![]() To start, each level has a series of optional and mandatory missions to complete. However, almost immediately, we get a taste of how the game does walk its own path. ![]() ![]() Okay, kind of off on a bad foot in not comparing Within the Blade to Ninja Gaiden. You start this stealthy side-scrolling adventure as a purple-clad Shiboni with a near fully shrouded face. Could there have been more variety? Sure, but the grunts of battling ninjas and clang of connecting blades do their job more than well enough. There is not much to critique in terms of ambient and combat audio as it all fits well within their respective places. Some hazards may have been harder to spot at first, but they hardly break the experience.Īmetist also did a wonderful job with the audio design, with music that perfectly captures the period. The pixelated world is straightforward and may not be winning any awards, but character and level design are effective and ensure the action on-screen is smooth and easy to follow. Visually, Within the Blade has quite a bit going for it. This is unfortunate as the text is sorely mismatched to the period, although the illustrations are well done and help ground the experience. The dialogue often feels shockingly out of place, using words and phrases that a 1500 AD Shinobi or his master would certainly not use. I could talk a bit about the story, but it is really the weakest part of Within the Blade. It is so easy to jump into and what story is there about rival ninja clans and demonic influences plays out in panels reminiscent of - dare I say it? - old-school Ninja Gaiden. Sure, the PC version may play and look better, but this is the kind of compact retro game that the Switch was made for. While I can’t speak to how differently the PC and console versions play and run, I do not really think that’s important. Within the Blade was released on Steam back in 2017 (as Pixel Shinobi: Nine Demons of Mamoru), but the version I got my hands on was the recently released Switch port courtesy of the programming specialists at Spanish “platform conversion” studio Ratalaika Games. ‘Within the Blade’ is a little guilty of this, with attack animations that take much longer than they should to reset.” “While I do not discourage difficult gameplay, sometimes a game feels like it is designed to be difficult just for the sake of falling within a relatively new video game mold. However, this 2D side-scrolling adventure chose enjoyable source material while bringing some new things to the table to make it less of a Ninja Gaiden clone and more of an homage to the classic series. travesty, this would be an entirely different discussion. The thing is, that’s far from a bad thing. I am not going to outright peg Within the Blade as a Ninja Gaiden clone, but Ametist Studio was clearly influenced by Ryu’s earliest incarnations, whether they realize it or not. Thanks to Ametist Studio, I can confirm without question that my assumptions were correct. It has been so long since I’ve tried playing one of the retro Ninja Gaiden titles that I just assume I’d be just as bad now as I was then. Ninja Gaiden was one of a few titles that lined my NES library as a young lad, giving me an early taste of engaging but often frustrating gameplay. JLong before Ryu Hayabusa faced off against all matter of villainy in a 3D plane, he occupied a 2D space in one of the NES’ most beloved series.
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