There seems to be a new Ninja Gaiden on the way. At least, we think there is.

This is according to series composer Keiji Yamagishi who noted on Twitter that, “I’m pleased to announce that I’m working on a new project related to Ninja Gaiden. I’ll be able to share more news in July!”

The key part is “related to Ninja Gaiden“. It’s possible that this new project isn’t necessarily a sequel but could be a new series of sorts.

Team Ninja is the developer of the Ninja Gaiden series and is currently working on Nioh for the PlayStation 4, expected to release later this year. What are your thoughts on a new Ninja Gaiden and what do you expect from it? Let us know in the comments and stay tuned for more information next month.

In 2014, Nintendo managed to even reverse the Wii U’s sales momentum a little– sales are up this year, compared to last year- and they managed to reverse the Wii U’s perception, at least among enthusiast gamers, from a standing joke to a highly desirable platform with the best library of exclusives on the market.

Their lineup for this year had a lot to do with all of this, sure, but a lot of it also had to do with their stellar E3 showing back in June, where they demonstrated that, unlike some other companies, just because their system was underperforming, they would not abandon it. Instead, they doubled down and showed off a slate of great upcoming games on the platform, that somehow looks even better than everything we already have.

In this list, we look at those upcoming games- there’s an amazing lineup of new Wii U games announced for 2015, and here, we will look at just which of these are the ones you should be looking forward to the most in the coming year.

Ready? Okay, here we go.

Project Guard/Project Giant Robot

Exactly what these games are, we’re not quite sure yet, which is a bit surprising, given that Nintendo is so insistent that they are coming next year. We actually don’t even know if they are two separate games yet- but given that Nintendo has always shown them off and referred to them together, we’re going to go ahead and assume that they’re both part of the same package.

Undoubtedly, these were the weakest part of Nintendo’s otherwise stellar E3 showing. We had been hearing a lot about the new mysterious project Miyamoto had been working on, and how it would utilize the Wii U Gamepad in innovative ways, but their E3 debut, at least, left a lot to be desired, and the games just ended up coming off looking rough and unpolished, and also unconvincing proof of concepts. The Treehouse stream, which you can see above, was a little better, as they started to look like some interesting and innovative takes on existing genres. Although right now, it may be easy to just dismiss them as unpolished tech demos, it would probably be unwise- from these rough tech demos, Miyamoto has wrought masterpieces before such as Pikmin, or crowd pleasers such as Wii Sports.

Whether or not Project Giant Robot/Project Guard end up in that same list of successes for him remains to be seen, but the man has earned our benefit of the doubt- if anyone can innovatively make a compelling case for the Wii U Gamepad, Miyamoto is it, so we’re going to watch just how this pet project of his turns out.

Dead or Alive 5: Last Round was a pretty damn good fighting game (probably the best entry from a technical standpoint in the entire series, actually), that didn’t quite get the recognition that it deserved at the time of its release. Since then, subsequent re-releases have ensured that it has always stuck around however, and now it seems like Tecmo and Team Ninja are prepping it for one final round- Dead or Alive 5: Last Round has been announced as the definitive edition of the fighting game, and it will be coming to the Xbox 360, PS3, Xbox One, and PS4.

“DEAD OR ALIVE 5 Last Round marks an exciting step forward for the franchise, and one that fans have been asking for,” said Yosuke Hayashi, Team NINJA leader. “Bringing the game to a new generation of consoles is allowing us to create the most graphically striking version of any Dead or Alive game ever, and we are very happy to give our fans the chance to experience our signature high energy fighting entertainment as only the latest consoles can deliver it.”

Tecmo is ensuring that the game will remain consumer friendly, as they have announced that pPayers can bring their run of rosters, costumes and accessories from DEAD OR ALIVE 5 Ultimate, as previously purchased DLC content will be transferable from last gen consoles to the PS4 and Xbox One. They have also announced that the game will retail for much less than the standard game, with the PS3 and Xbox 360 versions going for £24.99, and the PS4 and Xbox One versions costing £34.99, both pricepoints being much less than a brand new game usually costs.

Dead or Alive 5: Last Round launches in Spring 2015.

Look, I’m as skeptical as any about the upcoming Yaiba: Ninja Gaiden Z, the cyberpunk inspired take on the popular, long running action game series, especially given the recent installments in the series (such as the horrific Ninja Gaiden 3), but I mean, this one looks intriguing enough that I want to be cautiously optimistic.

The new developer diary that you see above talks about the range of new action moves that Team Ninja decided on for the upcoming game, and while again, your initial inclination might be to dismiss some of their more outlandish ideas, when you see how they seem to be working on it, you might be more willing to give the game a chance.

Especially considering that it does have not just Team Ninja working on it, but also Comcept, and… Spark Entertainment.

Okay, maybe we shouldn’t get all hyped just yet, but hey, who knows, this might be great.

Toukiden: Age of Demons, the monster hunting game developed and published by Tecmo for the PSP and PS Vita in Japan, is finally hitting western shores today exclusively on the Vita.

