Dead Space

If there’s one game that hardly needs a remake today, it’s the original Dead Space. Don’t get me wrong, the remake is awesome, but the 2008 original still holds up remarkably well. The graphics were at the top of the industry and still look amazing today. But it’s the way the atmosphere was crafted that particularly leaves a lasting impression on us. The diagetic HUD is partly to thank for the top-notch immersion, but the Necromorph designs are especially timeless in their ability to send a chill down gamers’ spines. Dead Space also doesn’t have an ounce of jank in its DNA; it feels remarkably precise and intuitive to play today. We’re still seeing tons of triple-A games use that iconic over the shoulder perspective, and we have the original Dead Space to thank for convincing us that it’s awesome.

Crysis

Back in 2007, Crysis was the rosetta stone benchmark for PC performance. Today, maybe not as much, but it can still be confused as a modern game. It was one of the games boasting advanced volumetric lighting and crazy far draw distances, and the lush jungle environments made for an attractive display piece to show off that tech. Crysis was also pretty dang modern with its gameplay systems. The campaign let players freely explore the tropical sandbox with its wide-linear design. Like the studio’s Far Cry titles, a smorgasbord of vehicles were up for the taking to accomplish missions in varying ways. If the day/cycle or gunplay didn’t impress, the visuals sure did, and continue to.

Red Dead Redemption

The year was 2010, gamers were absolutely starving for an immersive wild west game, and Rockstar was the one studio poised to do it. They already released Red Dead Revolver in 2004 and had the technology to finally meet the setting’s great potential. And that they did. Red Dead Redemption’s sprawling open world is filled with fun activities and more interesting personalities than you can fit in a stage coach. It’s Rockstar’s best pre-GTA 5 game to return to have good time without much friction. And it’s highly recommended players go back to this gem to understand Red Dead Redemption 2, as it functions as a sequel to that game. It’s not hard to fall in love with it today given the tight gunplay and solid graphics.

Max Payne 3

Max Payne 3 is the second pre-GTA 5 Rockstar game that’s easiest to return to today. The big selling point is the bullet-time mechanic from previous entries being turned up a couple notches. There’s not a single game that I can think of that does slow-mo shootouts as well as Max Payne 3. The modern third-person shooting feels great to control, and carefully lining up slow-mo dive shots is a joy. Being the Rockstar game that it is, cinematics are top-notch as well, with zero loading between cutscenes and player-controlled action sections. A port to today’s platforms would be appreciated, but the graphics actually hold up just fine without need for an upgrade.

Dying Light 1

Dying Light achieved something few games outside Assassin’s Creed were willing to do at the time, and that’s a realistic and smooth parkour system. What’s more, you can parkour across pretty much any building or object in the large open world. Besides the advanced parkouring, the game also boasted dynamic day/night lighting that still impresses today. Dying Light is the newest game on this list, but the dark atmosphere and gritty story have an edge over its sequel, Dying Light 2, making it well worth playing 10 years later, especially to see Kyle Crane’s earlier adventures.

Heavy Rain

David Cage games were always ahead of their time, but it wasn’t until Heavy Rain until they started being legitimately fun to play on top of that. You can probably thank Heavy Rain for PlayStation’s recent narrative emphasis. The game was largely an interactive choose your own adventure movie. But unlike TellTale’s string of narrative games, Heavy Rain had truly spectacular graphics that many felt were lifelike at the time. The game still holds up today, partly thanks to its simple gameplay mechanics (it’s hard to make quick time events janky) and high budget graphics and acting talent.

Ninja Gaiden Black

And then there’s rarities like Ninja Gaiden Black which boast deeply technical gameplay that still feels smooth today. For being a 20 year old game, it sure does feel fluid and intuitive to pull off combos, thanks in part to great optimization. It also holds up to current trends in game. Ninja Gaiden Black was notorious for being one of the most difficult games at the time, but it fits well beside contemporary titles like Elden Ring and Hollow Knight Silksong with its difficulty. With distinct art direction and stylishly detailed character models, it’s a game that’s still easy on the eyes.

Borderlands 2

Many were rubbing their eyes when Borderlands 4 was revealed. Accusations were thrown around that it looked like the previous Borderlands games, and they’re not too far off. Borderlands has maintained a bold cartoonish look since the first game, but it’s really the second entry that polished and solidified its identity. Just like the graphics, the gunplay holds up remarkably well today. And with memorable villains like Handsome Jack, the story remains the best the series has ever seen.

