Dragon Sword's story has also been toned down a bit from the previous game. Instead of the avenging deaths of your clan-members, you'll find yourself on a mission to recuse a kidnapped shrine-maiden. There's also a full compliment of stereotypical children inhabiting the village for some reason. I'm not exactly sure what their purpose is, aside from a few minor plot points, but they help show a softer side of Ryu and will probably play well with the younger crowd that Itagaki was after.
Make no mistake, Ninja Gaiden: Dragon Sword is not a long game, I was able complete normal mode in just under 6 hours, but for all it lacks in length it makes up for with replayablity. Normal mode is easy, almost too easy, but Head Ninja, the second mode unlocked, brings back the traditional Ninja Gaiden frustration. If Head Ninja's still not tough enough for you there's also Master Ninja mode and The Way of the Kunoichi, where you get to play as a Ninja called Rin.
When beating on Fiends gets a bit tiring for you there's still Muramasa's Prize Shop where you can trade in wooden amulets to unlock bonus art, videos and much more.
Dragon Sword's last offering is WFC Ranking Mode. A place where you can see how you stack up against the rest of the world. Unfortunately at the current time all the top spots are filled with cheaters. It's a shame too because Ninja Gaiden is exactly the kind of game where a leader board could be a selling point. I contacted Tecmo concerning the issue and while they are aware of it, there does not appear to be anything they can do for the time being.
While a small offering, Ninja Gaiden: Dragon Sword is reasonably robust and should offer loads of fun for anyone who picks it up. For a first attempt DS game it's not half bad so whether you're a Team Ninja fan or just in need of a new game to fill your time, it's definitely worth a look.
Ninja Gaiden: Dragon Sword is rated T (Teen) by the ESRB for Partial Nudity and Violence.
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