Telling a story steeped in Japanese history and mythos, about an invasion by a demonic horde that must be held at bay, Toukiden tests the player’s skill to the max in frenetic, and yet deliberate action that can be enjoyed either alone or with friends (locally and online). Unlike most other games in its genre, Toukiden places emphasis on storytelling, providing some context to the beasts that you slay.

Toukiden: Age of Demons is a long game, with hours upon hours of content, and might actually go down as one of the best purchases available on the platform yet- look forward to our official review for the game in the coming days to find out exactly how well it holds up, especially against genre behemoth Monster Hunter on the 3DS.

The Ninja Gaiden series has sirely seen better days. After the highs that it hit with Ninja Gaiden Black and Ninja Gaiden II, recent entries- most notably, Ninja Gaiden III- has been extremely disappointing, and just mediocre games all around.

That is why I am cautious about Yaiba: Ninja Gaiden Z, a new approach to the series that apparently will transport the trademark action the games are known for to a new, cyberpunk setting, and try to reinvent the now sagging franchise. At the very least, though, the game sports a highly interesting visual style, looking like a living, stylized comic book, so it does have that going for it.

The new developer diary discusses the birth of the game, with Team Ninja, Comcept and Spark Unlimited all detailing how the collaboration came about, and how they make their differing east and west game development philosophies work together.

Yaiba: Ninja Gaiden Z releases on Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, and Steam on PC on March 4, 2014.

Tecmo Koei’s upcoming Monster Hunter clone exclusive to the PSP and PS Vita, that found itself a sizeable audience back in Japan, is also coming over to Europe early next year (although only the Vita version; sorry, PSP!). Tecmo Koei has now confirmed the release date, as well as several pre-order bonuses.

The game will launch on February 14, 2014 in Europe; those who pre-order Toukiden through the PlaystationNetwork will receive Mitama of Momotaro, a warrior’s soul that will strengthen the player’s skill, along with a piece of armor (cat ears). In addition, Tecmo Koei announced DLC, one including the Mitama of Niijima Yae and a piece of armour (fox mask), and the second, meatier one including two extra mission collections.

Toukiden is one of the rare breakout hit stories on the PS Vita, having sold nearly half a million units in Japan alone. Stay tuned to GamingBolt for more coverage of the title.

Tecmo Koei announced its lineup for Europe in 2014 yesterday, and unless you’re a PlayStation fan, you’re pretty much out of luck, as the lineup seems to focus exclusively on titles for PlayStation platforms.

Headlining Tecmo’s slate of games is Toukiden: Age of Demons, the monster hunting game released on PlayStation Portable and PlayStation Vita in Japan recently to great commercial success; Europe (and presumably other western territories) get this game in 2014, although Tecmo seems to be foregoing the PSP version entirely and bringing us just the PS Vita edition of the game.

Other games include Atelier Escha & Logy: Alchemists of the Dusk Sky, a direct sequel to Atelier Ayesha: The Alchemist of Dusk; the title will be released in Europe in early 2014 for the PlayStation 3, and represents a fairly major shake up for the series in that it is the first time players will be able to choose which narrative part to follow.

Finally, Deception IV: Blood Ties, a reimagining of the 1996 hit PlayStation title Devil’s Deception, will be hitting both PS3 and PS Vita next year.

Sounds like owners of PS3 and/or PS Vita are getting showered with Tecmo goodness, at least.

There’s not much to say other than the graphics still looks sub-par and the English voice acting is still a tad cheesy. However, Dynasty Warriors always manages to charm the fans with it’s somewhat repetitive gameplay but yet fun at the same time.

Let us know if you’re looking forward to playing Dynasty Warriors 8 on July 19th, in the comments section down below.

Stay tuned to GamingBolt for news, updates and our review of the game.

inja Gaiden 3: Razor’s Edge is an enhanced ported version for the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 with all the additional downloadable content and improvements to the game. The game originally launched for Wii U as a launch title in 2012 (check out the Wii U version review here). How does the enhanced port fare over to the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360? In short, I am quite happy with the port and had a ton of fun with the game. However, I will be discussing the game’s presentation, gameplay, trophies and overall verdict in a more detailed manner as usual.

Presentation:

Ninja Gaiden 3: Razor’s Edge looks a little bit dated. The characters and monsters for the most part look nice, but they do not blend in well with the environments. The environments look rather bland compared to the characters, due to lower poly count and texture resolutions. It is not very bad though, the game still looks decent and most importantly fun to play.

The levels in the game are varied and you will be visiting different parts of the world such as islands, tech labs and more throughout the course of the game.

"Ninja Gaiden 3: Razor's Edge looks a little bit dated. The characters and monsters for the most part look nice, but they do not blend in well with the environments."

The music in the game does the job fine; some of the voice acting can get cheesy due to the dialogue of the game. The story in Ninja Gaiden 3: Razor’s Edge is simple. Ryu Hayabusa is visited by the Japan’s Self-Defense Force and ask him to aid them against the terrorist threats in London. As you can imagine, things start to happen as you play through the game and the story continues.

