But if it gets too tough, there's "Ninja Dog" mode. Die three times in the first level and you're granted the embarrassment of having the difficulty level reduced, as a pretty ninja lady tells you she's disappointed in you. It will be a lot easier, mind you. But here's our suggestion; don't. The difficulty is one of the game's best bits - it's the point, pretty much - so don't be a pansy.
But is it just an Xbox cast-off? Well, Team Ninja has completely overhauled the visuals and it looks incredible in HD. It's crisp, vibrant and colorful, compared to the grubbier Xbox original. They've also included four new levels, a dual katana weapon, a new character - Rachel, a demon hunter - and the ability to fight bosses during normal gameplay that were only available in the hardest difficulty on Xbox. So it's sufficiently different.
Ninja Gaiden isn't as accessible as, say, Onimusha. It's for people who'll appreciate the purity of the gameplay, have the endurance to scale its immense difficulty curve. If that's you, it might be time to start getting itchy in anticipation.
