PS2 Underrated Gem: Shinobi
111This is a series of gameplay vids I'm doing highlighting overlooked games for the PS2.
Sega brought one of their most beloved 2D characters into the 3D realm for this game.
If you ask me, this game got a bad rap from the mainstream gaming media. Most of them gave it mediocre ratings which is BS, but I've really lost my faith in the gaming press as of late anyways.
While many people will dismiss this game as just trying to be another DMC, it's actually quite different in structure. The way the game is structured actually does remind me of oldschool games.
The levels have a straightforward linear feel to them which some will complain about. There is a little exploration to be had, but in keeping up with the oldschool games, exploration isn't this game's focus. This isn't DMC where you have a place to explore. You won't have to find keys to unlock doors. You just go from point A to point B killing s***. It's just that simple.
I've also heard the game be criticized due to it's graphics. They complain about how it's repetitive textures lead to boring stretches in the game, but I say to them: this is a ****ing action game! I don't know about you, but I'm not going to be stopping to smell the damn roses. I could give a **** if the environments are in Colecovision graphics as long as it's a fun game. Graphics don't effect the gameplay which is the only thing that matters in a game. Bad graphics can never make a game boring, bad gameplay can, and this game is solid in that department.
The camera can at times get weird angles as well, but you've got 100% control of it, so you can change it on the fly.
Shinobi is also tough, but learnable. Each boss has a specific pattern like the games of old, and while it's tough going at first, it's not like DMC where the bosses cheaply kick your ass 99% of the time, and you get lucky the other 1%. These bosses aren't nearly as cheap, but they are tough.
I just feel that this game got the unfair shaft from the gaming media. It's a very fun game, and deserved some better treatment than it got.
Shinobi is only on PS2
Note: I may seem to come down as overly critical of DMC, and most of you will say "You just couldn't hack it." which is BS. I just don't like the inconsistency of the boss battles in that game. The first time, you'll get his life down decently far and then he'll kill you, the second time he kills you within the first combo, and this repeats for the third and fourth time. The fifth time you'll absolutely destroy his ass. It's like the game fluctuates consistent AI. I don't mind if a boss is hard, but I do mind when it takes more luck than skill to kill them. I don't like cheap AI. I think it's weak design.