Retro Game Walkthroughs for Ninja Gaiden (Xbox)
Submitted By: gauntlet
1. Introduction
2. Classifications
a. Humans
b. Fauna
c. Machina
e. Lesser Fiends
1. Undead
2. Humanoid
3. Serpentine
f. Greater Fiends
g. Dragons
h. Deities
3. Ratings
4. Bestiary
a. Regular Enemies
b. Bosses
Introduction
------------
Ninja Gaiden's character roster is fairly robust. The character design in this
game is consistently good from the first Chapter to the final battle. The cast
is very diverse, and little to no repetition in character design is committed
in the game. That being said, there is a natural evolution of the Fiendish
creatures in this game as there are character traits that are shared between
characters. The most noteworthy of these are the Serpentine Fiends and the
Humanoid Fiends. The humanoid Fiends progress in complexity from the brown and
fairly simple Lesser Fiend up to the grotesque Alma Awakened and Feminine
Emperor forms. They share common attributes as disjointed heads and feet,
cranial winglets, spontaneous levitation and supreme acrobatic ability.
Unfortunately, there is no official source of every character's name. This can
make conversations about specific encounters tedious. The only official names
have been gathered from interviews with Itagaki and the manual itself: Alma,
Lord Doku, Supreme Fiend Gogohn, Holy Vigoor Emperor, Gurdu (and his Deity
offspring), Gamov, Rachel, Ayane, Murai, Dark Disciple, Tentacle Fiend, Zombie
Dragon, Flame Dragon, Dynamo, MSATs, the Shadow Ninja Clan and the Black Spider
Clan Ninjas (their individual names as well). Any name listed in this guide
other than these listed names is strictly of my own creation.
Lastly, keep in mind that this document is not intended to provide enemy
strategies. It's simply to outline the vast cast of the Xbox Ninja Gaiden game.
Classifications
---------------
The game delineates between several classes of character in this game. These
classes can be summed up as humans, fauna, undead, Fiends, Greater Fiends,
Dragons and Deities. There are very distinct differences between these types
of creatures.
Humans - The humans are composed of the Shadow Ninja Clan, Spider Ninja Clan,
MSATs, Vigoorian Military and possibly Doku's Samurai. The defining
characteristic to a human in this game is the presence of a soul and their
characteristic of mortality. A characteristic with a supernatural ability
doesn't necessarily make them non-human.
Fauna - The game is populated by various creatures that belong to the animal
kingdom. While some of the members of this group are fairly ghastly, I
classify these creatures as Fauna. The more monstrous variety show no distinct
Fiendish traits, so I'll still classify them as Fauna.
Machina - Those characters or enemies that have no possession of self-awareness
are designated as Machina. The Sentries, Tanks, Helicopters, and whatnot
populate this group. Obviously, some of these Machina are operated by humans.
Lesser Fiends - There is a significant back story to the Fiends. In summary,
the Fiends are the descendants of the Ancient Tribes, and they are sentient,
conniving creatures. However, they lack a soul. They take on all manner of
shapes, appearances and severity although there are common themes among their
stature. Basically, there seem to be three types of Lesser Fiends in the game:
Undead, Humanoid and Serpentine.
Undead - Halfway through the game, Ryu happens upon the Underground Cemetery
and awakens the denizens therein. Since the appearance of these creatures
predates the large emergence of the Fiends for the most part, I'll classify
these creatures as the Undead. It can be argued that the Undead are simply
Fiends themselves, however, as stated in the Book of Vigoor.
Humanoid - These Fiends differ greatly in appearance, but share a common theme.
They have no feet and float above the ground, somewhat. They are highly
acrobatic and possess teleportation ability. The most severe and evolved of
these forms resemble the Emperor's first form such that they have disembodies
heads that sprout winglets.
Serpentine - Fiends of this type exhibit dragon-like qualities. Since the
Dragons in this game arose from the Serpent Deity, we'll refer to them as
Serpentine. They are bipedal as well, but they have huge, reptilian frames and
possess tails. Some varieties of this class possess damaging breath abilities
and can be considered evolved versions of the regular Dragon Fiends.
Greater Fiends - There are only three of these creatures in the game: Doku,
Alma and Gogohn. Unlike their Lesser brethren, they possess a soul.
Dragons - There are at least two varieties of Dragons in this game. One type
we never really see but are alluded to by the story. They consist of the
Thirteen Dragons created by the Serpent Deity and that fought Vigoor. The
youngest of these Dragons becomes the Dark Dragon of which the Dark Dragon
Blade is carved. You can see the remains of these creatures at the pinnacle of
the Core, such that their bones appear almost metallic.
The lesser variety of these creatures are encountered several times in the
game. The Zombie Dragon appears to be the remains of a great creature, and the
Flame Dragon itself is a still living beast until Ryu smites him. The
abomination in the Inner Sanctum appears to exhibit dragon-like qualities as
well, so we'll place it in this category as well.
Deities - There are many Deities composing the Mythos of this game. There is
Gurdu which was the most omnipresent of the group. He split into four Deities
which are represented by the Statues that Ryu collects to activate the Core.
There is Vigoor who is the Ancestor of all Evil Deities, and there are his
Deity offspring. You battle a rebirth of Vigoor in Chapter 14.
Examples - Here are some examples between the classes.
Humans - Ryu, Rachel, Spider Ninjas, Soldiers, etc.
Fauna - Bugs, Wasps, Bats, Crows, etc.
Mechanical - Fire posts, Sentries, Gun Turrets
Lesser Fiends - Tentacle Fiend, Undead, Dragon Fiends, etc.
Greater Fiends - Doku, Alma and the Supreme Fiend Gogohn
Dragons - Flame Dragon and the 13 Dragons born from the Serpent Deity, the
youngest of which becomes the Dark Dragon
Deities - Gurdu, his quartered pieces, Vigoor and his Spawn of Evil Deities
Ratings
-------
The ratings for constitution will be derived from blows from the True Dragon
Sword or Unlabored Flawlessness. The strikes used will be a single X slash,
Crimson Slash (X,X,X), Izuna Drop, Blade of Nirrti and Flying Swallow along
with a single shuriken throw. The constitution ratings are as follows:
Frail - One shuriken will kill this character.
Very Low - This character can be killed with one Flying Swallow attack.
Low - A single Flying Swallow followed by one Crimson Slash combo will kill
this creature.
Normal - Multiple Flying Swallow techniques and a single Crimson Slash will be
needed for a victory.
Durable - These creatures are able to withstand multiple Blade of Nirrti combos
from the Unlabored Flawlessness.
Hardened - These creatures and characters are at boss level and require
significant effort to kill.
The difficulty rating is determined by the enemies' combat abilities at the
time Ryu encounters them. Otherwise, most enemies would be listed as easy.
The difficulty ratings are as follows:
Harmless - These characters pose no threat to Ryu whatsoever. Ryu must
actively attempt to be killed by them.
Easy - Ryu's combat abilities far outshine this classification of enemy.
Normal - This classification poses the first threat to Ryu.
Formidable - These enemies are difficult to kill and are capable of easily
dispatching Ryu.
Deadly - Deadly characters can kill Ryu one or two strikes and are extremely
resistant to damage.
Bestiary
--------
This section will include the name, class, description, location, constitution,
difficulty, abilities and discussion of each creature or character in the game.
I'm most familiar with the abilities of these characters on the Very Hard
difficulty level, so I will comment as such. I will update this from time to
time when official names become available.
Regular Enemies
---------------
Name: Shadow Clan Ninja
Class: Human
Description: A ninja dressed in a brown shozoku, armed with a Ninja-to and
shurikens
Location: Chapter 1, The Way of the Ninja
Constitution: Very Low
Difficulty: Easy
Abilities: Shurikens, Blocking, Wind Roll, Violent Wind, 3 hit combos
Discussion: Singularly, these enemies pose no threat, but in packs of three or
more, they can be a little troublesome. They tend to form ranks where one will
reside on the periphery of the group and assault Ryu with shurikens to break
his combos and Essence gathering.
Name: Shadow Clan Ninja Master
Class: Human
Description: A ninja dressed in a white shozoku, armed with a Ninja-to and
shurikens
Location: Chapter 1, The Way of the Ninja
Constitution: Low
Difficulty: Normal
Abilities: Shurikens, Blocking, Wind Roll, Helmet Splitter, Violent Gale, 3
hit combos, 5 hit combos, Wall Running
Discussion: These enemies pose a much greater threat, such that their
abilities are similar to Ryu's at that stage in the game. They tend to forgo
ranks altogether and instead wait for opportunities to strike Ryu. They will
interrupt most charge moves with shurikens and can wall run outside of Ryu's
vicinity to hit him with a Helmet Splitter.
Name: Bat
Class: Fauna
Description: A purple bat
Location: Most Chapters
Constitution: Frail
Difficulty: Harmless
Abilities: Flight, bite
Discussion: Bats provide very little threat. It takes an inordinate amount of
bites to kill Ryu, while a single shuriken will kill a bat. They are mostly
used in game to heal and gain Essence.
Name: Crow
Class: Fauna
Description: A black crow
Location: Chapters 1 and 13, The Way of the Ninja and Fiendish Awakening
Constitution: Frail
Difficulty: Harmless
Abilities: Flight
Discussion: Crows provide no threat whatsoever. They do not possess an attack
ability. A single shuriken will kill a crow, and they are mostly used in game
to signify death.
Name: Samurai Foot Soldier
Class: Human
Description: A samurai foot soldier completely covered in the traditional
samurai yoroi, including mask; wields a katana
Location: Chapter 2, The Hayabusa Ninja Village
Constitution: Normal
Difficulty: Normal
Abilities: Extreme Blocking, Counter Attacking, Haze Straight Slash, 3 hit
combos, Throws
Discussion: These enemies must have their guard broken before they can be
struck. Their training is such that they will block almost any normal strike,
while a comrade will take the opportunity to attack Ryu.
Name: Mage
Class: Human
Description: A magic user that floats above the ground; wields two Sai
Location: Chapter 2, The Hayabusa Ninja Village
Constitution: Normal
Difficulty: Difficult
Abilities: Teleportation, Limited Flight, Projectile Magic, 7 hit combos
Discussion: These enemies can be troublesome such that it is difficult to hit
them outright. They will teleport around Ryu waiting to attack and then
immediately disappear if not struck. They can also cast green fireballs at Ryu
with extreme accuracy.
Name: Mounted Samurai Archer
Class: Human
Description: A samurai outfitted in yoroi, including mask, riding an armored
steed; wields a bow
Location: Chapter 2, The Hayabusa Ninja Village
Constitution: Durable/Normal
Difficulty: Formidable
Abilities: Arrow Resistant Armor, Archery, Horse Kick
Discussion: The Mounted Archer accompanies the Spearman and is notoriously
difficult to kill. The horse has extremely high constitution, but the Archer
can be shot with arrows to dismount him. Once the rider is knocked from his
mount, he unsheathes his katana and becomes a typical Samurai Foot Soldier.
Name: Mounted Samurai Spearman
Class: Human
Description: A samurai foot soldier completely covered in the traditional
samurai yoroi, including mask, armed with a spear
Location: Chapter 2, The Hayabusa Ninja Village
Constitution: Durable/Normal
Difficulty: Normal
Abilities: Arrow Resistant Armor, Spear Impalement, Spear Thrust, Horse Kick,
Overhead Spear Twirl, Lateral Spear Twirl
Discussion: The Mounted Spearman is very fast and is able to diversely use his
spear to harm Ryu. Like his mounted brethren, he, too, can be knocked from his
horse.
