Mark of the Ninja is a great, challenging stealth game that rewards patience and effort while punishing mistakes. Although the narrative appears to be minor at first, the finale is incredibly shocking and stays with the reader for a long time.
A rich corporation’s militarized force assaults a ninja school where our hero is a growing adept. We rush to our teacher’s aid at the last time and save his life. Prior to that, we overhear talks in which we discover that our sensei has been charged and convicted of significant theft. As is customary in insignificant beginnings, the leader dispels any misgivings. He claims that we are the chosen one with enormous power and entrusts us with the duty of restoring the ninja clan’s honor. We begin forth towards heavily guarded skyscrapers with the female soul mate, developing power, and psychophysical anguish in order to unveil the secret of the clan, the instructor, and our dark past. Klei Entertainment, the company behind Shank’s two adventures, is behind Mark of the Ninja. Once again, we have a two-dimensional, cartoon platformer. Only this time, instead of throwing grenades or shooting Uzis and shotguns aimlessly, we slip like the hero between the lights of the lamps and the shadows of the crates. Smoke screens, darkness, and ventilation shafts are all on our side. Because we are true ninja warriors, we must operate calmly, methodically, and skillfully – thankfully, this work will be rewarded. Silent killings, body concealment, and creeping unobserved between security guards, cameras, lasers, and motion detectors are all rewarded in the game.
Aside from the primary narrative, which shifts, we confront extra challenges throughout each mission, such as “get sniffed out by three dogs” or “steal two pairs of keys without killing their owners.” We gain points and unique coins for fulfilling different objectives at the conclusion of the assignment by moving discreetly, eliminating or evading adversaries. The latter is a Far Eastern currency used to purchase more hero talents. For instance, the ability to drop yourself from poles on a rope and kill unsuspecting opponents in the air. Poisonous daggers, smoke grenades, flash grenades, and tiny explosives that confound adversaries are examples of such equipment. The gameplay is highly pleasant and addictive. Although the violent narrative and fighting components, particularly the magnificent finishers, distinguish this production from the 16s, the most entertaining and profitable alternative is to complete each level without killing any opponents. This is a challenging skill that demands focus, patience, and the usage of minute details distributed throughout the stages. And there are several ways to finish each objective. For example, we can enter a building with vital information from the front, i.e. through the main door; through balconies or the top of a building; or by one of the ventilation shafts. So we may enter the building’s main hall, destroy the lamp bulbs with daggers, and eliminate the bewildered and horrified guards one by one. We may also enter quietly through a ventilation shaft, cling to a chandelier or light, dangle from a rope in the air, and seize crucial documents off the desk.
We can play Rambo, we can carefully slaughter everyone in the arena, or we can creep in the shadows unseen, between sewers, door frames, chandeliers, and large flower pots… The controls are highly user-friendly. Furthermore, when we concentrate, i.e. when we decide to aim with thrown daggers or smoke screens, time slows down, allowing us to accurately plan the action and aim. I haven’t seen such a well-thought-out, two-dimensional universe that responds to our activities in a long time. When we are briefly under a room’s floor, we may gently lean out through the gaps in the boards and view what is going on within. If we stop gazing there, the image in the room blurs, we no longer see the outlines of moving persons, but only hear their footsteps, and we can identify which way our victims are heading by the sound waves.
The majority of the countryside is gorgeous, with Far Eastern elements and contemporary, pure buildings. Despite the fact that we are mostly operating in full darkness, the entire thing looks fantastic – both the animated cutscenes and the gameplay itself in the subterranean and on the peaks of the oriental world. Take a peek at Mark of the Ninja if you still believe that 2D platformers are a thing of the past.