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DF Retro EX: Ninja Gaiden 2 X-Enhanced on Xbox One X vs 360/ PS3/ PS Vita/ Xbox One!

entremet

entremet

You wouldn't toast a NES cartridge
Member
Oct 26, 2017
59,993


Microsoft delivers once again with a brilliant Xbox One X enhanced back-compat release for Ninja Gaiden 2. John takes a look at the latest version of the game and stacks it up against every release of NG2 on consoles - one of the most fascinating multi-platform projects of the last decade.

Plus article:

https://www.eurogamer.net/articles/...inja-gaiden-2-retro-extra-xbox-one-x-analysis

I really want to get this game, but the digital price is nuts. 30 bucks?! I played the it on the 360 from a friend's copy last generation.
 
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Hesemonni

Hesemonni

Banned
Oct 27, 2017
1,974
It may be technically brilliant, but Jesus the game is flawed POS compared to vanilla NG.

*throws an exploding shuriken at nay sayers*
 
Eolz

Eolz

Banned
Oct 25, 2017
7,601
FR
Awesome to see them analyze it. The screens and videos in the OT were already pretty impressive.
Funny to see them check the Vita version of Sigma too, didn't expect that.

You should link the article too.
 
Lethologica

Lethologica

Member
Oct 27, 2017
1,178
The next time this is on sale digitally I'm going to pick it up, and maybe this time I will actually finish it. I got caught up in the hype around it that E3 and after finishing and loving NGB, I immediately jumped into 2 and bounced out after a few hours despite generally enjoying what I was playing.
 
Nooblet

Nooblet

Member
Oct 25, 2017
13,623
The thing about Sigma 2 is that it can actually do a lot more enemies on screen than it leads on

 
OP
OP
entremet

entremet

You wouldn't toast a NES cartridge
Member
Oct 26, 2017
59,993
The framerate improvements on the S are also really good.
 
Blackpuppy

Blackpuppy

Member
Oct 28, 2017
4,193
Great video as always, Dark1x ! Just out of curiosity, have you ever played Ninja Gaiden Dragon Sword on the DS? You hold the console in book mode and use the stylus to move around and attack. On paper it sounds janky, but it's actually really fun and intuitive.
 

Gitaroo

Member
Nov 3, 2017
7,985
Kind of want a remaster of sigma 2 with increased enemy counts and gore. I like the new contents and cut like worm boss should have never existed.
 
Inuhanyou

Inuhanyou

Banned
Oct 25, 2017
14,214
New Jersey
Shows momoji on thumbnail, does not highlight momoji levels anywhere in sigma 2 footage....nice job John.

I would love a PS4 remaster of the trilogy, sigma 2 in particular could fully benefit from the increased hardware power to reintroduce the limb system, higher character and enemy counts and such.
 
Nooblet

Nooblet

Member
Oct 25, 2017
13,623
prodyg said:
With no dismemberment, it should've.
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There's dismemberment, as in cutting off body parts. It's just that they disappear once cut.
Still, if it was correlated as you say then it's surprising why the enemy count is low in areas. Like the stairs has at most 5-6 enemies eventhough as you can see in the video the game can do 20 enemies or so in a more detailed environment than the stairs.
 
fiendcode

fiendcode

Member
Oct 26, 2017
24,910
Inuhanyou said:
I would love a PS4 remaster of the trilogy, sigma 2 in particular could fully benefit from the increased hardware power to reintroduce the limb system, higher character and enemy counts and such.
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Yes, we need essentially a Razor's Edge Trilogy on PC/PS4/XBO/Switch. Would make a good lead in to NG4.
 
Inuhanyou

Inuhanyou

Banned
Oct 25, 2017
14,214
New Jersey
fiendcode said:
Yes, we need essentially a Razor's Edge Trilogy on PC/PS4/XBO/Switch. Would make a good lead in to NG4.
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I hope they consider this after Nioh 2....i mean by that point PS5 and XB2 will have been around the corner if they arent already out, and they will have been able to blow far past this updated rerelease with the resources available to them by then, especially if they could already do so much more on current gen alone with an actual dedicated remaster full adhering to the architecture of the systems rather than an adherence to the 360 code
 
MilesQ

MilesQ

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Oct 25, 2017
5,490
Nooblet said:
The thing about Sigma 2 is that it can actually do a lot more enemies on screen than it leads on

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It can do more when you pull enemies from different areas of the same level.

Watch the video you linked from the beginning. The player is pulling enemies from earlier in the level into that area rather than the game loading them in naturally.

It also seems to effect the frame rate.
 

Deleted member 47318

User requested account closure
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Sep 1, 2018
994
Amazing, this is definitely what's gonna sell me on Lockhart next year if it actually has a disc drive.

Also loved the use of NES Ninja Gaiden music throughout, only thing missing was the act start theme at some point.
 
Theorry

Theorry

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Oct 27, 2017
60,973
Wich game is that on the right?

PessimisticSecondAnhinga-size_restricted.gif
 
iconoclast

iconoclast

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Dec 15, 2017
152
A little disappointing since it only seems to cover normal difficulty. Master Ninja is the true performance test, tho from what I've seen frame drops are minimal.

