Ninja Gaiden II

"I can say this with no hyperbole and exaggeration that this is simple the best ninja game ever made. The awesomeness of this game flows like a river of blood spurting under high pressure from a razor sharp slice of the katana."

"Visually, Ninja Gaiden II does look great, and is stunning in high definition. The game’s locales are surprisingly varied, from the neon skyline of Sky City Tokyo to murky South American swamps. Both Ryu and his enemies have an impressive set of animations to keep things fresh, and the game runs fast and smooth, even with multiple enemies on-screen at once."

"In the end Ninja Gaiden II is a success. It's not as ground shaking or surprising as what we've seen before, but it's still one of the best action games you can find, both for old-school ninjas as for new apprentices. The only reason why you shouldn't buy this game, is if you can't handle losing. Then again, who likes being called a wuss?"

"Ninja Gaiden II isn't perfect, but it's an incredible attempt. Lame English dialogue, a somewhat limp story and awkward camera angles aren't nearly enough to derail the splendid gameplay and eye-popping visuals. If you're a hardcore player, you owe it to yourself to pick it up and dominate it. If you're a rookie, this is a fine place to start earning your stripes. Either way, Team Ninja concludes the saga on a sharp note."

This action-packed sequel isn't quite up to the standards of its precursors, but it's still a brutal blast.