PS2 Shinobi depresses me.

Specineff · Post by **Specineff** » Tue Apr 11, 2006 2:41 am

So yesterday I was trying Shinobi on the PS2, after getting done with MGS3 and Onimusha 3. Somehow.. I just started to feel depressed. I don't know if it was the scenery, the music.. or what.. but I was getting depressed by that game. The difficulty didn't have anything to do with it. But I just know that if I had switched back to Onimusha, I wouldn't have been feeling so down. (Though I like how the music sounds very Genesis-like, but with the PS2 sound chip.)

Maybe it was negative association.. or something. I know this is pretty much a pointless topic, but has anyone felt something similar with a game?

I guess I'll be getting rid of it soon.

howmuchkeefe · Post by **howmuchkeefe** » Tue Apr 11, 2006 3:13 am

Hmmm. Like, drained depressed, as you might be after watching Shindler's List, or achingly depressed, as you might be after watching Gummo, or jealously depressed, as you might be when you watch a commercial featuring impossibly happy people, or suicidally depressed, such as you might be after watching a Pauly Shore movie, or passionately depressed, as you might be when a close friend or relative dies?

What was the flavor of the depression?

JBC · Post by **JBC** » Tue Apr 11, 2006 3:51 am

It was likely due to getting pwned by the insane enemy ai in this game.

Specineff, i am begging you to give the game another shot after a little time passes. Shinobi on PS2 is one of the finest games on the system if you ask me. It takes true skill to master the game and negotiate it's tricky levels, but when you do it really pays off.

The storyline for the game is fairly low-key - but beautifully told. The graphics are pretty decent considering how old the game is and once you get used to it the control is top notch. The music... well, you've heard it. It's great.

There is alot of original gameplay mechanics involved with Shinobi. You have to learn how to perform the tate well, as that is what keeps your Akujiki sword from eating away at your health. When i first started playing i got my ass royally handed to me because i didn't realize that for every enemy i killed my sword became stronger.

Let's say you're facing eight guys. Kill the first guy and Akujiki is twice as strong. Kill the second and it's three times and so on. Start with the little, weak guys at first and make your way down to the thoughest opponent. Once you get good at it you'll start to see the regular ninja's and flying enemies more like power ups than threats.

This is almost the only way to defeat some of the bosses in the game. Especially that gigantic buddah robot thing in level 6. That thing put the chooey-chop down on my ass many times.

Beating the game at all is a challenge. Beating it and collecting every gold symbol - that's another thing alltogether. If you collect all of the symbols then you will be able to play through the game as Joe Musashi from the original Shinobi games. It took me like a month to do it but the moment i did i jumped up, punched my tv screen, and screamed, "YYYYYEEEEEEAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHH BIIITTTCCHHH!!!!".

It was a true gaming accomplishment.

I really don't think you should quit on the game because you felt mentally drained on it once. I say just put it away for a little while and one day when you're in a really good mood pick it back up and give it another shot. It's what i did, and i don't regret it one bit. Besides, the most you'd get for it even online is like 10 bucks.

If you mixed the graphics and mood of Otogi with the gameplay of Shinobi you would have the perfect action ninja game.

EDIT - Nightshade on the other hand sucks my nut. Don't even play that game.

Thunder Force · Post by **Thunder Force** » Tue Apr 11, 2006 3:55 am

That's strange, I find the new Shinobi and its sequel Nightshade/Kunoichi exhilirating to play - quite the opposite of depressing...

(until the last few levels of each, then they just become frustrating

)

Specineff · Post by **Specineff** » Tue Apr 11, 2006 4:11 am

It was the "OMG. The oceans are dying, kids are starving everywhere, I haven't done anything with my life, I could die tomorrow and no one would care." kind of depression. Something I don't want to feel again. *shudders*

JBC · Post by **JBC** » Tue Apr 11, 2006 4:20 am

Hmm... you could always donate your PS2 and Shinobi game to charity... once youre done playing it that is.

neorichieb1971 · Post by **neorichieb1971** » Tue Apr 11, 2006 4:39 am

Its not "what is the point of life anyway?" type depression is it?

You should just do spontanious stuff... passive stuff... when your depressed gaming is not the answer, if the game beats you, you will just get more depressed.

If you have a pet, give it some love.. will make you feel better

If you don't, get one!

JBC · Post by **JBC** » Tue Apr 11, 2006 5:15 am

Good idea, you should get a Basset Hound. Today i went to the dog park with my nephew so he could let his German Shepard run around with the other dogs and it was the funnest thing i've done in months. There was a Basset Hound there and it was such an awesome little guy.

Video games are definetly not a good thing to entertain yourself with when depressed as you aren't physically doing anything to raise your endorphine levels. Go bowling or play paintball/lasertag or something.

Or watch a few episodes of CSI. That always cheers me up.

