Momiji Returns For Ninja Gaiden 3 (And Do Ninjas Carry Machine Guns?)

Momiji from Ninja Gaiden: Dragon Sword returns to help rid Ryu of his curse in Ninja Gaiden 3. She accompanies Ryu on a mission to defeat the Black Spider clan.

Ryu’s best friend… is his sword, but he has other weapons. Maybe a machine gun? If not him, then one of the make-your-own ninjas from the game’s multiplayer mode carries one. The ESRB rating notes different weapons: katanas, machine guns, and explosives for players to use.

This is an action-adventure game in which players assume the role of Ryu Hayabusa, a cursed ninja battling a terrorist organization. Players use katanas, machine guns, explosives, and special attacks to kill demon creatures and human enemies (e.g., evil ninjas, armored soldiers). The melee-style combat is highlighted by slow-motion effects and exaggerated splashes of blood as enemies are frequently impaled, decapitated, and dismembered; some attacks end with close-up camera angles on bloodied foes. Cutscenes contain more intense acts of violence: men getting stabbed as they beg for their lives (e.g., “Listen, I’m just trying to feed my kid! Please!”); enemies screaming in pain as they are engulfed in flames. In one mode, players can use a knife to commit hara-kiri (i.e., ritual suicide). During the course of the game, some female characters are dressed in skin-tight outfits that accentuate their exaggerated cleavage; one statue-like goddess is depicted in a similar manner. The words “f**k” and “sh*t” can be heard in the dialogue.