I am Ninja!

Well I finally caved. Yes, yes. I finally caved to the glory that is Ninja Gaiden 2. This is probably, aside from Guitar Hero III and Rock Band, one of the most highly anticipated titles to date for the XBox 360. I've been trying to hold out as long as I could... but Microsoft pulled me in with a wonderful free demo available through XBox Live. Damn you Microsoft!

Please note the "M" rating on the cover. I've only played about half of the first mission thus far, and I can tell you with absolute, unwavering certainty that this is not a game for children. Lucky for me, I have no children, so let's get on with the bloodshed shall we?

I'm guessing this is one of the major bad guys I will face down the road. He's a member of the Dark Spider Clan. Yes, that is a scantly clad woman in knee high leather boots wrapped in chains that he's got over his shoulder. I plan on rescuing her later... awww yeeeah!

The first thing that grabbed my attention about this game is the stunning detail of the graphics. The lighting is excellent, the character rendering is beyond compare, and the action my god the action is pretty fast paced. You have a full arsenal of ninja technique at your disposal, including varied weapons of mayhem. My trusty Dragon Katana in hand, I set out to rescue the girl.

... the aftermath of my first encounter with the minions of evil. I emerge victorious, the battered remains of my enemies litter the ground before me... the battle is mine!

... taking a break from the carnage to meditate and take in the wonderfully detailed scenery ... if this game is anything, it is a graphical masterpiece!

I'm doing my best to not blow through this game in my typical one to two days of solid gaming, so I stopped shortly after taking these pictures to come and post my latest displays of virtual heroics. I'm very impressed with the game thus far.

Thank you for playing! I look forward to killing you soon!!