'Ninja Gaiden II' takes pride in its intense, challenging combat

Five minutes into "Ninja Gaiden II," I'm back-flipping off a wall into a rolling somersault, hovering in the air to scatter shuriken at enemies. Within half an hour, I'm zipping arrows across a dojo, racking up combination attacks with a bow staff, and gutting bad guys with ginsu claws strapped to my hands and feet. By lunch, I'm fending off armored samurai dogs that carry katanas in their canine teeth. This isn't your older brother's slow-paced, manageable action game. "Ninja Gaiden II" shows no restraint, taking pride in its pedigree as one of the most intense, challenging combat titles in recent history.

Overall, it's an experience that replicates the cool agility of being a deadly ninja. A few button presses produces spectacular sword-spinning displays, and the smooth sense of input combines with challenging enemies to make for demanding but manageable mayhem. But you'll also grapple with "Gaiden's" disorienting camera system, making the quick combat hard to follow here and there. The game's straightforward story is also a snag; its overdesigned antagonists wouldn't be out of place in "Power Rangers."

But let's hit the heart of it: "Ninja Gaiden II" is a fighting game that dons an action game's attire. Button-mashing through enemy encounters will get you somewhere, but slacking off later on in story mode will have you walking away with more cuts and bruises ... or not at all. "NG2" steadily introduces fighting techniques over the first few stages: light and heavy attacks, blocking and counter moves, wall-running and evasion techniques, along with using projectiles and magic in the field.

It's a satisfying, complex system that excels thanks to stellar animations and the over-the-top melee weapons main character Ryu unsheathes: a spiked staff, single and dual katanas, tonfas, a scythe and bladed gauntlets (if you've ever wanted to feel like Wolverine). The arms vary in speed and effectiveness, and you'll assign upgrades as you accrue essence from fallen foes. You'll probably pick a pair that fits your combat style, so it's handy that Ryu can swap between blades on the fly.

Ninja archers, sorcerers and foot soldiers are the standard fodder that await, but look forward to cutting down ugly cave monsters, giant werewolves (in Venice, no less), skeletons and other unnatural baddies. Humanoid opponents have the ability to fight on despite dismemberment. Ryu's fast-spinning blades lop off limbs if they connect well, but one-armed enemies will continue to battle, and any that lose a leg continue to crawl along. Grotesque, yes, but it keeps combat from feeling too static.

It's a shame "NG2's" bosses didn't receive this same treatment. Uneven end-of-level duels oscillate between being unforgiving and strangely simple. An electrified steel serpent you spar with on a subway track zaps you if you get too close, firing off floating sentries that self-destruct along with a barrage of energy orbs. This difficulty is an odd contrast to the handful of bosses easily beaten by bashing two buttons in close quarters. Running on water to subdue the fifth chapter's colossal sea dragon seems tough, but a simple combo at close range drowns it in less than five minutes.

"Ninja Gaiden" has always emphasized difficulty and skillful execution, so the mixed bag of bosses is a missed opportunity. Still, we'd underline that basic enemies provide sweaty palms aplenty. Any random encounter could mean a "game over," and this adds a pleasant tension to battles. Still, the real shortcoming is the game's wonky perspective. In narrow corridors or corners, "Gaiden's" camera view can get cramped, letting your enemies get in some free shots while your view's obscured. "NG2" does add a handy snap-camera control on the right trigger, but combat's breakneck pace makes it hard to compensate on the fly. For a game that flows at this pace and intensity, it's not acceptable to force players to juggle their point-of-view while tangling with enemies.

It's good news that there are more open areas than enclosed ones, then. "NG2's" level design runs a gamut of urban, underground and ancient architecture. Each is elegant, but the game's visual appeal is rightly led by the articulate combat animations characters perform. Humble button taps produce complex exhibitions of ninja technique, often whirling the camera into a cinematic miniscene as Ryu carves out special obliteration moves.

For fans of the franchise, "Ninja Gaiden II" is an improved iteration of what they've seen before. The game's knack for marrying tense, high-difficulty combat with fluid animation and technical depth makes it a rewarding action experience, but a subpar camera makes some situations more frustrating than they should be. Better boss encounters might've meant a better payoff, but the basic enemies are great fun to spar with by themselves. "Ninja Gaiden II" should strike a chord with gamers entertained by stylized violence who enjoy a challenge.

"Ninja Gaiden II"

Genre: Action

Platforms: Xbox 360

Fun: Visceral, challenging combat; agile, responsive animations enhance game's sense of control; mix of bladed weapons to wield.

Unfun: Improved but inflexible camera view can't always keep up with combat speed; mixed bag of boss battles.