yeah, I noticed the music too. It doesn’t detract from the fighting, but when Yakumo is just running, wall running or jumping from wall to wall (it’s a hell of intuitive, oh hell, all his moves are pretty darn good). I just don’t see a hit counter. Is it there and I’m just not seeing it? I could have sworn Black 2 had it.

I thought there would be more chatter about this game. I thought most were very fond of the series. Hell, it’s been around so long and so many games of all kinds.

Why no chatter on part 4?

I’m having a blast an absolute blast. The game is so fluid in motion and so much fun. It is kinda just button mashing, but the moves and skills earned and purchased with the coins are so grandiose and so not hard to learn.

I have some of the buttons remapped to the triggers in back of Xbox Elite controller and sometimes I forget to use them. They really are easier than rb and lb button presses. I’ve gone to love remapping in fact. I gave up on them once, button gave it another try and I’m just loving the back triggers. I guess if I didn’t use it would defeat the purpose of having an Elite.

I was detracted at first because it felt unnatural with the triggers in back, but they really are useful and serve great function.

I wasn’t even a fan of the series and had none of the games, but then saw a deal on the 3 sigma games and then trying out NG: Black 2 has me really excited to visiting the older games after this.

But, no love for this?

I started playing last night and it's great. Been a fan since the NES days. This is year of the ninja for sure in video games.

nice! It’s just a lot of fun, right? And how great is obliterate? I can’t get enough of seeing that. And, does it get punishingly harder as it goes along? I’m playing on normal right now and not finding it particularly hard as of yet. Which is contrary than what I heard about this series. Just loving the fluidity and intuitive nature of the moves.

I too, like the NES version which is probably the last time I played a NG game. I still remember the side scrolling action and jumping in like a ball or something like that. Memory just a little hazy on that. Just been following and never playing. Until now, of course.

Best it last night. Had a blast with it, lots of fun.

congrats stinger! about how long did it take you?

I'm loving it myself. All I play now and all I really want to play now. I'll tell you though, Yakumo's move list is getting pretty complicated and I'm trying to memorize them and can on some, but others I have to think about and well, in this game, you know it's not a game to do that. But when you execute a good parry or block and then unleashing hell and then obliterate the enemy is so so much fun! The normal difficulty is definitely getting harder, but I will persevere.

About 9 hours, playing on easy difficulty

Wow, 9 hours. That’s gonna take me a year on normal which is quite difficult at times. I dropped once to hero mode, but that was way too easy. I never lost any health, auto blocking. It’s good to get through, but sometimes I like the struggle. So many moves to learn. Loving the experience. It’s so brutal in its killing and it makes it so much fun. Obliteration is just awesome. But, timing those blocks and I still can’t figure out parry. I struggle with that one. But, this one definitely has me in its grips.

This game is so great. I love the ways you can practice all your new moves to your hearts content. Remembering how to execute, that’s another story. But the gameplay is just so much fun. It’s like run and gun with swords and ninjas. I think I’m on Chapter 4. I believe this will be my first completed game since 2024.

Fuck, I just learned this has 19 chapters. Let me correct my earlier statement. This will be the first game in 2026 that I will have beaten since 2024.

I'm on my second play through with Ryu, since he unlocks when you beat the game