Ninja Gaiden 3

 PlayStation 3
User Score
5.1

Mixed or average reviews- based on 172 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 60 out of 172
  2. Mixed: 34 out of 172
  3. Negative: 78 out of 172
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  1. RUST
    Mar 23, 2012
    6
    Ryu talks too much, was my first complaint, and from there things just continued to snowball in a never ending series of barely enjoyable adventures. Granted Ninja Gaiden 3 is a much more accessible entry than usual, and the added multiplayer is a step up from Sigma's Co Op, but in its journey to gain national acceptance it has lost much of the charm that made Ninja Gaiden so enjoyable inRyu talks too much, was my first complaint, and from there things just continued to snowball in a never ending series of barely enjoyable adventures. Granted Ninja Gaiden 3 is a much more accessible entry than usual, and the added multiplayer is a step up from Sigma's Co Op, but in its journey to gain national acceptance it has lost much of the charm that made Ninja Gaiden so enjoyable in the first place. So lets summarise; the plot is daft, the gameplay is basic but very functional despite the obvious lack of weapons, the game itself is just long enough but lacks the challenge it is known for. If it was any other game I would have enjoyed it, but this is Ninja Gaiden and I expected much more. The most disappointing thing is that, at select moments, there are signs of the Ninja Gaiden of old. Unfortunately those moments are lost in the sea of 'meh' this game drowns you in. Rent it or skip it, I doubt you'll be impressed with it.… Expand
  2. Ninja_Gaiden_X
    Mar 20, 2012
    5
    Along with the rest here, I too am disappointed how this game turned out. Team Ninja, please... get a clue! Don't strip something that works and replace it with something that doesn't work... If you want to follow the western style game development, take a cue from Cliffy B and the Gears of War franchise, Jade Raymond and the Assassin's Creed series, the Uncharted series, Metal GearAlong with the rest here, I too am disappointed how this game turned out. Team Ninja, please... get a clue! Don't strip something that works and replace it with something that doesn't work... If you want to follow the western style game development, take a cue from Cliffy B and the Gears of War franchise, Jade Raymond and the Assassin's Creed series, the Uncharted series, Metal Gear series, Rocksteady's Batman games and of course, from your old mentor and the original Team Ninja which brought back the Ninja Gaiden 1 and 2 for the Xbox 360... All these games stayed true to what works and improved upon what worked and sprinkled in new game mechanics... not tear it down and discard the things which made these games fun to play with in the first place. I did like the Sigma games a little bit, but I didn't appreciate how the Sigma series ruined the flow of the series by alternating characters in the story mode and eliminating the dismemberment, the gore, and the number of enemies you fight on screen.

    Tecmo/KOEI: Take this as a lesson. Don't alienate the fans and expect to appeal to newer audience. Ninja Gaiden is a great franchise. Still, I won't rate it as low as the others... I will give Yosuke Hayashi and his crew some credit for improved visuals, great level design and the attempt for trying something new... but the mediocre score of "5" is deserving for reasons I had mentioned above. But do please remember the trademarks of what made the Ninja Gaiden series great:
    Fast-fluid-non-stop action, level progression, enemy and level variation, blood and dismemberment, brutal, relentless, weapon variation...

