14 DAY TRIAL // Upcoming games like Ninja Gaiden 3 or Dead or Alive 5 will highlight just how much developer Team Ninja has evolved in terms of mentality since the resignation of its former boss, Tomonobu Itagaki.
Team Ninja, the Japanese studio part of Tecmo Koei, is set to debut quite a few games this year, including full-fledged ones like Ninja Gaiden 3 or Dead or Alive 5, as well as handheld experiences like Ninja Gaiden Sigma Plus.
All these games, particularly the home console ones, show how much the developer has evolved after the departure of its former boss, Tomonobu Itagaki, one of the most outlandish Japanese game designers in recent times.
“The game industry changed quite a lot,” Yosuke Hayashi, the new Team Ninja boss, told Industry Gamers. “After Itagaki left, we felt the games we made were not ideal today. Our new titles, Ninja Gaiden 3 and Dead or Alive 5, prove how the team redefined itself. You’ll see what Team Ninja is about, the personal philosophy, particularly with Ninja Gaiden 3 in terms of story.”
Among the key changes, as has already been debated, is the lowering of difficulty in games like Ninja Gaiden 3, which is even set to have a special Hero mode that tones down the traditionally challenging gameplay from the series.
“Before we started developing the game, we looked at how many players completed it versus those who gave up. We found the majority bought the game and stopped somewhere around the middle. We wanted less capable or casual players to enjoy it from beginning to end. The philosophy of Ninja Gaiden 3 is alive in Sigma Plus, so you have multiple difficulties that apply to many gamers.”
Ninja Gaiden Sigma Plus is a re-release of the PS3 exclusive Ninja Gaiden Sigma, set to arrive for the PlayStation Vita next week. Besides the difficulty mentioned by Hayashi, it’s also going to have a Hero mode, so players that aren’t familiar with hack and slash games shouldn’t be afraid to try it out.
Ninja Gaiden 3 is out in March for the PS3 and Xbox 360, while Dead or Alive 5 will make its appearance later this year.