DriveClub

If you can get a hold of a rare copy of DriveClub, do yourself a favor and grab it. The PS4 exclusive was notable for its photo-realistic rain effects and grounded yet approachable driving mechanics. I regularly see racing fans comparing modern driving games’ weather effects to DriveClub. That’s how dang good the game looked. While the online component can’t be experienced today, the single player career has plenty of races and challenges to warrant the price of admission. And with a simcade handling model that’s not too intimidating to learn yet difficult to master, you’ll find yourself glued to the rainsoaked windshield for many hours even amid today’s racers.

Far Cry 2

I know, I know, it’s easy to overlook Far Cry 2 now that we have over six entries, but it does some pretty unique things. A number of playable and non-playable mercenaries can be rescued and hired to go on missions with you. These teammates can be permanently killed if they’re not rescued or healed in time, making it easy to feel attached to them. Other than the buddy system, the game just looks great, featuring a robust African open world environment. If you’re a fan of the Far Cry series, the second game is a must-play that holds up perfectly fine today.

The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim

Ever since Skyrim’s release in 2011, players have memed it to death. One of the most popular memes, that being its constant string of re-releases, still finds itself with legs even now. It’s the game that refuses to die, whether it be because of its wealth of quests, role-playing possibilities, or extensive mod support. Even without any mods, it still looks and plays fantastic. Sure, you’ll encounter a handful of backwards-flying dragons, but even the bugs are worth experiencing in this beloved open-world RPG.

Batman Arkham City

2011 was a good time for games in general. Arkham City also came out in that year and it represents Rocksteady’s zenith. Arkham City is their most beloved game for a reason; it’s got the tightest example of their signature freeflow combat, some of the most intricate and addictive world design, and some amazing characterization. A lot of late PS3/Xbox 360 games still manage to look good today, but Arkham City looks and plays downright flawless.

Uncharted 2: Among Thieves

Speaking of timeless PS3 titles, Uncharted 2 just refuses to feel outdated. The rollercoaster pacing and attention to detail continues to be emulated and studied today. Even detractors of Uncharted 1’s gameplay love the way Uncharted 2 improved aiming and enemy encounter design. If you want to see what makes the Uncharted series so special, check out Uncharted 2, it sets up the rest of the games wonderfully and plays like a modern-day adventure title.

Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots

But if there’s any PS3 game that went above and beyond its contemporaries, it’s MGS 4. In true Kojima fashion, the storytelling is outfitted with a ridiculous amount of bells and whistles, perhaps even overstaying its time in the spotlight just a bit (looking at you hour-long cutscene). Motion capture was some of the most advanced for the time, and the voice talent gave Hollywood a run for their money. Many fans even say the gameplay is the best the series has ever had. It’s also the only game in the MGS series besides Peace Walker to feature the Psyche Gauge. Stealth was emphasized because killing spiked the gauge, making Snake more prone to shake while shooting. Now if only we’d finally get a remaster or port of MGS 4 so more players could experience it.

The Last of Us

The Last of Us has seen numerous remasters, a remake, and even a show, and for good reason. It represents Naughty Dog at their absolute peak. The Last of Us shocked just about everyone with its realistic graphics and mo-cap in 2013. And the brutal melee takedowns and hard-hitting story kept us hooked ever since. It’s hard to overstate just how good the original game plays all these years later, which is why all these remasters and remakes seem somewhat redundant to many fans. The original holds up so well today, and with a story so iconic and gripping, we won’t see the last of The Last of Us anytime soon.

Of course, Black is known for taking everything about the first Ninja Gaiden and essentially enhancing it, adding new difficulty options (including the series’ staple Master Ninja), Mission Mode, new bosses, and even improvements to the camera. The difficulty also changed numerous encounters, resulting in different enemy layouts and thus more challenging scenarios.

So, how much better is Ninja Gaiden 4 over Ninja Gaiden Black? Does it set a new standard for the series, or does it fall behind? Let’s dive in and find out.

Combat

“Methodical” is a good way to describe Ninja Gaiden’s combat as a whole since you couldn’t interrupt your own attacks, and it often paid to observe and react to enemy attacks. Black also incorporates the two post-launch Hurricane Packs for the original, but it doesn’t include Intercept (which is essentially Perfect Blocking). This made it far more challenging than the original.

