Ninja Gaiden Sigma
Encyclopedia
Ninja Gaiden Sigma, also known as Ninja Gaiden Σ, is an action-adventure game
developed by Team Ninja for the PlayStation 3
video game console
. Originally released on Xbox
in 2004, it is an enhanced port
of Ninja Gaiden and a continuation of a 1988 video game originally released for the Nintendo Entertainment System
. An enhanced port of Ninja Gaiden II, under the title Ninja Gaiden Sigma 2
, was released in 2009.
, which comprises the left thumbstick
, two attack buttons, and a block button. The game features a large selection of weapons for Ryu to wield, each with advantages and disadvantages that affect the way the player approaches combat. It also provides Ryu with magical spells in the form of ninpos,which allows him to inflict heavy damage on enemies while potentially avoiding damage himself. By shaking the Sixaxis controller, players are able to increase the power of their ninpos.
In addition to the narrative Story Mode, Sigma included a gameplay variation called Mission Mode. Focused on action rather than character development, this provides combat-based missions set mainly in small areas. In both Story and Mission modes, game scoring is based on the player's speed in clearing encounters, the number of kills achieved, the number of unused ninpos remaining at the end, and the amount of cash collected. Players can compare their scores on online ranking boards. In addition, players have the option to customize the appearance of player characters, with selectable costumes for Ryu and hairstyles for Rachel.
obtained the European publishing rights for this game. Tomonobu Itagaki
had no direct role in Sigma, and judged it a flawed game, although he acknowledged that Sigma gave PlayStation owners a taste of Ninja Gaiden.
The Cell processor
of the PlayStation 3 gave Team Ninja the opportunity to overhaul the game graphics to use larger and more detailed textures
. Changes were made to the game world, with a few new areas and several additional save points
and shops, and alterations to the game engine let players shoot arrows in mid-air, fight on water surfaces, and play as Rachel in some chapters and missions. Team Ninja added more enemies such as bikers, fish-men, and a new boss, Gamov, and Ryu's weapon choices are extended with a pair of katana
s called the Dragon's Claw and Tiger's Fang.
In 2007, Tecmo released a demo and a new game mode, Survival Mode, for Sigma over the PlayStation Network. The demo limits players to the first chapter of the game, but lets them play as Rachel in a separate mission. Survival Mode comprises missions in which players keep fighting until they have either killed all their opponents, or their character has been defeated.
Critics varied in their views on the technical aspects of Ninja Gaiden Sigma. Although the gaming site 1UP.com
called the updated graphics "a gorgeous reworking of the modern ninja classic," Pro-G
said that they were average by next-generation standards and showed occasional "tearing, jagged edges, and mismatched collision between bloodstains and walls". Various flaws also troubled 1UP—despite installing the game on the local hard drive, they encountered frequent loading delays, even in combat. They also noted visual glitches, such as screen tearing when the camera moved. These problems made the game "feel like a bit of a slapdash port". Although reviewers appreciated the retention of the gameplay of previous versions, Sigma's lack of new attractive features caused them to question its worth as "a remake of a remake". Pro-G said that Sigma was not worth its full-game price tag because it "has, in effect, been available for years in one form or another". Eurogamer
stated that Sigma lacked the "wow factor" when compared to God of War and its sequel
. The 1UP critic felt that shaking the Sixaxis controller to power up a ninpo was "silly" and a "foolishly tacked-on" way to use the controller. IGN was not excited about playing as Rachel and wished to "get back to Ryu's sections simply because he's more fun to play". DailyGame, however, appreciated the change of pace, saying that Rachel will bring a "much-needed respite for newcomers and provide something new for experienced players".
46,307 units were sold in the first week of its release in Japan, making it the third highest selling game during that period. According to the NPD Group
, in its first month Sigma sold 63,637 copies in the United States. Next Generation
reported that as of April 2008, 470,000 copies of Sigma have been sold in Europe and North America. Tecmo announced that they have sold 500,000 units worldwide.
Action-adventure game
An action-adventure game is a video game that combines elements of the adventure game genre with various action game elements. It is perhaps the broadest and most diverse genre in gaming, and can include many games which might better be categorized under narrow genres...
developed by Team Ninja for the PlayStation 3
PlayStation 3
The is the third home video game console produced by Sony Computer Entertainment and the successor to the PlayStation 2 as part of the PlayStation series. The PlayStation 3 competes with Microsoft's Xbox 360 and Nintendo's Wii as part of the seventh generation of video game consoles...
video game console
Video game console
A video game console is an interactive entertainment computer or customized computer system that produces a video display signal which can be used with a display device to display a video game...
