“Shhh.. don’t tell anyone this game might not be as fun as it looks”First off, I love the whole mini theme IO Interactive has going here. That’s what attracted me to this game in the first place. (Micro machines anyone? C’mon, you know you played with them growing up.) When you start the demo, it allows you to magically switch from character to character depending on what you encounter in the level. You start off with main character Hiro (why is the Japanese hero always called Hiro?) and you have the option of switching to Futo, who is the bigger guy that allows you to take on larger foes and destroy caged up forest animals you’re trying to save in the game, or you could also switch to Suzume, the girl ninja who rocks a killer flute. But I don’t know why she was in this demo, as I did not find any use for her.
The fighting is nothing complex. Pressing the X button over and over again to use your sword is all you really do to destroy your enemies. Pressing and holding down Y launches and freezes you into the air Matrix-style and allows you to aim at a couple of Samurai’s to perform a quick strike to defeat them faster. Equipping yourself with some Shuriken ninja stars, you can throw them at your enemy using the right trigger, which doesn’t seem to kill them.. it just stuns them a bit so you can finish them off with the sword. Nothing too difficult with this game. Straightforward and easy.. maybe too easy. I guess I’m not the type of gamer IO and Eidos are marketing too.
The textures are definitely nothing to brag about. Which is why I keep wondering why this doesn’t go straight to XBLA? That’s what this game looks and feels like. Don’t get me wrong, the art direction is pretty solid and I’m sure there is a lot to the game that might have me saying, “oohhhh… and ahhhh“. But really, there is nothing new in this game that would make it stand apart from a typical game you’d see on the original Xbox and Playstation over 10 years ago.
You have an inventory of items you find and pick up throughout the level, like healing potions, special flowers, other weapons you can equip yourself with. But it’s a tired old gaming recipe I refuse to pay for in this next generation of games. IO Interactive have made a decent game, I’m sure of it. But it is completely by the book. Gaming 101. You’re a ninja, you have to save some animals from the evil Samurai’s and you go from point A to point B. Nothing innovative about this. It kind of reminded me of the Kung–Fu Ninja game, but not as good. I don’t know, maybe some of you like this sort of game that offers “more of the same”.
There are some cute moments that make you smile but it is few in far between. For example, Hiro’s mini ninja run is quite funny. Since they’re all mini, their feet look like little mice scurrying to find some cheese. Play it, you’ll know what I’m talking about. That, and when the Samurai’s are marching up and down the forest chanting whatever it is samurai’s chant as they make their way to conquer poor innocent animals, I had a quick giggle. The dialogue is what you would expect in a stereotypical ninja game. Think Bruce Lee, but in miniature voices. IO Interactive threw in some much needed humor and that’s what I was looking for. But it’s not enough. I wanted to see a bit more depth in this demo to warrant a purchase. I didn’t get it. I’m bummed. Now I’m off to try out the Lost Planet 2 demo and hopefully that cheers me up.
Try it out yourself and let me know what you think in the comments. Am I being too critical?
The Gamer Report 