CrowFix   Banni   Ryo357   Jeux Video   04-04-2007 à 17:08   04-04-2007 à 17:18  

General information
 
* Series staples remain intact - everything running at constant 60fps.
 
* Attention paid to every detail in the game is staggering.
 
* Characters are a lot more expressive in-game.
 
*New characters can be unlocked after clearing the game.
 
* High-definition graphics everywhere you look.
 
* Environments look so in touch with the DMC universe.
 
* Environmental destruction during battles such as the Variel boss battle are unparalleled with anything ever seen in the series.
 
* The game will have a crisp and responsive feel when playing.
 
* The game feels like a PS3 game more than anything else. (Don't kill the messenger here)
 
 
*When asked about the development cost, he said that they are 'making it to the point where we don't exceed the break point of what we can handle as a budget and still have the game be profitable.' He said the game is not twice as expensive as DMC1.
 
* The camera is much more cinematic now.
 
* Vehicles can be seen strewn across Fortuna. Cars and vans will be on the side of the roads etc.
 
* 16x9 aspect ratio. The camera will play a big part.
 
* More meaning and justification to the cutscenes and flow of the storyline.
 
* Same graphics engine as Dead Rising will be used to give the basic support to the graphics and appearance of everything. They initially looked at the types of middleware available, but they realized they couldn't do some of the things that they wanted to do. He said that most devs say, "We have this engine, we have this middleware. What can we make with it?" However, Capcom's development starts with, "We have this game, what do we need to make it?"
 
* Yuji Shimomura will be directing the cutscenes etc. again. He will ensure that the cutscenes will look much more action-packed and more stylish than ever. He understands the universe and Dante so will be able to make the cutscenes suit them.
 
*Johnny Young Bosch (the Power Ranger, Adam Park) is providing the motion-capture and and voice for Nero.
 
*When asked if Clover's departure from Capcom affected the game, and he said that the people who left are ones that wanted to move on to different projects. The people that are working on DMC4 are the ones that really want to make DMC4.
 
*The snow level that was in the E3 2005 trailer is in the game
 
Characters
 
* Nero's Devil Bringer is natural and not difficult to use.
 
* Dante's animations and expressions will be in the same cool tone as before.
 
* Dante plays totally different to Nero. He also has the four basic styles from Devil May Cry 3 returning - Swordsmaster, Gunslinger, Royal Guard and Trickster. The core animations still look the same from Devil May Cry 3 but everything has been upgraded to look more natural and enhanced, as expected of next-gen by the gamers. He's as responsive as ever. Much more like DMC3 Dante than DMC1 Dante in terms of mobility.
 
Enemies
 
* Variel will be extremely detailed with his battlefield being an epic scrap. Destructible environments will have a place in this battle as Variel destroys everything to get to you.
 
* The Frosts will be difficult enemies to destroy. They can disappear and reappear. Plus they can attack you in groups.
 
Some of Nero's moves list given in PSM :
 
Charge Shot - Hold square to charge, then release to fire
"As well as shooting bullets in rapid succession, you can charge up your gun for a slower, but more powerful shot."
 
Exceed - Pull L2 to charge the EX-guage
"Revving your EX-guage like a motorcycle handle, you can build up to three levels of extra power for your moves."
 
Streak - While holding R1, press the left stick towards the enemy + triangle
"Streak is a powerful forward strike"
 
High Roller - While holding R1, press the left stick away from the enemy + triangle
Air juggle
 
Hell Bound - Face the Grim Grip and press R1+Circle
"Think of this as a a grappling hook-like move that you can use to reach far away platforms - but only if there is a globe to catch.
 
Buster - Press circle near an enemy
"This attack can be performed after you catch an enemy. Best used at the end of a combo, since it doesn't work well with juggleing.
 
Snatch - While facing an enemy, press R1+circle
Used to grab enemies in the air or on the ground
 
 
* Vergil was a subject that was avoided as it was reiterated that Dante was one of the main focuses of this game. Vergil was still not confirmed to be in the game though yet it wasn't said that he won't be. Who knows. They have no interest in making a Vergil spin-off game either.
 

