Blog, Blog, Bloq

 With the release of modern Action games like The First Berserker: Khazan and Lies of P, it is becoming clearer to me that the direction of the genre is skewing hard. Only a handful of titles like Soulstice or Valkyrie Elysium seem to be leaning toward that Devil May Cry, or Ninja Gaiden-esque style anymore. And why would you? The FromSoftware formula has been working like a charm. Elden Ring is one of the most popular games, and Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice is being used as the blueprint despite the foundations being laid down by Team Ninja with Nioh and Ninja Gaiden 3: Razor's Edge. Obviously, this should also include PlatinumGames's Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance as well.  But I think at the end of the day, the big culprit is Dark Souls itself. This is funny to think about because Demon's Souls was just two years prior, yet it wasn't the buzzword game that its successor would be lionized as. So fourteen years later, the modern Action game has almost homogenized into the...

 Recently, I found myself wanting to press buttons. And so, I was feeling like I should play some more Bayonetta. But then I thought, that I should actually give an honest shot at the Ninja Gaiden games. I have owned the three reboot titles: Ninja Gaiden Black, Ninja Gaiden II, and Ninja Gaiden 3: Razor's Edge for years. However, I never really got into the groove with NGB. The game is not only very difficult, but it has intense AI that punishes you at every turn. So, this high ceiling made me fear the blade. I didn't think that I could match the intensity and precision needed to succeed in these games. But I learned, and then I conquered all three games on my initial playthroughs. So now, I am going to give my thoughts on them, along with some focus on the storytelling in the games.  What better way to start then with Ninja Gaiden Black. The most difficult game in the trilogy without question. Well designed enemy patterns  and bad camera angles made for a ...