Ninja Gaiden Sigma 2

If you were to round up the founding fathers of videogame characters the group would likely be comprised of an elf, a zombie, a plumber, a generic space marine and, of course, a ninja. These masked warriors have been slicing and dicing their way through our games since the beginning of digital entertainment and the undisputed master of the genre is Ryu Hayabusa of Ninja Gaiden fame.

The Ninja Gaiden series has a long history, dating back to the Nintendo Entertainment System, but was recently resurrected on Xbox (Ninja Gaiden) and Xbox 360 (Ninja Gaiden 2). Both of these titles were remixed and re-released on PlayStation 3 under the "Sigma" name. If that sounds confusing, all you need to know is that this title is the most recent Ninja Gaiden game and it features lots and lots of ninja violence.

Strangely though, this version contains far less blood than the original Ninja Gaiden 2. It no longer sprays from hacked limbs, and only appears on the ground in small spurts. It has even been wiped from the "Game Over" screen. It's an odd decision for a title that is still rated "Mature" and a disappointing omission if you've ever witnessed the original gore.

You play as Ryu Hayabusa, a member of the Dragon Ninja Clan, and an ideal videogame protagonist. He wears shiny black leather, carries a huge assortment of weapons, and has a whole lot of top-heavy girlfriends. The game kicks off by introducing us to one of these ladies who happens to be a CIA agent wearing standard issue lingerie. She arrives in Neo Tokyo to warn Ryu of the imminent resurrection of the Arch Fiend. No sooner does she arrive than she is captured by the Spider Ninja Clan, and it's Ryu's job to save her.

The story that takes place after this event is so convoluted and nonsensical that it's hardly worth describing. Its only purpose is to pit Ryu against never-ending waves of Ninjas and mystical monsters, called fiends, until he can save the girl, and ultimately the entire planet. In the role of Dragon Ninja players travel to various scenic locations (Tokyo, Venice, The Underworld) and partake in lots and lots of combat. And the combat is what makes Ninja Gaiden special.

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