In 2009, Demon’s Souls began to change the company’s direction. However, just a week prior in Japan, another FromSoftware game released exclusively for the Xbox 360. It was arguably the last of its kind until Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice 10 years later. That game was Ninja Blade, and apart from a Steam port late in 2009, not much has come of it. It was delisted from Steam recently due to a publisher request, but the game contains several strange choices that lie outside FromSoftware’s usual design repertoire, contributing to Ninja Blade being a quirky experience.
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Ninja Blade is Not Like Other FromSoftware Titles
At first glance, Ninja Blade appears to be a fairly standard action game. The combat takes a lot of inspiration from the 3D Ninja Gaiden trilogy, and comes off like a less difficult spin-off. It also holds some resemblance to FromSoftware’s Otogi titles, though they play differently. Players control Ken Ogawa, a ninja employed by the containment task force GUIDE to fight the mysterious Alpha-worm parasite. Ogawa travels to Tokyo with his father Kanbe and some other ninjas to contain a massive outbreak, however Kanbe and another team member infected by King Worms kill the squad. Kanbe stabs Ken with their clan’s Ninja Blade, but the wound is only made to look fatal.
After a short recovery period, Ken returns to Tokyo to quell the outbreak and stop his former comrades. Players will gain the use of a katana, twin swords, and a broadsword, similar to weapons found in Ninja Gaiden; as well as a FromSoftware-standard Moonlight Greatsword. Ken shares various movement abilities with Ryu Hayabusa, and platforming is a regular part of a Ninja Blade. Ken can also use elemental ninjutsu tied to a magic shuriken. That sounds promising, but Ninja Blade’s heavy God of War inspiration comes about through quick-time events for almost every enemy, boss fight, and cutscene.
The Curious Case of Ninja Blade
Ninja Blade received mixed reviews at the time, and it has not aged very well. Its combat has proven weaker than other FromSoftware action games, and the quick-time events can be grating. The straightforward monster designs and pervasive gray color scheme contribute to Ninja Blade feeling like an amalgamation of seventh-generation trends, and that makes it feel dated in a way even FromSoftware’s rougher titles do not. The dedication to being a cinematic action game and an over-the-top experience does not always serve Ninja Blade well, as its sense of pacing and scale is virtually nonexistent. Without doing much to make itself stand out from the crowd, it’s not a surprise that Ninja Blade has been largely forgotten.
It’s not all bad, however. The story and cutscenes are ridiculous in a way few FromSoftware titles aspire to be, and the game could be worth a look just for that experience. The leader of the GUIDE organization is Michael Wilson, who FromSoftware fans will recognize as the protagonist and American president from Metal Wolf Chaos. Ninja Blade also holds an interesting historical place as FromSoftware’s last definitively non-Souls and non-mecha action game. While not a particularly good game, Ninja Blade is an interesting one, and campy action enthusiasts may want to look up a playthrough.
Ninja Blade is available on Xbox 360, and has been delisted from Steam.
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