We’ll say this much, Yaiba: Ninja Gaiden Z is one of the bloodiest games we’ve seen. There’s no shortage of red stuff, as cyborg ninja Yaiba chops undead freaks to pieces. You literally cannot play for more than a minute without dismembering a zombie clown or electrified freak, and the game loves throwing more than 20 monsters on screen at once. This also means there’s a big challenge to overcome, but don’t worry. These Ninja Gaiden Z beginner’s tips will have you upgrading abilities and decapitating enemies in short order.
Don’t Rush into Places You Can’t See
Ninja Gaiden Z’s camera is difficult to maneuver. More often than not, you’ll run towards the screen unaware of the horrors that lie ahead. That being the case, it’s always a smart idea to tread lightly whenever you can’t see the next area. Slow and steady, grasshopper.
Tip: Throw an electric enemy towards a flaming zombie and watch the fireworks.
Interact with Environmental Zombies
You’ll occasionally run into zombies with yellow exclamation points above their heads. These non-lethal adversaries help you solve puzzles by interacting with objects in the environments. First, access Cyber Vision and look for a highlighted object. Next, approach the exclamation point zombie and press the right trigger to grab it. From there, walk up to said object and throw the creature towards it. In one instance, you must guide water towards a fire; chuck the zombie towards the pipe. In another, you must throw the zombie into the driver’s seat of a truck, whereupon which it somehow manages to crash the vehicle into a lingerie shop. Hey, no one said Ninja Gaiden Z took itself seriously.
Tip: Use Cyber Vision to see breakable walls!
Remember to Block…You Silly Ninja You
Blocking enemy attacks is common sense, and the best way to avoid taking damage next to dashing out of the way. In some cases, you’re able to counterattack if you press block at the last possible second. This is especially true in the beginning, as Yaiba deflects a rocket back towards an attack chopper. You have to get the timing down.
Tip: Throw grenadier zombies at breakable objects and bad guys to blow them up!
Become a Parkour Master
It only takes one wrong move to fall off a building to your death, but figuring out how to wall run and swing is easy enough. See arrows along a wall? Always jump towards those. See some sort of hook or grapple point? Always use Yaiba’s Flail. Confuse these and he’s dead.
Tip: Yaiba’s Flair is immune to electrical attacks.
Execute Zombies Whenever Possible
When a zombie is near death, you have a limited amount of time perform an execution. In some cases, this is a great opportunity to watch Yaiba rip off limbs. In others, you stand to gain special zombie weapons from his adversaries’ body parts. Case in point, Nun-Chuckles, which you pull off those demented zombie clowns. Once you have these instruments of destruction, press the Flail button to use them; press the grab button to put them down.
Tip: You can restart missions in case you missed collectible items.
Use the Bloodlust Meter at the Right Time
The more zombies you destroy, the easier it will be to fill Yaiba’s Bloodlust Meter in the top left corner of the screen. Once full, click both analog sticks to launch into a killing frenzy. Just make sure you don’t waste it. Instead, save the Bloodlust whenever Yaiba gets surrounded by lots of enemies.
Tip: Don’t forget, you can always play Ninja Gaiden Z on easy.
Don’t Forget to Level Up
The more zombies you kill, the more Perk Points Yaiba earns. From there, spend them to access new abilities from the Perk Tree, like the Rigor Mortar Flamethrower with 50 percent increased durability, and the Rocket Punch that lets Yaiba charge through enemies.
Yaiba: Ninja Gaiden Z is available now for Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3.