    Just bring Itagaki back for God's sake, Tecmo!    … Expand
  3. dharma
    Mar 28, 2012
    7
    Not as bad as what people says..but I do agree with some of the reviews out there about the game losing a lot of its mojo. Ninja Gaiden 3 feels off somehow.The first two are great because they transplanted fighting game aesthetics and controls to what is essentially a 'brawler'. Mash any buttons in Gaiden 3 and you will always get impressive results. Yet it has the best camera control ofNot as bad as what people says..but I do agree with some of the reviews out there about the game losing a lot of its mojo. Ninja Gaiden 3 feels off somehow.The first two are great because they transplanted fighting game aesthetics and controls to what is essentially a 'brawler'. Mash any buttons in Gaiden 3 and you will always get impressive results. Yet it has the best camera control of all the 3, with no confusing blind spots. Nevertheless, while not necessarily a bad game, Itagaki's gaidens are so much better and cooler.… Expand
  4. LiquidGamer
    Apr 3, 2012
    7
    Not sure why everyone hates this game so much. It had better locations than all previous NG games and the additions of slo-mo kills and a better save system make this a much better experience than games past. It does NOT have a lot of replay value if any, but it was good--it was easy though... Maybe too easy to be given the NG name. Even though it was less ninja and more button masher, theNot sure why everyone hates this game so much. It had better locations than all previous NG games and the additions of slo-mo kills and a better save system make this a much better experience than games past. It does NOT have a lot of replay value if any, but it was good--it was easy though... Maybe too easy to be given the NG name. Even though it was less ninja and more button masher, the game still was a blast and kept me playing to the end. Quit hating! http://liquidgamer.podbean.com/… Expand
  5. ZombiSnypr
    Mar 26, 2012
    7
    A good game reviewer critiques a game based on its own merits and does not draw its score based on comparisons to past iterations, self expectations, and certainly not because of who the game's director is or, in this case, is not.
    That said, Ninja Gaiden 3 is certainly not a broken game. The combat is good, the AI is good. The animations and cutscenes are striking. The camera can be    A good game reviewer critiques a game based on its own merits and does not draw its score based on comparisons to past iterations, self expectations, and certainly not because of who the game's director is or, in this case, is not.
    That said, Ninja Gaiden 3 is certainly not a broken game. The combat is good, the AI is good. The animations and cutscenes are striking. The camera can be frustrating here and there, but it does not ruin the game. The story at times feels disjointed as if it's been created by different writers then thrown together. It sometimes seems to forget or scrap previous events. Online multiplayer has a decent foundation to build on, but know it can be brutal if you're entering it for the first time and are up against other players at much higher levels.
    The lack of weapons and upgrades in single player did not bother me at all here. This is a much slimmer Ninja Gaiden than what fans of the series may be used to, but that does not make it a bad game on its own. Ninja Gaiden 3 does feel more like Michael Bay's Ninja Gaiden. It's not deep, but it does make for an enjoyable ride.    … Expand
  6. Pepsi_Biofusion
    Mar 24, 2012
    5
    I still can
  7. ThrustyNinja
    Mar 25, 2012
    7
    This game is definitely not as bad as everyone is making out to be, it just depends on your expectations going into it. If you are looking for a pure sequel with more weapons and cleavage to ogle then this is not the game for you. However if you just want an action packed no nonsense killing spree then this is the game for you. Sure there are only three weapons in the story mode(sword,This game is definitely not as bad as everyone is making out to be, it just depends on your expectations going into it. If you are looking for a pure sequel with more weapons and cleavage to ogle then this is not the game for you. However if you just want an action packed no nonsense killing spree then this is the game for you. Sure there are only three weapons in the story mode(sword, bow, and shuriken) and no items to pick up but the streamlined approach is kind of refreshing. Gone are the lame find the lever or place the stone to progress segments from the previous games that did nothing more than slow the pace and take away from what you were really looking forward to (the killing). Also gone is the constant inventory management and weapon switching, one of my least favorite parts of the previous games.As far as the action is concerned there are far too many QTE interruptions however after western audiences buy games like God of War like they are going out of style it's only natural to think that eastern developers would jump on the bandwagon. That being said it would have been nice to turn off the in combat QTE's. In the end I do agree with many of the other reviewers in that this game would have been better received had it been a stand alone game and not a supposed sequel to the first two games. If your going to change a game so dramatically don't imply that it's what people are looking forward to by naming it as the next in the series.… Expand
  8. Nykteas
    Mar 27, 2012
    7
    I understand why many people may feel cheated by the core changes Team Ninja made to the Game but there are some pretty solid aspects of the game to add to the fun. It all depends on what you're looking for in a game, sure story ain't that great but it never was, NG was always about the bloody, fast paced action you expect from a game with Ninja in it's name. What they've taken away byI understand why many people may feel cheated by the core changes Team Ninja made to the Game but there are some pretty solid aspects of the game to add to the fun. It all depends on what you're looking for in a game, sure story ain't that great but it never was, NG was always about the bloody, fast paced action you expect from a game with Ninja in it's name. What they've taken away by removing the upgrades and weapon variety they more than make up with endless slaughter and a surprisingly fun multiplayer aspect of the game. Bottom line is, the hardcore NG player may find it lacking but for all the fans of hardcore slaughter is a great choice.… Expand
  9. Robbie111222
    Apr 9, 2012
    5
    This is a game I rented after the many negative reviews, I'm glad I did, such a disappointing experience here, decent graphics, decency hack and slash, button mashing pad wrecking game, here lies a flimsily created game, theirs little skill here, lack of moves, and a repetitive dragon special. Annoying enemies, no exploration, no weapons apart from a sword, and a bow. Multiplayer hmmmm okThis is a game I rented after the many negative reviews, I'm glad I did, such a disappointing experience here, decent graphics, decency hack and slash, button mashing pad wrecking game, here lies a flimsily created game, theirs little skill here, lack of moves, and a repetitive dragon special. Annoying enemies, no exploration, no weapons apart from a sword, and a bow. Multiplayer hmmmm ok let's not go their.… Expand