Name: MSAT (Mechanized Special Attack Team) Soldier
Class: Human
Description: A soldier wearing gray soldier outfit with face mask, wields a
stun baton
Location: Chapters 3, 4 and 5, The Skies of Vengeance, Imperial City
Infiltration and The City of Fiends
Constitution: Normal
Difficulty: Normal
Abilities: 3 Hit Combo, Firearm, Stun Baton, Throw
Discussion: MSATs possess the ability to slit Ryu's throat and kick him away
for significant damage. Additionally, periphery MSATs will lay down
suppressive fire upon Ryu.
Name: MSAT Riot Guard
Class: Human
Description: A soldier wearing black soldier outfit with face mask; wields a
stun baton and a riot shield
Location: Chapters 3, 4 and 5, The Skies of Vengeance, Imperial City
Infiltration and The City of Fiends
Constitution: Normal
Difficulty: Normal
Abilities: 3 Hit Combo, Firearm, Stun Baton, Throw, Shield Bash
Discussion: The Riot Guards can stun Ryu with their Shield Bash as well as
utilizing the standard attacks employed by the standard MSATs.
Name: MSAT Grenadier
Class: Human
Description: A soldier wearing blue soldier outfit with face mask; wields a
stun baton and a grenade launcher
Location: Chapters 4 and 5, Imperial City Infiltration and The City of Fiends
Constitution: Normal
Difficulty: Formidable
Abilities: 3 Hit Combo, Grenade Launcher, Stun Baton, Throw
Discussion: This heavy infantry soldier wields a grenade launcher and uses it
to pelt Ryu with grenades at a distance. You can either close the distance,
and he will throw the gun away, or you can knock it out of his hands.
Name: Black Spider Clan Ninja
Class: Human
Description: A ninja dressed in a blackish, green shozoku, armed with a
Ninja-to and Incendiary Shurikens
Location: Many Chapters, Usually Tairon and Dworku
Constitution: Normal
Difficulty: Formidable
Abilities: 3 Hit Combo, Violent Gale, Windmill Slash, Shark Attack, Incendiary
Shurikens, Wall Running
Discussion: The Black Spider Clan pursues Ryu throughout the game and pose a
significant threat even at late stages of the game. They possess many tactics
that even Ryu cannot master. Additionally, they will take every opportunity to
skewer Ryu with an Incendiary Shuriken.
Name: Dragon Fiend
Class: Serpentine Fiend
Description: A red, dragon-like biped with large black horns and a long tail
Location: Many Chapters, Tairon, Dworku, The Core
Constitution: Durable
Difficulty: Deadly
Abilities: 2 Hit Combo, Rush, Jumping Rush, Tail Swipe, Bite, Head butt
Discussion: These Fiends are very large and have a very high constitution.
They can ram Ryu and lunge at him. Dragon Fiends have a tail swipe, and every
move that they have can break Ryu's guard. They're bite is extremely damaging
as well.
Name: Monk Fiend
Class: Undead Fiend
Description: A large, skeletal creature composed of arms and a spinal column
that is armed with a gigantic magical scythe
Location: Chapters 6 and 7, The Monastery and The Hidden Underground
Constitution: Durable
Difficulty: Formidable
Abilities: Spine Swing, Lunge, 2 Hit Combo, Teleportation, Ritual Magic, Guard
Breaking Magic, Overhead Scythe Twirl
Discussion: Monk Fiends are first encountered on the Monastery Altar where they
throw off their disguises to reveal their truly heinous form. They have a wide
array of magical and melee attacks and are always accompanied by Lesser Fiends.
Name: Zombie Fiend
Class: Undead Fiend
Description: A huge, skeletal, humanoid creature that is armed with either a
gigantic war ax or mace
Location: Chapters 6 and 7, The Monastery and The Hidden Underground
Constitution: Durable
Difficulty: Normal
Abilities: Kiss of Death, Swing, Lunge
Discussion: Zombies are very large and have a very high constitution. You can
Haze Straight Slash or Flying Swallow them to remove pieces their bodies and
prevent them from eating on you.
Name: Zombie Archer Fiend
Class: Undead Fiend
Description: A huge, skeletal, humanoid creature that is armed with a gigantic
bow and arrow
Location: Chapters 6 and 7, The Monastery and The Hidden Underground
Constitution: Durable
Difficulty: Formidable
Abilities: Volley
Discussion: Zombies are very large and have a very high constitution. They
will constantly pelt Ryu with man-sized arrows that can break Ryu's guard and
launch him.
Name: Cyclops Wasp
Class: Fauna
Description: A large, buzzing insect like creature with a single eye, possess a
single stinger
Location: Chapters 6, 7 and 13, The Monastery, The Hidden Underground and
Fiendish Awakening
Constitution: Very Low
Difficulty: Normal
Abilities: Flight, Sting
Discussion: Cyclops Wasps are always found in swarms and can repeatedly sting
Ryu.
Name: Ice Dragon Fiend
Class: Serpentine Fiend
Description: A brown, dragon like biped with large horns completely covering
its body and long tail
Location: Many Chapters, The Caverns, Dworku, The Core
Constitution: Hardened
Difficulty: Deadly
Abilities: 2 Hit Combo, Rolling Rush, Jumping Rush, Tail Swipe, Bite, Head
butt, Ice Breath
Discussion: These Fiends have an even higher constitution than the regular
Dragon Fiends. Additionally, they possess breath attacks and a severely
damaging rolling attack.
Name: Fire Dragon Fiend
Class: Serpentine Fiend
Description: A brown, dragon like biped with large horns completely covering
its body and a long tail
Location: Many Chapters, The Caverns, Dworku, The Core
Constitution: Hardened
Difficulty: Deadly
Abilities: 2 Hit Combo, Rolling Rush, Jumping Rush, Tail Swipe, Bite, Head
butt, Fire Breath
Discussion: These Fiends have an even higher constitution than the regular
Dragon Fiends. Additionally, they possess breath attacks and a severely
damaging rolling attack.
Name: Lesser Fiend
Class: Humanoid Fiend
Description: A brown, humanoid creature with talons for arms and a misshapen
head
Location: Many Chapters after Tairon
Constitution: Normal
Difficulty: Normal
Abilities: Teleportation, 3 hit combo, Strong swipe
Discussion: These are the 2nd Fiends that you encounter in the Dworku Monastery
courtyard. They attack in packs, but as long as you block and counter attack,
you can manage the threat. They are sometimes accompanied by their more
evolved brethren.
Name: Fiend
Class: Humanoid Fiend
Description: A purple, humanoid creature with three talons for hands and a
misshapen head, flaming head, no feet
Location: Many Chapters after Tairon
Constitution: Normal
Difficulty: Formidable
Abilities: Teleportation, 3 hit combo, Strong swipe, Haze Straight Slash,
Helmet Splitter, Aerial Assault
Discussion: These Fiends resemble those that Ryu encounters in the Dworku
Monastery courtyard. They attack in packs, and are much more capable of
inflicting damage. They have a fairly diverse array of attacks with even the
ability to strike Ryu in the air.
Name: Evolved Fiend
Class: Humanoid Fiend
Description: A huge, purple monstrosity with a disconnected head, gigantic
claws and jewels stumps for feet
Location: Chapters 14 and 15, Vengeful Spirit and The Core
Constitution: Hardened
Difficulty: Deadly
Abilities: Teleportation, Acrobatic Ability, Single Slashes, 3 Hit Combos,
Immolation, Throws
Discussion: Evolved Fiends are arguably the most dangerous enemy in the game
including some bosses. They are at least as agile as Ryu while being two to
three times his size. Their arsenal rivals most bosses and are usually
accompanied by Phantom Fish or other Evolved Fiends.
Name: Vigoorian Soldier
Class: Human
Description: A soldier wearing brownish-green war armor with face mask wielding
an combination automatic rifle/grenade launcher
Location: Chapters 8 and 9, Tairon Under Alert and Military Supply Base
Constitution: Normal
Difficulty: Formidable
Abilities: 3 Hit Bayonet Combo, Grenades, Bayonet Impale and Detonation,
Suppressive Fire, Concentrated Fire
Discussion: This heavily armored soldier wields an M16 complete with Bayonet
and grenade launcher. They use it to pelt Ryu with bullets at a distance.
They can even increase their fire rate by hardening their stance, and they love
to setup cross fires. They will also launch grenades, and can impale Ryu on
their weapons shortly before detonating him.
Name: Vigoorian Heavy Infantry
Class: Human
Description: A soldier wearing brownish-green war armor with face mask wielding
a RPG
Location: Chapters 8 and 9, Tairon Under Alert and Military Supply Base
Constitution: Normal
Difficulty: Deadly
Abilities: RPG Launcher
Discussion: This heavily armored soldier wields an RPG (Rocket Propelled
Grenade). They are extremely patient and accurate especially in teams of two.
The explosion from the RPG damages Ryu greatly and will launch his body away.
Name: Machine Gun Turret
Class: Machina
Description: A gun turret with four barrels manned by a Vigoorian Soldier
Location: Chapters 8 and 9, Tairon Under Alert and Military Supply Base
Constitution: Normal
Difficulty: Normal
Abilities: Concentrated Fire
Discussion: While turrets can't be destroyed, their operators can be killed
quite easily.
Name: Carrier Gun Turret
Class: Machina
Description: A gun turret on top of the Armored Personnel Carriers with two
barrels and a grenade launcher
Location: Chapters 8 and 9, Tairon Under Alert and Military Supply Base
Constitution: Low
Difficulty: Normal
Abilities: Concentrated Fire, Grenade Launcher
Discussion: These turrets can be destroyed by Ryu's projectiles.
Name: Sentry
Class: Machina
Description: A small helicopter with a blue laser gun.
Location: Chapters 9 and 11, Tairon Under Alert and The Path to Zarkhan
Constitution: Frail
Difficulty: Normal
Abilities: Laser Attack
Discussion: Sentries patrol several areas and can launch Ryu with their Laser
Attacks. They can be destroyed with one hit from most arrows and the Windmill
Shuriken.
Name: Fiendish MSAT Soldier
Class: Human
Description: The remnant of a mutated MSAT Soldier, pink with an exposed chest
and talon lined head
Location: Chapters 8 and 9, Tairon Under Alert and Military Supply Base
Constitution: Normal
Difficulty: Deadly
Abilities: 3 hit combo, Throw, Stun Slash, Helmet Splitter, Fireball
Discussion: This creature is a mutated MSAT that is extremely agile and well
equipped. They can even launch fireballs at Ryu and will throw him at any
opportunity.
Name: Pill bugs
Class: Fauna
Description: A large, green arthropod with talons all over its body
Location: Chapters 10 and 13, The Aqueduct and Fiendish Awakening
Constitution: Very Low
Difficulty: Formidable
Abilities: Jump, Crawl, Lunge, Tackle
Discussion: Pill bugs appear in groups of five or more. They can prove to be
very troublesome, as they'll usually leap at Ryu all at the same time. Once
attached, they will knock him to the ground and continue to feed on him.
