Days before the official release of Ninja Gaiden II for the Xbox 360, we got the opportunity to sit down and take a few kung fu chops and sword slices at some pretty unpleasant baddies in what must be one of the best looking video games released to date. Take a look at those graphics!

Released on June 3 and rated M for mature because of copious amounts of spilled blood, the game is a sequel to the popular original but features a new and improved game engine. Developed by Microsoft, Team Ninja and the creator of the “Dead or Alive” franchise, the game shows what the Xbox 360 is capable of.
While awaiting our turn at the controls, we were transfixed by the detail in the main character, Ryu Hayabusa. He’s on a fairly predictable mission to avenge his clan and save the human race, but the manner in which he’s been animated takes video games to the next dimension. From a distance, the gameplay appeared to be a movie, and it was only as you got closer that you realized the audience was controlling the character’s movements.As you can see from the screenshots, the rendering offers incredible detail both in the main character and the background. We were astonished to see how realistically the character’s clothes moved as well as the musculature underneath.

Our hero is armed with an array of ninja weapons and moves that help you to become engrossed in the action, whether you’re playing or spectating. The story takes you from Tokyo to New York and the backgrounds are always perfectly rendered. Interestingly, the backgrounds and villains don’t seem to have the same sharp colors and detail as the main character. This gives them an anime feel and allows Ryu Hayabusa to be more prominent on the screen, helping you maintain contact with him when multiple enemies surround you and the action gets more frantic.
In some cases, the action can be slightly repetitive, continuously stabbing and slashing at opponents, but the variety of weapons and acrobatic attack maneuvers creates its own challenges.
The makers claim Ninja Gaiden II was designed to be easy to play but hard to master. It features new save checkpoints and auto-healing functions that mean the action will be more accessible to casual players. However, it’s also aimed at hardcore gamers who demand the best graphics and real challenges.
Unfortunately, there’s no online experience in Ninja Gaiden II, but you can upload your best moves using the Ninja Cinema feature, which can be saved to your console like movie clips.
The game will retail at $59.99 and is available now.