Way of the Ninja

Tecmo and Eidos are bringing Ninja Gaiden Sigma to PlayStation 3. Here's a first look at the game's opening scenes.

Tecmo's Ninja Gaiden is a game with plenty of fans - and now the Japanese developer better known for its Dead or Alive series is almost ready to unveil Ninja Gaiden Sigma on PS3. This next generation remake recreates the adventure of Ryu Hayabusa, famed among hardcore gamers as one of the most difficult, yet satisfying adventures of recent years.

One thing is for sure - katana-sharp High Definition visuals suit the game no end. Ryu, his enemies and his environments are gorgeous, with some great spot effects embellishing the ninja's deadlier strikes no end.

Ninja Gaiden combines the adventuring elements of games like Resident Evil with the combat ideals of a game like God of War - but comes up with an experience that's entirely its own. At first, the combat mechanics seem less accessible than those in God of War, but as with Kratos' adventure there's plenty of depth for dedicated players to delve into. It's also pretty challenging, though a sprinkling of different difficulty levels mean the game has something to offer everyone - and once blocking attacks becomes instinctive, making headway becomes a joy.

As with all the best games of this type, the combat has a balletic quality that's mesmerising when an extended battle is in full flow. It looks like there's a winner on its way...

A recent demo of the first level indicates that there's a lot to look forward to here. Keep an eye out for a full preview of the game on eu.playstation.com later this year.