Ninja Gaiden

 Xbox
  • Publisher: Tecmo
  • Release Date: Mar 2, 2004
User Score
8.8

Generally favorable reviews- based on 195 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 173 out of 195
  2. Mixed: 6 out of 195
  3. Negative: 16 out of 195
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  1. iamevilhomer
    Mar 30, 2017
    9
    A kick ass way of bring back a classic. Well done. Totally worth checking out.

    Sadly it's sequels after this were not so special... Oh well... This one was still pretty sweet.
  2. AnthonyV.
    Mar 1, 2004
    10
    Early game of the year candidate. The controls, visuals, sounds, and overall feel are absolutely superb. The camera is about as good as it can be for a game like this and is a necessary evil when games such as this make the transition to 3D, so get over it. Oh, and Tuomas K.: congratulations on bringing down the overall score with your insipid gag review. Do yourself a favor and go work Early game of the year candidate. The controls, visuals, sounds, and overall feel are absolutely superb. The camera is about as good as it can be for a game like this and is a necessary evil when games such as this make the transition to 3D, so get over it. Oh, and Tuomas K.: congratulations on bringing down the overall score with your insipid gag review. Do yourself a favor and go work for Gaming Age. They could use a few spin doctors.… Expand
  3. DennisY.
    Mar 10, 2004
    10
    Unlike shinobi its faster, better weapons and just blows shinobi out of competition. yea its a little hard but were would the fun be if one were able to beat the game in 1 to 2 days. there is no fun that. plus theres always something new in the game that one can find. so if u like shinobi u will love ninja gaiden.
  4. Potentate66
    Mar 3, 2004
    3
    Superior graphical excellence don't mean diddly when the camera is 20 feet behind the action!!!
  5. ShinobiSon
    Mar 8, 2004
    10
    The whole game is good just keep clicking right trigger.
  6. ShaneT.
    Mar 8, 2004
    10
    Amazing. Get this game. gameplay is brilliant, ,graphics are perfect and as for the camera The right trigger is a part of the game. never had a problem . Love it. Love, it love it. even after 15 tries at a boss.
  7. Digyomomma
    Apr 3, 2004
    9
    Good gameplay action and the continous save is great to challenge yourself in a safe way while bumping the difficulty lvl increases the gameplay each time. The added unlock features are nice to as is always nice to replay a game in a new outfit *would have been better to unlock a new kick ass ability*
  8. Drianna
    May 19, 2004
    10
    Rick, you sucking at this game is your problem, the controls are absolutely masterful, you just can't button bash. it is an easy to learn-hard to master game, does not have any unfair challenges, just requires patience and skill. it is also, as robert said, very diverse. its only downside is the locations of save points. they should be before, not after tough challenges. btw, i Rick, you sucking at this game is your problem, the controls are absolutely masterful, you just can't button bash. it is an easy to learn-hard to master game, does not have any unfair challenges, just requires patience and skill. it is also, as robert said, very diverse. its only downside is the locations of save points. they should be before, not after tough challenges. btw, i don't think they should have made it possible to save whenever you want. this would allow you to get past rooms by lucky shots, then save. it would therefore remove the need to be skillful enough to beat a given enemy time and time again, witch would be a shame as it is just this that gives you the "i rock more than ten tons of flax (search google for discordia for details)"-feel.… Expand
  9. IanC.
    May 20, 2004
    8
    It's weird this one, because you utterly adore it and hate its guts at the same time. Yes, scenery is beautiful, yes the fighting is balletic and graceful and yes it can be great fun to play BUT yes the camera can be a NIGHTMARE and some fights can be So unforgiving that you have been pummeled to death by some character you have only just spotted and before you know it you are back It's weird this one, because you utterly adore it and hate its guts at the same time. Yes, scenery is beautiful, yes the fighting is balletic and graceful and yes it can be great fun to play BUT yes the camera can be a NIGHTMARE and some fights can be So unforgiving that you have been pummeled to death by some character you have only just spotted and before you know it you are back to the last save and probably winding up to hurling that control through the nearest window. Somehow the game manages to slide from the sublime to the dire depending entirely upon where you happen to be. One moment you are in a big dojo flipping and jumping, running along walls like Neo and chucking shurikens left right and centre whooping for joy and having tremendous fun. The next you are in a room full of crates at different sizes and heights trying desperately to perform a simple three step jump up to the top and not being able to because the camera keeps swinging around disorientating you so you keep running up the wrong wall or bouncing off the wrong crate or just simply walking off the edge of the crate you had just spent ten minutes trying to get to the top of. And don't get me started on boss fights where you can't see the guy who is killing you because the camera is looking somewhere else entirely -aaaaaaaaaaagghhhhhh!!! There is genius game-making in here, but there are Titanic-sized screw-ups as well, and it will depend entirely upon how forgiving you can be of these things that will determine how you feel about ninja gaiden. It has to have an eight for all the good things, but loses 2 (and that is being nice) for the stupid little bad moments that knock what could have truly been the best action game EVER. Oh yeah, and why does super-acrobatic ninja guy walk like he's in splints? Cramps from all the flipping and jumping?… Expand
