There isn't even an announced release date yet for "Ninja Gaiden 3," but rest assured it is coming. Team Ninja needs to give fans some time to replace all of those smashed controllers that were victims of the first two games' exceedingly high level of difficulty. It may be coming sooner than you think, however, as "NG3" director Yosuke Hayashi dropped a few hints about the game's multiplayer component in a recent interview.
Well, only one hint, really: Hayashi told OXM (via GameThirst) that the game will feature a "complex multiplayer mode." End of story. On that front at least.
He also addressed the coming game's difficulty, stating that it will be a bit of a departure from the two previous releases, both of which were designed by Tomonobu Itagaki, who resigned from his post shortly before the release of "Ninja Gaiden 2" in 2008.
"We know that many fans feel good about the difficulty level, but we are taking a slightly different approach. It's not that the game's going to be easier – nothing like that," he said. "It's just that we are trying to make a whole game, a more exciting game that can be enjoyed by anyone. But at the same time, hardcore gamers will be able to feel and appreciate what the series is about."
It seems that the coming sequel will focus on series protagonist Ryu Hyabasa's role as a "dark Japanese hero." The team is paying particular attention to the game's violence; it's not clear if it will be toned down or amped up, but the Hayashi wants plays to understand and appreciate the implications of their actions.
"We are trying to take the violent concepts even deeper and make people realize how it feels to actually kill someone and what it is to actually gut someone," he said. "It's very important to us that people realize that violence is not only about blood and gore."
Hayashi also confirmed that the new game won't feature any new playable character, instead taking a closer look at "Ryu Hyabusa's life and lifestyle and feelings and thoughts."
Emo Ryu. That's... troubling.