That’s not to say Sigma 2 doesn’t carry over some of the 360 version’s flaws, because it most certainly does. While the camera does seem to do a better job keeping up with the action this time around, it still falls well short of ideal and once again earns the dubious distinction of being one of the clumsiest 3D camera systems in gaming. Controlling Ryu’s acrobatic maneuvers remains inconsistent as well, as the momentum behind his movements and animations feels too light and twitchy. I also very much tire of the series’ use of repeated boss battles – seriously, there are a couple bosses you fight like three or four different times, and the battle dynamics barely change with each confrontation!

But for Sigma 2, Team Ninja went back and re-balanced much of the gameplay and augmented the experience with additional levels, characters, bosses (how does fighting a possessed Statue of Liberty sound?), weapons and modes. Let me first start with the gameplay tweaks, because those are the most important.

Anyone who has played the Xbox 360 version will immediately notice numerous changes for the PS3, including things like unlimited ammo for projectile weapons, slight modifications to the level designs in terms of certain areas being opened up/closed off and altered (in some cases even deleted) enemy spawns, free weapon upgrades at Muramasa statues (you can only upgrade one weapon at a time, though), and so on. But what’s changed the most – and many of the aforementioned items play into this – is how much more balance there is to the difficulty level. Sigma 2 is still a challenging game, no doubt about it, but it’s no longer cheap. There are now fewer enemies on screen at one time, and enemies that would cheap-shot you from off the screen or projectile spam you to death before are gone, so in general completing the game feels more in your control as a gamer. You don’t have to “learn” to cope with cheap AI tactics and faulty mechanics.

This improved balancing makes a world of difference. What frustrated me so much with Ninja Gaiden II in its original form was how the game’s exquisite combat system was essentially ruined by the frequent cheap deaths and sloppy camera control. In Sigma 2 you don’t have to fight with these issues any more (or as much), and thus the combat system is able to shine through.

For those who have never played Ninja Gaiden, it is a third-person action/adventure game in the same family as Devil May Cry, God of War, Heavenly Sword and the like. In a nutshell, you play as ninja assassin badass Ryu Hayabusa and hack up nasty demons and all-powerful boss fiends with a vast arsenal of swords, clubs, claws, hammers, scythes, bows, Ninpo spells and more. From time to time you must also perform various acrobatic feats, such as wall-hopping and running on water, but combat is really the focus here. And the combat is absolutely divine, striking a razor-sharp balance between visceral attack mechanics, flashy (and quite vicious) finishing moves, and deft, skill-based blocking and evasion techniques. Every enemy you encounter is a potentially deadly foe demanding focus and sound strategy to defeat, while the larger-than-life bosses require you to patiently observe their attack patterns and wait for the most opportune moment to sneak in an attack. If you think you will be able to button mash your way through this game your are sadly mistaken.

Strangely, though, a lot of the gore has been toned down in Sigma 2, and that’s one area the Xbox 360 game tops the PS3 version. For some reason Team Ninja thought it necessary to replace most of the realistic red blood spatters with purple or green mist, and all of the dismemberment effects, including those from the Obliteration finishing move techniques, have been completely removed, leaving me to question why the game is still M-rated. I must admit, this sanitization does cause the game to lose some of its blood-thirsty satisfaction, though this is hardly a game-killing drawback.

Getting past the gimped gore system, Sigma 2 outpaces its predecessor in other more important areas. In addition to Ryu, the ninja hottie threesome of Ayane, Momiji and Rachel have been introduced as new playable characters, each with their own unique weapon sets, play styles and missions within the campaign. These three femme fatales offer a nice change of pace from Ryu’s more acrobatic levels, and their levels fit into the flow of the story in a natural way.

These new heroines also join Ryu as playable characters in the exclusive Team Mission mode. Team Mission mode pairs you and another fighter – you can join another player online or play offline by yourself with an AI helper – in arena-style survival missions in which you and your partner help each other fend off waves of enemies while also competing to earn the most Karma Points. During my time with the game, online performance was fairly inconsistent – one match would run perfectly smooth, then the next would sputter along with persistent lag – but when the servers complied I probably had even more fun playing these mini-missions than tackling the solid, 12-hour story mode. Surprisingly, playing offline is great too. The partner AI is actually pretty good at pitching in with kills and, more importantly, staying out of your way so you can do your thing without distraction.

Between the new playable characters, the new Team Mission mode, and the more finely balanced gameplay and difficulty settings, Ninja Gaiden Sigma 2 is, to my tastes, far superior to the Xbox 360 version in virtually every way, and is right there neck and neck with Heavenly Sword as the best of its kind on the PS3 (at least until God of War III comes along). It may not be as bloody or unforgiving (to the dismay of Ninja Gaiden purists, I’m sure), but it sure does play a hell of a lot better, and that’s what matters most.

Pros:
+ Combat is quick, brutal and satisfying
+ Balanced difficulty eliminates cheap deaths and frustration
+ New playable characters fit in well and are fun to play
+ Team Mission mode is great fun, online or off

Cons:
– Camera can still be a pain in the ass
– Noticeably sanitized gore system
– Online co-op performance can be shaky
– Too many recycled boss battles!

Game Info:
Platform: PS3
Publisher: Tecmo
Developer: Team Ninja
Release Date: 9/29/09
Genre: Action/Adventure
ESRB Rating: Mature
Players: 1-2
Source: Review copy provided by publisher

ZEN Pinball, already one of the finest examples of video game pinball ever conceived, is about to get even better. Coming up later this month, ZEN Studios and Tecmo will release a new DLC pinball table for ZEN Pinball inspired by Ninja Gaiden Sigma 2. The table will have a Sky City Tokyo theme and will feature “five multiball game modes, a massive amount of killer action-packed missions where players can unleash a ridiculous amount of punishment with lightning-fast weapon combos, ball slicing effects, electricity charged ramps and much more!”

Specific release date and pricing info hasn’t been announced yet, but ZEN Studios says the table will be available sometime in October. And the previously released Street Fighter II table cost $2.49 (and was worth every penny!), so I would expect similar pricing on this one.

Ninja Gaiden Sigma 2 ZEN Pinball Table [PlayStation.Blog]

Team Ninja dropped first word of these Ninja Gaiden Sigma 2 details on the PlayStation blog on Friday, but today we have received official word from Tecmo.

Ninja Gaiden Sigma 2, the enhanced PS3 port of Xbox 360 action/adventure Ninja Gaiden 2, will be out in North America on September 29th, with launches in Japan and Europe to follow thereafter. In addition to the standard $59.99 version, Tecmo will also offer a $70 Collector’s Edition package and a pre-order character costume download exclusively via GameStop. The CE will come with an 80-page book containing the following content:

* A 30-page Ninja Gaiden Sigma 2 prologue comic written and designed by Team NINJA. The comic is a printed version of the in-game digital comic.

* Mini-Strategy Guide: A starter guide covering Ryu, Ayane, Momiji, and Rachel’s weapons, ninpos, Story Mode basics, Team Missions and more.

* Art Gallery: A peek at various character concept artwork.

* Commentary from Team NINJA producer Yosuke Hayashi and lead artists.

And finally, Tecmo has outlined the Team Mission co-op mode new to Ninja Gaiden Sigma 2. It’ll allow two players to hook up online and complete over 30 different missions together (solo players will also be able to partner up with a CPU teammate for offline play). You’ll also be able to record your Team Mission experiences with “Ninja Cinema” and share them over PSN.

Check out this post on the PlayStation blog for even more info about the co-op play.