Indie Spotlight: ‘Mark Of The Ninja’ Is Killer
Welcome to Indie Spotlight!
This week we step into the shadows and get the drop on Mark of the Ninja!
Brought to you by Klei Entertainment, creators of Eets and Don’t Starve, Mark of the Ninja puts you into the tabi shoes of a shadow warrior that has become the champion of his clan in order to defend it.
What does it mean to be champion? Well, for starters your body is progressively tattooed with a special ink that gives you inhuman strength and prowess, at the cost of sanity. Oh, and you agree to end your life before you lose all semblance of yourself. No big deal, right? In any case, the game begins with an impressively smooth cinematic that lays the foundation for your deeds. I kept getting Samurai Jack flashbacks as I got into it!
The game is setup such that each chapter is its own level with a scoring system attached. As you go on doing ninja things, you accumulate (or lose) points based on your actions. Each level has nine “honor” goals you can earn: three based on score; three scrolls hidden throughout the stage (which lead to upgrades); and three mission-specific achievements (like getting through a mansion without being detected). You will feel right at home if you have been near any Capcom titles, like Devil May Cry or Bayonetta.
Gameplay is, in a single word, SLICK. As a 2D platformer, flawless design and ambience immerses you in the action immediately. Highlights are placed on walls and enemies to show when you can climb, attack, grapple or otherwise interact with them. Everything is built around stealth; it’s up to you to stay out of sight or from making too much noise. All of this is represented in a very user-friendly manner via cones for light/vision and pulsing circles for echoing sounds.
And the best part? If you can approach an enemy undetected, you can assassinate them! Once you trigger the kill, a random direction pops up in slow-motion, and you have to respond to it to complete the attack. Doing it right means you maintain total silence, while failing causes a ruckus and might alert other guards in the area. If the enemy catches you, get ready to brawl it out until you or they are left standing.
You unlock a variety of weapons, moves and tools along the way. A trusty sword does most of the work for you, but sometimes you need a little help. Throwing darts let you knock out lights and break power lines. Noise makers give the guards something to inspect while you sneak up on them. Smoke bombs, spike traps… Seriously, you’re a ninja and you’re going to kick ass like a ninja.
I had heard good things about this game, but after trying it for myself I learned all that talk didn’t do it nearly enough justice. A Metacritic score of 91 speaks for itself. If you like platformers, play this game. If you like action and stealth, play this game. I was convinced it was worth it five minutes in.
Mark of the Ninja is available on PC and Xbox 360.
