Ninja Gaiden 3

Did You Know?

• The updated version Ninja Gaiden 3: Razor's Edge was originally published by Nintendo for the Wii U.
• Razor's Edge was included in the Ninja Gaiden: Master Collection released in June 2021 for Windows, Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, and Xbox One.

Gameplay

Ninja Gaiden 3 introduces several new mechanics. The Steel on Bone technique triggers a slow-motion cinematic sequence allowing Ryu to cut through an enemy's body. The Kunai Climb lets Ryu scale certain walls with his kunai and attack enemies from above. Stealth elements allow Ryu to sneak up on enemies and kill them with a single strike. Enemies speak during combat, do not die quickly, and show pain when injured; dismemberment and decapitation are removed, replaced by bleeding and weakening. The slide maneuver replaces the Reverse Wind Technique from previous games and is used to traverse small passages and attack. The Ultimate Technique is tied to Ryu's cursed right arm, the Grip of the Murder: after killing a specific number of enemies, the arm glows red, and the player can charge an ultimate attack fueled by absorbing nearby fallen bodies instead of essence. The HUD appears only during battle and fades out afterward. The Muramasa store is absent; Ryu acquires different swords over the course of the game. He has infinite ammo for his shuriken and a high-tech bow, with arrows improving as the game progresses. Items are virtually nonexistent. Dragon Statues are replaced by a scripted Falcon that saves at specific points and restores health. In single-player, Ryu has only one Ninpo that transforms him into a giant fire dragon, activated by filling a bar beneath the healthbar through defeating enemies; it kills all onscreen enemies and restores health based on how many enemies remain. Multiplayer modes offer additional Ninpo such as the Art of the Piercing Void. The PlayStation 3 version includes an optional control scheme for PlayStation Move.

Plot

Ryu Hayabusa is called by the Japanese Self-Defense Force to deal with a terrorist group led by the Regent of the Mask, an alchemist who wants the Dragon Ninja to come. At the Prime Minister's residence in London, the Regent curses Ryu's right arm with the Grip of Murder, which absorbs the Dragon Sword into his arm. The Regent demands global surrender within seven days. Ryu, with JSDF member Mizuki McCloud, intercepts a signal from the Rub' al Khali desert. There, Ayane gives him the Jinran-Maru sword at Hayate's request. Ryu confronts the Regent, who explains the curse will rot his arm and spread. After defeating an attack helicopter, Ryu returns to the Yunagi and meets Mizuki's daughter Canna and Cliff Higgins, who reveals the enemy is the Lords of Alchemy. Ryu goes to Abismo Island, defeats a cloned Gigantosaurus, and rescues Mizuki, but she knocks him unconscious with a tranquilizer gun.

Development and release

Ninja Gaiden 3 was announced at a closed-door event at the Tokyo Game Show 2010 with a single image. A teaser poster showed Ryu pulling on his mask, with Team Ninja head Yosuke Hayashi noting the unnatural blood on his right hand. The development team removed dismemberment, a key element of previous games, stating that people no longer wanted to see it. At E3 2011, competitive and cooperative multiplayer modes supporting up to eight players were revealed. The story was written by Masato Kato, who wrote the plot and designed graphics for the original NES Ninja Gaiden trilogy. Characters from the NES series appear, including Robert from Ninja Gaiden II: The Dark Sword of Chaos as a pilot. A demo of Dead or Alive 5 was packaged with the game; the Xbox 360 version features Hayabusa and Hitomi, the PlayStation 3 version features Hayate and Ayane, and the collector's edition makes all four playable. The collector's edition also includes a statuette of Ryu battling a boss, an art book, a soundtrack CD, and a premium code for the full Dead or Alive 5 demo. Three downloadable content packs released in April 2012 added weapons (Falcon's Talons, Eclipse Scythe), armor, headgear, and Ninja Trials minigames.

Reception

Ninja Gaiden 3 received generally mixed reviews, with most criticism directed at its streamlined design. Metacritic gave both the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 versions a score of 58 out of 100. Official Xbox Magazine rated it 8 out of 10, praising combat and graphics but criticizing the streamlined approach and ending. Official PlayStation Magazine UK gave it 7 out of 10, calling it largely fun despite not delivering on grand objectives. GameSpot rated it 5.5 out of 10, describing it as a shallow action game lacking challenge and depth. IGN gave it 3 out of 10, calling it a technical disaster.