  10. Daz
    May 3, 2004
    9
    Four word sum up this game 'excellent but very hard'. The graphics and movement are first rate but it is sooooooooo hard. I've played for about 3 hours and i'm stuck on the 2nd boss. I am getting better though and am quite determined to progress as far as i can. If you like fighting game and a challenge then this is the game for you. Thye only negative is the camera Four word sum up this game 'excellent but very hard'. The graphics and movement are first rate but it is sooooooooo hard. I've played for about 3 hours and i'm stuck on the 2nd boss. I am getting better though and am quite determined to progress as far as i can. If you like fighting game and a challenge then this is the game for you. Thye only negative is the camera which sometimes means you can't see what you really should be able to (eg people attacking you) That why i haven't given it a 10.… Expand
  11. HarryS.
    Aug 10, 2004
    10
    This game is awesome... the graphics are awesome and the gameplay is really fun. whoever gives this game a bad score means that they probably suck at the game.... this is one of my favorite games for the xbox if not my favorite.
  12. ShayS.
    Aug 10, 2004
    10
    The people who criticize this game for its difficulty and camera system are ignorent and cant see past their noses! Tomonubu Itagaki is already installing a brand new camera system in which you will be able to adjust it more. As for the so-called repetitive gameplay and difficulty, these people weren't skilled enough to get past the first level (In which you get 1 weapon with limited The people who criticize this game for its difficulty and camera system are ignorent and cant see past their noses! Tomonubu Itagaki is already installing a brand new camera system in which you will be able to adjust it more. As for the so-called repetitive gameplay and difficulty, these people weren't skilled enough to get past the first level (In which you get 1 weapon with limited attacks, but thats normal for any first level of any game). Once you get at least 3 hours into the gameplay the attack list doubles and boredom (which there isn't) ceases. At around 20 hours you can have weapons with up to 30 combination attacks. Repetitive fighting my arse, the game gets 7 unique upgradeable melee weapons (one even upgrades 7 times), 7 projectile weapons, and 5 armlets that give special qualities. The game takes up to 50 hours, which is 5 time longer than the average action game, and is in a world bigger than GTA: Vice City. This game deserves an 11 out of 10 because of all the work that the people at Team Ninja have done for the past 6 years, and still are doing to improve on those little "flaws" so many prople are ranting on about. Ninja Gaiden owns.… Expand
  13. LoucasM.
    Sep 2, 2004
    10
    A clear ten for the best XBOX game out yet. Simply beautiful.
  14. Skillerified
    Mar 28, 2005
    10
    For me this is unquestionably the best XBOX game of 2004. Ninja kicks the crap out of Halo 2 (and follows that up by promptly decapitating Master Chief and the Aribitor in one furious slash). I consider myself only a casual gamer and, yes this game was difficult, but not unbeatable. To me it was refreshingly difficult. It reminded me of younger days (before the wife, house, job, "other For me this is unquestionably the best XBOX game of 2004. Ninja kicks the crap out of Halo 2 (and follows that up by promptly decapitating Master Chief and the Aribitor in one furious slash). I consider myself only a casual gamer and, yes this game was difficult, but not unbeatable. To me it was refreshingly difficult. It reminded me of younger days (before the wife, house, job, "other adult responsibilty") when hours were spent battling the same boss over and over again. There is great satisfaction in victory after such lenghty, fierce battles. I personally had no problems with the camera.… Expand
  15. MarkoF.
    May 3, 2005
    10
    One of the best Xboxgames overall. The game is not that hard, you just have to be somewhat patient. Brilliant gameplay and the graphics are incredible. I've beaten the game on Very Hard (ok, THAT was hard...), Normal shouldn't be a problem... Buy it!
  16. DanielA.
    Mar 27, 2006
    3
    The graphics are cool, fighting is cool, gameplay is cool, camera angle is bad!
  17. SYC
    Apr 3, 2007
    6
    Very slick and polished DMC rip off but the often poor camera and ridiculously frustrating difficulty level filled with spikes where there just shouldn't be any leave me recommending you pick up DMC3 on PS2 instead, as it's a far superior title.
