Like Ninja Gaiden... this game breaks the ice with it's combat system, which is, i'd say, the best part of the game. The storyline isn't that much different from the original Ninja Gaiden. In fact, the only major difference is that Black offers extra missions when you complete the game. Missions like beating Alma (one of the hardest bosses in the game) except you have to fight fiends at the same time... and it's on hard difficulty... As you progress and beat the missions thrown at you you'll win rewards. These missions are a lot harder then the game and I propose that you rent it first to see what it's like. Overall... I gave this game a 10 because it has a great story that involves a Samurai stealing a sord that has the power to turn it's wielder into a devil incarnate, you have to find him and retrieve the blade before the world comes to an end... ya know, Action game stuff.

Still... the main reason I rated this game so high was because of the missions AFTER the game... If you are renting the game thinking that the story has changed, I'm going to tell you now that it hasn't...

And to make the game a lot easier for those of you that are turned off by the games challenge... buy and master the Izuna Drop for high combo kills. It releases a lot of essence and it kills, pretty much, everything you encounter... (bosses are not included : (... Well I hope that helps you guys out! Have fun!

Ninja Gaiden is the type of game that you will either love or hate. there is no middle road for this title. if you have any fondness of ninjas or fast paced and brutal action, then you have no choice but to love this game. from a technical standpoint, this game has exemplary production values. in other words, the people who made this game took their time to make sure that everything runs perfectly smooth and is thoughtfully executed. from graphics, to sound, to gameplay, Ninja Gaiden Black is superior to anything else available for xbox. the visual style of the game is very rich with detail and greatly varied. while the frame rate in most games is a luxury, in this one it is a necessity. there is so much going on so fast in each fight, that even a split second distraction can cost you your life. this game will test your timing, reflexes, your ability to utilize your environment to the fullest extent, as well as how balanced your offense and defense are. with this comes a warning to the less experienced gamer. this game is hard. really hard. however, hard does not mean unfair. every fight is possible to win, however you must think and plan your attacks carefully or your non stop offense will turn into a wide array of openings for your opponent to take advantage of. the Black version of the game features 2 new difficulty modes as well as a new mission mode. one of the new difficulties makes the game much easier for someone new to this style of game. this still does not make Ninja Gaiden Black an easy game. you must learn the physics of the combat system to stand a chance in any difficulty. this is no game for button mashers. while all of the moves are easy to execute, what matters in this game is when and where. unlike most games, your enemies will kill you if you do not kill them. they are smart, fast, and brutally unforgiving. each difficulty has a different enemy set so the replay value in this game is huge. please give this game a fair chance