Team Ninja is a developer that has made a name for itself by creating challenging games with deep combat mechanics that are pretty rewarding to master.Ever since the rise of Soulsborne games, they have developed their own spin on these gameplay mechanics that have been quite engaging to uncover.
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Their legacy in the video game industry has been slowly carved since 1996, developing many titles that have been critically acclaimed and loved by gamers. While they may not be considered to be one of the biggest developers in the industry, players who have checked their games out know just how engaging and captivating these experiences can be, especially when the gameplay starts clicking.
10Marvel Ultimate Alliance 3: The Black Order
Marvel Ultimate Alliance 3: The Black Orderis the third game in this beloved series that was a huge hit back in the day. This co-op hack-and-slash RPG allows players to control a team of up to four characters as they battle the legendary villain Thanos and his Black Order.
With a roster of over 30 playable characters, Marvel Ultimate Alliance 3 provides players with plenty of options to create their dream team of heroes. Many people felt that the game felt a bit too similar to its predecessors, but fans who don’t mind the lack of innovation will enjoy a great time with their friends as they play through this superhero action title.
9Wo Long: Fallen Dynasty
Team Ninja hasdeveloped several Soulslikes that have all been pretty engaging in their own right. After the twoNiohgames, players wondered what this developer had up its sleeve, which is when they announced and subsequently releasedWo Long: Fallen Dynasty.
This action game is set in a mythological version of ancient China when the Han Dynasty was in its decline. The game features a deep combat system that adds a Spirit Gauge, encouraging players to stay on the offensive and max it out to unleash powerful attacks. While its level design has been criticized considerably, the game can be quite fun when its systems click.
8Stranger Of Paradise: Final Fantasy Origin
Stranger of Paradise: Final Fantasy Originis a collaboration between Team Ninja and Square Enix that ended up being lampooned to the moon and back upon launch because of its comical focus on Chaos. In many ways, this was part of the game’s charm, with Jack being one of the most unnecessarily aggressive protagonists of all time, which kind of makes sense, given what he truly is.
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As for the game itself,it’s a Soulslike with a healthy dose ofFinal Fantasyadded to the mix. The environments may be drab — a common complaint with Team Ninja games — but the series more than makes up for it with its relentless set pieces, fun combat, and unique boss encounters.
7Ninja Gaiden 3
Ninja Gaiden 3is the third entry in the popularNinja Gaidenseries that established Team Ninja’s reputation as a developer of tough action games. Ryu Hayabusa assumes the lead role once again as he takes on a new enemy known as the Regent of the Mask, a heinous and evil alchemist.
Ninja Gaiden 3introduces a mechanic that makes dismembering enemies more cinematic, with the game being challenging as always. However, even for aNinja Gaidengame, the game was so oppressively linear that players never felt like they had any agency in the story at all.
6Hyrule Warriors
Hyrule Warriors blends traditionalZeldaelements with the fast-paced action of aDynasty Warriors game, making for a rich and unique experience that fans will absolutely adore. The end result is a musou game set in theZeldauniverse that is a ton of fun to mess around with.
This game spawned a sequel calledHyrule Warriors: Age of Calamitythat used the art style ofBreath of the Wildand serves as a prequel of sorts to this revolutionary open-world game. While the first game was made in collaboration with Omega Force, Team Ninja’s services were not used for the sequel’s development.
5Nioh
Niohis perhapsthe most popular Soulslike around, and Team Ninja’s ticket to becoming relevant again in the modern gaming landscape. William is a powerful samurai who can decimate his enemies in no time flat… but the same statement applies to him as well.
Players battle everything from regular humans to supernatural creatures who can absolutely destroy William in a few hits. The game’s deep combat system, called Ki Pulse, sees players being able to regenerate their ki quickly with a tap of a button, and can be combined with other moves to great effect.
4Ninja Gaiden 2
After the success of the firstNinja Gaiden, Team Ninja developed the second game that sent Ryu Hayabusa on another harrowing adventure full of threats and villains. This sequel features Ryu Hayabusa as he battles an evil clan known as the Black Spider Ninja Clan.
While this game was pretty engaging in its own right, the lack of any innovation serves as a major deterrent to the overall experience. It failed to recapture the magic of the original in many ways, butNinja Gaidenfans still love this title for what it has to offer regardless.
3Fire Emblem Warriors
Just likeHyrule Warriors,another collaboration between Nintendo and Team Ninjaled to the development ofFire Emblem Warriors, a hack-and-slash game with musou elements where players wipe out hundreds of enemies without a care in the world.
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Playing as one of the many characters from theFire Emblemfranchise in this power fantasy makes for a great time, especially for fans who love the many characters in the series. To make the crossover more sensible, players can also issue tactical commands in the heat of battle to effectively capture targets and defeat key personnel.
2Ninja Gaiden
Ninja Gaidenis the first entry in the series, enjoying critical and commercial acclaim for its atmosphere, setting, and gameplay, all of which were top-notch. The game was tough and didn’t hold the player’s hand, with its wealth of bosses being absolutely brutal at times.
The game’s deep combat system and challenging difficulty requires players to master Ryu’s movements and utilize effective combos to take out the many powerful enemies. It’s still hailed as one of the greatest action titles of all time, proving just how effectively Team Ninja captures that amazing lightning in a bottle.
1Nioh 2
Nioh 2is pretty muchthe perfect sequel in many ways, improving on the combat of the original while also adding several unique gameplay elements. A major inclusion is the addition of an Anima bar that allowed players to store energy and release it in the form of powerful yokai attacks that are a blast to use.
The game is just bigger, better, and more entertaining thanNiohin every way. The fact that players can create a custom character of their own is another welcomed inclusion that was received positively by fans.
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