What’s interesting is how it balanced agility with more stationary defense at the time – numerous attacks can be blocked. However, enemies can grab you or break through with powerful enough strikes, which means you’re encouraged to move around and dodge, leveraging your environment and other techniques, rather than sitting still and waiting to attack all the time. Alongside the Dragon Sword, players can utilize the Kitetsu (a mid-game katana), Nunchucks, the Vigoorian Flail, the two-handed Dabilahro, the War Hammer, and more than a few hidden options with the Lunar Staff and Smoke Bombs exclusive to Black.

By comparison, Ninja Gaiden 4’s combat offers several more options for approaching fights and a faster pace overall. Perfect Block can be used to transition into a counter-attack; parrying allows for unleashing techniques like Fatal Flash; perfectly dodging attacks temporarily slows time and lets you attack enemies on follow-up. The fundamentals of blocking remain, but there’s a lot more freedom to chain together techniques and combos with the addition of weapon switching, not to mention the ease of executing Ultimate techniques (which still provide invulnerability to damage).

And that’s not even accounting for Bloodraven Form, which includes a whole other set of benefits, whether it’s techniques that can effectively knock back groups of enemies or allow for highly-damaging bombs and shurikens. Berserk Mode also rewards your aggression with Bloodbath Kills, which can insta-kill enemies, and if you have the right accessory equipped, obtain some healing in the process. All of this fundamentally changes things from a scoring perspective, reducing the need to rely on items and the risk of death. If you can master them, of course.

Yakumo has four weapons, but Bloodraven effectively doubles that, even if their usage is tied to the Bloodbind gauge. Kage-Hiruko feels an anomaly among the selection because it packs in bombs, shurikens, flails, and much more into one package. Since you can also play as Ryu Hayabusa, that means you get access to the Dragon Sword as well (which, despite the lack of other options, feels great to use).

It’s also worth noting Obliteration Techniques, which were only introduced in Ninja Gaiden 2. While you miss out on them in Ninja Gaiden Black, they’re meant as a way to slay dismembered enemies before they can grab you and deal heavy damage. With the lack of such enemies, Obliteration becomes superfluous. Of course, it’s a core mechanic of Ninja Gaiden 4, since they recharge your Bloodbind gauge and facilitate Bloodraven techniques. Different systems, overall, but you miss out on the awe-inspiring animations, especially when obliterating bosses (and Ninja Gaiden 4 has some of the best in the series).

Overall, the combat comes down to preference. If you prefer something more methodical and moderately-paced, then Ninja Gaiden Black is the winner, but in terms of flashiness, combo potential and skill ceiling, especially with all the options available, Ninja Gaiden 4 emerges victorious. I prefer the latter, since Team Ninja and PlatinumGames go beyond simply building on the series’ fundamentals, seamlessly integrating new mechanics and systems while retaining a strong level of challenge.

Exploration and Side Content

Ninja Gaiden, and Black by extension, stick closer to a more traditional action-adventure format. You have a hub, there are puzzles to solve and keys to locate, which helps the world to feel more like an environment that you explore. Ninja Gaiden 4, however, is a lot more linear. There are side areas to discover, targets to assassinate, Gourdies to capture and whatnot, but for the most part, you’re progressing on a single track towards your objective with no room for really dispelling the Dark Dragon seals in any order.

Which makes some sense given how the story plays out. The traversal is far more expanded as a result, as you wingsuit through ravines, grind on monorail tracks, grapple to avoid oncoming trains, and plummet down waterfalls. And when comparing side content, Ninja Gaiden 4 easily has the advantage. Even with Black’s Mission Mode offering a whopping 50 different scenarios to tackle, Ninja Gaiden 4 includes its own Boss Trials and Combat Missions, multiple ways to tackle its wave-based gates, and Chapter Select to run through the entire game as either Ryu or Yakumo on top of different difficulties.

Presentation

Another aspect that comes down to personal taste is the graphics and music. The visuals in Ninja Gaiden 4 definitely look sharper, especially when it comes to the textures, character models and quality of the animations. But for its time, Ninja Gaiden Black stood out well, offering a richer color palette. Comparatively, whether you’re battling through the Underworld or venturing through a windswept valley, Ninja Gaiden 4 feels more muted. The DDO’s facilities can also come across as sterile at times, with little to really make them stand out. It does have its fair share of moments, which showcase some impressive attention to detail and lighting, so there’s that.

