IGN first impressions highlights.
Eyes On: Ninja Gaiden DS.
Team Ninja makes the DS their ninja dog.
Tecmo gathered members of the press in Tokyo today to formally announce its upcoming lineup for the DS and PS3. While the focus of the event, at least as far as the television cameras were concerned, was on the first title, a new DS adventure game called DS Nishimura Kyotaro Suspense (we'll have details shortly) , gamers everywhere are probably more interested in what came after -- a first look at Ninja Gaiden Dragon Sword!
The game is meant to be played almost entirely with the stylus, with players tapping and slashing the screen to guide Hayabusa, shoot shurikens and slice up enemies.
When first learning about Ninja Gaiden DS, we found it a bit difficult to imagine how exactly the touch-based controls would work in an action environment. Itagaki put some of our concerns to rest with his demonstration. He was able to make the DS version of Hayabusa dart about the screen just like his Xbox and PS3 counterpart, performing all the expected moves, right down to leaping between walls to get to higher ground.
So from a purely action standpoint, the touch-based controls don't seem to limit Ninja Gaiden DS at all. We even noted some areas where using a stylus makes a lot of sense. To shoot shurikens, you tap at enemies directly. Itagaki demonstrated this by taking out a few bats in one room. The stylus is also used for performing ninpo magic attacks. You have to trace out characters in order to successfully cast these (the characters were originally planned to be kanji , but were changed to culture-neutral markings in order to make things fare for foreign audiences). As the spell is being cast, you can rub the screen like mad to get added power. The game approaches its Japanese release this Fall.
With Ninja Gaiden DS, he wants to make a game for all gamers everywhere (he made specific mention of boys, but we presume girls can play too). That's fine and all, but we're sure those who spent countless controlers becoming a master ninja are hoping that Team Ninja keeps the tougher settings in as well.
One area that definitely won't need to be adjusted for the final is the presentation. Ninja Gaiden DS is looking and sounding mighty slick right now. The screenshots we've uploaded don't really do the visual engine justice, as it seems to be quite versatile. The camera angle switches and moves around freely as you play; in some sequences during the demonstration, it was fixed far above Hayabusa for a near overhead view, while in other sequences, most notably the final boss fight, the camera zoomed in so close that Hayabusa practically filled the screen. As for sound, the effects and soundtrack do a good job of replicating their console brothers, down to every sword slash.
Looking and hearing Ninja Gaiden DS, it was hard to believe that Itagaki was playing a DS game. But the fact that he was using the stylus for all the controls was a dead giveaway. If the controls hold together, Team Ninja could do for the DS what they did for the Xbox and capture the crown for the definitive action game.
