In bullish mood at a press event for Ninja Gaiden II at Soho, Itagaki has just watched journalists run through Hayate's latest adventure.
After getting our hands bloody by slicing and dicing through a horde of enemies - with Itagaki nodding his approval - we sit down with the developer and ask him about Ninja Gaiden II, Devil May Cry 4 and what comes next...
Ninja Gaiden had the remix of sorts with Sigma. Can you see the series continue without you? Is that something you'd like to see happen?
First of all, I should explain that Sigma was made by another team not under my direct involvement. I can say I wasn't really happy with the way it turned out. I think its too different from the rest of the series. But here, with Ninja Gaiden II, I can say for myself and others that have been with Team Ninja for years were directly involved in creating this from the ground up and so, you can be rest assured that this is a mainstream Team Ninja production.
At the announcement of his new game from Platinum Games, Devil May Cry creator Kayima-san stated that the "action adventure genre hasn't evolved in seven years" and his game would bring about the climax of the genre. What do you think of that statement?
I think Kayima-san makes good games. However, I think they, the systems, gameplay elements in his game tend to be rather shallow and he makes up with that through stylish presentation. I think if you were to compare them directly, the combat and other gameplay elements in NGII are much deeper than projects that he works on.
With playing Ninja Gaiden II the last half hour or so, and hopefully not embarrassing ourselves too badly (Itagaki-san sat alongside us as we played through the opening levels), the decapitations, the finishing attacks, are beautifully done - did you want every attack's end to do so in this beautiful, almost artistic way?
[Laughs] You were very good, by the way. I really believe that action games should be very beautiful visually, but they also need to be supported by a depth of combat. In my games its all based on a back and forth with the enemies, its very interactive. You feel like you're pushed to the brink but you manage to survive, the enemies are as out to get you as you are to get them. Whereas other types of action games, one of which being Devil May Cry, enemies exist there as objects on which you unleash your attacks.
It's very much a one-way street and once those enemies are finished you have that feeling of 'oh, I'm so powerful'.
I understand the appeal of that type of game but that's really not for me, that's not the type of games I want to make.
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I mean honestly did you expect him to say "Well My game is very good, but I don't think its going to match DMC4". Honestly.
With that said, The combat and how every thing is laid out is better in comparisons to DMC and God of War which are both button smashers. Where as Ninja Gaiden isn't and it takes skillful and Strategic playing to beat the enemies. Thanks to the AI, i experienced this first hand playing Ninja Gaiden Sigma. And this game is going to be a little more difficult to the pasts. I love the new Gore effect and the body Disembodiment. And I 100% love the Scythe and Claws.
He was asked whether he thought DMC4 had evolved the action genre. If he thought it had, then he'd probably say so.
He thought his game showed better "evolution" so he said that instead.
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Mind, I haven't played DMC4, but if the previous games are anything to go by, then I agree with what Itagaki said. Heck, the giant words "Stylish" or "Cool" flashing on the side of the screen show what the gameplay revolves around. Not that it's a bad thing - I thought DMC was a great action game, though it's certainly not an "evolution" of the action genre.
One thing I'd thought I'd mention here, Ninja Gaiden II has at least borrowed from God of War II(which Itagaki HAS played) in the sense that they borrowed New Game+ in the same vein as in GoW2.
Don't exactly know why people just love touting it as a button masher when my gaming experience tells me very differently.
I wouldn't say NG has evolved the action Genre, They're pretty much all equal. This is one mans opinion obviously, the AI and combos just aren't as easy to "button smash" and get away with winning like DMC and God of War.
The AI in both DMC and God of War is nothing compared to NG2. You know how many times i died in NGS compared to those two games in the first play through?
66 times for NGS, and 16 for DMC and God of War. Yea massive gap, that tells you the difference in AI.
For future reference, I HAVE played:
Ninja Gaiden Sigma, God of War (1-2-CoO), and DMC (1 through 4).
ITS THE APOCOLYPSE!!!
His interviews are so fun to read.
And wtf? Hayate's latest adventure?
DMC4 was good but I hope you're right.