New gameplay footage forNinja Gaiden: Master Collectionhas emerged, showing off some remastered gameplay of theNinja Gaidengames from the NicoNico Net Chokaigi Game Party. TheNinja Gaiden: Master Collectionwill be arriving on June 10, and fans have been excited to see how the remastered versions of the series stack up against the originals.
Despite Team Ninja, the developers ofNiohandNinja Gaidenreleasing some gameplay trailers, this is some of the first actual gameplay that fans have seen. TheMaster Collectionis a remaster ofNinja Gaiden Sigma, Ninja Gaiden Sigma 2,andNinja Gaiden 3: Razor’s Edge,with superior framerate and resolution.It also compiles ‘most’ of the series' downloadable content, adds some exclusive artwork, and includes Ayane, Rachel, Momiji, and Kasumi as playable characters.
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In the gameplay footage,Ninja Gaiden Sigma 2is on display, and the remastered visuals are fairly evident, specifically the enhancement to the game’s textures and models. The video shows series protagonist Ryu Hyabusa traveling to the summit of Mt Fuji, one of the better known levels fromNinja GaidenSigma 2. The level culminates in a battle with one of the game’s main villains, Genshin, at the erupting summit of the mountain.Ninja Gaiden:Master Collection’senhanced visualsare perhaps most evident during the cutscene, where the lighting and increased fidelity can be seen as Hyabusa faces off with his foe.
While the reception to the newNinja Gaiden: Master Collectionhas been mostly positive, there have been some who have criticized Team Ninja for using the somewhat controversial Sigmaversions of the games in theNinja GaidenMaster Collection.Ninja Gaiden Sigmadoes add more content to the first game, however, the originalNinja Gaiden Blackis known to offer more of a challenge, along with having some extra puzzles and cutscenes that are missing from the remake.
Ninja Gaiden Sigma 2is perhaps more notorious, not only having a lower difficulty than its original counterpart, but also having all of the game’s gore removed, with dismembered foes releasing an odd purple mist instead of blood. The choice to include these versions of theNinja Gaidengames has certainly raised the ire of a subset of fans, but overall, the decision is likely to make for a more coherent gameplay experience, with the Sigma titles being more recent and having a more reasonable level of difficulty for most players,at least byNinja Gaidenstandards.
Despite fans squabbling over these details, theNinja Gaiden: Master Collectionwill be a great opportunity for fans of the series to pick the game up on PC and consoles, and likely a way for people who missed out on the original games to enjoy the hack and slash adventures of Ryu Hyabusa in 2021. Team Ninja is perhaps better known for thehighly successfulNiohgames these days, but perhaps this newMaster Collectionwill reinvigorate fan interest enough that the company will consider aNinja Gaiden 4.
Ninja Gaiden: Master Collectionreleases on June 10 for PC, PS4, Switch, and Xbox One.
