its about a ninja that works for the japanese goverment, here name is Hibana, she is very nimble, smart and good fighter (she is perfect in every sense) and the goverment order her to stop an evil race from another dimension and the game unfolds itself upon the fact that the evil race boss was Hibanas former master.

Ok now with the game, the tutorial its a little bit stupid (even for a tutorial) it shows you that you jump with th X buton (yeah, that lame) but its a good way to learn how to do the tricks.

Theres a cool thing in this game, its the Tate, basically when you kill an enemy a 20 sec timer starts to run, if you kill another enemy the timer fills again and so on and so on, each enemy that you kill this way give you twice the amount of points and when you killed all the monsters on the screen Hibana strikes a cool pose and usually mocks of her fallen enemies. The first 50 tates are cool but when you kill 3 monsters in a row she strikes the pose, mocks of the enemies and starts a new row it begans to be anoying

Fun factor = Play it when you dont have anything to play or you are just bored, stop playing when you are hungry or got yourself another cool game like Final Fantasy or Shin megammi tensei

Playability = The camera could be anoying at times but the in-game adventure gives you the feeling of been a ninja (a sexy one), Oh, and theres no re-play value unless you want to beat your scores in each stage

Music = Didnt even know it had.... the music its kind of cool but you just focus on killing monsters so you dond even listen to it, if you want cool music, play guitar hero I, II, III

Sound = You keep hearing the clash of steel (even if you hit a box) and the voice acting wasnt that bad, for better voice acting play Valkyrie profile (Lenneth)

Graphics = The best thing this game has its the shadows Hibana leave every time she dash..... And her Bandana. The enemies are a little .... Well they look like paralyzed monsters, For better graphics play the Metal gear sagas

Dificulty factor = you will die a lot and theres no save points in the middle level, it could be a good test for your playing skills

Habilities to play this game = Quick tumb, Patience (desireble) and dont have a better game to play

Over all = There are better games out there for the PS2, just keep looking

The game isnt that bad but if you could buy another, do so

I prefer SHINOBI!!!!!!!!!!!!!

2 Rating: 2, Useful: 2 / 8
Date: October 19, 2005
Author: Amazon User

I admit that this game improved many thing that Shinobi should have, like: more fun (I liked the train stage), better graphics, better positions after killing and more difficulty.

Shinobi is better (for me) because the character look's SOOOO COOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOL!!!!!!!!!!!!! The cape like SPAWN, dressing dark green, gloves made of shurikens, four cool dark eyes and the movie sequences were SOOO great!!!!!!!!

The girl in NIGHSHADE look's lame compared to Shinobi, so I guess this game is no THAT cool after all, and besides there are daylight missions witch it's not cool for ninjas.
If you like improve fun sequels then this game is for you but if you are looking for fun and cool characters then this game suck's!!!!!

P.S: Stay with Shinobi if you want cool fun and cool character!

Adios!!!

Fun, but extremely difficult

3 Rating: 3, Useful: 2 / 3
Date: August 08, 2005
Author: Amazon User

I just bought Nightshade for the PS2, and it's a good game, but extremely difficult. The levels start off very easy, but they turn hard VERY quickly. More off the time I find myself with game overs not because the enemies have killed me, but because Hibana will target something obscure; causing me to fall down a bottomless pit or into the water e.t.c. I won the game in beginner mode, and that was a challenge within itself. I can't even pass stage 4 in easy due to the fact the controls are VERY difficult and fickle (you can only stealth dash one time when you're in mid-air... I hate this because it takes more than one stealth dash to reach the enemies sometimes. They should have an option so you can use beginner controls in any mode not just beginner). To sum it up, if you're looking for a good challenge and are willing to become a little annoyed, buy this game. If not, stay away from it.

K@zami Am!

Better than Shinobi but still HARD

3 Rating: 3, Useful: 2 / 2
Date: December 04, 2004
Author: Amazon User

This game upgrades many things that Shinobi failed at. One the graphics are better and smoother, those complaining that the graphics arent too good are just griping. The storyline is good from what Ive seen and the controls are better this time around. Its easier to move around and do 'tates' etc BUT......yes, theres a BIG BUT. The game still has many things that hamper it and keep it in the "exclusive" set for those who loved Shinobi and/or LOVE ultra hard games. The platforming is still an issue along with the camera etc. Nightshade suffers from almost the same fate as "Shinobi" making it a bit too hard to enjoy at times and you have to toggle the auto target off at time or you get knocked off etc. Problem is, is it a game you'll REALLY come back to after youve pulled your hair out so much from the insane hard levels offered in both games? If you like torturing yourself OR was a fan of Shinobi this game is for you!

