Ninja Gaiden: Master Collection
By Jeff Haynes,
Common Sense Media Reviewer
Common Sense Media Reviewers
Violent collection of ninja titles gets a minor upgrade.
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Ninja Gaiden: Master Collection
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What’s It About?
NINJA GAIDEN MASTER COLLECTION brings together three fast-paced action games in one large compilation, introducing newcomers to a classic hero as he faces seemingly impossible odds. Players take on the role of Ryu Hayabusa, a master ninja skilled in the ways of magic and the only person capable of using his clan's Dragon Sword. Unfortunately, the power of this weapon makes him and his clan a target. Over the course of the three titles, Ninja Gaiden Sigma, Ninja Gaiden Sigma 2, and Ninja Gaiden 3: Razor's Edge, Ryu will find himself fighting rival clans, demons, monsters, and more. Each game will come with all of the previously released game modes and downloadable content included, such as Survival mode against waves of enemies, or Team Mission mode, which featured cooperative play with another player or a computer controlled ally. It also gives players the option to select from one of four female characters to explore these worlds, providing a new spin on the events of each title. Will you be able to save the world and defend the honor of the Hayabusa Clan against seemingly impossible odds?
Is It Any Good?
While it's great to see this franchise get re-released for a new generation of consoles and gamers, the minimal adjustments made for the games does all of them quite a disservice. Ninja Gaiden: Master Collection gathers together three games in the Ninja Gaiden franchise (or more accurately, their enhanced versions in the form of Sigma, Sigma 2, and Razor's Edge) for current and next-gen systems. That means that all of the downloadable content, all of the extra gameplay modes, and the option to play as four female characters as well as Ryu are available as you save the world multiple times. These games are also bolstered by a faster frame rate to take advantage of the newer, more powerful hardware. But if you were expecting a revamped or remastered series of games, you're out of luck, because these are really more ported titles than rebuilt and refreshed titles. HD screens will definitely show off the age of the game engines, simply in higher definition without slowdown. In fact, apart from the artbook and soundtracks that are found in the Digital Collection, these are the same titles that were released more than a decade ago.
That's not particularly a bad thing in the case of Sigma and Sigma 2, which have been considered by most players to be fantastic action games. These require a lot of finesse and timing your attacks to be successful in fights, and the story for each is very good. But Razor's Edge remains as weak and flawed as before: the plot and dialogue are still horrible and the action retains its uneven mix of button mashing through cannon fodder soldiers before facing incredibly challenging boss fights that ratchet up the difficulty to an extreme level. It's better to simply skip this one in favor of the first two. If you can look past the lack of extras and enhancements, as well as the poor gameplay of Razor's Edge, this is a great collection for action fans that missed out on these titles the first time. Just temper your expectations of this being a phenomenal set of classic action games.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about violence in video games. Is the impact of the violence in Ninja Gaiden: Master Collection affected by the vast amounts of blood and gore shown as a result of battle? Is the impact lessened because you sometimes fight monsters instead of it only being human enemies?
Is there a line that the hero of a game shouldn't ever cross? Is revenge the best option for a hero, or does that make them as bad as the people or things they're fighting? Could it be justified in some way?
Game Details
- Platforms: Nintendo Switch , PlayStation 4 , PlayStation 5 , Windows , Xbox One , Xbox Series X/S
- Pricing structure: Paid
- Available online?: Available online
- Publisher: Koei Tecmo
- Release date: June 10, 2021
- Genre: Action/Adventure
- Topics: Magic and Fantasy , Sports and Martial Arts , Adventures , Monsters, Ghosts, and Vampires
- ESRB rating: M for Blood and Gore, Suggestive Themes, Partial Nudity, Strong Language, Intense Violence
- Last updated: June 11, 2021
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