Name: Fiendish Vigoorian Soldier
Class: Humanoid Fiend
Description: The remnant of a mutated Vigoorian Soldier, huge purple and
possess a gigantic bayonet
Location: Chapter 11, The Path to Zarkhan
Constitution: Hardened
Difficulty: Formidable
Abilities: Bayonet Impale and Detonation, Bayonet Swipe, Bayonet Lunge
Discussion: This huge Fiend is the mutation of a Vigoorian Soldier. They
attack much like Zombie Fiends, but have the ability to impale Ryu in the
ground and detonate a grenade on top of him. They are one of the most hardened
enemies in the game.
Name: Reptile Fish
Class: Fauna
Description: A huge, reptilian, aquatic creature with two appendages used to
capture prey
Location: Chapter 11, The Path to Zarkhan
Constitution: Normal
Difficulty: Very Low
Abilities: Bite, Swipe
Discussion: These large aquatic beasts swim in the moats of Zarkhan. Once Ryu
is equipped with the Harpoon Gun, theses creatures pose little threat.
Name: Lesser Phantom Fish
Class: Fiend
Description: A translucent, floating fish phantasm
Location: Chapters 14 and 15, Vengeful Spirit and The Core
Constitution: Frail
Difficulty: Formidable
Abilities: Bite, Tackle
Discussion: Lesser Phantom Fish appear in schools and can all attack Ryu at the
same time. They must be struck before they attach to Ryu, or they will have to
be knocked off. They inflict little damage singularly.
Name: Phantom Fish
Class: Fiend
Description: A larger, translucent, floating fish phantasm
Location: Chapters 14 and 15, Vengeful Spirit and The Core
Constitution: Frail
Difficulty: Deadly
Abilities: Bite, Tackle
Discussion: Larger Phantom Fish appear in schools and can all attack Ryu at the
same time. They must be struck before they attach to Ryu, or they will have to
be knocked off. They normal damage singularly and will kill Ryu outright in
schools.
Bosses
------
Name: Murai, Shadow Ninja Clan Leader
Class: Human
Description: An extremely muscular ninja dressed in a white gi who fights with
nunchaku
Location: Chapter 1, The Way of the Ninja
Constitution: Durable
Difficulty: Formidable
Abilities: Shuriken reflect, Blocking, Counter Attacking, Wind Roll, Haze
Straight Slash, 3 hit combos, Throws
Discussion: Murai is a formidable opponent who takes very little damage during
the fight. He is extremely defensive and doesn't leave a lot of opportunity
for striking. He can attack with single strikes, combos, counter attacks and
throws. He can also defend against most of Ryu's arsenal even going so far as
to reflect his shurikens back at him.
Name: Mounted Samurai Hatamoto
Class: Fiend
Description: A warrior wearing a demonic yoroi, including mask, armed with a
huge war staff, with a severely disfigured steed
Location: Chapter 2, The Hayabusa Ninja Village
Constitution: Durable
Difficulty: Formidable
Abilities: Arrow Resistant Armor, Spear Impalement, Spear Thrust, Horse Kick,
Overhead Spear Twirl, Lateral Spear Twirl
Discussion: This warrior is accompanied by many mages, and while his abilities
are not so different from his mounted underlings, he does inflict much more
damage upon Ryu. Additionally, he cannot be knocked from his steed.
Name: Dynamo
Class: Human/Machina
Description: A severely corpulent, cybernetic soldier with a gigantic,
electrical cannon grafted onto his left arm
Location: Chapter 3, The Skies of Vengeance
Constitution: Hardened
Difficulty: Normal
Abilities: 3 Hit Combo, Lightning Volley, Grab and Shoot, Electrical Shield,
Roundhouse Smash
Discussion: This rotund soldier has a fair amount of offensive options. He can
be defeated with combinations of the Flying Swallow and Violent Gale.
Name: Tentacle Fiend
Class: Fiend
Description: A gigantic mass of eyeballs, flesh, tentacles and talons
Location: Chapters 5, 7 and 15, Dworku, Hidden Underground and The Core
Constitution: Hardened
Difficulty: Normal
Abilities: Tentacle Swipe, Fireballs, Tentacle Poke, Tentacle Flail
Discussion: While this Fiend appears troublesome, it is in fact fairly easy to
kill. It will continually launch fireballs onto the ground and lash out in all
manners with its tentacles. It can also shield itself with its Tentacle Flail
as well.
Name: Zombie Dragon
Class: Undead, Dragon
Description: The remains of a gigantic dragon, only the bones and cartilage are
left
Location: Chapter 6, The Monastery
Constitution: Hardened
Difficulty: Formidable
Abilities: Spinal Shot, Tail Swipe, Stomp, Swipe, Bite
Discussion: The Zombie Dragon fills up the entire Cavern and positions itself
on the ledges. Ryu must attack the limbs of the creature while avoiding it's
melee and projectile attacks. If it happens to bite Ryu, he will attempt to
eat him.
Name: Alma
Class: Greater Fiend
Description: A large, pink Fiend with tentacle hair, cranial winglets and a
large globe in her abdomen
Location: Chapter 7, The Hidden Underground
Constitution: Hardened
Difficulty: Deadly
Abilities: Slashes, Bubble Drop, Sphere Summon, Column Toss, Leg Toss, Strafing
Run, Drop Kick
Discussion: Alma's first form is arguably Ryu's greatest challenge in the game.
Alma's agility makes her mostly impervious to Ryu's entire arsenal. Ryu must
adopt a purely defensive strategy with Alma to defeat her.
Name: Tank
Class: Machina
Description: A tank supplied with a mounted machine gunner
Location: Chapter 9, The Military Supply Base
Constitution: Durable
Difficulty: Formidable
Abilities: Cannon Blast, Suppressive Fire, Trample
Discussion: The Tank Battalion consists of two of these vehicles. Ryu can
defeat it with a combination of Explosive Arrows and Armor-piercing Arrows.
Name: Attack Helicopter
Class: Machina
Description: A Hind-type attack helicopter, equipped with a gatlin gun,
heat-seeking missiles and Incendiary Bombs
Location: Chapter 9, The Military Supply Base
Constitution: Hardened
Difficulty: Formidable
Abilities: Suppressive Fire, Concentrated Fire, Strafing Run, Bombing Run,
Missile Volleys
Discussion: While this Helicopter is invulnerable during Ryu's first run-in
with it, Ryu proves a greater challenge the second time. He possesses enough
ordinance to surgically destroy the aircraft.
Name: Lightning Worm
Class: Fauna
Description: A huge worm with rows of fangs and electrical conductive abilities
Location: Chapter 10, The Aqueduct
Constitution: Durable
Difficulty: Normal/Deadly
Abilities: Slap, Lightning Shot, Environment Charge, Bite
Discussion: Singularly, the Lightning Worm is fairly easy to deal with, but in
pairs, the Worms can be quite destructive. You have limited options in the
caves in which you encounter them. Explosive Arrows and ground combos when
they miss moves are Ryu's only recourse.
Name: Zombie Drake
Class: Undead, Dragon
Description: A huge, decaying biped with large wing-like bone structures and a
cylindrical head
Location: Chapter 10, The Aqueduct
Constitution: Hardened
Difficulty: Formidable
Abilities: Laser immolation, Wing Sweep, Stomp, Chomp, Gust
Discussion: This huge creature can easily navigate its own cavern and can rack
up huge damage on Ryu. However, if Ryu can attack its legs, the creature
lowers its head while stunned.
Name: Lord Doku
Class: Greater Fiend
Description: A large samurai warrior, possibly without physical shape, only
exists as a purple flame inside armor, wields Kitetsu
Location: Chapter 11, The Path to Zarkhan
Constitution: Hardened
Difficulty: Formidable
Abilities: Shockwave, Stab of Extinction, Dead Soul Bind, Ice Breath, Haze
Straight Slash, various combos
Discussion: Ryu's revenge on Doku for the murder of his entire village is
brought most easily through the use of the Dabilahro or Unlabored Flawlessness.
Name: Ice Fiend
Class: Fauna
Description: A white and pink abomination with two huge arms and rows of fangs
Location: Chapters 12 and 15, The Caverns, The Core
Constitution: Hardened
Difficulty: Normal
Abilities: Stomp, Flip, Grab, Ice Shot, Ice Geyser, Swing, Jab
Discussion: This disgusting creature can utilize its massive bulk and command
over the ice element to destroy Ryu. However, its bulk also proves to be
helpful to Ryu as the creature is not terribly mobile
Name: Fire Worm
Class: Fauna
Description: A huge worm with rows of fangs and fire control abilities
Location: Chapter 12, The Caverns
Constitution: Durable
Difficulty: Formidable
Abilities: Slap, Fire Ring, Bite
Discussion: Since this creature never occurs in pairs, Ryu can dispatch it
reasonably. The Fire Ring it shoots can be jumped through.
Name: Flame Dragon
Class: Dragon
Description: A gigantic, golden Dragon with four legs and massive wings
Location: Chapter 12, The Caverns
Constitution: Hardened
Difficulty: Deadly
Abilities: Flame Wing, Fire Breath, Chomp, Platform Raise
Discussion: This magnificent creature is capable of nearly devouring Ryu along
with utilizing its fiery arsenal.
Name: Alma Awakened
Class: Greater Fiend
Description: A large, grotesque, purple and black arachnid transformation with
huge winglets covering her body and a larg
2. Classifications
a. Humans
b. Fauna
c. Machina
e. Lesser Fiends
1. Undead
2. Humanoid
3. Serpentine
f. Greater Fiends
g. Dragons
h. Deities
3. Ratings
4. Bestiary
a. Regular Enemies
b. Bosses
Introduction
------------
Ninja Gaiden's character roster is fairly robust. The character design in this
game is consistently good from the first Chapter to the final battle. The cast
is very diverse, and little to no repetition in character design is committed
in the game. That being said, there is a natural evolution of the Fiendish
creatures in this game as there are character traits that are shared between
characters. The most noteworthy of these are the Serpentine Fiends and the
Humanoid Fiends. The humanoid Fiends progress in complexity from the brown and
fairly simple Lesser Fiend up to the grotesque Alma Awakened and Feminine
Emperor forms. They share common attributes as disjointed heads and feet,
cranial winglets, spontaneous levitation and supreme acrobatic ability.
Unfortunately, there is no official source of every character's name. This can
make conversations about specific encounters tedious. The only official names
have been gathered from interviews with Itagaki and the manual itself: Alma,
Lord Doku, Supreme Fiend Gogohn, Holy Vigoor Emperor, Gurdu (and his Deity
offspring), Gamov, Rachel, Ayane, Murai, Dark Disciple, Tentacle Fiend, Zombie
Dragon, Flame Dragon, Dynamo, MSATs, the Shadow Ninja Clan and the Black Spider
Clan Ninjas (their individual names as well). Any name listed in this guide
other than these listed names is strictly of my own creation.
Lastly, keep in mind that this document is not intended to provide enemy
strategies. It's simply to outline the vast cast of the Xbox Ninja Gaiden game.
Classifications
---------------
The game delineates between several classes of character in this game. These
classes can be summed up as humans, fauna, undead, Fiends, Greater Fiends,
Dragons and Deities. There are very distinct differences between these types
of creatures.