Still, I'm happy to see the best action game get cleaned up. It's the only reason I'll buy an XboneX/next gen Xbox.
 
Nooblet

Nooblet

Member
Oct 25, 2017
13,623
MilesQ said:
It can do more when you pull enemies from different areas of the same level.

Watch the video you linked from the beginning. The player is pulling enemies from earlier in the level into that area rather than the game loading them in naturally.

It also seems to effect the frame rate.
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I've obviously seen the video that I've linked myself, I'm aware he's pulling them from other areas. The video wasn't to show that there are fights that have that many enemies, it was to show that the game can as many enemies without breaking apart.

Beside I'm not sure you can really judge the framerate from what is essentially a 30FPS video, and I do not see any slow game logic to the extent you see in NG2 stairs on 360. Beside the point is that there are some 20 enemies there and even if there was a performance hit it's like 15 more enemies than what you usually come across while playing Sigma 2. Which is what's odd because between NG2 to Sigma 2 the game went from like 20 enemies to 5 enemies, which is a significant cut even though the game can seemingly do a decent few more than what it shows without slowing down the logic as much as 360 did.
 
tapedeck

tapedeck

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Oct 28, 2017
7,976
Thankfully I held on to my greatest hits copy of NGII which has the DLC included. I finally finished the game for the first time on X..and damn was it fun and yes the game is freaking gorgeous at that higher res.
 
DrDeckard

DrDeckard

Banned
Oct 25, 2017
8,109
UK
THe xbox one X and microsofts BC team is mind bendingly incredible. Locked 60 FPS, its insane!

It's also crazy to see how the 360 wiped the floor with the ps3 in certain aspects. 360 was a beast. a much bigger difference than anything this gen.
 
PC98_Audi

PC98_Audi

Producer @ Limited Run Games
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Oct 26, 2017
260
Raleigh
I have yet to play NG2, I guess I have a good excuse now thanks to Dark1x

Also, damn Ryu's got a nice ass.
 
kubev

kubev

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Oct 25, 2017
7,533
California
I swear, every time I see mention of a 3D Ninja Gaiden game, I can't help but think of Ninja Blade. While Ninja Blade wasn't great, I absolutely loved some of its ridiculous QTEs.

 
Darkkahn

Darkkahn

Banned
Oct 25, 2017
2,350
I remember finally figuring out how to beat the last boss on 360, when my game suddenly crashed at the start of the ending cutscene. And that was the last time I ever played NG2. Good times.
 
bcatwilly

bcatwilly

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Oct 27, 2017
2,483
Man, the Xbox BC magic is really awesome with games like this. Looks to be something else that I will be adding to play :)
 
Jakartalado

Jakartalado

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Oct 27, 2017
2,275
São Paulo, Brazil
Always had some interest in the Vita version. The first one on Vita is simply amazing.

A native resolution port with good performance. Sadly not the case here. (And still costs 39,99).
 

Dark1x

Digital Foundry
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Oct 26, 2017
3,530
iconoclast said:
A little disappointing since it only seems to cover normal difficulty. Master Ninja is the true performance test, tho from what I've seen frame drops are minimal.

Still, I'm happy to see the best action game get cleaned up. It's the only reason I'll buy an XboneX/next gen Xbox.
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You have to unlock that mode, I guess? I didn't have it unlocked.
 
benzy

benzy

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Oct 25, 2017
4,260
Btw Dark, to truly stress test the stairs on One X, don't fight any enemies when you first enter the stair case. Run up all the way to the top of the stairs, then kill about 6-8 ninjas, then run down midway to the stairs and a bunch more ninjas will just keep spawning (don't kill any of them, just keep double tapping A to jump over their heads or run back up stairs), eventually 30+ enemies show up on screen and the framerate tanks to low 50s. This is what people did on the 360 as well to get the super slo-mo battle.

Ryu is equipped to efficiently wreck all of them too. :D The combat system is practically designed for taking out a shit ton of enemies and it feels amazing.

 
Atolm

Atolm

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Oct 25, 2017
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Black is on my top ten of all time. This one isn't, it's too linear, unpolished and at certain points unfinished, the levels from 11 onwards are a trainwreck of enemies spamming projectiles, it's unbereable (also the levels's art design takes a huge nosedive, it becomes obvious how the game was rushed for release).

But up until that point...Idk. The combat has a fluidity I haven't seen on any other game (closest are Black and Nioh). It gives the player a lot of feedback of what's happening on screen, even if things are going super fast. It's incredibly satisfactory to kill 7-8 enemies with a full combo without being touched and every weapon is a joy to use and master. No other game matches it in that regard.

It belongs in the flawed gems category, certainly.
 

JigsawPSN

Banned
Apr 11, 2019
150
mrmickfran said:
What was the point of even bringing it to Vita

Ryu does a decapitation animation yet the enemy still has their head.
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vita version has full gore restored. thats a fact, dont know what you saw

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also vita version has a turbo mode like dmc3se, so it runs game logic faster...though, it runs like 10fps, its glorious XD

still, until it gets ported to switch its the only portable ng2, that was propably the point
 
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