The most common quips? “This looks amazing.” “This is from the Shank guys, isn’t it?” “The animation is beautiful.” And, finally: “Wow.” This is the kind of game I enjoy shouting from the rooftops about, particularly since it's not a $60 blockbuster release with a multi-million-dollar marketing budget backing it up. Fellow editors kept walking by my desk, independently inquiring, “What is this?” in a curious tone tinged with pure excitement. And if you need an extra anecdotal – but almost always dead-on accurate – verification of Ninja’s greatness? Playing it at the IGN office was like shining the Bat signal into the sky. Mark of the Ninja is among the finest stealth games you can currently play, period. Still, forget about being among the cream of the downloadable game crop – that much is a given. I highly, highly recommend using an Xbox gamepad for the smoothest-steering Ninja experience possible. Also, a quick note for PC players: though Mark of the Ninja is playable using traditional WASD+mouse first-person shooter-style controls, it's quite awkward here. It doesn’t last too long, but it is the clear weak point of the campaign. And second, Ninja loses its way a bit around two-thirds of way through the game with a mildly frustrating stage packed with platforming puzzles. We would’ve loved to have seen (literally, with this gorgeous art style) more choice in ways to off your enemies. Even the gameplay side of this could be fresher – you’re always pressing X and a cardinal direction for every fatal blow. Nearly every fatal scene shows you slicing a bad guy at the neck or through the belly. Ninja’s only other crimes are, first, that its gorgeous animations aren’t showcased enough there simply isn’t enough variety in the kills. Unfortunately, neither choice at the campaign’s climax pays off with a revelation or additional backstory. The plot starts simple and never really evolves, though it’s just engaging enough to make you stop and think when you reach its forked ending. You’ll want to replay the 6-8 hour campaign, though probably not for the story (but oh, those drool-inducing animated cutscenes!). All of these added perks culminate in the highly recommended New Game Plus mode, in which the enemies get tougher but you’ve got access to your full arsenal of unlocked goodies right from the first stage. It wholly changes the way the game is played, akin to watching a different director’s cut of your favorite movie. This is complemented by additional play styles that become available as you go, like “Way of the Ninja.” This removes your sword – thereby making it nearly impossible to kill anyone – but gives you extra distraction tools, such as the aforementioned cardboard box, firecrackers, terror darts, etc. Or score plenty of points just for sneaking by the bad guys undetected. Hide their bodies when you’re done and you’ll net more. If you knife every fool, you’ll earn some points. While many stealth games claim you can play them how you want (read: lethally or non-lethally), this one actually rewards you with medal-earning XP either way. More seriously laudable is Ninja’s scoring system. Seeing your black-clad hero reach out from underneath the simple disguise, grab a victim, and drag him back under the box while his buddies ignorantly walk by is as sadistically rewarding as it is hilarious. Or the not-so-subtle nod to Metal Gear Solid: the cardboard box. For instance, there’s a taunt that lets you string-up your kills in order to terrorize the other guards, a la Batman. You begin with only these most basic of moves, but as you finish levels and secondary objectives within each mission (such as completing an area without raising an alarm), you’ll earn medals redeemable for new moves that significantly liven up the game and open up your options. You’ll jump and grapple-hook your way around mostly linear levels (though occasional path choices and backtracking occur), clinging to walls and ceilings, hiding in floor grates, and pressing B to duck behind potted plants or in doorways – all in the name of avoiding detection. In a move that’s simultaneously refreshing and familiar, Mark of the Ninja is a 2D stealth adventure that, at first glance, looks a bit Metroidvania-esque.
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