TalkingOctopus · Post by **TalkingOctopus** » Tue Apr 11, 2006 5:36 am

I just finished shinobi 2 weeks ago. I really enjoyed it. The levels are kind of bland, but the boss fights were a lot of fun. I didn't think the difficulty was too bad. Most of my boss fights just lasted a really long time because I was patient with my attacks.

The music and graphics were pretty average. Perhaps you're depressed by that combination.

SAM · Post by **SAM** » Tue Apr 11, 2006 5:49 am

I like the Genesis Shinobi, but since the PS2 one is 3D, I pass.

D · Post by D » Tue Apr 11, 2006 12:01 pm

And whadaam, there it is, the original Shinobi pcb from 1987, you will be surprised how response and quick it is. Beautiful game. Emulation doesn't do it justice.

ahnslaught · Post by **ahnslaught** » Tue Apr 11, 2006 1:31 pm

I also love Shinobi. True, the levels itself and regular enemy designs are pretty boring, but boss battles are tough and fair, and it controls like a dream. Also, the level design does pick up later on - I actually like the parts where you have to tate to get across pits.

I personally think it blows Onimusha (at least the 1st one, which is the only one I've played) out of the water as an action game. While the game looks great, RE mechanics just don't stand up to action games well, and it left me wanting more

Ganelon · Post by **Ganelon** » Tue Apr 11, 2006 1:40 pm

The stages definitely bored me in Shinobi. Everything's so dark and drab, entirely unlike the original Shinobis. The story cutscenes are too over-dramatic as well. Or maybe I just don't like 3D "kill stuff" action games in general.

Jon · Post by **Jon** » Tue Apr 11, 2006 10:04 pm

The last boss fight is the ultimate exercise in frustration, up untill that stupid looking guy I found the difficulty to be pretty average. I thought the boss fight with the blind swordsman to be pretty cool. Kinda reminded me of the guy from Ninja Scroll.

Andi · Post by **Andi** » Tue Apr 11, 2006 10:10 pm

Specineff wrote:It was the "OMG. The oceans are dying, kids are starving everywhere, I haven't done anything with my life, I could die tomorrow and no one would care." kind of depression. Something I don't want to feel again. *shudders*

Keep in mind: Specineff is the same guy who won't play Biohazard Battle because he is inexplicably horrified by the game. Who can possibly predict this man's gaming mood swings?

JBC · Post by **JBC** » Tue Apr 11, 2006 10:11 pm

Yeah, the last guy is a dickwad. But the battle itself is really cool as long as you stay focused and don't hop of the edge

Specineff · Post by **Specineff** » Tue Apr 11, 2006 11:39 pm

Thanks for the advice, Octopus and C-Face. It seems I do need to get off my ass and do something positive. And yes, seems the average graphics and music do disappoint me to the point of depression.

@Andi: But you didn't dream of the sperm-like monsters in the first level of Bio-Hazard chasing you. You're so mean. Bwaaaaah!

Dale · Post by **Dale** » Wed Apr 12, 2006 12:35 am

I get you completly Specineff I have a strange emotional connection to games as well whenever I play a game for a good period of time my mind creates conections to my past or places I,ve been or havent been, for example whenever I play Sonic 2 Its like I,m 4 again with my family who has changed over the years somehow that game and allot of other one's take me back and bring back parts of my past I can,t recall just thinking about it it,s not just that I remember the past events I feel like I,m there again at place in my life I can,t quite touch anymore somehow the interaction and the sound and feel of many games can have this effect on me. not only that but I get new portals of sorts all the time. For example the first time I played Vulgus was just three years ago in South Carolina and now when I play it it takes across the country to that small beach side Arcade. Think Specineff does this game take you to someplace you don,t like or does the dark feel of the game get to you? Is it possible that you were,nt in a happy place when playing one of the older one,s?

And does anyone else on this forum get this same nostaligic connection on a deeper level?

Sorry if I sound crazy.

JBC · Post by **JBC** » Wed Apr 12, 2006 12:40 am

When i read posts like that it takes me back to 1st grade English class.

Sorry but i had to say it

Dale · Post by **Dale** » Wed Apr 12, 2006 12:53 am

Sorry I wrote it kinda fast.

Pixel_Outlaw · Post by **Pixel_Outlaw** » Wed Apr 12, 2006 1:45 am

That game depresses me also, it makes me feel uncomfortable. I just feel like I shouldn't play it or somethig.

But Shinobi Return of the Ninja Master is the best of the series.

JBC · Post by **JBC** » Wed Apr 12, 2006 8:00 pm

That's so wierd. I honestly cannot figure out how the game could be depressing to anyone... to me it's mood is so full of energy.

Have you guys tried Shinobi Legions on Saturn? It's my favorite even above the Revenge of Shinobi original version with Batman and Spiderman in it lol.

