Mini Ninjas Preview [360]



£39.49

£25.99

Mini Ninjas is the latest offering from blood loving IO Interactive, a studio better known for titles such as Hitman and Kane & Lynch.  But taking a different route, this game is in a completely different league.  Instead of copious amounts of violence, you feel like you're exploring the cartoon world of these cute little ninjas.  Even the story is cute and light-hearted.

The intro cut scene is beautifully done, and you're told that the Evil Samurai Warlord, who had been defeated and banished centuries ago, is back and using Kuji magic to destroy the peace-loving world.  In a bid to build his army of minions, he turns the local animals into demon warriors, and the more ground this warlord covers, the more storms there are over the world.

In a bid to defeat him, and noticing the strange goings on, the good ol' Master Ninja sends off his best ninjas to investigate.  When they don't return, he sends out his next best, and then his next best, all of whom are lost.  You come in as his last hope, in the shape of Hiro, Futo and Suzume, the last ninjas at the master's disposal.  Although these are the ninjas you control, we have a sneaky suspicion that you'll find and release the previously lost ninjas and they'll be added to your entourage for you to use.

The light story is just the narrative which keeps you going, and is tied in really well with the tutorial level, "Leaving Home", introducing you to your characters, movement and exploration, combat and everything else.  The controls are simple, and you control your ninja with the left stick, while the right stick moves the camera.  For me, exploring this world was good fun, and the level of polish, attention to detail and loving treatment of the environment made running around smashing boxes and cages up great.  There is a real feeling of serenity, but also a comforting sense of nostalgia, almost a throw back to a game you've played before.  It's hard to put your finger on it, but it's a game you could get lost in.

You initially start with the three ninjas, and as I mentioned before (and looking at the character selection dial), we reckon you'll get access to more as you go along.  At any time you can change between the three ninjas by pressing the left bumper, all of whom are barely teenagers.  Hiro, the main man, or boy, is 11 and his weapon of choice is the sword.  He's versed in the art of Kuji magic and promises to be a worthy advisory of the Evil Samurai Warlord Master Man.  He's also able to learn new spells at Kuji Shrines and is the only character that can jump into the body of an animal, affording him access to places which may have been difficult to get to in his human form.  Of course, Hiro can also shoot fireballs and lightning bolts at unsuspecting enemies, and this ranged combat, along with his ability to learn more spells, is extremely useful.

Futo is 12, and he's a big boy.  You'll want him when you're taking on bigger enemies.  He's not as fast moving as Hiro, carries a sledge-hammer and can even turn into a ball to knock out lines of enemies.  Being able to hit more than one enemy with your massive hammer is one of Futo's most appealing characterstics, as is stunning larger enemies, stunning them and delivering a mean and powerful attack.

More subtle, however, is Suzume, the eldest of the group and the only female.  In contrast to Futo, she's fast, but not as strong, and she uses a stick to take out enemies.  This is no ordinary stick though, this is a flute too, and is used to mesmerise the enemies, stunning them in order to make destroying them a little easier.

Combat is a simple affair, it's a matter of button bashing, a combination of attacks, blocking and dodging.  It's not difficult to master, and a combination of crouching, using the left trigger, means you're able to hide too.  There is a motivation for destroying as many enemies as you can, and that's simply to release those cute little animals that have no idea they're possessed.  Oh, and you get little red spheres which power up your power attacks, and a unique power for each ninja.  You're able to level up these powers as you gain more experience.

Along with other neat touches, like using your hat as a boat and incorporating acceptable quick-time events into the game, Mini Ninjas appeal is really its laid back and relaxed gameplay, its stunning visual appeal and throw-away story line.  It's not a game that's going to break the mould from what we can see, but it might be THAT game that you just put on to kill an hour or so when you've nothing better to do.

It's due to be released next Friday, we should have a full review for you before its release, hopefully giving you more insight, whether its worth picking up and if its appeal wears off.

And I've just remembered what it reminds me of, Shinobi.  That's not a bad thing in any way.