The music is much harder to judge because Ninja Gaiden Black’s tracks are very much representative of their era. There’s an abundance of techno intermixed with classical instruments, and it all works to convey the atmosphere around each situation (see the battle with Doku for how well all these arrangements mix). Ninja Gaiden 4’s soundtrack is solid overall, but I’m struggling to really recount that many memorable tracks aside from Umi’s Shop theme. Definitely worth another listen, but for now, Ninja Gaiden Black gets the nod in terms of presentation.

Bonus: The Story

There’s no two ways about it – Ninja Gaiden Black is the winner. Its narrative may start simply enough – with Ryu on a mission to retrieve the Dark Dragon Blade – but it’s laden with lore, memorable characters (both heroes and villains) and unique moments. I wouldn’t say Ninja Gaiden 4’s story is outright terrible, but its characters aren’t nearly as fleshed out (the DDO is about as surface-level as it can get, and the Fiends are kind of just there). Yakumo’s tale to uplift the Raven Clan and Seori’s personal quest are nice and all, but I still enjoyed Ryu’s journey in Ninja Gaiden Black far more.

Conclusion

There’s a reason that Ninja Gaiden Black is considered the best in the series, and suffice to say that it still holds up after all these years. Ninja Gaiden 4 is second-best (at least in this comparison), but it’s worth checking out for the combat and the sheer roller coaster of a story, regardless.

Note: The views expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily represent the views of, and should not be attributed to, GamingBolt as an organization.

Halo: Combat Evolved

It’s crazy to believe that Halo: Combat Evolved began as a third-person shooter for the Mac. Developed by Bungie, the original game arguably took console first-person shooters to the next level with giant sandbox levels that facilitated multiple approaches, an incredible soundtrack and massive battles. Sure, the level design and story could have been better, but as many gamers’ first introduction to Master Chief, it was perfect.

BATMAN: ARKHAM SERIES

Gotham’s villains have been trying to kill the Batman for as long as he has been around, and the Arkham series has some fun with the moments where, for whatever reason, you do send the Caped Crusader to an early grave. Whatever villain it is that you’re going up against will show up on a black screen, look down at your corpse, and hurl insults at you. Some, like the Joker’s are funny in a twisted sort of way, while others, like Killer Croc’s, just seem a little excessive. Either way, it’s a cool spin on the classic “game over” screen.

ULTRA NECROZMA (POKEMON ULTRA SUN AND ULTRA MOON)

A general and ever-increasing lack of challenge has been one of the biggest issues with the mainline Pokemon series for some time now, but credit where credit is due- Pokemon Ultra Sun and Ultra Moon actually had some pretty tough fights. In fact, the fight against Ultra Necrozma is probably one of the toughest fights ever in a Pokemon game. Boosted stats, a sudden jump in its level, a moveset that can do devastating damage, and more ensure that even with the best party composition, you’ll struggle in the fight against Ultra Necrozma.

Guitar Hero

Guitar Hero was the first word in rhythm-based games when it first rolled around. Though mass appeal helped it to achieve great success, actually trying to get good at the game was a task. Mastering the basic controls? No problem. Trying to advance up the ladder and surpass some of the tougher songs, especially Through the Fire and The Flames? It’s definitely not for everyone. Regardless, Guitar Hero was a fun era in gaming.

SA-X – Metroid Fusion

The Metroid series was creating atmosphere and tension from simple world design as far back as its inception, so when Metroid Fusion took the series on a slightly different path for a handheld game, their masterstroke was introducing the SA-X. The result of her infected Power Suit being pulled together by the mimetic X Parasites, the player is hunted throughout the game by the heartless creature with the full power of a endgame Samus. Powerless to harm the SA-X, should they hear the telltale footsteps and accompanying anxiety, the player can only run or hide throughout the entirety of the game, until the final showdown at least. 

Rather than talking about what’s in store for us in the future, though, let’s instead take a look back and talk about what have been some of the best ninja and samurai related games over the years. In this list, we’re going to take a look at fifteen such games. Given just how vast and popular this genre is, it goes without saying that this list isn’t going to be exhaustive by any means, so if we failed to mention any of your favourites, fire away in the comments section below.

Also note that just for the purpose of this feature, we’re clubbing samurais and ninjas together- we know they’re not one and the same. But you know, convenience and all. Also, this list is in random order and isn’t ranked, so keep that in mind as well.

Without further ado, then, let’s get right into it!

