Ninja Blade

GamePro

Ninja Blade is a game full of awesome moments. It's not incredibly deep and it won't redefine the genre but it's a kick-ass title that will please action junkies looking for an adrenaline kick.

Worth Playing

As a game, Ninja Blade wears its identity on its sleeve: It's a stylish and over-the-top action game in which modern-day ninjas fight monsters that are ripping apart Tokyo.

GamingXP

Ninja blade offers a diverse gameplay, big monsters and lots of action are mixed with some roleplaying elements. This mix rocks, especially for fans of Japanese games. Sad enough the story is short and you won’t find a multiplayer mode.

Cheat Code Central

If you consider yourself a hardcore action hound, Ninja Blade offers up challenge in a delightful package that'll keep you busy as you patiently wait for God of War 3.

Game Revolution

If you enjoyed Ninja Gaiden, Assassin's Creed, God of War, Devil May Cry, Dragon's Lair, Resident Evil, etc... then you will find something that you'll like in Ninja Blade, because there's a little bit of all of them in here. Just make sure that you have some eye drops handy for after all the quick-time events, since your eyes are going to be dry from not blinking.

LEVEL (Czech Republic)

Ninja Blade attacks with gigantic monster bosses, monumental battle sequences and non-stop adrenaline action. Bet you won't forget this ride for a long time. [Apr 2009]

MS Xbox World

In closing, Ninja Blade offers a welcome slice of action gaming that is not only simple, but effective at the same time.

VideoGamer

Ninja Blade has no right to be as entertaining as it is. It's nowhere near as accomplished as the genre's heavyweights, but anyone able to see it as the roller-coaster ride it is should have a great time. It's a game to play in the company of friends, laughing at the on-screen randomness and insane bosses, and because of that we can't help but recommend it.

Gamers.at

Press X not to die? Not quite. Ninja Blade delivers breathtaking boss fights and probably more adrenaline-pumping and action-loaded than required. It's not a Ninja Gaiden 2, but it's damn close.

Pelit (Finland)

One of those games that you either love or hate since it’s basically just full of quicktime events. Luckily they are very well done and don’t require the player to have superhuman reflexes. Instead of being frustrated you can marvel at the high speed acrobatics, which is exactly what you should be doing in this kind of game. Still, it gets repetitive pretty fast, so the game only works while enjoyed in small bits. [May 2009]

XGN

From Software developed an amazingly good game. Between all the action, the player can enjoy the beautiful scenery and be overwhelmed by some great sounds. For any Xbox 360 action gamer, this is a must have title.

GameCritics

Those searching for traditional third-person action should probably keep looking, but players interested in exploring a nine-hour interactive ninja flick packed full of the most insane action ever choreographed need look no further.

MEGamers

If you don’t care about the plot and just want to run around hacking at things, this is the game for you.

InsideGamer.nl

Ninja Blade is a relatively unknown title and my guts tell me that the game won’t sell that well. This is quite unfair, because though the game might not share the quality of Ninja Gaiden or Devil May Cry, it certainly lives up to what it’s trying to be: a game that floods the player with over-the-top action and some of the most amazing Quick Time Events you’ve ever seen.

Vandal Online

Despite its flaws and how it compares with the masterpiece of the genre, its frantic rhythm and his simple fun forces us to recommend everybody at least a try, because for sure it will be a big surprise for many players.

Multiplayer.it

Ninja Blade is a good game, fast and furious as its stepfather Ninja Gaiden. Besides a good use of the weapons and the environments, its impossible not to mention the extensive recur to the quick time events and a pretty simplistic combat system.

Impulsegamer

If you have never played a game like Devil May Cry, God of War or Ninja Gaiden before than you'll definitely enjoy Ninja Blade, however for veteran gamers, they may find it a little stale and repetitive.

3DJuegos

Ninja Blade is a good action game that, nevertheless, does not reach the standard of Xbox 360 that we were hoping. From Software creates a title with a shattering pace and a shocking speed that eventually fails because of wrong conceptual decisions.

Meristation

This new Xbox 360 exclusive is not what we expected. It has a lot of potential: it's a game with a lot of action in it, great gameplay, and quite charming. But it reuses many of its gameplay elements: backgrounds and enemies are almost always the same, and the game is not as deep as it promises at the beginning. A good game, but From Software could have done it much better.

