Ninja Blade Attacks on April 7

Publisher Microsoft and developer FromSoftware are announcing that their upcoming Ninja Blade has just gone gold and will be released on April 7. The game is also set to get a demo that will be available on Xbox Live sometime on March 9, allowing interested players to get a sneak peek at the title. Ninja Blade is an Xbox 360 exclusive.

The game takes place in modern day Tokyo and features Ken Ogawa as the main character. Initially, he is the leader of a group of ninjas that use stealth in order to defeat hordes of monsters threatening the existence of humanity. As his group is destroyed after being betrayed by an insider, Ken must take up the task alone, while trying to find out who and why had betrayed him.

Ninja Blade is set to include a variety of weapons and ninja abilities. Ninja Vision should allow players to see the weak points of enemies but it can also be used to gain access to hidden information and secret paths. The downside is that Ken is more vulnerable while using it. To balance this, Ken can use Todome, an ability that allows him to quickly destroy any enemy by striking directly at their heart. Ninjutsu is another special power that creates a blast of electrical force, which can be used to protect the player’s character or to stun enemies.

The weapons are designed to maximize the possibilities offered to the player. There are dual wielded swords, grappling hooks and even grenades that will allow players to make it across the game areas based on real life images of Tokyo and its maze of skyscrapers.

One feature of the game that some might find troubling is the addition of Quick Time Events. As cut scenes are playing, gamers will have to push sequences of buttons in order to perform special actions. Microsoft says that “quick reflexes will be rewarded as players interact with controller buttons as directed on screen during intense battles.” We'll have to wait until April to see how the game shapes up.