Great Sequel to Shinobi

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 1 / 1
Date: November 04, 2004
Author: Amazon User

If you liked Shinobi, You'll like this game.

If you DIDN'T like Shinobi only beacuse of difficulty... You will LOVE this game.

Basically it follows the same formula as Shinobi, with an even more modern/futuristic feel (good or bad, depending on your taste). Kick button has been added, but it's much more then just for variety: it's actually a big change to the gameplay. With some enemies, you have to use the kick to knock off thier armor, before you can put the sword to them. I think it's a great feature that adds extra depth to Shinobi fighting system. The environments are also more "jump-friendly" which means less of "I-thought-there-was-a-platform-there" scenarios. Bosses are much easier then Shinobi, as is the whole game. Don't get me wrong, you'll still die a lot, but not as much as in Shinobi.

not quite as hard as Shinobi, but still a contender

3 Rating: 3, Useful: 4 / 5
Date: September 10, 2004
Author: Amazon User

Hello again, once again I have fired up my computer to review another game. A game for the Playstation 2. A system in which some pretty beautiful graphics can be created if the developer would like to spend a little extra time on the game. But whoever created Shinobi and it's pseudo-sequel Nightshade obviously only had enough time to squeeze in the added effort to make the scarf in Shinobi and the pony-tail type things hanging off your head in Nightshade really look cool. Because once again, I found myself running around in circles just to make cool air designs.

But besides the under-developed graphics, this game is also lacking one other thing. Real true fun. Sure, it's a pretty decent ride the first time through, and there are unlockable secrets, but is the game really worth going all the way back through to unlock some extra costumes and characters? My opinion is...maybe. You see, the first couple of levels are pretty enjoyable. First you start out on the top of a stealth jet that's flying through the conjested streets of the city. You must fight the enemies that are dropped on top with you and also fight the two jets that are accompanying the one you're on. Then you are taken to the rooftops of the tallest buildings in the city for another pretty fun level. But after the next couple levels, everything kinda goes to pot.

And the main thing I'm getting sick and tired of in games like these is the freaking level design in the later levels. Mutated levels full of stupid platforms and monsters on all sides of you to screw with your camera. Why do these people feel these kind of levels are necessary? Especially when they can't put better graphics in the levels to spice things up. If the level design and environment graphics were touched up even a little bit, this game would be a little better. But graphics don't make the levels any more fun. Some of the later levels don't even make sense. And along with the difficulty curve, most of them will just frustrate you beyond insanity. And this game doesn't even scratch the surface of Shinobi's difficulty, which is one of it's key positive points. Because this game really is difficult, for the computer. Sure, it can't fall off the edge 800 times in a row because for some reason it wasn't responding to me smashing the freaking buttons to avoid certain peril. And as annoying as some of the enemies are, they are nothing compared to the destroyed bridge level. Where I found myself falling down into the river more times than I thought I would stand. But the game remains on a constant aggrivating level throughout, until the final boss, which just comes from left field to kick you in the face with a bevvy of attacks that leave you trying to think of why the developers made this guy so freakin' hard. I mean, sure, the other bosses were kinda difficult, but they had a pattern, and once you figured out what that pattern was, they were cake to beat. In fact, not once did I die during a boss fight, up until the last one that is. He has no solid pattern and his attacks are ridiculously unfair.

But anyway, if you liked Shinobi, you'll enjoy this game. If you didn't enjoy Shinobi because of the difficulty, you'll enjoy this game because it's pretty much the same game with a different main character and it's a helluva lot easier, mainly due to the fact that you don't have a weapon that's draining your life meter the hole time. Which is quite a relief. It's only twenty bucks, so it's not too bad a purchase, but I'd highly recommend renting before buying. Trust me, I'm kind of an expert...