. Originally released on Xbox
Xbox
The Xbox is a sixth-generation video game console manufactured by Microsoft. It was released on November 15, 2001 in North America, February 22, 2002 in Japan, and March 14, 2002 in Australia and Europe and is the predecessor to the Xbox 360. It was Microsoft's first foray into the gaming console...
in 2004, it is an enhanced port
Porting
In computer science, porting is the process of adapting software so that an executable program can be created for a computing environment that is different from the one for which it was originally designed...
of Ninja Gaiden and a continuation of a 1988 video game originally released for the Nintendo Entertainment System
Nintendo Entertainment System
The Nintendo Entertainment System is an 8-bit video game console that was released by Nintendo in North America during 1985, in Europe during 1986 and Australia in 1987...
. An enhanced port of Ninja Gaiden II, under the title Ninja Gaiden Sigma 2
Ninja Gaiden Sigma 2
Ninja Gaiden Sigma 2, also known as Ninja Gaiden Σ 2, is an action-adventure game developed by Team Ninja for the PlayStation 3. It is an enhanced port of Ninja Gaiden II.-Plot:...
, was released in 2009.
Gameplay
The gameplay for Sigma is very similar to the original version, albeit with some modifications made to the game. Like the original version, the player's movements and combat system are directed using the console gamepadGamepad
A gamepad , is a type of game controller held in two hands, where the digits are used to provide input. Gamepads generally feature a set of action buttons handled with the right thumb and a direction controller handled with the left...
, which comprises the left thumbstick
Analog stick
An analog stick, sometimes called a control stick or thumbstick, is an input device for a controller that is used for two-dimensional input. An analog stick is a variation of a joystick, consisting of a protrusion from the controller; input is based on the position of this protrusion in relation...
, two attack buttons, and a block button. The game features a large selection of weapons for Ryu to wield, each with advantages and disadvantages that affect the way the player approaches combat. It also provides Ryu with magical spells in the form of ninpos,which allows him to inflict heavy damage on enemies while potentially avoiding damage himself. By shaking the Sixaxis controller, players are able to increase the power of their ninpos.
In addition to the narrative Story Mode, Sigma included a gameplay variation called Mission Mode. Focused on action rather than character development, this provides combat-based missions set mainly in small areas. In both Story and Mission modes, game scoring is based on the player's speed in clearing encounters, the number of kills achieved, the number of unused ninpos remaining at the end, and the amount of cash collected. Players can compare their scores on online ranking boards. In addition, players have the option to customize the appearance of player characters, with selectable costumes for Ryu and hairstyles for Rachel.
Plot
Development
In 2006, Tecmo and Sony announced the development of Ninja Gaiden Sigma for the PlayStation 3. EidosEidos Interactive
Eidos Interactive Ltd. is a British video game publisher and is a label of Square Enix Europe. As an independent company Eidos plc was headquartered in the Wimbledon Bridge House in Wimbledon, London Borough of Merton....
obtained the European publishing rights for this game. Tomonobu Itagaki
Tomonobu Itagaki
is a Japanese video game designer who created the Dead or Alive fighting game and beach sport simulation series and also revived the Ninja Gaiden franchise in 2004...
had no direct role in Sigma, and judged it a flawed game, although he acknowledged that Sigma gave PlayStation owners a taste of Ninja Gaiden.
The Cell processor
Cell (microprocessor)
Cell is a microprocessor architecture jointly developed by Sony, Sony Computer Entertainment, Toshiba, and IBM, an alliance known as "STI". The architectural design and first implementation were carried out at the STI Design Center in Austin, Texas over a four-year period beginning March 2001 on a...
of the PlayStation 3 gave Team Ninja the opportunity to overhaul the game graphics to use larger and more detailed textures
Texture mapping
Texture mapping is a method for adding detail, surface texture , or color to a computer-generated graphic or 3D model. Its application to 3D graphics was pioneered by Dr Edwin Catmull in his Ph.D. thesis of 1974.-Texture mapping:...
