Part 6: Ninja Gaiden Sigma 2 - Chapter 3

Once again we head back underground in Sigma 2 to find the path through the sewers made much shorter, as well as the presence of a weapon we aren't technically supposed to see until several chapters from now because this game can't leave stuff that was already fine well alone.


The obvious changes to level pacing and direction are present in Chapter 3, with some of the side areas in the sewers being completely removed to push you along the primary path. Not to mention the changes to enemy layouts of which I'm of two minds in this particular chapter. On the one hand, I much prefer the introduction of the Vangelfs via the cutscene prior to entering the sewers, as it feels more reminiscent of the first real introduction to the Gallas in Ninja Gaiden 1. You've been dealing with humanoid enemies up to this point, and there should be emphasis on you fighting a proper fiend with a cutscene introduction. On the other though, the enemy amounts are still scaled back as is the norm for Sigma 2, but also the Winged Vangelfs aren't even introduced in this chapter.

Though the extra funny part is that what I described with introducing the Vangelfs does actually happen in Ninja Gaiden II vanilla...on Acolyte mode only. Yeah, it's way easier than playing on normal, but it still doesn't skimp on the enemy amounts that you face.

Though the bigger change in this chapter is one that actually has long term effects on the rest of the game. We got our first three weapons in the same manner as we did in the 360 game, but now Sigma 2 throws a wrench in the works as far as weapon acquisition by giving us the Vigoorian Flails. For context, the flails don't show up in the 360 game until chapter 9. It is the last melee weapon the player gets, and Sigma 2 chooses to give them to us in the 3rd chapter. Now, the weapons in Ninja Gaiden 2 I will say are designed that you could likely remix the order in which you acquire them any number of ways and it wouldn't matter much, because no one weapon is meant to supplant the other and enemies can be easily managed with any of them. It's very much a contrast to Ninja Gaiden 1's with it's more limited weapon types and certain weapons being made to deal with more resilient enemies in the latter half. Really, my only complaint with this change is that I'm basing the Test of Valor footage and weapon exhibition updates on the weapon order in the 360 game, so for LP purposes this is somewhat annoying and I have to deliberately hold myself off from talking about the flails in detail until we get to that point in the 360 game.

Still, one last difference that I can say as a major positive? The tunnel with Vangelfs before the GigaDeath fight is much more manageable and better paced, since your playing field in that is relatively narrow. I love the chaos that comes from Ninja Gaiden II's battles but as you'll see, some parts of that game went too far in some regards.