Humans - The humans are composed of the Shadow Ninja Clan, Spider Ninja Clan,
MSATs, Vigoorian Military and possibly Doku's Samurai. The defining
characteristic to a human in this game is the presence of a soul and their
characteristic of mortality. A characteristic with a supernatural ability
doesn't necessarily make them non-human.
Fauna - The game is populated by various creatures that belong to the animal
kingdom. While some of the members of this group are fairly ghastly, I
classify these creatures as Fauna. The more monstrous variety show no distinct
Fiendish traits, so I'll still classify them as Fauna.
Machina - Those characters or enemies that have no possession of self-awareness
are designated as Machina. The Sentries, Tanks, Helicopters, and whatnot
populate this group. Obviously, some of these Machina are operated by humans.
Lesser Fiends - There is a significant back story to the Fiends. In summary,
the Fiends are the descendants of the Ancient Tribes, and they are sentient,
conniving creatures. However, they lack a soul. They take on all manner of
shapes, appearances and severity although there are common themes among their
stature. Basically, there seem to be three types of Lesser Fiends in the game:
Undead, Humanoid and Serpentine.
Undead - Halfway through the game, Ryu happens upon the Underground Cemetery
and awakens the denizens therein. Since the appearance of these creatures
predates the large emergence of the Fiends for the most part, I'll classify
these creatures as the Undead. It can be argued that the Undead are simply
Fiends themselves, however, as stated in the Book of Vigoor.
Humanoid - These Fiends differ greatly in appearance, but share a common theme.
They have no feet and float above the ground, somewhat. They are highly
acrobatic and possess teleportation ability. The most severe and evolved of
these forms resemble the Emperor's first form such that they have disembodies
heads that sprout winglets.
Serpentine - Fiends of this type exhibit dragon-like qualities. Since the
Dragons in this game arose from the Serpent Deity, we'll refer to them as
Serpentine. They are bipedal as well, but they have huge, reptilian frames and
possess tails. Some varieties of this class possess damaging breath abilities
and can be considered evolved versions of the regular Dragon Fiends.
Greater Fiends - There are only three of these creatures in the game: Doku,
Alma and Gogohn. Unlike their Lesser brethren, they possess a soul.
Dragons - There are at least two varieties of Dragons in this game. One type
we never really see but are alluded to by the story. They consist of the
Thirteen Dragons created by the Serpent Deity and that fought Vigoor. The
youngest of these Dragons becomes the Dark Dragon of which the Dark Dragon
Blade is carved. You can see the remains of these creatures at the pinnacle of
the Core, such that their bones appear almost metallic.
The lesser variety of these creatures are encountered several times in the
game. The Zombie Dragon appears to be the remains of a great creature, and the
Flame Dragon itself is a still living beast until Ryu smites him. The
abomination in the Inner Sanctum appears to exhibit dragon-like qualities as
well, so we'll place it in this category as well.
Deities - There are many Deities composing the Mythos of this game. There is
Gurdu which was the most omnipresent of the group. He split into four Deities
which are represented by the Statues that Ryu collects to activate the Core.
There is Vigoor who is the Ancestor of all Evil Deities, and there are his
Deity offspring. You battle a rebirth of Vigoor in Chapter 14.
Examples - Here are some examples between the classes.
Humans - Ryu, Rachel, Spider Ninjas, Soldiers, etc.
Fauna - Bugs, Wasps, Bats, Crows, etc.
Mechanical - Fire posts, Sentries, Gun Turrets
Lesser Fiends - Tentacle Fiend, Undead, Dragon Fiends, etc.
Greater Fiends - Doku, Alma and the Supreme Fiend Gogohn
Dragons - Flame Dragon and the 13 Dragons born from the Serpent Deity, the
youngest of which becomes the Dark Dragon
Deities - Gurdu, his quartered pieces, Vigoor and his Spawn of Evil Deities
Ratings
-------
The ratings for constitution will be derived from blows from the True Dragon
Sword or Unlabored Flawlessness. The strikes used will be a single X slash,
Crimson Slash (X,X,X), Izuna Drop, Blade of Nirrti and Flying Swallow along
with a single shuriken throw. The constitution ratings are as follows:
Frail - One shuriken will kill this character.
Very Low - This character can be killed with one Flying Swallow attack.
Low - A single Flying Swallow followed by one Crimson Slash combo will kill
this creature.
Normal - Multiple Flying Swallow techniques and a single Crimson Slash will be
needed for a victory.
Durable - These creatures are able to withstand multiple Blade of Nirrti combos
from the Unlabored Flawlessness.
Hardened - These creatures and characters are at boss level and require
significant effort to kill.
The difficulty rating is determined by the enemies' combat abilities at the
time Ryu encounters them. Otherwise, most enemies would be listed as easy.
The difficulty ratings are as follows:
Harmless - These characters pose no threat to Ryu whatsoever. Ryu must
actively attempt to be killed by them.
Easy - Ryu's combat abilities far outshine this classification of enemy.
Normal - This classification poses the first threat to Ryu.
Formidable - These enemies are difficult to kill and are capable of easily
dispatching Ryu.
Deadly - Deadly characters can kill Ryu one or two strikes and are extremely
resistant to damage.
Bestiary
--------
This section will include the name, class, description, location, constitution,
difficulty, abilities and discussion of each creature or character in the game.
I'm most familiar with the abilities of these characters on the Very Hard
difficulty level, so I will comment as such. I will update this from time to
time when official names become available.
Regular Enemies
---------------
Name: Shadow Clan Ninja
Class: Human
Description: A ninja dressed in a brown shozoku, armed with a Ninja-to and
shurikens
Location: Chapter 1, The Way of the Ninja
Constitution: Very Low
Difficulty: Easy
Abilities: Shurikens, Blocking, Wind Roll, Violent Wind, 3 hit combos
Discussion: Singularly, these enemies pose no threat, but in packs of three or
more, they can be a little troublesome. They tend to form ranks where one will
reside on the periphery of the group and assault Ryu with shurikens to break
his combos and Essence gathering.
Name: Shadow Clan Ninja Master
Class: Human
Description: A ninja dressed in a white shozoku, armed with a Ninja-to and
shurikens
Location: Chapter 1, The Way of the Ninja
Constitution: Low
Difficulty: Normal
Abilities: Shurikens, Blocking, Wind Roll, Helmet Splitter, Violent Gale, 3
hit combos, 5 hit combos, Wall Running
Discussion: These enemies pose a much greater threat, such that their
abilities are similar to Ryu's at that stage in the game. They tend to forgo
ranks altogether and instead wait for opportunities to strike Ryu. They will
interrupt most charge moves with shurikens and can wall run outside of Ryu's
vicinity to hit him with a Helmet Splitter.
Name: Bat
Class: Fauna
Description: A purple bat
Location: Most Chapters
Constitution: Frail
Difficulty: Harmless
Abilities: Flight, bite
Discussion: Bats provide very little threat. It takes an inordinate amount of
bites to kill Ryu, while a single shuriken will kill a bat. They are mostly
used in game to heal and gain Essence.
Name: Crow
Class: Fauna
Description: A black crow
Location: Chapters 1 and 13, The Way of the Ninja and Fiendish Awakening
Constitution: Frail
Difficulty: Harmless
Abilities: Flight
Discussion: Crows provide no threat whatsoever. They do not possess an attack
ability. A single shuriken will kill a crow, and they are mostly used in game
to signify death.
Name: Samurai Foot Soldier
Class: Human
Description: A samurai foot soldier completely covered in the traditional
samurai yoroi, including mask; wields a katana
Location: Chapter 2, The Hayabusa Ninja Village
Constitution: Normal
Difficulty: Normal
Abilities: Extreme Blocking, Counter Attacking, Haze Straight Slash, 3 hit
combos, Throws
Discussion: These enemies must have their guard broken before they can be
struck. Their training is such that they will block almost any normal strike,
while a comrade will take the opportunity to attack Ryu.
Name: Mage
Class: Human
Description: A magic user that floats above the ground; wields two Sai
Location: Chapter 2, The Hayabusa Ninja Village
Constitution: Normal
Difficulty: Difficult
Abilities: Teleportation, Limited Flight, Projectile Magic, 7 hit combos
Discussion: These enemies can be troublesome such that it is difficult to hit
them outright. They will teleport around Ryu waiting to attack and then
immediately disappear if not struck. They can also cast green fireballs at Ryu
with extreme accuracy.
Name: Mounted Samurai Archer
Class: Human
Description: A samurai outfitted in yoroi, including mask, riding an armored
steed; wields a bow
Location: Chapter 2, The Hayabusa Ninja Village
Constitution: Durable/Normal
Difficulty: Formidable
Abilities: Arrow Resistant Armor, Archery, Horse Kick
Discussion: The Mounted Archer accompanies the Spearman and is notoriously
difficult to kill. The horse has extremely high constitution, but the Archer
can be shot with arrows to dismount him. Once the rider is knocked from his
mount, he unsheathes his katana and becomes a typical Samurai Foot Soldier.
Name: Mounted Samurai Spearman
Class: Human
Description: A samurai foot soldier completely covered in the traditional
samurai yoroi, including mask, armed with a spear
Location: Chapter 2, The Hayabusa Ninja Village
Constitution: Durable/Normal
Difficulty: Normal
Abilities: Arrow Resistant Armor, Spear Impalement, Spear Thrust, Horse Kick,
Overhead Spear Twirl, Lateral Spear Twirl
Discussion: The Mounted Spearman is very fast and is able to diversely use his
spear to harm Ryu. Like his mounted brethren, he, too, can be knocked from his
horse.
Name: MSAT (Mechanized Special Attack Team) Soldier
Class: Human
Description: A soldier wearing gray soldier outfit with face mask, wields a
stun baton
Location: Chapters 3, 4 and 5, The Skies of Vengeance, Imperial City
Infiltration and The City of Fiends
Constitution: Normal
Difficulty: Normal
Abilities: 3 Hit Combo, Firearm, Stun Baton, Throw
Discussion: MSATs possess the ability to slit Ryu's throat and kick him away
for significant damage. Additionally, periphery MSATs will lay down
suppressive fire upon Ryu.
Name: MSAT Riot Guard
Class: Human
Description: A soldier wearing black soldier outfit with face mask; wields a
stun baton and a riot shield
Location: Chapters 3, 4 and 5, The Skies of Vengeance, Imperial City
Infiltration and The City of Fiends
Constitution: Normal
Difficulty: Normal
Abilities: 3 Hit Combo, Firearm, Stun Baton, Throw, Shield Bash
Discussion: The Riot Guards can stun Ryu with their Shield Bash as well as
utilizing the standard attacks employed by the standard MSATs.
Name: MSAT Grenadier
Class: Human
Description: A soldier wearing blue soldier outfit with face mask; wields a
stun baton and a grenade launcher
Location: Chapters 4 and 5, Imperial City Infiltration and The City of Fiends
Constitution: Normal
Difficulty: Formidable
Abilities: 3 Hit Combo, Grenade Launcher, Stun Baton, Throw
Discussion: This heavy infantry soldier wields a grenade launcher and uses it
to pelt Ryu with grenades at a distance. You can either close the distance,
and he will throw the gun away, or you can knock it out of his hands.
