The nearly perfect Ninja Gaiden experience. Sure, the gore is missing, and the missions as Momiji and Rachel aren’t great, but when you’re playing as Ryu, this is the ideal that all the future ninja gaiden entries should aspire to. Fast paced combat against ruthless enemies, the essence system allowing you to control when you can unleash your ultimate techniques, and an arsenal of well-balanced weapons that allow skilled players to decimate foes.

A lot of complaints are made of the reduced enemy count, but I feel that change is actually a strength, here. Hordes of enemies aren’t terribly interesting, especially when it’s clear which ones are actively fighting you and which ones are just hanging around near the edges of the fight, their AI in a sort of passive mode. Sigma 2’s philosophy of reducing enemy count but increasing enemy aggression and lethality is one I can respect, as it gives the player the impression that each enemy really is a ninja or fiend, not some hapless mook that exists purely to be slaughtered. If you’re not constantly on top of your game in the higher difficulties, enemies will make quick work of you, just as you do to them. And that is how it should be. Character action games in general are best served when your life is balanced on the edge of a blade. Otherwise it becomes an experience more akin to dynasty warriors. Which just isn’t as engaging.