Originally Posted by Chris Roper and Hilary Goldstein  
Ninja Gaiden Sigma Hands-on
Ryu slices his way to the PlayStation 3 and we sharpen our swords to see what moves he's brought with him.
by Chris Roper, Hilary Goldstein
 
March 22, 2007 - Perhaps one of the most fondly remembered non-Nintendo series on the NES, the Ninja Gaiden franchise was practically the pinnacle of action gaming on said platform. When Tecmo brought back the series in March of 2004 to the original Xbox, Ryu and company were once again vaulted to the top of action gaming. And now, Tecmo aims to do the same to the next-generation (is it current-gen yet?) with Ninja Gaiden Sigma on the PlayStation 3.
 
Sigma can best be described as a remastered version of Ninja Gaiden for the Xbox. With all of the content from Ninja Gaiden Black in tow and a healthy dose of new and enhanced content to encourage existing fans to plunk down $60, Ninja Gaiden Sigma is set for release late this Spring on the PS3. Tecmo stopped by our offices today to give us an in-depth look at the game, and yep, Ryu looks set to do it all over again.
 
 
Roper's Take
I'm going to run through all the nitty-gritty features and details of the game on this page, while the actual hands-on content will be Hilary's realm over on the next page. So if you want to skip reading about the improvements and simply want to know what it's like to remove the heads from hundreds of ninjas and beasts, make sure you turn the page.
 
Improvements have been made to the existing game in practically every facet of the experience, most of them small, but all of them important. For example, while much of the actual level content will be the same, a number of new enemies and bosses will crop up here and there to keep you on your toes. Existing foes have been tweaked as well, so if you think you've got something figured out from past play sessions, Sigma may force you to rethink your strategies.
 
To fight these new creatures, Ryu has a new weapon at his side - actually, make that two. The super ninja can now wield dual katanas, which you'll pick up relatively early in your journey. These things are long, spanning far enough that Ryu could vault over a rather large elephant should he feel the need to.
 
Perhaps the biggest edition to Ninja Gaiden Sigma is the ability to play as Rachel, the fiend hunter that trails Ryu through his journey. An additional three chapters have been added to the story, each allowing you to play as Rachel as she heads off to do her own killing and mutilating. Wielding her demon-slaying axe in one hand and a grappling hook in the other, she provides a bit of a different play experience than Ryu simply because of her fighting style and combat strengths. The demo section that we saw had her kill a number of demons in the game's cathedral, where fans will remember a rather intense boss battle having taken place. Hil has more details on this on the next page, so we'll get back to her in a second.
 
 
Rachel doesn't need saving - she's got plenty of her own moves.
Sigma will include all of the additional content that we saw included with Ninja Gaiden Black on the Xbox, like the mission modes, costumes and so forth. While we're told that Ryu won't see any new threads (or is that spandex?), all of his costumes have been reworked for the PS3's HD output and will feature more detail than ever. Rachel too will see her own new accessories, though rather than full-on costumes you'll be able to choose from a number of hair and earring selections for her.
 
Some 50 missions will be present here, with 10 dedicated to Rachel. You'll be able to upload your efforts to a leaderboard and check out your rankings as before, but Sigma will add a number of new stats for comparison's sake. From the number of deaths to how many advanced moves you performed to the number of times you used ninpo, you'll have a bevy of stats to compare yourself to your friends with.
 
From a technical aspect, Ninja Gaiden Sigma looks about as sharp as we figure games can get. Every texture in the game has been reworked for the PlayStation 3, and a number of other effects have been added to spice things up, like self-shadowing and so forth. Some creatures now shine with ooze, while others emit clouds of something as they scurry about the battlefield. Tecmo said that it has just recently managed to implement full 1080p support into the game, and at a full 60fps to boot. Yes, this is one slick-looking title.
 
 
Hil's Take
How many times can a company get away with remastering the same game? Apparently, as many times as it'd like if we're talking about Team Ninja. Building on the success of Ninja Gaiden and Ninja Gaiden Black on Xbox, Team Ninja offers what promises to be the ultimate version to PS3 in Ninja Gaiden Sigma.
 
