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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...

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Nightshade continues the ninja saga

2 Rating: 2, Useful: 3 / 3
Date: February 22, 2004
Author: Amazon User

The reason for the two star rating is because although it was a great game with a good storyline most people would wind up pulling there hair out playing this. The bosses are very hard, The camra angles are not good at all, and there is to much jumping involved. 2 parts of a level involved jumping while avoiding waterfalls that could knock you down and enemies shooting at you from all sides with a small wall to cling to unless you are a master at this this will drive you insane.

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.

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!

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!

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-

Action Fans Rejoice!!

4 Rating: 4, Useful: 1 / 1
Date: February 26, 2004
Author: Amazon User

Nightshade is a good follow up to the PS2 shinobi. The controls transfer almost completely intact save improved charge attacks (for some characters), no sword timer (not really an improvement, one character *might* still have such a timer), the addition of a kick button and several new moves that go with it, and a chakra gauge (again, for some characters only). Despite these changes, Nightshade offers up the same tate-ing type gravity defying action that will keep your thumbs blistered and your reflexes at the very tip of human capability.

The game also improves strongly on level design in several ways and varies from improved backgrounds to slightly less frusturating jumping puzzles to simply things such as where enemies are placed throughout the level. In some places, air-tate-ing enemies offers a faster route through for the skilled player, for example. Furthermore, every level has several checkpoints that you can continue from, making it easier to progress piecemeal through a level rather than being required to perform flawlessly. For the most part the platforming "pitfall" style action is toned down considerably in the first part of the game, though "cheap" deaths will occur by the dozen in some of the later stages.

Boss battles are considerably less challenging than they were in Shinobi (particularly in the easier difficulties) simply because the new charge or "chakra" attacks allow you to Tate bosses with utter ease (chakra attacks are performed by simply holding down the attack button and releasing after a short charge). The chakra attack allows you to land the devastating final blow in a tate attack while being a considerable distance away from the opponent, making it very easy to make that final hit.

Character design is also well done. The new Kuinichi, Hibana, sports a costume that is sleek and futuristic while respectful of Joe Mugashi's oldschool Red on White look from the classic Genesis Shinobi titles. Her moves are sleek and her overall game-presence is almost as daunting as Hotsuma's was in Shinobi (almost).

Unfortuanately, if you tally story and dialogue in the total score of this game (which I have only done for the general public, such things don't really matter in a game like this), it would likely come out with a few problems.

Hibana's dialogue can be particularly annoying and redundant at times, which is a pity considering the voice acting is quite good. She seems much more disjointed from the affair than Hotsuma was in Shinobi. The story is pretty much recycled from Shinobi and centers around Akujiki again, so don't look for any grand surprises. The themes of Revenge, chivalry, and justice do serve the game well as they did in Shinobi.

Also, the absence of the dreaded sword timer (many people hated it), for better or for worse, definetely has had an effect on gameplay. There is no longer a direct need to Tate (survival), you simply do it for the highest score or for finesse. While this is fine in itself, it's less likely that finesse will prompt you to go for that challenging air tate on the final stage than the fact that you have little heath and are about to run out on your sword timer. I feel the absence of the sword timer reduces the sense of urgency throughout the game which directly impacts how some of the levels are played and thus how challenging some of those levels are, which of course, depending on personal preference, is for better or for worse. (As mentioned, some characters still have such a timer....)

And like Shinobi, this game is HARD (notice the caps). For some that will be a very good thing, to those who lack discipline, well, perhaps not. It still has a tinge of oldschool gameplay via luck and simple but clear purpose, to annihilate your foes in a very straightforward fashion.

The music consists largely of a Techno/Rhythmic-like score. Opinions vary as to whether it's better than Shinobi's though it's definetely different and seems to fit the game's pace better.

Overall, there's a lot in this game to love. It doesn't really do anything revolutionary, but the top-notch gameplay and character design are simply to die for. An excellent follow-up (I won't say sequel) to Shinobi in almost every regard, it plays every bit as well and in some ways even better.

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.

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!!!

Kunoichi Strikes Into Shinobi Action

3 Rating: 3, Useful: 1 / 3
Date: February 19, 2004
Author: Amazon User

Well Sega has finally decided to add a kunoichi to the Shinobi line-up roster. The sequel to the PS2 Shinobi, stars a female ninja by the name of Hibana who is practically assigned to rid the streets of Japan from corruption (majority of the game's plot takes place in Tokyo). Later on in the adventure, the heroine is faced with the luggage of the entire fate of the world resting in her hands. Like the ps2 Shinobi, a majority of skill relies heavily on derailing from building to building hacking and slashing practically whatever moves at you (actually the player is also able to destroy non-moving objects such as tables and boxes for SPECIAL items). PS2 Shinobi was criticized for having bad camera angles and super frustrating battle sequences. Though Sega managed to tone down the level of confusion within battle, the sequel still has the stiff feeling of it's counter-part as if it's unfinished in some areas. Here are list of major Pro's and Neg's Nightshade contains:

PRO'S

-Nonstop moving ninja action. Fans of sidescrollers will be pleased to know that Nightshade is a face-paced moving action game all the way.
-Splendid Dialogue. The voice acting in Nightshade is excellent to say the least impressive. Hibana's voice is especially well acted.
-Excellent Soundtrack. The uptempo music helps maintain the fast-paced action of the game and keep the player moving.
-Unlockable Secrets. Nightshade has a ton of unlockables to obatin by completing stages and collecting coins to use to purchase hidden characters, pictures to add to the game gallery, etc., adding replay value. In fact, the player is allowed to replay a stage if they choose in order to try and retrace their footsteps to some coins to which they may have missed prior to completing that stage.
-Combo Chain Animations. The addition Sega implemented with the way Hibana stands and taunts after juggling a handfull of enemies as they spew to shreds is amazing. This feature is especially neat when executed in the air.

NEG'S
-Superfrustrating boss encounters. Instead of standard one on one battles when fighting bosses, the player is not only forced to focus on that boss, but is also forced to handle off a indefinite amount of regular enemies as well. This especially gets frustrating when encountered by a tough boss.
-Low Enemy Variety. Most of the game is spent fighting off the same flying machine gunners and rocket launcer shooters. Making the latter parts of the game feel very repetitive and tedious. If only a larger variety of different types of enemies were implemented....
-Poor Target System. The target system isn't very effective since it mainly focuses on one enemy at a time rather than several, unless being used to throw a shuriken from a distance at an enemy. This feature is mainly useful on boss encounters.
-Annoying Camera Angles. Though the player can rotate the camera when and how they choose, at some times it seems as though the camera just doesn't want to stay put in the area/angle to which the player triggers it, wandering to an angle to which the player doesn't desire it to be. Especially frustrating in boss encounters, resulting in numerous deaths.
-Mediocre Graphics. While not necessarily bad, the graphics are nowhere near PS2 standards, and could and should be MUCH better. The shadowings are also sub-bar as well, with just a simple dark circle remaining under characters and objects.

Nightshade is a great action game. A needed breath of fresh air to the elusive variety of ninja action games for the ps2. It's just not as polished and hyped up to what it was said and expected to be. By no means a failure. Worth giving a try.

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