What's Hot: Base game not as difficult; great graphics; smooth, bloody action

What's Not: Terrible death inducing camera; boss battles are absolutely insane

The only thing more ironic than a “sequel” billing for Ninja Gaiden II after nearly a dozen installments for the franchise is that walking the path of the ninja can only be done on an American console. Xbox 360 plays home to the bloody ninja escapade, offering a masterful rehash of the series' ages-old conflict between the fabled Dragon Clan and the ill-intended Black Spider Clan. Once again, legendary Ryu Hayabusa is called to defend the honor of the Dragon Clan from the evil machinations of their mortal nemeses. Four greater fiends have been unleashed from the depths of Mount Fuji, spewing forth to the corners of the earth. Only by tracking them down and dispatching them in a fountain of blood will tranquility be restored. It's the feel-good game of the summer that fills in plot holes with nonstop action.

As one of the longest running action franchises in gaming, it's interesting to note how this Xbox 360-exclusive sequel has broken away from its weathered design to take on a number of elements from its contemporaries. Devil May Cry and God of War clearly have influence here, coaxing a far more accessible game out of a team known for creating frustratingly difficult experiences unpleasant to anyone not labeling themselves a masochist. Ninja Gaiden II finally comes to terms with its excessive difficulty, stepping down a notch to embrace a wider audience. While it retains the fundamental essence of the series, there is a Western feel to the game that makes it easier to play. Much of this comes across in its structure and subtle changes to the combat mechanics versus alterations to enemy intelligence or difficulty. To be clear, this is still a challenging game, yet key enhancements allow it to be more playable than any previous installment.

At the top of the list of welcome changes is the overhaul to the health gauge. Damage incurred from enemy attacks reduces Ryu's health, denoted in blue. Upon clearing an area of enemies, your health is restored in full; however, any permanent damage--represented in red on the health gauge--doesn't return. Only by using a curative item or visiting a shrine can you restore permanently lost health. This seemingly small change has an enormous impact on combat. You could conceivably clear a room of enemies and emerge with only a sliver of health. Instead of confronting the next batch of enemies with that pathetic little sliver, your health is replenished to a certain point. This gives you a fighting chance at actually completing each mission.

The other key improvement comes in the form of finishing moves called obliteration techniques. Perfectly complementing the fluid nature of the combat system, obliteration techniques enable you to finish off dismembered enemies with a well-timed press of the Y button. Instead of hacking a group of enemies for an extended period of time, it's now possible to quickly eliminate large groups by maiming individuals and then attempting obliteration techniques. In some way, they serve as a simplified version of the button-pressing finishing moves employed in the God of War games; however, obliteration techniques play out at a far faster tempo.

Countering these improvements are two enormous shortcomings enough to break the experience for the impatient player. Chief among the pair of flaws is the camera system, which fails frequently to deliver an appropriate view of the action. The camera adjusts automatically as you run through the fully 3D levels, only occasionally throwing up an odd viewing angle. Usually a quick flick of the right thumbstick sets things right. Anytime you're displeased with the angle taken, you can simply adjust it with the thumbstick. Having control over the camera is nice, but the action runs at such a quick tempo that you often can't afford the precious time required to manually set the camera in place. Quite frankly, fixing the camera angles for each level would have been preferable, even if it can only be labeled the lesser of two evils.