  18. WaycoulDoude
    Feb 10, 2004
    10
    I'm looking forward to this game, even more than Halo 2!! Hmmm a gun verses a ninja sword. Plus the graphics look better than halo 2 also.
  19. What?
    Feb 15, 2004
    8
    I'll rate it later WHEN it comes out! It should be good but you dont know. so stop rating it before it comes out! p.s. it wont be better than halo 2! i think.
  20. MikeM.
    Feb 25, 2004
    10
    You people are idiots for rating a game before it comes out. Who the hell do you think you are? --- " I give it a 10 cause the pictures in a gaming magazine I saw 6 months ago look cool." -- Morons.
  21. BobbyH.
    Feb 27, 2004
    10
    The game of the year.
  22. Kainraziel
    Feb 9, 2004
    10
    I cant wait for this game to come out... getting to kill other ninjas in a fight to the death... mmmmmmmmm dismemberment of body parts.
  23. AaronJ.
    Mar 10, 2004
    10
    Just plain good!!!!!!
  24. ApheX
    Mar 12, 2004
    10
    Probably the best action game of this year!
  25. JordanK.
    Mar 1, 2004
    10
    This game im really xcited about!!!i cant wait till it comes out.i was in love with dmc 1&2 and chaos legion,i wished it was ninja games like this that came out 1st on xbox so i can already play it.the visuals rock my world and should do yours!:)
  26. GeorgeP.
    Mar 10, 2004
    10
    Great game. Graphics are awsome, and the gameplay is very challenging. I am still stuck on the horseman boss at the end of level 2. Any tips would be appreciated. My E-mail is gpoulos31@yahoo.com
  27. [Anonymous]
    Mar 1, 2004
    10
    Tuomas K. You have no idea what you are talking about!!! Do yourself a favor and grow a brain and then start to play games. You will actually see that this game is 100% why consoles were invented in the first place. Get a life!
  28. Farout
    Mar 2, 2004
    10
    This game raises the bar for no just action games but all games on every platform. With its superior in game graphics and gameplay it crushes all prior games. This is an amazing game! PS2 game owners, I feel so sorry for you and your pitiful game machines. Not being able to have this one of a kind game must be painful. Thankyou Team Ninja for this game. You're by far my favorite game This game raises the bar for no just action games but all games on every platform. With its superior in game graphics and gameplay it crushes all prior games. This is an amazing game! PS2 game owners, I feel so sorry for you and your pitiful game machines. Not being able to have this one of a kind game must be painful. Thankyou Team Ninja for this game. You're by far my favorite game creators. THIS GAME ROCKS!!! … Expand
  29. SamJ.
    Mar 21, 2004
    10
    The greatest action game out there so far. the graphics are smooth and fast. The game is challenging. So if your not a hardcore gamer, dont buy it! the bosses are hard to beat but fun at the same time. I struggled on the first level against murai, but after 4 trys I gave him a lickin. So I do recommend you purchase it. (Im stuck at those platforms where Doku was defeated so if you have The greatest action game out there so far. the graphics are smooth and fast. The game is challenging. So if your not a hardcore gamer, dont buy it! the bosses are hard to beat but fun at the same time. I struggled on the first level against murai, but after 4 trys I gave him a lickin. So I do recommend you purchase it. (Im stuck at those platforms where Doku was defeated so if you have tips email me at sciencelab99@hotmail.com) … Expand
  30. NemacH.
    Mar 20, 2004
    9
    Is Gaming Age a reviewer of any credibility? Out of 37 votes SO FAR, with 29 ratings of 90% or more, Gaming Age sees this game as being SO BAD that it rates NG less than half of that with 42. Their full review is a poorly written outline fraught with whinings about how THEY would have liked the game. Why are 'reviewers' like these incorporated into the Metascore? Sure, I Is Gaming Age a reviewer of any credibility? Out of 37 votes SO FAR, with 29 ratings of 90% or more, Gaming Age sees this game as being SO BAD that it rates NG less than half of that with 42. Their full review is a poorly written outline fraught with whinings about how THEY would have liked the game. Why are 'reviewers' like these incorporated into the Metascore? Sure, I don't just give away points, and I'm all for tough reviews, but their reviews lack credibility and their scores stand out as horribly askewed from, unlike them, the rest of the sensible world.… Expand
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Awards & Rankings

6
#6 Best Xbox Game of 2004
3
#3 Most Discussed Xbox Game of 2004
6
#6 Most Shared Xbox Game of 2004

Critic Reviews

All reviews »
Metascore
91

Universal acclaim - based on 89 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 86 out of 89
  2. Mixed: 2 out of 89
  3. Negative: 1 out of 89
  1. Weekly Famitsu
    83
    9 / 8 / 8 / 8 - 33 gold [Vol 796; 19 Mar 2004]
  2. Thunderbolt
    100
    From start to finish, the main element that propels Ninja Gaiden above all others in the action genre is the dazzling combat-based gameplay.
    Read full review
  3. DarkStation
    100
    There has been such precise and accurate detail placed on this game that it would be near impossible to point out any faults.
    Read full review
See all critic reviews »