Graphics-3
Sound-2
Control-3
Overall-3

Not the best, but better than Shinobi

4 Rating: 4, Useful: 3 / 4
Date: June 24, 2004
Author: Amazon User

Nightshade is not a game to be taken lightly. The first few levels may seem easy, but it gets quite frustrating towards the end. The number of cheap deaths you accumulate by falls can get staggering if you aren't paying attention to where you're jumping and which enemies you're killing in order to stay airborne. Herein lies both a strength and weakness to Nightshade. The aerial combat is a great idea and is visually impressive when properly executed, but to force the player to rely on it in order to pass certain areas will most definitely turn off many gamers. Other weak points are the lack of a Japanese language option and the poorly written dialogue. Hibana's catch-phrases at the end of a completed Tate gets real tiring, real fast.

Still, the game's not all bad. The animation is crisp and fluid and Hibana's scarf is not as exaggerated as Hotsuma's was in Shinobi. Speaking of which, Hotsuma is an unlockable character in the game along with Hisui (a rival ninja) and Joe Musashi, the original Shinobi hero. There are also multiple costume options for Hibana and Hisui, my favorites being Hibana's scandalous second costume (you have to see it to believe it) and Hisui's cute second costume which is reminiscent of something out of Jet Set Radio Future. Despite the nicks in its blade, Nightshade should be given a chance by those disappointed with Shinobi.

Suffers from repetitive backrounds and gameplay

3 Rating: 3, Useful: 0 / 0
Date: May 10, 2004
Author: Amazon User

Nightshade, Sega's new Shinobi spin-off for PS2, isn't quite the classic fans have been hoping for. Besides the newly added kick button and chakra projectile attacks, the gameplay remains very similar to Shinobi. The story now focuses on Hibana, a female ninja whose mission is to retrieve pieces of the soul-hungry Akujiki sword. With the absence of the energy draining sword in hand, the difficulty is slightly reduced and the player is now free to advance through the levels at their own pace. However, the levels designs, the enemies, and the story is a bit ho-hum this time around. After having to slice through meaningless wave after wave of hellspawn insects on repetitive backrounds, boredom quickly sets in. I hate to say it, but the whole package smacks of a game system that has reached it's limits...maybe the PS2 doesn't have much life left in it. Whatever the case, gamers looking for an action platformer should think twice before purchasing Nightshade. Unless you are a hardcore fan of Shinobi, I recommend checking out Ninja Gaiden or Onimusha 3 instead.

Misery loves company...

3 Rating: 3, Useful: 2 / 4
Date: March 17, 2004
Author: Amazon User

Play "Shinobi?" Like "Shinobi?" If the answer to the latter question is no, then "Nightshade," its unofficial sequel, should be the last game on your "to buy" list. If you're not familiar with "Shinobi," best pick a copy of that first (since it now sits on shelves with a friendlier price tag) and see how things go. Like its predecessor, this monotonous ninja romp is best suited to the masochistic.

You play as a female ninja this time around, and Hotsuma, the previous player character, is nowhere in sight (at least not in the main storyline). It turns out you're a paid assassin working for a corporation that has its mind set on retrieving the pieces of the sword Akujiki. Unfortunately you'll have to battle former colleagues and a one-time love interest to complete your mission (it all reeks of a poor "Kill Bill" knockoff with hellspawn thrown in for good measure).

Anyway, none of that ultimately matters. The game could scarcely be less story-driven if it tried, despite its handsomely rendered cinematics. You'll spend all your time running, jumping, and slashing through poorly textured enemies at a frenetic pace. You see, you're encouraged to kill several enemies within a short frame of time, and sometimes this incentive can make you careless and... dead. Still, pulling off successful mass kills is quite fun in short spurts. Besides, the game's foes are not what you should be worried about - instead, fear the game's rickety camera, and those pesky platform jumps. Without mid-level saves or checkpoints (which are generally absent), playing "Nightshade" can be an exorcise in sheer frustration.

The graphics don't help to ease the monotony, as they look like last year's pea soup. The game's levels aren't diverse enough, and rarely give you anything fresh to tackle that you haven't already experienced earlier in the game. Boss battles are insane trudges of trial-and-error, and ultimately "Nightshade" is a hard one to recommend. If you like a brutal slog, it should be right up your alley. Otherwise steer clear.

Final Score: C-

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