  10. LastCylon
    Mar 29, 2012
    7
    I know, I know, this is not an Itagaki Ninja Gaiden! So what? This is by no means as bad a game as people are making it out to be. In fact it is a pretty good hack 'n' slasher - though a bit heavy on the button mashing - and quite accessible, especially for people who couldn't get past the first boss in the previous installments. So, yeah, this is not an Itagaki Ninja Gaiden, but it stillI know, I know, this is not an Itagaki Ninja Gaiden! So what? This is by no means as bad a game as people are making it out to be. In fact it is a pretty good hack 'n' slasher - though a bit heavy on the button mashing - and quite accessible, especially for people who couldn't get past the first boss in the previous installments. So, yeah, this is not an Itagaki Ninja Gaiden, but it still is a fun game...… Expand
  11. TheQuietGamer
    Apr 21, 2012
    7
    This was my first time playing a Ninja Gaiden game and I think the series has a new fan especially if the other games stories are this fantastic, as a person who was just recently deciding whether to get back into anime or not this game helped my decision as it brought back all sorts of memories of some of my favorite ones mostly do to the plot and characters, the game is constantlyThis was my first time playing a Ninja Gaiden game and I think the series has a new fan especially if the other games stories are this fantastic, as a person who was just recently deciding whether to get back into anime or not this game helped my decision as it brought back all sorts of memories of some of my favorite ones mostly do to the plot and characters, the game is constantly throwing insane moments at you that will have you saying OMG THAT WAS SO COOL!!!!!, the gameplay kinda reminded me of the PS2 Devil May Cry games but with less polish and a lot more repetition, throughout it's story you'll mostly be doing the same thing throughout, clear out room climb wall, clear out room jump off building, clear out room slide under something, ect. ect. it's still fun but I wish there was more variety, and it also packs some surprisingly fun multiplayer, and some ok co-op missions, and features Playstation Move controls, in the end it's good but not great, but I do still recommend it even with it's flaws, but there are better options out there, maybe you should rent it instead of going out and buying it right away, still it's a fun albeit flawed experience.… Expand
  12. darkwraith
    Sep 11, 2012
    7
    Ninja Gaiden 3 is nowhere near as bad as the earlier reviews made it out to be. Graphically its as detailed as it ever was and looks every bit a triple A title. The new combat which is what disgruntled a lot of the series fans while nowhere near as good as the original sword play is a change and works in places and makes for a good playable game. in other places things like the kunai climbNinja Gaiden 3 is nowhere near as bad as the earlier reviews made it out to be. Graphically its as detailed as it ever was and looks every bit a triple A title. The new combat which is what disgruntled a lot of the series fans while nowhere near as good as the original sword play is a change and works in places and makes for a good playable game. in other places things like the kunai climb are that clumsy to pull off it really doesn't belong in a game of ninja gaidens previous quality . For the main part its a highly enjoyable vicious slasher that no longer requires as much skill to play. Bosses are now a mix of hack and slash plus QTE moves. there is no longer a proper upgrade system or any treasure boxes ,store or for that any collect-able pick ups to find. And there fore you have a limited choice of weapons . Multiplayer was added but already the servers are empty apart from the random ninja encounter. there are online solo or co op challenges which are good enough. keeping the choice of Japanese or English voice over was good. as is the ninja cinema (replay viewer). Over-all not great but still a good game. Worth playing if you missed it.… Expand
  13. Avaliator
    Mar 20, 2013
    5
    DECEPICIONANTE: toda aquela violência forte, sangrenta, toda aquela dificuldade, morte a cada 3 minutos, totalmente esquecida em NG3. Um jogo fraco, ruim, porém não o pior jogo do mundo, só mais um e bem fácil.
  14. DasBaronne
    Jan 28, 2013
    6
    So the makers of Dynasty Warriors decided to make a Ninja Gaiden game....No. Just No.
    The game's design feels like they took an unfinished Dynasty Warriors game, added better glossier graphics, cliche-ridden writing (though it SCREAMS 80s, which I approve), and profoundly dumb AI (which is why I refuse to purchase Warriors Orochi to this day).
    Get it if you can find it cheap, but other    So the makers of Dynasty Warriors decided to make a Ninja Gaiden game....No. Just No.
    The game's design feels like they took an unfinished Dynasty Warriors game, added better glossier graphics, cliche-ridden writing (though it SCREAMS 80s, which I approve), and profoundly dumb AI (which is why I refuse to purchase Warriors Orochi to this day).
    Get it if you can find it cheap, but other than that, its not really worth it. Especially since a superior version just came out on the Wii U (and even though the "superiority" is questionable)    … Expand
  15. Alex_Evan
    Jul 1, 2016
    5
    O jogo apesar de não ser dos piores,é cansativo e repetitivo...se por vezes ele lhe prende em algum momento,em outros ele lhe deixa com um tédio enorme,não vou afirmar que o jogo é ruim,mas certamente está longe de ser bom.
  16. Warrior_of_Doom
    Jul 19, 2023
    7
    The overall score is based on how much fun I personally had with every component of the game
    and the overall experience.

Awards & Rankings

28
#28 Most Discussed PS3 Game of 2012
53
#53 Most Shared PS3 Game of 2012

Critic Reviews

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Metascore
58

Mixed or average reviews - based on 43 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 7 out of 43
  2. Mixed: 25 out of 43
  3. Negative: 11 out of 43
  1. PSFocus
    May 15, 2012
    43
    Boy, this game is a big disappointment. When an established franchise like Ninja Gaiden sinks this deep, it would be wise for the developer to turn off its life support. The game is graphically strong, but fails on every other level. An absolute shame.
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  2. Pelit (Finland)
    May 11, 2012
    63
    Ninja Gaiden 1 and 2 were impressive displays from Team Ninja. The third instalment in the series is not cut from the same cloth. The combat system has been dumbed down and the enemies do not pose the threat they used to. Ninja Gaiden 3 is a big letdown. [May 2012]
  3. Impulsegamer
    May 7, 2012
    65
    Overall not a bad game, if you are a fan or just curious about this game you should like it but otherwise you will most likely not favour this game.
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