As I sat down to play and review Sega’s latest retro-update, Shinobi, I was interrupted by the noise of my morning post being pushed through the letterbox. Alongside the usual array of ‘You are a winner!’ and ‘Dodgy-Loan Co. Can Save Your Life!’ style circulars, there was a letter addressed to me, that had clearly been opened. I wasn’t really that worried, thinking that it would just be yet another advert, telling me that since I wasn’t banking with this company, I would surely die. But something intrigued me. The envelope had been opened with a perfect crosscut, as if someone had the tools to do the job properly. I began to read’
‘Dear Ken, It’s a tough life, being a ninja. I thought it would be an easy job that would suit my skills perfectly. Running along walls I can do. I can throw the odd Shuriken and perform Ninjitsu special moves like there’s no tomorrow. I’m great at jumping, flipping and spinning in mid-air, and my skills with a blade are second to none. That Gary Rhodes has nothing on me when it comes to dicing carrots (sorry about the envelope, slip of the sword!). I’m still searching for answers, however, since I’m feeling more than a little blue and I’m completely disillusioned with the job. Please can you help me”
I tried for a good hour to make out the illegible signature, but eventually gave up. Do I usually reply to this sort of mail’ No. But since I was about to sit down with Shinobi, I thought I’d see if it could find the answer to this poor chap’s problem.
Upon loading up Shinobi and being presented with the old ‘This game contains scenes of excessive violence and gore’ message, I nearly switched off. Quickly realising that I was, in fact, 22 years of age, I stopped myself and waited for the title screen. The clinks and clanks of the ancient Far East made for a good background to the menu system, but couldn’t have prepared me for the aural delights that were to come. From the outset, I thought I could see the guy’s problem. Peer pressure. Ain’t it always the way’ Its quite obvious to anyone who has played the original Shinobi games on the Megadrive and Master System that times have changed, and Sega seem to be desperately trying to bring the series up to the current standard of platform/3d roaming/action-adventure titles. Whilst, for the most part, they have done a pretty decent job, there are reasons to believe that not all of the development team were that happy with the transition from 2d to 3d.
Take the level layouts, for example. A great deal of your time playing Shinobi is spent wandering through straight corridors, beating hordes of opponents, collecting the odd Shuriken boost or energy power-up, until you reach the boss. If, at any time, Hotsuma (the main character) expires, you have to start the level again. Given that some of these levels are pretty long, this can be incredibly’no, double-incredibly frustrating, to the point that the ‘one more go’ factor that is present, decides to take its leave of you, whilst you search your collection for an easier game. Don’t get me wrong, I love a challenge, but every now and again you’ll feel that Shinobi goes just a little too far. I did hear a voice in my head shouting ‘Get the energy, you’re going to die!’ a few times though’which is a good thing. Either that, or Shinobi caused me to have a flashback of an old Daley Thompson advert for Lucozade
On the flip side, any fan of the original games, or retro-platform action in general, will have a whale of a time. The bottomless pits, the ‘there’s no way I’ll make it’ blind jumps, the music’oh, the music! Anyone who played Streets of Rage, its sequels, The Revenge of Shinobi, or any of those other Sega 16-bit classics will be in heaven. I don’t think I’ve heard music that suits a game so well before, full stop. Beautifully 80’s beats come popping and fizzing through the speakers, with that little bit of jingly-jangly synthesizer thrown in for good measure. The sound effects suit the action well, to boot, making Shinobi’s aural platter an absolute joy for retro fans.
I can’t stress enough how confused the game seems to be. I never thought I’d see the day that I’d use the word ‘confused’ to describe a video game, but here it is. On the one hand, Hotsuma sprints around the levels well and has an adequate selection of moves to assist you in beating the many opposition forces that you will encounter. On the other hand, despite the occurrence of rare ‘open’ level sections, you feel that your path through the game is mapped out far too clearly. Innovation isn’t really required in the same sense that it was in Tenchu: Wrath of Heaven. All you have to do is get from point A to point B, destroying things in your path. In a way, this is refreshing, since you don’t have to think nearly as hard about where you’re going and are able to focus on what you’re doing, but in another way, the game leaves you feeling a little hollow.
I think I have my reply all worked out.
‘Dear Mr Ninja, I understand your problem. Whilst your skills are more than enough to do your job well, the pure pressure of change is getting you down. It’s hard to accept that things are moving on. Everyone is boasting about their 3D levels and big-breasted characters, but how many of those professions will keep your hunger for good old hacking and slashing satiated for more than a few hours in the same way that your current one does’
Other jobs (tomb raiding, crime fighting etc) are obviously appealing to you, since they look so good to the outsider. But as a wise man probably once said, ‘It’s what’s inside that counts.’ Try to explore the boundaries of what you do, and your path will surely be shown to you.’
