The Staircase

The staircase is pretty infamous in Ninja Gaiden 2, to the point it even got a little feature in the Stinger Article about it. Now this is of course also minor self-promotion (haha), but I'm curious what people's opinions are on a section like this.

Basically, the game breaks here. In an attempt to give you a feeling of making that final climb to the boss a door closes and you have to accend a staircase with huge waves of enemies to the point that the game runs at around 11 frames per second (at least according to my recorderr). The designers put their desire to make a great action scene above making one that, well, works. I find this quite refreshing, especially today, where everything has to be fair and honest. The game doesn't hold back here, with so many IS ninjas you can easily be juggled or stunlocked from 100 to death in seconds. It is unfair, broken, badly designed even thanks to the stairs messing with inputs and attacks ... yet I love it and it is my favorite moment in the series.

Any other takes?

What have I gotten myself into?

10 minutes of stair ninjas.

Nice choice of soundtrack. Really suits.

I'm curious as to what this battle looks like with the 'cheese' methods you mentioned.

[46:10]

That's basically what it looks like if you cheese (no disrespect towards Bick).

And he still got the shit beat out of him.

The ultimate attack was nice but doesn't look like there's much opportunity to charge it without getting pounded.

> The ultimate attack was nice but doesn't look like there's much opportunity to charge it without getting pounded.

You can make it quicker to charge if you use On Landing UT's, that absorb essence for a quick charge.

Is that what he's doing? Even then it doesn't look like it's that effective (at least if taking less damage is the goal). Are you totally safe when using magic?

I just really dislike the framerate drops, everything else is fine and contributes to it being THE fight section that defines the hardest HnS of them all, it's polluted, it's hard, it's unfair and it's really satisfying when you finally get it done.

> totally safe
You are never 'totally' safe in Ninja Gaiden II, during UTs and Ninpo you are immobile so you tend to get absolutely plastered with explosive shurikens that explode the second you get out, though you might be able to dodge if you're fast enough.

> less damage is the goal
Basically, which is why I go murder town :D

5Does
> frameratedrops
Agree it could do without them, which is why I still wish for a X1 version or port or anything. What's worse is that the chest at the top is prone to crashing the game, so most never open it.