Yaiba: Ninja Gaiden Z is one of the final significant titles that’s set to be released for the last generation of consoles (that is, PS3 and Xbox 360), and it may very well represent the coolest art that the series has seen to date. What a fitting way to send the generation off.
In Yaiba, players take control of the game’s namesake. Yaiba was the final ninja, but alas, he served a clan led by the spineless and weak willed. So, Yaiba took it upon himself to kill every last member of the clan. However, when he got to Ninja Gaiden mainstay Ryu Hayabasa, he was defeated and nearly killed. Technology eventually replaced what Ryu took from Yaiba, but he was still as rage filled as before. Now, an army of grotesque zombies threatens the world with darkness, and if Yaiba is to get to Ryu and kill him, he must use his cyborg-like advantages and skill to cut through the living dead.
As soon as you watch the above trailer, the first thing you’ll notice is the art style. It stands out in complete contrast to what you’ve seen before if you’re a Ninja Gaiden fan.
For the sake of comparison, here is a shot from Ninja Gaiden 3: Razor’s Edge. It features the realistic style of art that has frequented the franchise.
And here is a shot from Yaiba.
The difference is very striking. Yaiba has that very stylized, comic book come to life style of art that I have talked about on this site before, and that seems to be experiencing somewhat of a surge in popularity these days. What’s cool though is that despite this new art direction, Yaiba still very much looks like a Ninja Gaiden game (particularly when you see the way blood looks upon leaving an enemy).
Earlier this week, the third developer diary was released for Yaiba, entitled “Bringing Out The Dead.” In it, members of the Spark Unlimited and Comcept teams, who are developing the title with Team Ninja, touch on the artistic direction of the game. They also share insight on how the design is portrayed visually and how they switched up the zombie formula.
What do you think of the artwork of Yaiba? Is it cooler than the art and graphics we’ve seen in Ninja Gaiden games that revolve around Ryu? Will the comic book style graphics make the Ninja Gaiden experience better? Sound off in the comments section, or on Twitter @ArtistryInGames, with your thoughts!
