Ninja Gaiden: Master Collection – Review

Our Rating: 8/10

Ryu Hayabusa is arguably one of the most well-known figures in the video game industry. He starred in what is widely regarded as one of the industry’s most popular hack-and-slash franchises. Now, in the middle of 2021, we see how Koei Tecmo is providing us with a new opportunity to connect with this contemporary ninja story. Courtesy of Ninja Gaiden: Master Collection.

Is this collection up to par with your expectations? Is it possible that more changes are required than we currently have? In that sense, remasters can always end up being a double-edged sword between execution and nostalgia. As a result, we’ll go over the main points to think about if you’re thinking about buying Ninja Gaiden: Master Collection.

A series of interesting technical improvements

In a game of Ninja Gaiden: Master Collection’s level of dynamism, the goal is for the title to be fluid enough that the fighting does not suffer. In this regard, 60 FPSare always the right answer, albeit one that was difficult to achieve until recently. Fortunately, by the middle of 2021, things have changed dramatically, as evidenced by this collection of Ryu Hayabusa games.

The three games in the collection take full advantage of 60 FPS, which is an important aspect of combat. The fluidity is constant, at least on a technical level. It allows you to enjoy the collection without the surprise of the scarcity of frames. This, on the other hand, has little impact on the collection’s visual section, which contains several advantages and disadvantages.

In terms of the technical section, there is a substantial difference between the first and third installments of the collection; even in the second installment, we began to notice a massive spike. The truth is that, despite how ‘out of place’ it may seem in 2021, the first installment still has the occasional classic touch in the form of granules, which feels great at times.

Increased Framerate

The concept of the executions and some of Ryu’s combos, on the other hand, shines in a broad sense across the three Ninja Gaiden: Master Collection installments. If we get into a rhythm, the game takes advantage of all the benefits of the increased frame rate and resolution. This makes the bloodbath that our protagonist ninja is capable of a visual delight. Especially when the enemies start arriving one after another without stopping according to the area.

The presence of either 1080p or even 4K resolution, unfortunately, does not entirely hide the fact that it does not improve the appearance of the 3 games.

There are some instances of slight clipping, and when we compare this collection to other modern hack n’ slash games, such as Devil May Cry 5, we can see a significant difference in terms of modeling, textures, and overall technical finish. Ninja Gaiden: Master Collection ‘delivers’ in this regard.

Content that comes and goes

When purchasing Ninja Gaiden: Master Collection, the goal is to enjoy Ryu Hayabusa’s journey in the best possible light. That goal has been met so far. Various downloadable content from previous installments is also available to this trilogy. Including, most notably, a variety of outfits to equip.

Furthermore, the presence of some well-known female characters on the IP should not be overlooked. We’ll be able to fight alongside Rachel or Ayane, among others. This adds to the gameplay by adding a different combat style. Unfortunately, there are times when the content available is lacking.

Although there are other game modes available outside of the main story, there is a general lack of any kind of mode that involves an online game component. This means that, while we do have a cooperative game, it simply refers to the participation of an AI.

Controls more of the past than a remastering of the present

The controls aren’t as fluid as one might wish for a modern hack n’ slash. This is perhaps the game’s biggest flaw, especially in the first installment of Ninja Gaiden: Master Collection. Although it improves with each new chapter, the collection’s beginning can be a little rough.

In this case, the first Ninja Gaiden suffers from combat that lacks the agility that currently prevails. This occasionally traps the player within his combo. Or not being able to react as precisely as desired in response to enemy action. The defensive mechanics, on the other hand, are where this aspect is most noticeable.

The fact that you have to keep the lock button pressed and give the joystick small ‘pushes’ to slide in short sections – the dodge function – is a mechanic that isn’t entirely ideal.

Similarly, this one appears in all three Ninja Gaiden: Master Collection installments. But because the fighting and overall action soften and expand as the game progresses, it becomes more integrated into the overall combat flow.

Likewise, camera control can become a problem if it is repeatedly overly restricted. To the point where it is practically non-existent. As a result, there will be times when we don’t know if there will be a swarm of enemies waiting to pounce on us when we turn a corner. This is something that happens quite frequently.

Final Thoughts

In general, the impression is that Ninja Gaiden: Master Collection does a fair job of bringing Ryu Hayabusa back to life. While improvements in resolution and frame rate are welcome, especially given the genre, it’s no surprise that one would want to see more in-depth gameplay changes.