is a Japanese

action-adventure game The action-adventure genre is a video game hybrid genre that combines core elements from both the action game and adventure game genres. Typically, pure adventure games have situational problems for the player to solve to complete a story ...

developed by Lancarse for the

Nintendo DS The is a handheld game console produced by Nintendo, released globally across 2004 and 2005. The DS, an initialism for "Developers' System" or "Dual Screen", introduced distinctive new features to handheld games: two LCD screens working in tan ...

, and published by Taito in 2008. Taito's parent company,

Square Enix is a Japanese Multinational corporation, multinational holding company, production enterprise and entertainment conglomerate, best known for its ''Final Fantasy'', ''Dragon Quest'', ''Star Ocean'' and ''Kingdom Hearts'' role-playing video game ...

, published a North American localization of the game later that year. ''The Legend of Kage 2'' is the sequel to '' The Legend of Kage'' (1985), an

arcade game An arcade game or coin-op game is a coin-operated entertainment machine typically installed in public businesses such as restaurants, bars and amusement arcades. Most arcade games are presented as primarily games of skill and include arcade v ...

developed and distributed by Taito.

Plot

The player takes control of: either Kage, the ninja from the first game (armed with a katana and shuriken); or Chihoiro, a kunoichi from Iga raised by Hanzo Hattori (armed with a

kusarigama A is a traditional Japanese weapon that consists of a ''kama'' (the Japanese equivalent of a sickle or billhook) on a kusari-fundo – a type of metal chain (''kusari'') with a heavy iron weight (''fundo'') at the end. The ''kusarigama'' is said ...

). Both are loyal to the shogun Ieyasu Tokugawa. Their mission is to rescue Tokugawa's daughter, Princess Kirihime; she has been kidnapped by the demonic warlord Yoshiro Kuyigusa and his aide-de-camp, the rogue samurai Yukinosuke Riko, in an attempt to overthrow the Tokugawa shogunate.

Gameplay

Kage and Chihoiro each have a personal story and 17 different ninjutsu techniques to master. They have skills such as abilities to climb vertical cliffs, hanging from ceilings, and blocking enemy attacks with the sword (which could also be done in the original game). The game introduces ninpo skills such as Bunshin no Jutsu, a technique that creates deadly duplicates of the player. Mastering ninjutsu enables players to launch powerful elemental attacks and summon monsters.

Reception

The game received "average" reviews according to the review aggregation website Metacritic. In Japan, '' Famitsu'' gave it a score of two sevens, one eight, and one seven for a total of 29 out of 40. It was noted for its difficulty, which was reported to rise considerably after the first level. The game was also praised for the well-designed boss fights, and crisp, vivid art, but was also criticized for the lack of detail in the environments. The controls were reported to have minor problems such as being unable to jump immediately after an attack. The story was also criticized for straying from the original source material, as well as its lack of voiceovers and repetitive level layouts.

References

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Legend of Kage 2 2008 video games Lancarse games Video games about ninja Nintendo DS games Nintendo DS-only games Square Enix games Taito games Ubisoft games Video game sequels Video games about samurai Video games featuring female protagonists Video games set in feudal Japan Video games developed in Japan ja:影之伝説