Acid King · Post by **Acid King** » Wed Apr 12, 2006 8:13 pm

circuitface wrote:That's so wierd. I honestly cannot figure out how the game could be depressing to anyone... to me it's mood is so full of energy.

Have you guys tried Shinobi Legions on Saturn? It's my favorite even above the Revenge of Shinobi original version with Batman and Spiderman in it lol.

They should have done awesome, live action cut scenes for the PS2 Shinobi. Maybe I would have liked it more.

Specineff · Post by **Specineff** » Wed Apr 12, 2006 10:15 pm

Dale wrote: Think Specineff does this game take you to someplace you don,t like or does the dark feel of the game get to you? Is it possible that you were,nt in a happy place when playing one of the older one,s?

Sorry if I sound crazy.

Actually, I think you hit it. While I was going through the worst depression of my life, three years ago, I played Shinobi 3 to try and escape the torture that was every day life. However, I can play Shinobi 3 without getting depressed. Otogi, on the other hand, does make me feel inspired, despite some of the parts are gloomy and gray, like the ship graveyard.

JBC · Post by **JBC** » Wed Apr 12, 2006 10:42 pm

Specineff wrote:Otogi, on the other hand, does make me feel inspired, despite some of the parts are gloomy and gray, like the ship graveyard.

The ship graveyard is such a bitch to get A level destruction in and the enemies in that level kinda suck. It's worth it to play through just to get to the stage where you fight those invisible muskrat things, though. I also like the red cave where you fight that magatama demon.

The Otogi series is the only real reason i own an X-Box. I'm starting to itch for news of a 360 sequel.

ghibli99 · Post by **ghibli99** » Sat Apr 15, 2006 1:10 am

Pixel_Outlaw wrote:But Shinobi Return of the Ninja Master is the best of the series.

IAWTP. Although Revenge of Shinobi is a sentimental favorite of mine, I was introduced to Return of the Ninja Master last month, and it turns out that it's one of the best Genesis games I had ever played! So much fun, and that song Whirlwind is one of the best ever. Couldn't stand the PS2 3D versions, which to me, ignored everything about the Shinobi series that made it great in the first place. Like Castlevania and Contra, it needs to stay in the 2D/2.5D realm.

Andi · Post by **Andi** » Sat Apr 15, 2006 2:51 am

circuitface wrote: you guys tried Shinobi Legions on Saturn? It's my favorite even above the Revenge of Shinobi original version with Batman and Spiderman in it lol.

Nobody seems to like Shinobi Legions (Shin Shinobi Den). I think it's one of the better games in the series. Although, I think Shadow Dancer is the best of them all so maybe I don't even like Shinobi and don't realize it.

it290 · Post by **it290** » Sat Apr 15, 2006 7:12 am

Shadow Dancer is good, but the best one is the original. It's just so smooth and well designed, truly one of the best action games ever. Very few shooters have that level of challenging fairness, let alone action platformers. Shadow Dancer (arcade, Genesis one is a bit lopsided) comes close, but I've always felt the level design wasn't as good and that the dog messed up the flow of the game a bit.

I enjoy the other games as a diversion, but I don't have too much love for Legions. I can forgive the crappy digitized graphics, but they pretty much threw away all the control improvements from Shinobi 3 and went back to the Revenge style, which makes no sense. Compare the double jump responsiveness in 3 and Legions and you'll know what I mean.

And playing PS2 Shinobi makes me depressed too... depressed that they didn't include the original.

Anyway, in my opinion the perfect Shinobi game would be something with the gameplay of the original and the graphics of 3, only jazzed up with a few more colors. Sadly, it'll never happen...

JBC · Post by **JBC** » Sat Apr 15, 2006 8:06 am

Hmm... it's wierd that digitized graphics have the reputation of being 'crappy' these days. I remember loving them to no end when i was a kid. I remember thinking the MK trilogy was really cool looking and i totally dug the graphic style of Shinobi Legions. I thought it worked very well for the series.

Admittedly, the ever so important blood globules that flew out of fighter's heads was the worst looking graphic in the whole game (MK that is).

I guess people don't like them because they closely associate that style with FMV - which really only sucked because at the time the film quality was always grainy and the actors where always horrible. Maybe it is percieved as being 'cheap'.

But who didn't love the cheesy Resident Evil intro? To this day i still pronounce the character names in that announcers voice. CHRIS REdfiiieeld. Jiiilll VALentinnne. BARRY BURTonnn. ALBert WESker. RESIDENT EVIIILLL

it290 · Post by **it290** » Sat Apr 15, 2006 3:20 pm

I don't hate digitized graphics (although I'm certainly not a big fan), but they just make Legions look incredibly bland compared to the ultra-stylized and very well done Shinobi 3.