Benjamin Gilbert reports:
''Ninja Gaiden II is an incredibly difficult game. Despite what you may have read regarding Director Tomonobu Itakagi's long-awaited sequel to 2004's Ninja Gaiden being more accessible, Ninja Gaiden II isn't any easier than its predecessor - thankfully, the game doesn't insult you for not basking in its masochism this time around. In an era of developers emulating Hollywood-style presentation, NGII proudly remains a video game in every sense possible. The story is unimportant, eschewing narrative for a complex fighting system, and rather than create realistic enemies, baddies range from lesser ninjas to massive flying beasts. Unfortunately, combat is marred by poor camera control, producing a game more frustratingly difficult than challenging.
As for the story, unsurprisingly, the Spider-Clan is out to destroy the world and only Ryu Hayabusa (and his busty cohort Sonia) can stop them. More specifically, Sonia is a CIA agent trying to stop the Spider-Clan from getting their hands on the "Demon Stone", a statue possessed by the Dragon-Clan which holds the power to re-awaken "The Archfiend." Right from the outset, the cutscenes are unintentionally outrageous and campy, and the seriousness with which it takes itself will have you quickly skipping them. Predictably, Sonia manages to get captured, the Demon Stone gets stolen, and Ryu is once again tasked with slicing his way through piles of empty-headed enemies until the world is safe again.''
