It calls you. It owns you. It slaps you down, kicks your ass and makes you its dog (its Ninja Dog) and does it in the most unapologetic and matter-of-fact fashion imaginable. It is also the most exciting, frenetic, and rewarding gaming experience in recent memory; the kind that comes along so rarely and keeps you coming back to it time and again for one relentless beating after another. Ninja Gaiden was released in March of 2004 to widespread acclaim, and managed to turn even the most hardcore of gamers into quivering, dribbling piles of hydracubus slime. Its “normal” skill level was considered masochistic to some, and its hardest level was considered to be “impossible.” Ever the perfectionists, Tomonobu Itagaki and Team Ninja decided to improve on their amazing title by releasing Ninja Gaiden: Black. This was their “black label” version of Ninja Gaiden replete with both Hurricane Packs (originally offered for download over Xbox Live) and a wealth of tweaks and features for a bargain price of thirty bucks. Team Ninja’s swan song on the first Xbox is, poetically, the most satisfying action gaming experience of this entire console generation. Face your fear… find the skills… you will be glad you did.

Source: Game Over