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Ninja Gaiden Sigma 2 Plus on PS Vita Today, Team Ninja Talks

Justin Massongill — Tue, 26 Feb 2013 20:56:53 +0000

The Ninja Gaiden series, renowned for its surgically precise yet frenetic gameplay, has had a bit of a rebirth on PS Vita. With Ninja Gaiden Sigma Plus helping to launch the system, and with the impending release of Ninja Gaiden Sigma 2 Plus, Ryu Hayabusa has never been more mobile.

With Ninja Gaiden Sigma 2 Plus launching today on game card and on PSN bundled with an exclusive costume pack and DLC, we asked Team Ninja head Yosuke Hayashi to shed light on the perks of the PS Vita version. Read on to learn more about the new Ninja Race and Tag Mission modes, PS Vita development details and more.

PlayStation.Blog: Ninja Gaiden is known for its unforgiving difficulty and hyper-precise controls. How does that necessity translate to the smaller form factor and mobile focus of PS Vita?

Yosuke Hayashi, Head of Team Ninja: We wanted to make sure to keep the feel of the controls identical between the different platforms, thus the inputs and control adjustments have been worked on in detail. Also, the color pallet has been adjusted accordingly to make the visibilities better suited for the compact screens.

PSB: Technically, how difficult was it to recreate this visually demanding PS3 game on PS Vita?

YH: One of the challenges was adjusting the graphics to the hardware’s capabilities, which involved adjusting the character models, sceneries, animations, and numerous effects, to name some. Sceneries in the PS3 version were detailed in all areas, thus allocating the polygon resources to the essential and visible parts that were required without diminishing the overall graphic feel for all the maps. Also, our designers and programmers went over more than 100 of the in-game effects to make it more suitable for the hardware performance without jeopardizing any of the intended look and feel compared to the PS3 installment.

PSB: In our previous Q&A, you mentioned new “hardcore elements” being added to Sigma 2+ for PS Vita. Can you elaborate on what those might be?

YH: First will be “Ninja Race.” The objective is to complete a map before the clock runs out which will require the players to pick up “Essence” to gain extra time by killing the enemies on the way. The key here is to quickly eliminate the enemies so different tactics are essential compared to the other modes. Also, the “Tag Mission” requires tactical switching of characters during the numerous challenging missions, which will become unforgiving as you enter the second half of the mode.

PSB: Are there any other noteworthy new features that PS Vita owners should keep an eye out for?

YH: Additional costumes have been prepared especially for our character loving fans in mind. Also, the “Hero Mode” is in place similar to Ninja Gaiden Sigma Plus, which assists players who had difficulties completing the PS3 version. The latest “Hero Mode” will not simply auto guard for you, but will increase the chances of body deception whilst attacking, making it easier to eliminate enemies.

Also, from the action parts, improvements have been made where possible, such as the target switching of your enemies when being surrounded, which allows for intuitive straightforward gameplay at all times.

PSB: The original version of the game on PS3 seemed to take a step back from the series’ extreme violence a bit: enemies bled purple smoke and severed limbs disappeared quickly. Will the PS Vita version retain the gore from prior entries in the series?

YH: “More speed, more beauty, more blood” is the concept for the game, and with the PS Vita version having a more compact screen, we enhanced the violence level making it closer to Ninja Gaiden 3: Razor’s Edge’s impressions to make sure the attacking effects and feel can be seen and understood properly by players.

PSB: What kind of ninja gear is floating around your office? Has anyone looked the wrong way and stepped on a shuriken?

YH: We do have ninja swords lying around in the office, but I think all our staff members carry their individual ninja weapons for self-defense. Obviously, I don’t get to see such weapons since they are hidden on a normal day at the office.

A Cut Above: Ninja Gaiden Sigma Plus 2 Q&A

Fred Dutton — Thu, 11 Oct 2012 13:01:12 +0000

The PS Vita version of 2007′s PlayStation 3 dice ‘em up Ninja Gaiden Sigma was satisfying evidence of just how comfortable a full, lightning-fast console action game can feel on a handheld. Duly, Team Ninja’s announcement last month that a sequel – Ninja Gaiden Sigma 2 Plus – is currently in development came as very welcome news.

PlayStation.Blog sat down for a quick chat with Team Ninja boss Yosuke Hayashi to find out what it has in store with its new Vita game, as well as mysterious new project Yaiba: Ninja Gaiden Z and recent release Dead or Alive 5.

PlayStation.Blog: It’s not been long since the release of Ninja Gaiden Sigma Plus. Why are we seeing a sequel so soon?
Yosuke Hayashi, Team Ninja: We released Sigma Plus earlier this year and it actually did better than we expected, and there was a lot of fan demand for releasing a sequel. We were really happy with the results we got with the original, so that’s why we’re announcing Sigma 2 Plus.

PSB: What new features are you adding over and above the PlayStation 3 original?
YH: PlayStation Vita is definitely an easy console to play games on. It’s very friendly for a Ninja Gaiden kind of game. We really learned that making the first Sigma Plus. With the sequel we’re looking to add in some really good additional hardcore elements – things that people who really know the game and loved Sigma 2 will get into and enjoy.

PSB: What makes PS Vita a good fit for a high velocity action series like Ninja Gaiden?
YH: I don’t know if it’s a perfect fit, but it has the power and everything you need to play these kinds of games. You’re not always in an environment where you can play a full console game, but if you have a Vita you can have the same experience right there in the palm of your hand. It has the power to deliver an equivalent experience.

PSB: You recently showed off a brief teaser trailer for Yaiba: Ninja Gaiden Z – your new collaboration with Mega Man creator Keiji Inafune. Is that something Sony customers can get excited about?
YH: You’ll have to wait a little bit longer for more information but I’m sure everybody will be able to have some fun with it!

PSB: There are so many zombie games out there right now? Is there still room for new ideas and innovation in the genre?
YH: Absolutely, there are definitely new elements we can add to the zombie genre. It got to play like a Ninja Gaiden game – it’s got to be a good, solid action game. It’s not just an amateur zombie game. In addition, we’ll bring our own take on the genre – people will find that it’s something really new, but also something that sits comfortably inside the Ninja Gaiden world.

PSB: During your Yaiba announcement you pledged that Team Ninja is striving to help Japanese developers catch up with the West. Do you think your fellow countrymen can reclaim their ‘90s glory days?
YH: Honestly I don’t think we can reclaim the glory days of the past. Team Ninja is still strong and has found ways to remain relevant and keep making games that play on the world stage. We can’t say for sure that Japan as a whole will be there with us, but we’ll be around for years to come.

PSB: You just released Dead or Alive 5. It’s been a busy few years for the fighting genre. Why do you think DOA is still relevant?
YH: We don’t want to be put in the same space as other fighting games. The concept for Dead or Alive 5 has been ‘fighting entertainment’. We’re looking at a wider audience – offering a more accessible, more appealing fighting experience. Don’t just put us in with the rest of the fighters. You get a sense of fun and a sense of spectacle from Dead or Alive 5 that you’re not going to get from some of the other games that are out of there. That sets us apart and is something we want to push. Hopefully it will push the audience towards supporting the game.

PSB: How are you going to support Dead or Alive 5 in the coming months?
YH: We’re definitely going to be supporting the title after launch. We have a lot of DLC lined up and the artists are still working hard creating costumes that we know the fans are going to love and want to get their hands on.