Name: Black Spider Clan Ninja
Class: Human
Description: A ninja dressed in a blackish, green shozoku, armed with a
Ninja-to and Incendiary Shurikens
Location: Many Chapters, Usually Tairon and Dworku
Constitution: Normal
Difficulty: Formidable
Abilities: 3 Hit Combo, Violent Gale, Windmill Slash, Shark Attack, Incendiary
Shurikens, Wall Running
Discussion: The Black Spider Clan pursues Ryu throughout the game and pose a
significant threat even at late stages of the game. They possess many tactics
that even Ryu cannot master. Additionally, they will take every opportunity to
skewer Ryu with an Incendiary Shuriken.
Name: Dragon Fiend
Class: Serpentine Fiend
Description: A red, dragon-like biped with large black horns and a long tail
Location: Many Chapters, Tairon, Dworku, The Core
Constitution: Durable
Difficulty: Deadly
Abilities: 2 Hit Combo, Rush, Jumping Rush, Tail Swipe, Bite, Head butt
Discussion: These Fiends are very large and have a very high constitution.
They can ram Ryu and lunge at him. Dragon Fiends have a tail swipe, and every
move that they have can break Ryu's guard. They're bite is extremely damaging
as well.
Name: Monk Fiend
Class: Undead Fiend
Description: A large, skeletal creature composed of arms and a spinal column
that is armed with a gigantic magical scythe
Location: Chapters 6 and 7, The Monastery and The Hidden Underground
Constitution: Durable
Difficulty: Formidable
Abilities: Spine Swing, Lunge, 2 Hit Combo, Teleportation, Ritual Magic, Guard
Breaking Magic, Overhead Scythe Twirl
Discussion: Monk Fiends are first encountered on the Monastery Altar where they
throw off their disguises to reveal their truly heinous form. They have a wide
array of magical and melee attacks and are always accompanied by Lesser Fiends.
Name: Zombie Fiend
Class: Undead Fiend
Description: A huge, skeletal, humanoid creature that is armed with either a
gigantic war ax or mace
Location: Chapters 6 and 7, The Monastery and The Hidden Underground
Constitution: Durable
Difficulty: Normal
Abilities: Kiss of Death, Swing, Lunge
Discussion: Zombies are very large and have a very high constitution. You can
Haze Straight Slash or Flying Swallow them to remove pieces their bodies and
prevent them from eating on you.
Name: Zombie Archer Fiend
Class: Undead Fiend
Description: A huge, skeletal, humanoid creature that is armed with a gigantic
bow and arrow
Location: Chapters 6 and 7, The Monastery and The Hidden Underground
Constitution: Durable
Difficulty: Formidable
Abilities: Volley
Discussion: Zombies are very large and have a very high constitution. They
will constantly pelt Ryu with man-sized arrows that can break Ryu's guard and
launch him.
Name: Cyclops Wasp
Class: Fauna
Description: A large, buzzing insect like creature with a single eye, possess a
single stinger
Location: Chapters 6, 7 and 13, The Monastery, The Hidden Underground and
Fiendish Awakening
Constitution: Very Low
Difficulty: Normal
Abilities: Flight, Sting
Discussion: Cyclops Wasps are always found in swarms and can repeatedly sting
Ryu.
Name: Ice Dragon Fiend
Class: Serpentine Fiend
Description: A brown, dragon like biped with large horns completely covering
its body and long tail
Location: Many Chapters, The Caverns, Dworku, The Core
Constitution: Hardened
Difficulty: Deadly
Abilities: 2 Hit Combo, Rolling Rush, Jumping Rush, Tail Swipe, Bite, Head
butt, Ice Breath
Discussion: These Fiends have an even higher constitution than the regular
Dragon Fiends. Additionally, they possess breath attacks and a severely
damaging rolling attack.
Name: Fire Dragon Fiend
Class: Serpentine Fiend
Description: A brown, dragon like biped with large horns completely covering
its body and a long tail
Location: Many Chapters, The Caverns, Dworku, The Core
Constitution: Hardened
Difficulty: Deadly
Abilities: 2 Hit Combo, Rolling Rush, Jumping Rush, Tail Swipe, Bite, Head
butt, Fire Breath
Discussion: These Fiends have an even higher constitution than the regular
Dragon Fiends. Additionally, they possess breath attacks and a severely
damaging rolling attack.
Name: Lesser Fiend
Class: Humanoid Fiend
Description: A brown, humanoid creature with talons for arms and a misshapen
head
Location: Many Chapters after Tairon
Constitution: Normal
Difficulty: Normal
Abilities: Teleportation, 3 hit combo, Strong swipe
Discussion: These are the 2nd Fiends that you encounter in the Dworku Monastery
courtyard. They attack in packs, but as long as you block and counter attack,
you can manage the threat. They are sometimes accompanied by their more
evolved brethren.
Name: Fiend
Class: Humanoid Fiend
Description: A purple, humanoid creature with three talons for hands and a
misshapen head, flaming head, no feet
Location: Many Chapters after Tairon
Constitution: Normal
Difficulty: Formidable
Abilities: Teleportation, 3 hit combo, Strong swipe, Haze Straight Slash,
Helmet Splitter, Aerial Assault
Discussion: These Fiends resemble those that Ryu encounters in the Dworku
Monastery courtyard. They attack in packs, and are much more capable of
inflicting damage. They have a fairly diverse array of attacks with even the
ability to strike Ryu in the air.
Name: Evolved Fiend
Class: Humanoid Fiend
Description: A huge, purple monstrosity with a disconnected head, gigantic
claws and jewels stumps for feet
Location: Chapters 14 and 15, Vengeful Spirit and The Core
Constitution: Hardened
Difficulty: Deadly
Abilities: Teleportation, Acrobatic Ability, Single Slashes, 3 Hit Combos,
Immolation, Throws
Discussion: Evolved Fiends are arguably the most dangerous enemy in the game
including some bosses. They are at least as agile as Ryu while being two to
three times his size. Their arsenal rivals most bosses and are usually
accompanied by Phantom Fish or other Evolved Fiends.
Name: Vigoorian Soldier
Class: Human
Description: A soldier wearing brownish-green war armor with face mask wielding
an combination automatic rifle/grenade launcher
Location: Chapters 8 and 9, Tairon Under Alert and Military Supply Base
Constitution: Normal
Difficulty: Formidable
Abilities: 3 Hit Bayonet Combo, Grenades, Bayonet Impale and Detonation,
Suppressive Fire, Concentrated Fire
Discussion: This heavily armored soldier wields an M16 complete with Bayonet
and grenade launcher. They use it to pelt Ryu with bullets at a distance.
They can even increase their fire rate by hardening their stance, and they love
to setup cross fires. They will also launch grenades, and can impale Ryu on
their weapons shortly before detonating him.
Name: Vigoorian Heavy Infantry
Class: Human
Description: A soldier wearing brownish-green war armor with face mask wielding
a RPG
Location: Chapters 8 and 9, Tairon Under Alert and Military Supply Base
Constitution: Normal
Difficulty: Deadly
Abilities: RPG Launcher
Discussion: This heavily armored soldier wields an RPG (Rocket Propelled
Grenade). They are extremely patient and accurate especially in teams of two.
The explosion from the RPG damages Ryu greatly and will launch his body away.
Name: Machine Gun Turret
Class: Machina
Description: A gun turret with four barrels manned by a Vigoorian Soldier
Location: Chapters 8 and 9, Tairon Under Alert and Military Supply Base
Constitution: Normal
Difficulty: Normal
Abilities: Concentrated Fire
Discussion: While turrets can't be destroyed, their operators can be killed
quite easily.
Name: Carrier Gun Turret
Class: Machina
Description: A gun turret on top of the Armored Personnel Carriers with two
barrels and a grenade launcher
Location: Chapters 8 and 9, Tairon Under Alert and Military Supply Base
Constitution: Low
Difficulty: Normal
Abilities: Concentrated Fire, Grenade Launcher
Discussion: These turrets can be destroyed by Ryu's projectiles.
Name: Sentry
Class: Machina
Description: A small helicopter with a blue laser gun.
Location: Chapters 9 and 11, Tairon Under Alert and The Path to Zarkhan
Constitution: Frail
Difficulty: Normal
Abilities: Laser Attack
Discussion: Sentries patrol several areas and can launch Ryu with their Laser
Attacks. They can be destroyed with one hit from most arrows and the Windmill
Shuriken.
Name: Fiendish MSAT Soldier
Class: Human
Description: The remnant of a mutated MSAT Soldier, pink with an exposed chest
and talon lined head
Location: Chapters 8 and 9, Tairon Under Alert and Military Supply Base
Constitution: Normal
Difficulty: Deadly
Abilities: 3 hit combo, Throw, Stun Slash, Helmet Splitter, Fireball
Discussion: This creature is a mutated MSAT that is extremely agile and well
equipped. They can even launch fireballs at Ryu and will throw him at any
opportunity.
Name: Pill bugs
Class: Fauna
Description: A large, green arthropod with talons all over its body
Location: Chapters 10 and 13, The Aqueduct and Fiendish Awakening
Constitution: Very Low
Difficulty: Formidable
Abilities: Jump, Crawl, Lunge, Tackle
Discussion: Pill bugs appear in groups of five or more. They can prove to be
very troublesome, as they'll usually leap at Ryu all at the same time. Once
attached, they will knock him to the ground and continue to feed on him.
Name: Fiendish Vigoorian Soldier
Class: Humanoid Fiend
Description: The remnant of a mutated Vigoorian Soldier, huge purple and
possess a gigantic bayonet
Location: Chapter 11, The Path to Zarkhan
Constitution: Hardened
Difficulty: Formidable
Abilities: Bayonet Impale and Detonation, Bayonet Swipe, Bayonet Lunge
Discussion: This huge Fiend is the mutation of a Vigoorian Soldier. They
attack much like Zombie Fiends, but have the ability to impale Ryu in the
ground and detonate a grenade on top of him. They are one of the most hardened
enemies in the game.
Name: Reptile Fish
Class: Fauna
Description: A huge, reptilian, aquatic creature with two appendages used to
capture prey
Location: Chapter 11, The Path to Zarkhan
Constitution: Normal
Difficulty: Very Low
Abilities: Bite, Swipe
Discussion: These large aquatic beasts swim in the moats of Zarkhan. Once Ryu
is equipped with the Harpoon Gun, theses creatures pose little threat.
Name: Lesser Phantom Fish
Class: Fiend
Description: A translucent, floating fish phantasm
Location: Chapters 14 and 15, Vengeful Spirit and The Core
Constitution: Frail
Difficulty: Formidable
Abilities: Bite, Tackle
Discussion: Lesser Phantom Fish appear in schools and can all attack Ryu at the
same time. They must be struck before they attach to Ryu, or they will have to
be knocked off. They inflict little damage singularly.
Name: Phantom Fish
Class: Fiend
Description: A larger, translucent, floating fish phantasm
Location: Chapters 14 and 15, Vengeful Spirit and The Core
Constitution: Frail
Difficulty: Deadly
Abilities: Bite, Tackle
Discussion: Larger Phantom Fish appear in schools and can all attack Ryu at the
same time. They must be struck before they attach to Ryu, or they will have to
be knocked off. They normal damage singularly and will kill Ryu outright in
schools.