Having beaten the original Xbox Gaiden three times and Black once, I thought I'd had just about enough of Team Ninja's brilliant action title. I was wrong. Sigma takes the meat of Ninja Gaiden Black and adds plenty of next-gen crackle. The intro level, which has Ryu Hayabusa attempting to infiltrate a ninja fortress, is crisp and colorful. The action, which was tightened to a frenetic pace for NG Black has been cranked to 11 on PS3. Ryu moves with such awesome speed it's a miracle that the camera can ever keep up. And yet the camera, once a sore spot for the Xbox game, is actually more intelligent this time out and (at least for the most part) keeps the action on screen.
 
 
If you've mastered Ninja Gaiden Black, the first level poses no true surprises. The items have their old placement, though the swank HD graphics do make the health potions easier to spot. The brown ninjas are the primary enemies on the first level, with some of the tougher white-clad ninjas thrown in to offer a tad more difficulty. The combat remains challenging, requiring lightning reflexes and ample use of the block button. The only significant change, at least to the first level, is the addition of a new weapon: Dual katanas.
 
The dual-wielding katanas are awesome. Though the True Dragon Sword is said to remain the most powerful weapon in the game, the dual katanas are probably going to become a fast favorite for old and new fans alike. If you thought dual-fisting weapons in Halo 2 was sweet, just wait until you get hold of two swords that are each nearly the length of Ryu. With the increased reach and the exceptional speed of the dual swords any halfway decent Gaiden player can easily swath a path of destruction and look cool doing so.
 
One of my biggest concerns regarding Sigma was the use of the Sixaxis' tilt functionality. Fortunately, this is only used when casting ninpo (magic) and works fairly well. When you cast ninpo, just shake the controller up and down to quickly charge the attack. Because Ryu is locked in place during ninpo attacks, the need to shake the controller doesn't disrupt the action and actually keeps you more involved throughout the sometimes lengthy casting animations.
 
Of course, the real curiosity is how Rachel, the top-heavy warrior woman, controls. I'm happy to report that fans won't be disappointed. Rachel's massive war hammer is far more effective in her hands than it ever was in Ryu's. After all, Rachel has been using the hammer a long time. So expect the powerful weapon to have much quicker attacks. Though Rachel can't unleash ungodly high combos like Ryu with his new dual swords, her combat flows well and feels distinctive.
 
The demo only allowed us to play Rachel inside the church, battling a handful of fiends. Most striking is Rachel's ninpo attack, which at full power unleashes a radiant blast that can lay waste to pretty much every fiend on screen.
 
That, however, isn't as cool as her grappling hook. Where Ryu has unlimited shuriken to throw around in combat, Rachel can fire a grappling hook from her wrist. Shooting an enemy knocks them back and is a great way to break enemy combos and give Rachel some spacing. You can also perform some limited swinging by jumping and casting the hook. This isn't a platforming element (Rachel's three missions are said to be combat-centric), but instead is a way to gain quick altitude and alter Rachel's attacks.
 
Don't lose your head over it.
Don't lose your head over it.
There's still a considerable amount of Sigma left to be seen. Rachel has three full-fledged playable chapters intermixed with Ryu's original sixteen. There are also some surprises thrown in for long-time Gaiden fans, including new enemies and bosses for both Ryu and Rachel.
 
One secret Tecmo let slip is certain to get Ninja Gaiden fans pumped for Sigma. Early on in Ninja Gaiden, Ryu's village is being attacked by the evil Doku. A beautiful CG cut-scene shows Ryu battle against Doku and lose badly. In Ninja Gaiden Sigma that CG cut-scene is gone. It's no longer necessary -- because now you get to fight that battle!
 
This is just an example of the many twists that awaits those who have already played Ninja Gaiden. Of course, those new to the series can still enjoy the "ultimate" Ninja Gaiden experience. Though, more than likely, they'll be too busy getting their ass handed to them to appreciate the experience. I simply can't wait to start playing Ninja Gaiden again. I can't believe I'm even typing that, but yes, Ninja Gaiden has me hooked once more.