Ninja Gaiden Sigma 2 Message Board

Play dress up with Ryu and friends.

Listen, it's scientific fact that as ninjas shed their clothes, they become better at executing their ninja duties. So, if you see us purchase the Ninja Gaiden Sigma 2 costume pack, which was released on the PlayStation Store yesterday for $3.99, it's not because we're pervs or anything. It's because the skimpy outfits you see above were meticulously engineered to maximize our capacity for flipping out and killing people. Also, we realize Ryu's new costume (which was previously handed out as a pre-order bonus) isn't more revealing than his standard duds. See, the above rule only applies to female ninjas. Hey, don't look at us like that. We didn't write the ninja rulebook, okay?

There are a few extremely obvious differences between Ninja Gaiden 2 and Ninja Gaiden Sigma 2. They work in different consoles, and one's got the word "Sigma" in the title. Oh, and there's the boob thing. Beyond that, however, we must turn to the experts.Digital Foundry reports that the resolution has changed between the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 games. Sigma runs at 1280x718, effectively 720p, while the Xbox version ran at 1120x585. The resolution boost comes with some cuts: DF says the PS3 version loses some polygons, or rather some whole collections of polygons: Sigma 2 maintains a limit of six enemies or fewer in most situations, while Ninja Gaiden 2 "revels in throwing seven or eight opponents at you at any given point." Things that didn't get cut: The lighting effects, which are noticeably more advanced in the PlayStation 3 game.DF also has a video demonstrating a stress test of sorts (forcing as many enemies onto the screen as possible). For some reason, we don't mind the idea of having slightly fewer ninja enemies stabbing us in the back at any time. These games are at their best when Ryu is juggling a few enemies, not when he's buried in them.

Go behind the scenes and see how they set up awesome viral TV spots.

It's a kinder, gentler Ninja Gaiden, but does that make it better?

Experience the night life of Ninja Gaiden.

Can you beat the high kill score?

It's time to get some fresh air while slaying your enemies.

Take your pick of this assortment of ninja-slaying goodness.

There's some nice content in this week's PSN update -- namely, the demo for Lost Planet 2 and Ninja Gaiden Sigma 2, and a whole slew of discounted tracks for Guitar Hero: World Tour. Still, we can't shake the feeling that we've somehow been cheated. Maybe it's because Japan got another Square Enix-developed PSOne Original last night, while the rest of the world got Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs. Here's a hint: There's a pretty high chance of sour grapes as well. Choose your platform to view the corresponding release list: (Note: Continue past the break to view both release lists.)

Merged game companies rarely fuse their franchises together, but when the two partnered entities' action-genre focus overlaps as much as Koei and Tecmo's do, inter-brand cameos come naturally. That's why we weren't shocked to hear that Ninja Gaiden's Ryu Hayabusa and Warriors Orochi's Nu Wa would make appearances in the PS3 and Xbox 360 versions, respectively, of Dynasty Warriors Multi Raid. In addition, Multi Raiid's Sun Shang Xiang and Zhao Yun will appear as costumes in Ninja Gaiden Sigma 2. At this rate, we expect the many, many ninjas from Koei and Tecmo's respective properties will soon be thrown into a "ninja pool," which players of any their titles will be able to choose from. For the record, we're strong advocates for this ninja unionization. Fairer wages for our shiruken-slinging brethren!

The highly anticipated Sigma-sequel nears launch in Japan.

Given an extra year of development, it's no wonder why the Sigma version of Ninja Gaiden 2 is so far improved over the original. The upcoming PS3 exclusive adds a ton of new features, ranging from awesome to downright ridiculous. GamesWire took screenshots of the original Xbox 360 Ninja Gaiden 2 and compared them with the new Sigma edition, noting, "The lighting and textures are just so much better this time around and there's much more detail to be seen now too."Additionally, the PlayStation.blog took some time (10 minutes, actually) to show off the various features of Sigma. You'll get to see the Ultimate Ninpo in action, as well as an extended look at the new co-op mode -- and yes, you'll even see the franchise's notorious Game Over screen. Check that out after the break.[Thanks, Jeremy B.!]Source - Ninja Gaiden Sigma 2 - PlayStation 3 vs Xbox 360 ComparisonSource - Ninja Gaiden Sigma 2 Interview and Walkthrough with Team Ninja's Yosuke Hayashi

The Ninja Gaiden Sigma 2 Producer discusses some of the changes in the upcoming Ninja Gaiden sequel and briefly touches on Metroid: Other M.

We've just received word from Tecmo that Ninja Gaiden Sigma 2's demo will be gracing the US PSN one week after Japan gets it on September 24. Unfortunately, Tecmo wouldn't offer anything on what the demo would entail; the company did not confirm any co-op for the demo, let alone which part of the game it would take place in. But hey, it's a free demo and we certainly aren't complaining -- mostly because we don't want to be on that Ryu cat's bad side.

Set up your characters and battle!

Who says you can't dress down when eviscerating countless opponents?

Weilding a gigantic scythe, you must take the definition of Ninja to the extreme.

Nothing says "fear me" quite like a swinging a gigantic sword at high speeds.

New characters, a new Co-Op mode, and new ways to deal death.

Think you're man enough to dance with the lance and live?