Bosses
------
Name: Murai, Shadow Ninja Clan Leader
Class: Human
Description: An extremely muscular ninja dressed in a white gi who fights with
nunchaku
Location: Chapter 1, The Way of the Ninja
Constitution: Durable
Difficulty: Formidable
Abilities: Shuriken reflect, Blocking, Counter Attacking, Wind Roll, Haze
Straight Slash, 3 hit combos, Throws
Discussion: Murai is a formidable opponent who takes very little damage during
the fight. He is extremely defensive and doesn't leave a lot of opportunity
for striking. He can attack with single strikes, combos, counter attacks and
throws. He can also defend against most of Ryu's arsenal even going so far as
to reflect his shurikens back at him.
Name: Mounted Samurai Hatamoto
Class: Fiend
Description: A warrior wearing a demonic yoroi, including mask, armed with a
huge war staff, with a severely disfigured steed
Location: Chapter 2, The Hayabusa Ninja Village
Constitution: Durable
Difficulty: Formidable
Abilities: Arrow Resistant Armor, Spear Impalement, Spear Thrust, Horse Kick,
Overhead Spear Twirl, Lateral Spear Twirl
Discussion: This warrior is accompanied by many mages, and while his abilities
are not so different from his mounted underlings, he does inflict much more
damage upon Ryu. Additionally, he cannot be knocked from his steed.
Name: Dynamo
Class: Human/Machina
Description: A severely corpulent, cybernetic soldier with a gigantic,
electrical cannon grafted onto his left arm
Location: Chapter 3, The Skies of Vengeance
Constitution: Hardened
Difficulty: Normal
Abilities: 3 Hit Combo, Lightning Volley, Grab and Shoot, Electrical Shield,
Roundhouse Smash
Discussion: This rotund soldier has a fair amount of offensive options. He can
be defeated with combinations of the Flying Swallow and Violent Gale.
Name: Tentacle Fiend
Class: Fiend
Description: A gigantic mass of eyeballs, flesh, tentacles and talons
Location: Chapters 5, 7 and 15, Dworku, Hidden Underground and The Core
Constitution: Hardened
Difficulty: Normal
Abilities: Tentacle Swipe, Fireballs, Tentacle Poke, Tentacle Flail
Discussion: While this Fiend appears troublesome, it is in fact fairly easy to
kill. It will continually launch fireballs onto the ground and lash out in all
manners with its tentacles. It can also shield itself with its Tentacle Flail
as well.
Name: Zombie Dragon
Class: Undead, Dragon
Description: The remains of a gigantic dragon, only the bones and cartilage are
left
Location: Chapter 6, The Monastery
Constitution: Hardened
Difficulty: Formidable
Abilities: Spinal Shot, Tail Swipe, Stomp, Swipe, Bite
Discussion: The Zombie Dragon fills up the entire Cavern and positions itself
on the ledges. Ryu must attack the limbs of the creature while avoiding it's
melee and projectile attacks. If it happens to bite Ryu, he will attempt to
eat him.
Name: Alma
Class: Greater Fiend
Description: A large, pink Fiend with tentacle hair, cranial winglets and a
large globe in her abdomen
Location: Chapter 7, The Hidden Underground
Constitution: Hardened
Difficulty: Deadly
Abilities: Slashes, Bubble Drop, Sphere Summon, Column Toss, Leg Toss, Strafing
Run, Drop Kick
Discussion: Alma's first form is arguably Ryu's greatest challenge in the game.
Alma's agility makes her mostly impervious to Ryu's entire arsenal. Ryu must
adopt a purely defensive strategy with Alma to defeat her.
Name: Tank
Class: Machina
Description: A tank supplied with a mounted machine gunner
Location: Chapter 9, The Military Supply Base
Constitution: Durable
Difficulty: Formidable
Abilities: Cannon Blast, Suppressive Fire, Trample
Discussion: The Tank Battalion consists of two of these vehicles. Ryu can
defeat it with a combination of Explosive Arrows and Armor-piercing Arrows.
Name: Attack Helicopter
Class: Machina
Description: A Hind-type attack helicopter, equipped with a gatlin gun,
heat-seeking missiles and Incendiary Bombs
Location: Chapter 9, The Military Supply Base
Constitution: Hardened
Difficulty: Formidable
Abilities: Suppressive Fire, Concentrated Fire, Strafing Run, Bombing Run,
Missile Volleys
Discussion: While this Helicopter is invulnerable during Ryu's first run-in
with it, Ryu proves a greater challenge the second time. He possesses enough
ordinance to surgically destroy the aircraft.
Name: Lightning Worm
Class: Fauna
Description: A huge worm with rows of fangs and electrical conductive abilities
Location: Chapter 10, The Aqueduct
Constitution: Durable
Difficulty: Normal/Deadly
Abilities: Slap, Lightning Shot, Environment Charge, Bite
Discussion: Singularly, the Lightning Worm is fairly easy to deal with, but in
pairs, the Worms can be quite destructive. You have limited options in the
caves in which you encounter them. Explosive Arrows and ground combos when
they miss moves are Ryu's only recourse.
Name: Zombie Drake
Class: Undead, Dragon
Description: A huge, decaying biped with large wing-like bone structures and a
cylindrical head
Location: Chapter 10, The Aqueduct
Constitution: Hardened
Difficulty: Formidable
Abilities: Laser immolation, Wing Sweep, Stomp, Chomp, Gust
Discussion: This huge creature can easily navigate its own cavern and can rack
up huge damage on Ryu. However, if Ryu can attack its legs, the creature
lowers its head while stunned.
Name: Lord Doku
Class: Greater Fiend
Description: A large samurai warrior, possibly without physical shape, only
exists as a purple flame inside armor, wields Kitetsu
Location: Chapter 11, The Path to Zarkhan
Constitution: Hardened
Difficulty: Formidable
Abilities: Shockwave, Stab of Extinction, Dead Soul Bind, Ice Breath, Haze
Straight Slash, various combos
Discussion: Ryu's revenge on Doku for the murder of his entire village is
brought most easily through the use of the Dabilahro or Unlabored Flawlessness.
Name: Ice Fiend
Class: Fauna
Description: A white and pink abomination with two huge arms and rows of fangs
Location: Chapters 12 and 15, The Caverns, The Core
Constitution: Hardened
Difficulty: Normal
Abilities: Stomp, Flip, Grab, Ice Shot, Ice Geyser, Swing, Jab
Discussion: This disgusting creature can utilize its massive bulk and command
over the ice element to destroy Ryu. However, its bulk also proves to be
helpful to Ryu as the creature is not terribly mobile
Name: Fire Worm
Class: Fauna
Description: A huge worm with rows of fangs and fire control abilities
Location: Chapter 12, The Caverns
Constitution: Durable
Difficulty: Formidable
Abilities: Slap, Fire Ring, Bite
Discussion: Since this creature never occurs in pairs, Ryu can dispatch it
reasonably. The Fire Ring it shoots can be jumped through.
Name: Flame Dragon
Class: Dragon
Description: A gigantic, golden Dragon with four legs and massive wings
Location: Chapter 12, The Caverns
Constitution: Hardened
Difficulty: Deadly
Abilities: Flame Wing, Fire Breath, Chomp, Platform Raise
Discussion: This magnificent creature is capable of nearly devouring Ryu along
with utilizing its fiery arsenal.
Name: Alma Awakened
Class: Greater Fiend
Description: A large, grotesque, purple and black arachnid transformation with
huge winglets covering her body and a larg
Submitted By: mikelar
Undoubtedly, some of the hardest bosses ever have been created in Ninja Gaiden by, who I can only assume, are devil-kin programmers. The attention to detail in the game means that each boss requires different tactics to defeat him/her/it throughout the game. As such, I decided to compile a guide on defeating the bosses in the hope that some gamers can avoid the difficulty of meeting a new boss for the first time.
Each boss in this walk through will be referred to by a relevant name and it's number in the sequence you have to fight it. Before we start, I should say that I had upgraded the Dragon Sword, the Vigoorian Flails as well as the Fireball and Electric Ninpo magic attacks FULLY as soon as I could. I suggest you also do the same as I reference the use of these attacks in the walk through.
1st
Murai
The first boss in the game who fights like he's the last, Murai is both powerful and fast with an annoyingly good blocking ability. The key tactics here are to keep your distance and to keep moving so use the vast space you're given. Don't let him back you into a corner and don't try blocking any combos he pulls of (that is to say, get out of the way instead!) because he'll just do a grab move which does far more damage than a regular hit. Use the roll manoeuvre to dodge his attacks whilst getting in a quick counter attack before moving away again. You can only expect to get in two or three hits per counter attack before he starts blocking and counter attacking himself so strike quickly. Repeat the tactic of rolling and counter attacking until Murai's energy gets down to 1/3 of what is was, when you achieve this the battle will end.
2nd
Red Samurai on Dragon Horse
The most annoying thing about this boss is his magic using ninja sidekicks. They should be your first target when fighting this boss. Annoyingly, they have the ability to disappear if the think they're in trouble so you need to be quick when attacking. The best time for an attack is when they're casting magic which takes only a matter of seconds for them so you need to act fast. Fortunately, they're pretty weak and one combo will finish them off. You'll need to kill around six of these magic-using ninjas before they stop reappearing which is where you can then concentrate on the main boss.
Riding atop his horse, the Red Samurai uses a spear which has a long reach so avoid running along side the horse. Instead, attack from the behind. Watch out for when he makes a U-turn because he has a nasty move where he swipes behind him in case your following which normally, you are. So, when he gets to one end of the bridge to turn around, block. Another thing to remember is to avoid any aerial attacks as his counter attack for these moves is very powerful. If you keep hitting whilst positioned from behind the horse, you should soon be able to topple the Red Samurai.
3rd
Fat Electro-man/robot
As soon as the battle begins start running towards the boss as, if you keep at a distance, he uses his accurate electro gun which you have little chance to dodge. Avoid getting too close because he, like Murai, uses a grab move which is fairly powerful. Use the roll dodge to circle him. When you get behind him, he has a fairly strong attack where he quickly turns around and smashes his metal arm into you. Fortunately this can be blocked however the grab cannot so after his arm attack you'll have to act quick. The best attack method is to, after he attacks, jump and use the strong attack (Y button whilst in the air) to slash him before quickly rolling out of the way again. Carry on this process, rolling and aerial attacking until you defeat the fat electro-man/robot. Then watch him explode.
4th
Dragon Fiends/Mutent Blob
The fight begins with you having to kill the three mutant dragons in the area. Make use of Ryu's ability to run up walls to dodge the Dragon's running attacks whilst also remembering to use the slice attack (Y whilst in the air) attack after Ryu runs up the wall as far as he can. When fighting the Dragons, pull off short combos of three or four hits at the most before moving away quickly - the have a grab move where they bite your head and it does a lot of damage. Target one of them at a time so that they are dispatched as quickly as possible. After you defeat them, you'll see a cut scene where another mini-boss bursts through a wall. The blob has two tentacles which it swings around with quite a range so keep in the air as much as possible. The aim is to destroy both tentacles which will allow you to attack the body. The best attack is the jump/slash attack on the tentacles and normal combo moves on the main body. Repeat this process each time the tentacles regenerate to kill the mutant blob.
5th
Bone Dragon
The Bone Dragon precariously balances over a pit. The idea is that you attack the Dragons feet as he clings onto the edge nearest you. Attacks to watch out for are the Dragons bite attack and the tail swing. The former can be dodged by moving as far right or left to the platform as possible whilst the latter requires you to jump twice, once each time the tail swings by. Use long combo moves on each foot until you trigger a sequence of the dragons foot turning grey. Repeat this for each of the four feet avoiding the spines that the Dragon shoots by roll-dodging or blocking until the Dragon falls into the pit.