SAMURAI SHODOWN

Back in the days of the insane craze surrounding Street Fighter II, fighters were all the rage. Samurai Shodown came along and put an irresistable, samurai-centric spin on it. It wasn’t a revolutionary game, and it didn’t do anything that could be called unprecedented, but as those who have played it would gladly tell you, it was an absolute blast. With its dedication and focus on samurais, it’s a a game you simply must play if you’re a fan of the subject matter.

Death Egg Robot – Sonic 4 Episode 1

While we’d all like to forget this game and pretend that Sonic Mania is the real Sonic 4, Sega did play around with the idea of episodic titles using that loaded name. The final boss lifts the iconic Death Egg Robot nearly wholesale from Sonic 2. Nearly. When on the final hit, the mad doctor will stomp one more time, and crumble the entire floor beneath the player with no warning, unless they somehow know when and how to intercept that attack, they’re back to the start of the boss rush.

And while we saw games like Uncharted, ModNation Racers, Assassin’s Creed, and Call of Duty falter in the transition to Sony’s handheld, Sigma Plus made it through mostly unscathed. Sure, there were a few cutbacks, and of course there were a few compromises, but of course there would be some, it was a launch game, and the developers first time with the hardware.

So of course, Sigma Plus had a few drawbacks, but on the whole it was a great port of a great game, now available in full on the go. It was hoped that the inevitable Sigma 2 Plus would fix the few glaring flaws of Sigma Plus, and deliver the quintessential action game experience on the PS Vita.

With Sigma 2 Plus, that has unfortunately not happened. The flaws that plagued the original Sigma Plus are all here, and sometimes they are even more noticeable. Having said that, however, it does not change the fact that Sigma 2 Plus remains one of the most ambitious PS Vita games, one of the most thrilling and amazing ones, and flat out one of the most recommendable ones, simply because of how good the core game is.

For those not in the know, Sigma 2 Plus is the port of the PS3 port of the Xbox 360 original Ninja Gaiden 2. The sequel to the celebrated Xbox original was criticized for not living up to the impossible expectations set by Itagaki’s masterpiece, but was nonetheless an appreciated addition to the series.

Sigma 2 Plus, like the original game on which it is based, takes place a year after the first Ninja Gaiden game, and it involves Ryu Hayabusa, the series protagonist, looking into an attack by a mysterious rival ninja clan. The story is long and harrowing, but ultimately pointless. It serves as an excuse to take you from one locale to the next, fighting one wave of enemies to the next.

That fighting is thrilling in how precise, clinically lethal, and technically complex it is. The battle system of the original game has been preserved here with all of its nuances, and more importantly, the blood and the gore that define the series (and made the Xbox 360 version of the game much more superior to the PS3 port) are all here too.

Of course, it is worth noting the combat, good as it is, has not aged all that well, and there are times when what were initially lauded as some great enhancements now stand out as poor design decisions. Oftentimes, the game can feel outright cheap, especially because of its own inconsistency; the same move will have a different effect different times, and the enemies themselves seem to be relentless in their swarming to the point where it just feels like bad game design as opposed to real challenge.

The combat issues are exacerbated by the other issues the original game had, and which Sigma 2 Plus retains, such as a bad camera, some really poor and confining level design, overpowered moves from Ryu that can often clear off the entire screen at once, and so on. Add to all of these the issues that are specific to the Vita version- to get the game running on the hardware, the framerate has been cut from 60 FPS to 30 FPS, and it doesn’t even hold steady at that, often dipping to dangerously unplayable sub 20 FPS levels; the number of enemies on screen seem to be reduced, there are more jaggies everywhere, bad textures, more flickering and even what felt like pop ins- and you see that there are issues galore with Sigma 2 Plus, possibly more than the original Sigma Plus.

And yet you find yourself returning to it repeatedly. If you want to show your Vita off to friends, this is the game you use. If you want to recommend a good, deep game to your friend on the Vita, this is the game you recommend. That is because, in spite of all the issues that plague this game, both in general, and the ones that are specific to the Vita game, the strength of the core game is so good that it shines through. Like Metal Gear Solid 3D: Snake Eater, the 3DS port of the PS2 game that suffered from similar issues, the integrity of the core game design is what shines through here.

Ultimately, that’s the reason you should get Sigma 2 Plus. While there are issues, loads of them, the game itself is great to play; while it’s a pity that what could have been the definitive version of a good game has been so held back by so many unnecessary issues, the game itself is among the best on the platform right now. Ninja Gaiden Sigma 2 Plus is a cautionary tale against too much ambition, but in the end, it is that same ambition that makes this title stand out.

This game was reviewed on the Playstation Vita.