Xbox World Australia

Ninja Blade isn't going to be for everyone, with its many flaws apparent to anyone who plays it. But like a greasy fast food meal, it's difficult to care about them when the overall experience is so scrumptious and filling.

GameSpot

This derivative action game is a bunch of silly, stylish fun.

PALGN

'Better' games will be released than Ninja Blade, but few will allow you to see and experience what's on offer here.

Play Magazine

It may not keep you busy for long, but Ninja Blade is a goofy, thrilling roller-coaster ride of a game that’s hard not to enjoy.

Game Informer

The swordplay is silky smooth, and surprisingly deep – allowing players to upgrade weapons with experience earned to unlock additional attacks and powers for three swords.

Da Gameboyz

While Ninja Blade holds some very cool gameplay elements, the dumbed down boss battle system needs work. The overall fun factor is lost with the system and some gamers may baulk at the mundane and sometimes tedious gameplay.

MondoXbox

Ninja Blade's greatest value resides in its high cinematic spectacularity, which makes it very enjoyable if you like this kind of excessive Hollywood action. Nevertheless, it's excessive use of QTEs and its sometimes frustrating controls make it a rough experience, suited only for the more forgiving and patient gamers.

GameShark

Ninja Blade does have its faults, like only being able to wall run up a wall where it is explicitly specified and not two feet to the left or right of the certain spot, and glitchy animations during some up close battles, but all in all, the game is an effective over the top action title that doesn’t take itself too seriously.

GameFocus

Ninja Blade is an interesting game but no different from what we’ve seen in the past. It actually brings many key elements together from other action franchises into one action frenzied game. Between the enjoyable hack and slash and the outrageous number of quick-time events, there’s a game that will make you spend a few quality hours until you’re definitely done with it.

Extreme Gamer

For all those who don’t mind trying something a little different, and can accept having to play through lots of quick-time cinematics then Ninja Blade is worth a look.

Xbox360Achievements

Derivative, repetitive and QTE heavy – yet still amazingly good fun. This game is more like Dynasty Warriors than Ninja Gaiden in terms of combat as you can eschew learning stupidly tricky combos in favour of button mashing good times.

AceGamez

Ninja Blade is an enjoyable game that's well worth digging out of a bargain bin or taking home pre-owned.

DarkZero

It’s far from perfect but it supplies gamers with a decent action experience with an awesome QTE mechanic to show off scenes that are totally outrageous, but so memorable.

games(TM)

A game that transcends its weaknesses with the winning combination of pure fun and an unending desire to entertain. [May 2009, p.114]

Level7.nu

Ninja Blade is like an old school b movie with a total lack of taste and gory fighting to boot. Even though the actual fighting is done well here the tasteless and somewhat schizophrenic design leaves much to be desired. If you're in the market for some ninja action this is a fun brawler, but a lesser game than the recent entries in the Ninja Gaiden series.

Kikizo

Ninja Blade is certainly a game with two different sides, but fortunately each side has enough to recommend it - the glamour of the QTEs, the workmanlike derivativeness of the combat - that you can forgive this rather jarring division.

Eurogamer

Between the swearing-hard bits and the lulls, it's actually a lot of fun, much like hanging around with any true mentalist. When I read the back of the (Asian import) box, in its three-screenshotted features, it listed "Quick Time Events" as one. That raised an eyebrow. It's like listing "Ineffectual, infinitesimal penis" on a dating site. But Ninja Blade was right. It totally sold me on its ludicrous quick-time events. [JPN Import]

SpazioGames

This cinematic action game is the result of several action classics melted together, without any alchemy. The final product is indeed unpolished and unaccomplished, split between over-the-top quick time events, and repetitive hack’n’slashing. It doesn’t lack personality, it’s more a matter of unbalancing in the features.

Planet Xbox 360

It’s a title nowhere near the upper echelon of Xbox 360 titles, but it’ll fit quite well in a catalogue for gamers who prefer action-oriented games over the standard first-person shooter fare that overruns the Xbox 360 game library.

XboxAddict

It does have a certain charm to it for simple mindless fun, but those looking for a deeper story or combat will be disappointed from the general clichés.

Gaming Age

A middle of the road action game.

HellBored

For someone who has nothing planned for a weekend, this is a fun thrill-ride with cinematic action that delivers on many levels.

Hardcore Gamer Magazine

n the end, you’d think a game with a see-through plot, derivative gameplay, a mess of bad cut scenes and stinky voice-acting would be a total turn-off, but that’s just not the case. There are times when Ninja Blade is just fun.