6th
Alma, Greater Fiend
Alma has both strong ranged attacks as well as powerful melee attacks and can move pretty fast to boot. Avoid getting too close if she's in the air as she'll catch you in a purple tractor beam which is her most powerful attack. Wait for her to swoop in to attack you before roll dodging out of the way and performing a counter attack. Use the longest combos you can pull off as these attacks are the only damage you'll do. If Alma starts to fire her ranged magic, keep running in one direction to dodge out the way. The flying pillars cannot be blocked so your going to have to run or roll dodge to avoid them.
7th
Tanks
In the military base you'll need to defeat the two tanks before moving on. Fortunately you don't need to battle them both at the same time. The best tactic is, after gathering the explosive and armour piercing arrows from the crates in the middle of the arena, is to take the man firing the gun on top of the tank out first. This stops the hail of bullets for a short time however the turret will still fire. After killing the machine gunner, you should be able to fire two or three, depending on how quick you are to take aim, at the main tank with the armour piercing arrows. Keep rolling and jumping in order to dodge the tank shells when it starts to take aim. You'll need to repeat this process around three times to destroy the tank. Destroying the first will trigger the next to attack so simply repeat the tactics for the next tank.
8th
Attack Chopper
You'll find both explosive and armour piercing arrows on each side of the platform for you to restock your ammo. The best type of arrow to use is the armour piercing. You'll need an accurate aim for this boss as the best time to fire is when the chopper is on the move as it isn't attacking back. Use the zoom (R trigger) to make shooting the chopper an easier task. Watch out for the missiles it launches as these are homing. The best tactic is to wait for the missiles to get close before quickly rolling/jumping out of the way. The chopper normally releases two bursts of the missile attack so keep on the move. The worst attack is the bombing run the chopper does. It lines itself up with you then flies in perform and air-strike, a very powerful one at that. Like the missile attack, wait for the chopper to get pretty close before rolling out of the way. Continue bombarding it with the armour piercing arrows, restocking from the creates nearby, until a sequence of the chopper crashing is shown.
9th
Electro-worm/Two Electro-worms
Quite a tricky one this. You're not allowed in the water as the worms current electrocutes you whilst you're constantly being swiped at standing on the land. The best tactic is to run up the wall and perform the slash attack so that Ryu comes down with the Dragon Sword on top of the worm. Since the worm swipes a lot, chances are pretty high that you'll hit the worm most times. Also, use ranged weapons when the worm retreats into its hole to do extra damage. Don't stand still for long as if the ranged electro-attack, which does a fair bit of damage, doesn't get you, the swipe will. If you can't run up the walls then keep jumping and performing the normal slash attack until the worms are defeated.
10th
Bone Bird Demon
The best tactic here is to wait for the Bird to move to the side of the room where the stairs are. When here, you can get behind the bird and attack it's back. Watch out however because if you get too close whilst behind, the Bird will stomp with it's feet trying to get you. When in front of the bird, you should watch out for are the laser attack which creates a wall of fire along the path of where the laser was fired. To avoid this, keep on the move by rolling and jumping when you see the bird fire the laser. The bird will also, from time to time, land on an upper platform at the side of the room which makes it unreachable with sword attacks. Instead, use your bow to attack and do extra damage until the bird comes down.
11th
Doku
Another area where you're given plenty of room to move about so make use of it. However, if you wander to far from Doku, he'll throw his sword which is fairly easy to dodge but does a fair bit of damage. The best form of attack is swipe through Doku using a particular attack with the Dragon Sword. To perform this swipe, jump forwards and press Y. This will make Ryu rush through the air and target if it's close enough. The advantage of this move is that, not only is it fairly powerful, it puts you out of the way of a direct counter attack because you're behind the target after you perform this move. Also use the walls if Doku corners you to either jump over him and gain some distance or to attack him directly.
12th
Snow Monster
This isn't the most powerful boss and is fairly easy to defeat. Again with all the bosses, keep on the move by jumping and rolling out of the way. Watch out for the monster's grab attack as it's the most powerful. You'll know it's about to perform this attack when it rears up into the air for a spilt second before swiping at you with it's arms. The best time for a combo is just after the monster has performed this attack when it looks like it's having a rest so pull off the longest combo you can before running away. Another attack the snow monster has is the ability to summon several ice shards from under your position which follow you as you run. It's best to roll dodge these and, if you can, roll your way towards the Snow Monster to perform an attack after the 5th ice shard as appeared. The best overall tactic is to avoid being in front of the monster as he has no way of attacking you when your behind him, apart form when he uses the ice shard attack.
13th
Fire Worm
Like the Electro-worm, the Fire worm attacks from a hole at one end of the room whilst your at the other waiting for the right time to attack. The Fire Worm has the same attacks as the Electro-worm with the only difference being the elements used i.e. instead of electric bolts, the Fire Worm uses fire rings as it's ranged attack. The best tactic is to tempt the worm to perform it's swipe attack by standing fairly close to the edge. Once you see the worm rear-up, quickly move to the back of the room and let the swipe attack be performed. After this, the worm will remain close enough for an attack for a split second so perform the longest combo you can in order to do the most damage. To do even more damage, fire arrows as the worm when it's in the process of entering or leaving it's hole. If you got it, use the Windmill Shrekian (or whatever it's called) as you don't need ammo for this. You can dodge the fire rings by rolling just as the worm performs the attack, remember that the worm will fire two fire rings each time.
14th
Golden Dragon
You're not given much room to fight the Dragon so you'll have to be quick when rolling or jumping to avoid attack. When on the bottom platform, the Dragon will use a blast attack which cannot be dodged, only blocked and even then it does a small amount of damage, followed by a few fire balls which cannot be blocked, only dodged. Move up and down the platform when the Dragon is attacking, jumping over the fire breath attack as it sweeps past, waiting for the head to move close enough for attack. When the Dragon rests its head near you, perform long combos making sure to constantly attack, even after the dragon has moved it's head back as sometimes you can get an extra hit in. The best place to attack the dragon is from the higher platform which can be reached when a platform at the bottom is fired upwards by lava as the Dragon won't attack with fireballs when your up here. Attack the head enough and the Dragon will collapse into the lava.
15th
Alma 2, Even Greater Fiend
Alma is back and has legs this time. Like last time however, she can still fly. The tactics used for your first encounter with her remain pretty much unchanged. The only difference being not to stand in front of her when she's on the ground as this is when she'll perform her grab attack which wraps you in her legs and crushes you. The best attack when she's flying is the air swipe attack which is performed with and upgraded (to it's fullest) Dragon Sword. Jump forwards into the air and press Y to launch Ryu at (and through) Alma to perform a nice attack. As in the last fight, if Alma casts the purple ball magic, roll out of the way until all the balls have been launched.
16th
Doku 2
Now you have to fight Doku's ghost. The air swipe attack comes in useful once more as it does quite a bit of damage whilst also moving you out of the way. Like in the last fight, Doku performs long, powerful combos if you stand in front of him for too long and throws his sword if you're too fair away. If you can, try and trap him in a corner. At one side of the area, a corner is formed in the middle of the wall and if you can trap him there, use the fire ball Ninpo attack which, if upgraded fully, does a fair amount of damage. Don't use any Ninpo magic if Doku is flying freely as he'll dodge out of the way, like most bosses. As with other large arenas, use the space provided to avoid being trapped in one corner. Be persistent in your attacks as each attack you perform, if not hitting him, causes him to block thus not allowing him chance to attack.
In Hell:
You'll meet these next three bosses back to back in the underworld. Make sure to take lots of healing potions with you and to go in with full health.
17th
Mutant Blob II
This is exactly the same as the mutant blob you faced earlier in the game and the same tactics should be employed. See the 4th Boss in this walk through for details.
18th
Snow Monster II
Like with the blob, you've already face this monster in the ice cave so repeat your tactics. See the 12th Boss in this walk through for details.
19th
Devil
After defeating the two above bosses, you have to fight the devil. Like Alma, he flies about the arena attacking from above. Use the air swipe attack as much as possible and, unless totally necessary, don't bother with the fiends the Devil summons as they are easy to dodge and pose no real threat unlike the devil. The best time to attack is just after the devil has launched himself at you. You'll hear a whirring sound byte which signifies the devil is about to perform this attack. The attack involves the devil wrapping himself up in his wings and flying towards you like a bullet. After he's landed and hopefully missed you, perform the longest combos you can with the strongest weapon you have. Also like Alma's purple ball attack, the devil launches fireballs at you which can be dodged by constantly rolling out of the way. Perform enough long combos and the devil will die leaving you the final deity.
20th
Stone Angel
Flying on your slab of rock, the stone angel is fairly easy to beat. Just attack the blue stones on his chest and arms as much as you can before the purple beams hit you and, even when they do, keep on attacking. His swinging attacks aren't hard to dodge so just stay close to his body performing combos on his right or left arms as well as his chest. After smashing the stones, the angel will collapse into the lava.
21st
Skull Monster
With the right Ninpo, this boss can be fairly easy to beat. Follow him around as he walks about in the lava and wait for him to start launching skulls at you. When he starts doing this, use your Electric Ninpo which, if fully upgraded, will encase you in an electric shell as you cast the magic. This shell alone will destroy any skull that hits it doing a small amount of damage but when Ryu fully casts this spell, all skulls within range will be destroyed doing plenty of damage. Repeat this tactic, along with firing arrows or any other ranged weapon that does damage, as the monster wades through the lava to kill the monster.
22nd
Murai II
After Murai reveals himself your forced to fight his dark incarnation. Use the air swipe attack that I've mentioned several times along with short combos after he's finished an attack. Don't face Murai for too long as he'll perform long powerful combos. The odd swipe that Murai performs can be blocked but don't stand there blocking, instead roll away and keep your distance. Murai's ranged attack is his most powerful and involves him summoning a flying dragon to hit you. The best tactic to avoid this attack is to cast a Ninpo spell just as the dragon is about to fly into you as casting these spells causes you to be temporarily invincible. Unfortunately, the actual Ninpo attack doesn't do any damage but it's worth it just to avoid the dragons powerful attack. Perform the air swipe attack as much as possible to kill Murai quickly. After defeating him, you're free to watch the nice ending.
I hope you enjoyed fighting and defeating the bosses as much as I did!
mikelar.
Each boss in this walk through will be referred to by a relevant name and it's number in the sequence you have to fight it. Before we start, I should say that I had upgraded the Dragon Sword, the Vigoorian Flails as well as the Fireball and Electric Ninpo magic attacks FULLY as soon as I could. I suggest you also do the same as I reference the use of these attacks in the walk through.
1st
Murai
The first boss in the game who fights like he's the last, Murai is both powerful and fast with an annoyingly good blocking ability. The key tactics here are to keep your distance and to keep moving so use the vast space you're given. Don't let him back you into a corner and don't try blocking any combos he pulls of (that is to say, get out of the way instead!) because he'll just do a grab move which does far more damage than a regular hit. Use the roll manoeuvre to dodge his attacks whilst getting in a quick counter attack before moving away again. You can only expect to get in two or three hits per counter attack before he starts blocking and counter attacking himself so strike quickly. Repeat the tactic of rolling and counter attacking until Murai's energy gets down to 1/3 of what is was, when you achieve this the battle will end.
