From Software’s upcoming “modern ninja epic” title, Ninja Blade will be releasing on April 17th in North America. A free demo of the Xbox 360-exclusive game is scheduled for March 9th.
Microsoft also revealed some of their pre-order plans. In addition to the free demo, players who pre-order Ninja Blade from participating retailers (not revealed) will be able to get a free Premium Theme as their reward. The theme howeverwill be sold on Xbox Live a week after being made available to pre-order customers, so that kind of seems like a bum deal. Microsoft will also release five avatar backgrounds and four wallpapers for the title a week after it’s release.
About Ninja Blade
High atop the towering skyscrapers of modern-day Tokyo, Ken Ogawa and his team of skilled ninjas are deployed to destroy the infected monster horde and stem the spreading disease as humanity hangs in the balance. Matters quickly take a turn for the worse as Ogawa and his team are betrayed from within their own ranks. After narrowly escaping death, Ogawa is left to fight the daunting battle alone while also attempting to understand the motivations behind his father’s betrayal.
Armed with an extensive arsenal of specialized ninja weapons, tools and skills including the powerful forces of Ninja Vision and Todomé Attack, players must fight insurmountable odds, and once again bring peace and order to Tokyo.
Key Features include:
* Unique ninja abilities. To help defeat the genetically mutated monsters, players will have the special abilities of Ninja Vision and Todomé Attack at their fingertips. Enabling Ninja Vision will allow players to detect and analyze potential enemy weak points, secret paths and hidden information within the environment. Beware, though, that while using Ninja Vision, characters become susceptible to excess damage. Todomé Attack is a special attack that destroys an enemy character’s core (heart), by dealing a fatal wound. Balanced and calculated use of both these abilities will be critical to progressing through the game.
* Variety of weapons, tools and Ninjutsu — specialized Ninja powers — offer an enticing array of options. Varied environments force players to think strategically about which set of weapons and tools will be most effective at conquering their way through different levels. Everything from dual-wielding swords to grapple wire hooks and grenades has distinctive features and characteristics, so choose wisely! Ninjutsu is a special power that results in an explosive electrical force to either stun enemies or protect oneself from attack. Only true Ninja Masters can achieve this technique.
* Interactive quick-time events. Scattered throughout integral parts of the storyline, characters will come across various quick-time events where players will have the opportunity to directly interact with in-game cut scenes. Quick reflexes will be rewarded as players interact with controller buttons as directed on screen during intense battles.
* Modern realism. Ninja Blade offers a fresh twist to the classic ninja saga by basing all 3-D gaming maps directly from the actual skyscrapers and building tops in modern-day Tokyo.