Inindo: Way of the Ninja Game Sample - SNES/SFC
0Ahhh... this was a game I used to be frustrated by like crazy (but still played for some reason) many years ago, and the game really tries your patience. An Inindo title existed prior to this modified game for MSX back in 1991, and I couldn't really tell you much about it outside of that. On a technical level, this game is great and ranks up there with some of Koei's greats, but the execution of the ideas in the game really made the game a lot more brutal than it had to be.
The first thing you'll notice about the game is the presentation. Most early Koei games had little to no emphasis on presentation and flash, and this game is no exception. This is perhaps one of the crudest games visually to ever grace the system, with practically everything being capable of being replicated on the NES. Everything has very set colors (with practically no details) and designs so uninspired that they begin to become one big blur as you find yourself wandering aimlessly from time to time as everything looks the same. The same goes for the soundtrack, which, while catchy, doesn't display any of the system's prowess whatsoever.
When it comes to the gameplay, most Koei titles shine, even if some games were more or less the same but based on different themes and eras. Inindo is a bit less historically accurate compared to most Koei games and that's part of what made it interesting (breaking the mold). Sure, many people know about Oda Nobunaga (the main antagonist of the game) and the Iga Ninja clan, but the main story behind the game is fictional (because Oda was not defeated by Iga Ninjas, though they posed a threat to him as the game alludes to in the beginning), with many historical references being true, altered, or false.
So is it more fun to take Oda down with ninjas? Should be. The game allows you to participate in a few rare, interesting (and easy) war battles which are strategic in nature and reminiscent to more pure Koei strategy titles in nature. You can go on jobs and get paid by Daimyos, spy on other castles or sabotage them and make them weaker during war time, and meet dozens of characters who travel the world while you conduct ninja training to defeat Oda, and visit dozens of castles and towns. The bulk of the game is standard RPG fare, but there's a decent amount of strategy/sim elements to go around too.
The bulk of the game however is the part that might be too exasperating for casual gamers. The game is essentially deep, but plagued with an unnecessarily high difficulty and grinding (with usually high encounter rates), magic that doesn't get stronger (but enemies grow more immune to spells), quite a bit of character imbalance and chasing characters you want halfway accross the world to join you (only for them to leave), some pretty useless character classes that don't add much to the game, and paperweight plot/dialogue would be some possible turnoffs. Characters can also be killed "forever" (but "reincarnated" somewhere in the world).
On the plus side? Lots of Ninjas, Interesting Warfare, Job, and Character Enlisting system (would've been nice if you actually "talked" to characters though), a Bingo parlor, Oda Nobunaga, a warm and fuzzy nostalgic feeling (maybe), possibly varying challenge (the game is hard enough by default, so changing up your party for losers isn't too likely), and several hours of gameplay. You won't finish this one in five hours, that's for sure.
This is a video of some gameplay with powerful characters, showing a little town romping and fighting. Enjoy.