In modern gaming first impressions are important and everlasting, especially if high expectations are laid upon re-imagining a series that's not only popular, but retains the intense amount of difficulty that old-school gamers fondly remember. Those familiar with Tecmo and everybody's favorite producer Tomonobu Itagaki probably already know and have experienced the frustratingly difficult blockbuster action title Ninja Gaiden, which hit the original Xbox back in 2004.  Eventually an updated release on the PlayStation 3 helped up the stakes, and it certainly was a stunning and triumphant remake that brought (most of) the magic back from the 80s arcade and console classic.  Four years on and after the highly-anticipated release of Ninja Gaiden II is finally upon us, and after jumping in headfirst into the fantastically violent world of the Ryu Hyabusa saga its safe to say that itching to fulfill some over-the-top desires will most likely feel satisfied...mostly.

The first truly new game in the franchise since the great DS Ninja Gaiden Dragon Sword, this considerably more mature, gore-filled romp through Team Ninja's premier franchise lives up to most of its high expectations.  In order to back up the near-mindless action, the game's plot involves the continuous culmination of Ryu Hyabusa and his ongoing battle against the demonic powers of the archfiends, not to mention his epic quest to contain the threat that will most assuredly put the world in danger once again.  Honestly its a mostly throwaway plot that serves as a means for some entreatingly cheesy dramatic flair, complete with an eccentric cast of rival ninjas, flamboyant upper-fiends from the underworld, and a overwhelming dose of beautiful, curvy femme fatale divas whose buxom alone could defy physics (and often do).  Cut-scenes are expectedly great, as the theatrical elements to push the story forward.  They not only look great, but do well in unfolding the plot for those willing and patient enough to soldier through them.

The core of em>Ninja Gaiden II is the aspect of combat that is laid heavily throughout the journey, without a doubt the adrenaline-pumped action has thankfully returned and has been intensified greatly. Your main buttons of hack and slash action are the X and Y buttons, for both quick and heavy attacks respectively with your weapon of choice. The violent ferocity has never been higher as most opponents will usually lose limbs or chunks of flesh in the heat of combo battles, but among the pool of blood a handicapped enemy will amazingly fight till the end, and often resorting to measures of kamikaze assaults to finish you off.  A one-arm foe, whether they be man or beast, might pose a bigger threat if not disposed of quickly. Getting in close to finish off de-limbed enemies with the Y-button provides a most satisfying execution attack that has the camera focus in cinematiclaly for a stunning display of a fantastic fatality move.  Depending on the weapon in hand at the time you'll either be treated with a lovely decapitation or torso removal, complete with enough body parts and screams to go around.

Speaking of soldiering through, this game is hard - RALLY hard. The winning formula from episodes past of mowing through countless waves of enemies at you is still here, only this time they've also gotten smarter. If your hoping to dispose of simple drones, it usually won't happen as minions will attack in tandem and counter almost whatever you throw at them.  It's mildly apparent that the difficulty has been toned up a notch, and even with the AI refusing to go soft for even the most novice gamers. The excess of baddies only gets more difficult, and repeating certain sequences will become common if you're not adept to the consistent task at hand. In all fairness, there is a uncompromising level of cheapness associated with some enemies and bosses that'll put an end to your ego often - it's frustrating and slightly infuriating no matter how you look at it.  Thankfully, small graces like save points are more available and help serve as a welcomed balance.  A modest online leaderboard records your best efforts for other potential victims to enjoy, although depending on your own achievements that might not be very wise.

While the game has obviously gone through a spit-polish in terms of graphical fidelity, the overall aesthetic doesn't look that much better than it did in 2004.  Even though the game is running on the powerful Xbox 360 hardware, bland environments should take most of the blame as there's little technical prowess between the industrial cityscapes of Tokyo to the demon-infested streets of New York City.  It's utilitarian settings for the most part, and doubly-disappointing when the erratic frame-rate hiccups help spoil the HD-powered mood.  The single-worst offender is the horrendous camera setup, especially when an ill-placed angle can mean the difference between life and death; don't be surprised when repeating a particularly dangerous segment because the camera was difficult to control.  While none of these gripes are deal-breakers, the sheer greatness of the fluid character animations and dazzling effects do help make up for some of the graphical shortcomings.

Ninja Gaiden II, even with some questionable design and graphical choices, still has many of the strong points which made the first title so remarkable and a justifiable remake.  It's more violent than ever, extraordinarily intense, and remains fantastically gory through and through.  While I'm not expecting any game to be perfection, given the talent behind the scenes its suspect why some obvious sloppy moments fell through the cracks, which speak to a rushed development (4 years?) or quite possibly intentional damage.  Given the recent controversy surrounding producer Itagaki and his exit from parent company Tecmo and Team Ninja, this may well be the series swan song under original management.  What's left is a sequel that's sure to please some, but undoubtedly isn't up to par with the series best moments.  But the action is fast and intense, and and only the hardcore need apply here; no exceptions.