Team Ninja are ”definitely not making him emo!” They want to show consequences of his actions ”in a mature and adult way,” within the series’ style.
”No no no! We’re definitely not making him emo (laughs)!” said Peter Garza.
”We want to show the consequences of his actions in a mature and adult way, but still within the style of a Ninja Gaiden game. So it’s not like he’s going to be navel gazing or cutting his arms or anything like that.” Can we expect plenty of second-guessing then?
”Well, he does what he has to do as a ninja. He has to throw away his own thoughts and feelings to carry out his duties and what he’s assigned to do.”
”So it’s not so much about second-guessing his actions, but it’s about dealing with the consequences that happen - both in terms of gameplay and in terms of story too.”
Why has Team Ninja opted to show a more ‘human’ side to Ryu Hayabusa? The decision was made partly because it’s a sign of the times - story can’t be neglected anymore. ”…you need to be able to empathise with the character and make him less of a mindless killing machine and more of a human,” explained Garza.
”That’s the way that games are going in general, there’s a more immersive storytelling experience rather than just the mechanics over some visuals.”
”We want to show Ryu Hayabusa as a character and let people go along with him on his journey as we delve more into the ‘dark hero’ side of things.”
Ninja Gaiden 3 releases on Xbox 360, PS3 and Wii U in Q1 2012.
