New to Ninja Gaiden is the Bloodraven Form, a special weapon stance for Yakumo that feels pulled straight from Anarchy Reigns, Platinum Games’ 2012 action game. Yakumo possesses a unique magic that transforms his weapon, allowing him to assume the Bloodraven Form and gain potent new attacks. It gives you eight weapons to switch between on the fly: four core weapons and their four Bloodraven variants. These attacks are not infinite, however. Bloodraven Form is powered by a magic meter that you fill by fighting and defeating enemies. This mechanic creates a satisfying interplay between using your combos to build meter, then burning it with your Bloodraven attacks to dish out big damage.
Guard breaks are also tied to this system. Even the most basic enemy mooks can block and parry, and you cannot overcome their defenses with your regular combos. So, a well-timed Bloodraven Form attack punches through their guards and creates openings.
Platinum Games reworked the classic Ninja Gaiden counterattack system to favor weapon parries, like those seen in Final Fantasy XVI. There’s a conventional block, but if you want to pull off flashy counters, you must be aggressive and attack right before an enemy’s strike lands. Your Bloodraven Form determines the type of counterattack you can perform. A parry with a basic weapon gives you a hard-hitting, enemy-interrupting strike. In contrast, a parry with a Bloodraven weapon gives you a brutal special attack that deals heavy damage.
The issue is that the new weapon parry system is considerably less reliable than the older one, which required you to hold block and time an attack input in sync with the incoming blow. The new system makes it exceptionally challenging to time a weapon parry between attacking, defending, and dashing across the battlefield. It feels like a needless and overdesigned change.
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A separate, circular gauge under the magic gauge represents the new Berserk status. Much like Bloodraven’s magic, you build the meter by fighting and killing enemies. However, it steadily depletes if you stop your assault, forcing you to play aggressively to maintain it. Once full, you can trigger a Berserk state, which enhances your Bloodraven attacks. Charging those attacks while in Berserk triggers a flashy Bloodbath Kill that outright defeats weaker enemies. However, when you initiate Berserk, the gauge quickly depletes, giving you only a limited time to perform the kills. I like this system, which feels like a clever rework of the Bloody Rage combo modifier and Steel On Bone kill systems in Ninja Gaiden 3.
(Credit: Koei Tecmo/PCMag)