IGN

The whole package is serviceable, even if the majority of the action tends towards the mundane and tedious far too often.

Official Xbox Magazine

Despite its flashy razzle-dazzle, Ninja Blade feels surprisingly shallow.

ZTGameDomain

In fact I thought despite the QTE, and some other frustrating parts it was a pretty fun game.

D+PAD Magazine

With Ninja Blade, From Software commits the cardinal sin of the action game developer; it allows the action to become boring.

Teletext GameCentral

Shallow, repetitive and easy, but this Ninja Gaiden clone is also mad as a hatter - and that helps a lot.

Game Over Online

Another few months in development or some more thorough testing could've saved Ninja Blade.

GameZone

Unfortunately, the clunky combat mechanics, camera issues, and overabundance of Quick-Time Events make this a disappointing and unoriginal endeavor.

GameDaily

Ninja Blade's presentation trumps the actual combat. Excessive quick time events result in lots of trial and error, the game chugs along during certain boss fights and monsters have a nasty habit of scoring cheap hits that often put players at a disadvantage.

Eurogamer Portugal

Ninja Blade is a game that only true fans of the genre should mind. Give it a chance only if you’re not tired enough of Ninjas. The adventure of Ken has occasional good moments, but quickly becomes repetitive and that results in a forgettable experience.

Gamer.nl

Ninja Blade offers a mix between God of War and Ninja Gaiden and is, in more than one way, pretty action packed. Perhaps too action packed. In between the cut scenes and the end bosses there is little room for 'normal' gameplay, making it hard to really enjoy the game for the hack and slash fans. Ninjas with an appetite for destruction and giant monsters will be more than satisfied while playing Ninja Blade.

X360 Magazine UK

Ninja Blade is fun, but it’s fun that wears thin very quickly and when it’s gone you’re left with a game that’s shallow, repetitive, and can quickly become annoying and frustrating.

TeamXbox

It features far too many—and poorly integrated—“quicktime” events, frustrating core combat and non-sardonic C-movie camp. There are bright spots here and there, but the fact that said bright spots still pale in comparison to those featured in Ninja Gaiden doesn’t help Ninja Blade’s cause.

Official Xbox Magazine UK

Even though it's a bit of a flashy game, Ninja Blade is surprisingly shallow. It's not particularly long either - you can see everything in less than 10 hours, which doesn't help much with replayability. Worst of all, the novelties it wants you to like, it shoves in your face quite rudely many times over - resulting in a hack-and-slash that could have ultimately been a lot, er, sharper.

GameTrailers

Ninja Blade's action can be fun for a while, but it doesn't really satisfy. The story and presentation can get ridiculous, and the repetition, easy combat, and lengthy quick time sequences all wear down its edge. Worst of all, it's a complete rip-off of the Ninja Gaiden series, and we wonder how there could be laws to protect such a blatant theft of creativity.

Games Master UK

Ninja Blade isn't without merit, but little of what it sets out to do is well implemented. [May 2009, p.64]

Edge Magazine

There are moments of compelling spectacle...But the stop/start intrusion of missed QTE presses hurts these moments of the game, even as the dramatic visuals start to win over the most skeptical player. [June 2009, p.95]

Destructoid

Ninja Blade provides a banal and vapid experience that only truly dedicated action junkies without any other plans could justify playing.

1UP

Despite the limited enjoyment found in figuring out how to kill the game's enemies, none of the tired, tentacle-porn clichés conjured here are of that much interest.

Giant Bomb

The focus on occasionally tough boss fight patterns and cutscenes goes a long way in making Ninja Blade feel old.

BigPond GameArena

If it weren't for the QTEs during cut-scenes I'd say it was nothing special but nothing brutally terrible and probably worth it if you desperately wanted something like Ninja Gaiden to play.

Thunderbolt

From Software’s goals with Ninja Blade appear to have been slim to negligible, and with a considerable portion of fans of the infinitely preferable Ninja Gaiden ready to buy up anything with a similar remit, they’re unlikely to be nearly as disappointed as I am.

Xbox World 360 Magazine UK

We originally had this down as "Ninja Gaiden Lite". We were wrong. Tedious. [May 2009, p.81]

The Onion (A.V. Club)

If Ninja Blade succeeds on any level, it’s only in creating a greater appreciation for the superb Ninja Gaiden series. Play them instead.