To be completely honest I did not care about the story as it was just not interesting to me and I believe it will not be for others either. Ninja Gaiden was never known for a great story or fantastic characters, the game was always about the challenging gameplay and combat. If you are looking for a deep storyline with excellent narrative then look elsewhere because you will not find it here

Gameplay:

Ninja Gaiden 3: Razor’s Edge truly shines in it’s gameplay and its awesome combat. The Ninja Gaiden franchised was always about the challenging and smart enemy AI, difficult boss fights and fast-paced adrenaline pumping combat. Thanks to flash animations and responsive combat controls, the gameplay feels smooth and fun. There are different weapons that you can get throughout the game, but as always, you start with your default dragon blade katana. Later on you will unlock a Lunar Staff, a giant scythe called Eclipse that acts as a slow heavy weapon, dual katanas and more.

Each weapon is unique; all of them have different styles and combos and serve a particular purpose. One of the weapons can be more effective against a particular enemy as opposed to a different weapon and so on. Best part of the combat system is that it is just never gets old thanks to the beautiful gory and bloody executions that you can trigger when an enemy is missing a part of their body.

Throughout the game you will also encounter hidden collectable items such as Golden Scarabs and Skulls. You gain 5000 Karma for every Golden Scarab collected. However, every time you get 5 Golden Scarabs you unlock new character traits, ninpos and of course weapons. There are a total of 50 Golden Scarabs to collect in the entire game and they are essential to the player if they plan on beating the game on Ultimate Ninja difficulty.

As you slay humanoids and fiends throughout your challenging adventure, you will start gaining something called “Karma”. Karma is an in-game experience currency that is used to unlock special moves for Ryu, level up his weapons and Ninpos. Ninpos are your magical based attacks that can only be used when your ninpo energy bar is full.

"There will be many times where you will just escape a combat segment with a small inch of your life bar still on the screen. "

Players can restore some of their health by using their Ninpo attack during combat if they are in a sticky situation. There will be many times where you will just escape a combat segment with a small inch of your life bar still on the screen. There are four different Ninpos that are available in the game. The first one is unlocked at start of the game; the other three will be unlocked later.

The game’s combat sections get difficult as you get further in the later levels. Players will eventually start fighting with harder enemy combinations and will be forced to use strategy in order to live and continue on to the next save point. Luckily, after every combat section, the game saves a checkpoint so you do not have to fight again if you lose the next battle. Developers did a good job with the balancing of passive checkpoints and actual game saves throughout the game.

Another cool thing about the game is that throughout the story you will also play as the female characters. Girls like Ayane, Kasumi and Momiji are all playable in Ninja Gaiden 3: Razors Edge. Each of them has their own unique weapon and fighting styles. This makes the game more varied just because Ryu is not the only badass around the block and there are other characters and weapons to play with.

Overall, the single-player campaign is divided into 8 days (8 chapters to be more precise). However, some of the days you also play as one of the female characters as part of the game’s main storyline. Each day takes about 30-40 minutes to beat depending on your play style, difficulty and skill. I probably spent though a couple of hours on each level due to the fact I was playing on Mentor difficulty.

Multiplayer:

Ninja Gaiden 3: Razor’s Edge also packs in Ninja Trials and multiplayer options on top of the single-player campaign. Ninja Trials are awesome and can be played both solo and co-op online. You can pick which character you want to play online, level up your ranking, and unlock weapons, character traits and costumes that are completely separate from the single-player campaign.

Clan Battles are a new addition to the Ninja Gaiden series; these are online team death-matches that are up to eight players, 4 on each team. However, I did not really enjoy the clan battles. The online combat between players’ feels somewhat clunky. Majority of the time I was trying to figure out if it was due to latenc, skill or if it just did not feel right. I think overall, this versus mode can eventually work but maybe in the future titles of the franchise but not in this one. I can see this as an experiment for the developers rather than an actual legit versus mode.

Trophies:

Trophies in Ninja Gaiden 3: Razor’s Edge is perfect in my opinion. They range from beating the game on each of the difficulties, completing a certain amount of Ninja Trials on particular difficulty and leveling up to level 50 online which can actually be done solo through the Ninja Trials if you don’t want to play co-op or clan battles.

Collecting all of the Scarabs and Skulls will also reward you with trophies. This is probably one of the more challenging platinum trophies to get due to the difficulty of the Ninja Gaiden franchise. About 90% of the trophies are all skill based.

Overall Verdict

"The game costs only $40 and includes all of the downloadable content, improved AI and enhanced gameplay. You cannot go wrong with this purchase."

Ninja Gaiden 3 Razor’s Edge is an excellent single-player third-person action game. It provides a great challenge for those who are looking for enjoyable combat, ninja trials provide plenty of replay value for the game and the addition of a completely separate online ranking system and characters is nice.

However, the game’s dated graphics, non-interesting story and some of the camera issues can bog down the experience just a tad bit, but it is not that bad. If you are a fan of the series you will enjoy this game, I also recommend it to those that have never played a Ninja Gaiden game before. The game costs only $40 and includes all of the downloadable content, improved AI and enhanced gameplay. You cannot go wrong with this purchase.

This game was reviewed on the PlayStation 3.