. Changes were made to the game world, with a few new areas and several additional save points
Saved game
A saved game is a piece of digitally stored information about the progress of a player in a video game. This saved game can be reloaded later, so the player can continue where he or she had stopped...
and shops, and alterations to the game engine let players shoot arrows in mid-air, fight on water surfaces, and play as Rachel in some chapters and missions. Team Ninja added more enemies such as bikers, fish-men, and a new boss, Gamov, and Ryu's weapon choices are extended with a pair of katana
Katana
A Japanese sword, or , is one of the traditional bladed weapons of Japan. There are several types of Japanese swords, according to size, field of application and method of manufacture.-Description:...
s called the Dragon's Claw and Tiger's Fang.
In 2007, Tecmo released a demo and a new game mode, Survival Mode, for Sigma over the PlayStation Network. The demo limits players to the first chapter of the game, but lets them play as Rachel in a separate mission. Survival Mode comprises missions in which players keep fighting until they have either killed all their opponents, or their character has been defeated.
Reception
Like Ninja Gaiden and Ninja Gaiden Black, Ninja Gaiden Sigma has received positive reviews, currently holding an average score of 87% at GameRankings and 88 at Metacritic, based on 57 and 46 reviews respectively.Critics varied in their views on the technical aspects of Ninja Gaiden Sigma. Although the gaming site 1UP.com
1UP.com
1UP.com is a video game website owned by IGN Entertainment, a division of News Corporation. Previously, the site was owned by Ziff Davis before being sold to UGO Entertainment in 2009....
called the updated graphics "a gorgeous reworking of the modern ninja classic," Pro-G
Pro-G
VideoGamer.com is a London based website focused on video game news, reviews, previews and videos. It is privately owned and operated by Pro-G Media Ltd., and was launched in November 2004 by university friends Adam McCann and Tom Orry.On 6 October 2008, VideoGamer.com launched a high-definition...
said that they were average by next-generation standards and showed occasional "tearing, jagged edges, and mismatched collision between bloodstains and walls". Various flaws also troubled 1UP—despite installing the game on the local hard drive, they encountered frequent loading delays, even in combat. They also noted visual glitches, such as screen tearing when the camera moved. These problems made the game "feel like a bit of a slapdash port". Although reviewers appreciated the retention of the gameplay of previous versions, Sigma's lack of new attractive features caused them to question its worth as "a remake of a remake". Pro-G said that Sigma was not worth its full-game price tag because it "has, in effect, been available for years in one form or another". Eurogamer
Eurogamer
Eurogamer is a Brighton-based website focused on video games news, reviews, previews and interviews. It is operated by Eurogamer Network Ltd., which was formed in 1999 by brothers Rupert and Nick Loman. Eurogamer has grown to become one of the most important European-based websites focused on...
stated that Sigma lacked the "wow factor" when compared to God of War and its sequel
God of War II
God of War II is an action-adventure video game released for the PlayStation 2 by Sony Computer Entertainment's Santa Monica division in March, 2007....
. The 1UP critic felt that shaking the Sixaxis controller to power up a ninpo was "silly" and a "foolishly tacked-on" way to use the controller. IGN was not excited about playing as Rachel and wished to "get back to Ryu's sections simply because he's more fun to play". DailyGame, however, appreciated the change of pace, saying that Rachel will bring a "much-needed respite for newcomers and provide something new for experienced players".
46,307 units were sold in the first week of its release in Japan, making it the third highest selling game during that period. According to the NPD Group
NPD Group
The NPD Group, Inc. is a leading North American market research company. The NPD Group consistently ranks among the top 25 market research companies in the independent Honomichl Top 50 report, which the media and the research industry acknowledge as a credible source of information on the market...
, in its first month Sigma sold 63,637 copies in the United States. Next Generation
Next Generation Magazine
Next Generation Magazine was a video game magazine that was made by Imagine Media publishing company . It was affiliated to and shared editorial with the UK's Edge magazine. Next Generation ran from January 1995 until January 2002. It was published by Jonathan Simpson-Bint and edited by Neil West...
reported that as of April 2008, 470,000 copies of Sigma have been sold in Europe and North America. Tecmo announced that they have sold 500,000 units worldwide.
External links
- Ninja Gaiden Sigma at Game FAQs