Mark of the Ninja
Publisher: Microsoft Studios
Developer: Klei Entertainment
Genre:
Action, Adventure, Indie
Size : 1.94GB
Klei Entertainment took some of the best stealth elements from other
titles such as Metal Gear Solid and Splinter Cell, and flattened them
down into a truly enjoyable 2D experience. No, the lack of an entire
dimension does not take anything away from the game, far from it. If
anything, the 2D aspect eliminates some of the issues of spatial
awareness that 3D games tend to falter on when stealth is key. This
lets the player focus more on their target or goal and less on fighting
with the camera or worrying about what some "stealth gauge" HUD element
tells them.
Stealth comes in multiple forms in Mark of the Ninja. Shadows are the
obvious one, with your character being able to hide in doorways, behind
objects located in the foreground of the screen, up on rafters, in
vents, and many others. However, beyond shadows, sound is also a huge
part of the stealth element in the game. On screen, sounds from
footsteps, glass breaking, and other objects is shown with a brief
onscreen visible sound wave. The ring of sound is a great visual
indicator for letting you know if an enemy will be within earshot of a
noise. If they're close enough to a sound source, then chances are they
will become slightly alerted and will go over to investigate. Use this
time to move on or as a trap mechanic to sneak up behind a distracted
guard to take them out with a blade to the back.
There are various objects within the environment that can be interacted
with in a few meaningful ways. For instance, lights can be shot out
with little bamboo darts, creating more areas of shadow in which to
sneak around in. Just don't forget that the noise can and will alert
nearby guards. Laser traps are also another favorite defensive tool in
the game. What will you do, use a smoke bomb to creep past them or
attempt to find an alternate route? Perhaps you'll even manage to
simply find the power box and take those lasers out for good.
See, part of the beauty in Mark of the Ninja is the fact that many areas
can be tackled in a number of different ways. Overall, it is a fairly
linear game but you are rewarded for exploring off the beaten path.
Abilities and items can be improved, hidden shrines can be discovered,
and bonus areas are sporadically hidden within the levels. Tailor the
new ability unlocks to your particular play style and you can really
create a character that works for you. Scores are dished out at the end
of each level, with bonuses rewarded for not killing enemies or at
least keeping the body count very low. If you aren't too concerned
about your score, then by all means, assassinate until you can't
possibly assassinate any more. Just be careful because while you are
very adapt at the stealth kill, your character is about as durable as a
piece of paper once the bullets start flying out of the enemies' guns.
Visually, Mark of the Ninja is a very good looking title. Everything
looks as though it was painstakingly hand drawn from scratch with some
very fluid animations thrown in for good measure. The game zooms in
each time you brutally assassinate someone, highlighting the
particularly violent nature of your actions. The only problem is that
some of the beautifully detailed backgrounds fade into obscurity as you
are almost always more focused on the action immediately in front of
you. Line of sight is used to great effect here, both for you and the
enemies. Areas that you cannot see are dimmed slightly and any
important objects or enemies are not shown on screen, outside of the
occasional sound wave from a footstep. Peeking out from vents and
doors will allow you to see areas without giving away your position.
It's difficult to find much to fault here with the game. There are only
a couple of minor letdowns in the entire package deal. Some of the
animated cutscenes are not really my cup of tea. They do fit in well
with the gameplay segments, but they just didn't do it for me. This is
obviously a personal preference and one that not everyone will agree
with. Secondly, I'm not entirely sure why one of the main characters
has a bit of an Australian accent when being spoken from an obviously
Asian character. Though amusing at times, it does tend to take me out
of the moment. It's just a good thing that everything else is so
incredibly well done and more than makes up for these minor nit-picks.
Features :
- True Stealth Experience – Player-centric
gameplay rewards choice, be it finishing the game without killing anyone
or assassinating all who stand in your way
- Stunning Visuals – Unique
2D visual style featuring award-winning animation and hand-painted
environments
- Custom PC Controls – Custom keyboard and mouse PC
controls in addition to gamepad support
- Deep Experience – Each level
has three score challenges, optional objectives and hidden collectibles.
A diversity of unlockable abilities, items and playstyles allow
exploring many avenues of play
- New Game Plus – Finish the game and
unlock this mode, offering new challenges and rewards
Install Notes:
- Burn or mount
- Install
- Play the game
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