Ah the Steam Summer Sale (check out here for a better description than I could ever come up with) what a hotbed you are for helping me to checkout games I have held off buying. Thanks to a flash sale I picked up Mark Of The Ninja (MOTJ) at a ridiculously low price.
MOTJ sees you play as a Ninja (obviously) who has been chosen to receive a mysterious tattoo that increases his sneaking and silent killing abilities with the only downside being he is expected to commit ritual suicide before the ink drives him completely crazy. The timing is good as his clan is attacked by a mysterious band of mercenaries and it's up to you to track them down and protect the clan.
MOTJ is a stealth platformer that gives you multiple approaches to each level. You can try to sneak through without being noticed, break lights to distract guards or kill those you come across in a myriad of sneaky violent ways. Sneaking is very important part of the game since if you do get spotted you only have a brief chance to escape as you are seriously outgunned.
The tension in this game is incredible. Each new section is a puzzle as you plan your approach. There are level specific bonus options to add extra challenge to taking out the bad guys or you can try for the big bonus points that come from reaching your target without being seen or killing anyone.
Adding to the tension is a line of sight mechanic where to see exactly what is going on you need to peek over edges or glance through doors. Use of light and shadow is week balanced and adds a lot of options when planning your progress.
The story is told via anime style cut scenes that are engaging while being short enough that they don't get on your nerves and you are accompanied by a mysterious companion who drops hints and mission objectives without interrupting the flow of the game.
All up MOTJ is a very enjoyable and compelling with a fresh approach to stealth and platforming. The game itself is quite short but it gives you plenty of reasons to revisit it. I am on my second play through attempting the full stealth/no killing approach which makes it a very different experience. It's available on PC our Xbox 360 and is definitely worth your time and money.
In two words - spike mine.
No comments:
Post a Comment