Monday, October 15, 2018

Mark of the Ninja: Remastered" Review


A stylish take on stealth ninja action, "Mark of the Ninja" set the bar so high when it was released that scores of imitators haven't been able to match its mastery of the genre.

Klei Entertainment's 2012 Metroidvania masterpiece fell through the cracks because it was released at the end of the last generation. A remaster is the ideal way to reintroduce the game to current audiences. Those who have never played it are in for a treat, and enough time has passed since release to make the game seem new again to fans of the original who may not have touched the game in years.

In a move that bears repeating amid the flurry of current-gen remasters, those who own the original base game on Steam or Xbox 360 need only to pay a nominal $5 to upgrade. The re-up is well worth it. Not only are the already-superb visuals -- which get a hefty boost to 4K from the original 720p -- and tight controls upgraded, but the previously-released DLC is there. Those who already sprung for the DLC on Steam and Xbox 360 get the remaster for free.

Environmental manipulation and a hefty dose of trial-and-error are needed to advance. Even when you run up against one of the game's many bottlenecks, you feel challenged rather than frustrated.

Even when you fail, you can appreciate the devious craftsmanship that went into engineering your comeuppance. Also, it makes your sweet retribution that much sweeter. That's the mantra of the ninja.
Publisher provided review code.

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