2nd
Red Samurai on Dragon Horse
The most annoying thing about this boss is his magic using ninja sidekicks. They should be your first target when fighting this boss. Annoyingly, they have the ability to disappear if the think they're in trouble so you need to be quick when attacking. The best time for an attack is when they're casting magic which takes only a matter of seconds for them so you need to act fast. Fortunately, they're pretty weak and one combo will finish them off. You'll need to kill around six of these magic-using ninjas before they stop reappearing which is where you can then concentrate on the main boss.
Riding atop his horse, the Red Samurai uses a spear which has a long reach so avoid running along side the horse. Instead, attack from the behind. Watch out for when he makes a U-turn because he has a nasty move where he swipes behind him in case your following which normally, you are. So, when he gets to one end of the bridge to turn around, block. Another thing to remember is to avoid any aerial attacks as his counter attack for these moves is very powerful. If you keep hitting whilst positioned from behind the horse, you should soon be able to topple the Red Samurai.
3rd
Fat Electro-man/robot
As soon as the battle begins start running towards the boss as, if you keep at a distance, he uses his accurate electro gun which you have little chance to dodge. Avoid getting too close because he, like Murai, uses a grab move which is fairly powerful. Use the roll dodge to circle him. When you get behind him, he has a fairly strong attack where he quickly turns around and smashes his metal arm into you. Fortunately this can be blocked however the grab cannot so after his arm attack you'll have to act quick. The best attack method is to, after he attacks, jump and use the strong attack (Y button whilst in the air) to slash him before quickly rolling out of the way again. Carry on this process, rolling and aerial attacking until you defeat the fat electro-man/robot. Then watch him explode.
4th
Dragon Fiends/Mutent Blob
The fight begins with you having to kill the three mutant dragons in the area. Make use of Ryu's ability to run up walls to dodge the Dragon's running attacks whilst also remembering to use the slice attack (Y whilst in the air) attack after Ryu runs up the wall as far as he can. When fighting the Dragons, pull off short combos of three or four hits at the most before moving away quickly - the have a grab move where they bite your head and it does a lot of damage. Target one of them at a time so that they are dispatched as quickly as possible. After you defeat them, you'll see a cut scene where another mini-boss bursts through a wall. The blob has two tentacles which it swings around with quite a range so keep in the air as much as possible. The aim is to destroy both tentacles which will allow you to attack the body. The best attack is the jump/slash attack on the tentacles and normal combo moves on the main body. Repeat this process each time the tentacles regenerate to kill the mutant blob.
5th
Bone Dragon
The Bone Dragon precariously balances over a pit. The idea is that you attack the Dragons feet as he clings onto the edge nearest you. Attacks to watch out for are the Dragons bite attack and the tail swing. The former can be dodged by moving as far right or left to the platform as possible whilst the latter requires you to jump twice, once each time the tail swings by. Use long combo moves on each foot until you trigger a sequence of the dragons foot turning grey. Repeat this for each of the four feet avoiding the spines that the Dragon shoots by roll-dodging or blocking until the Dragon falls into the pit.
6th
Alma, Greater Fiend
Alma has both strong ranged attacks as well as powerful melee attacks and can move pretty fast to boot. Avoid getting too close if she's in the air as she'll catch you in a purple tractor beam which is her most powerful attack. Wait for her to swoop in to attack you before roll dodging out of the way and performing a counter attack. Use the longest combos you can pull off as these attacks are the only damage you'll do. If Alma starts to fire her ranged magic, keep running in one direction to dodge out the way. The flying pillars cannot be blocked so your going to have to run or roll dodge to avoid them.
7th
Tanks
In the military base you'll need to defeat the two tanks before moving on. Fortunately you don't need to battle them both at the same time. The best tactic is, after gathering the explosive and armour piercing arrows from the crates in the middle of the arena, is to take the man firing the gun on top of the tank out first. This stops the hail of bullets for a short time however the turret will still fire. After killing the machine gunner, you should be able to fire two or three, depending on how quick you are to take aim, at the main tank with the armour piercing arrows. Keep rolling and jumping in order to dodge the tank shells when it starts to take aim. You'll need to repeat this process around three times to destroy the tank. Destroying the first will trigger the next to attack so simply repeat the tactics for the next tank.
8th
Attack Chopper
You'll find both explosive and armour piercing arrows on each side of the platform for you to restock your ammo. The best type of arrow to use is the armour piercing. You'll need an accurate aim for this boss as the best time to fire is when the chopper is on the move as it isn't attacking back. Use the zoom (R trigger) to make shooting the chopper an easier task. Watch out for the missiles it launches as these are homing. The best tactic is to wait for the missiles to get close before quickly rolling/jumping out of the way. The chopper normally releases two bursts of the missile attack so keep on the move. The worst attack is the bombing run the chopper does. It lines itself up with you then flies in perform and air-strike, a very powerful one at that. Like the missile attack, wait for the chopper to get pretty close before rolling out of the way. Continue bombarding it with the armour piercing arrows, restocking from the creates nearby, until a sequence of the chopper crashing is shown.
9th
Electro-worm/Two Electro-worms
Quite a tricky one this. You're not allowed in the water as the worms current electrocutes you whilst you're constantly being swiped at standing on the land. The best tactic is to run up the wall and perform the slash attack so that Ryu comes down with the Dragon Sword on top of the worm. Since the worm swipes a lot, chances are pretty high that you'll hit the worm most times. Also, use ranged weapons when the worm retreats into its hole to do extra damage. Don't stand still for long as if the ranged electro-attack, which does a fair bit of damage, doesn't get you, the swipe will. If you can't run up the walls then keep jumping and performing the normal slash attack until the worms are defeated.
10th
Bone Bird Demon
The best tactic here is to wait for the Bird to move to the side of the room where the stairs are. When here, you can get behind the bird and attack it's back. Watch out however because if you get too close whilst behind, the Bird will stomp with it's feet trying to get you. When in front of the bird, you should watch out for are the laser attack which creates a wall of fire along the path of where the laser was fired. To avoid this, keep on the move by rolling and jumping when you see the bird fire the laser. The bird will also, from time to time, land on an upper platform at the side of the room which makes it unreachable with sword attacks. Instead, use your bow to attack and do extra damage until the bird comes down.
11th
Doku
Another area where you're given plenty of room to move about so make use of it. However, if you wander to far from Doku, he'll throw his sword which is fairly easy to dodge but does a fair bit of damage. The best form of attack is swipe through Doku using a particular attack with the Dragon Sword. To perform this swipe, jump forwards and press Y. This will make Ryu rush through the air and target if it's close enough. The advantage of this move is that, not only is it fairly powerful, it puts you out of the way of a direct counter attack because you're behind the target after you perform this move. Also use the walls if Doku corners you to either jump over him and gain some distance or to attack him directly.
12th
Snow Monster
This isn't the most powerful boss and is fairly easy to defeat. Again with all the bosses, keep on the move by jumping and rolling out of the way. Watch out for the monster's grab attack as it's the most powerful. You'll know it's about to perform this attack when it rears up into the air for a spilt second before swiping at you with it's arms. The best time for a combo is just after the monster has performed this attack when it looks like it's having a rest so pull off the longest combo you can before running away. Another attack the snow monster has is the ability to summon several ice shards from under your position which follow you as you run. It's best to roll dodge these and, if you can, roll your way towards the Snow Monster to perform an attack after the 5th ice shard as appeared. The best overall tactic is to avoid being in front of the monster as he has no way of attacking you when your behind him, apart form when he uses the ice shard attack.
13th
Fire Worm
Like the Electro-worm, the Fire worm attacks from a hole at one end of the room whilst your at the other waiting for the right time to attack. The Fire Worm has the same attacks as the Electro-worm with the only difference being the elements used i.e. instead of electric bolts, the Fire Worm uses fire rings as it's ranged attack. The best tactic is to tempt the worm to perform it's swipe attack by standing fairly close to the edge. Once you see the worm rear-up, quickly move to the back of the room and let the swipe attack be performed. After this, the worm will remain close enough for an attack for a split second so perform the longest combo you can in order to do the most damage. To do even more damage, fire arrows as the worm when it's in the process of entering or leaving it's hole. If you got it, use the Windmill Shrekian (or whatever it's called) as you don't need ammo for this. You can dodge the fire rings by rolling just as the worm performs the attack, remember that the worm will fire two fire rings each time.
14th
Golden Dragon
You're not given much room to fight the Dragon so you'll have to be quick when rolling or jumping to avoid attack. When on the bottom platform, the Dragon will use a blast attack which cannot be dodged, only blocked and even then it does a small amount of damage, followed by a few fire balls which cannot be blocked, only dodged. Move up and down the platform when the Dragon is attacking, jumping over the fire breath attack as it sweeps past, waiting for the head to move close enough for attack. When the Dragon rests its head near you, perform long combos making sure to constantly attack, even after the dragon has moved it's head back as sometimes you can get an extra hit in. The best place to attack the dragon is from the higher platform which can be reached when a platform at the bottom is fired upwards by lava as the Dragon won't attack with fireballs when your up here. Attack the head enough and the Dragon will collapse into the lava.
15th
Alma 2, Even Greater Fiend
Alma is back and has legs this time. Like last time however, she can still fly. The tactics used for your first encounter with her remain pretty much unchanged. The only difference being not to stand in front of her when she's on the ground as this is when she'll perform her grab attack which wraps you in her legs and crushes you. The best attack when she's flying is the air swipe attack which is performed with and upgraded (to it's fullest) Dragon Sword. Jump forwards into the air and press Y to launch Ryu at (and through) Alma to perform a nice attack. As in the last fight, if Alma casts the purple ball magic, roll out of the way until all the balls have been launched.
16th
Doku 2
Now you have to fight Doku's ghost. The air swipe attack comes in useful once more as it does quite a bit of damage whilst also moving you out of the way. Like in the last fight, Doku performs long, powerful combos if you stand in front of him for too long and throws his sword if you're too fair away. If you can, try and trap him in a corner. At one side of the area, a corner is formed in the middle of the wall and if you can trap him there, use the fire ball Ninpo attack which, if upgraded fully, does a fair amount of damage. Don't use any Ninpo magic if Doku is flying freely as he'll dodge out of the way, like most bosses. As with other large arenas, use the space provided to avoid being trapped in one corner. Be persistent in your attacks as each attack you perform, if not hitting him, causes him to block thus not allowing him chance to attack.
In Hell:
You'll meet these next three bosses back to back in the underworld. Make sure to take lots of healing potions with you and to go in with full health.
17th
Mutant Blob II
This is exactly the same as the mutant blob you faced earlier in the game and the same tactics should be employed. See the 4th Boss in this walk through for details.
18th
Snow Monster II
Like with the blob, you've already face this monster in the ice cave so repeat your tactics. See the 12th Boss in this walk through for details.
19th
Devil
After defeating the two above bosses, you have to fight the devil. Like Alma, he flies about the arena attacking from above. Use the air swipe attack as much as possible and, unless totally necessary, don't bother with the fiends the Devil summons as they are easy to dodge and pose no real threat unlike the devil. The best time to attack is just after the devil has launched himself at you. You'll hear a whirring sound byte which signifies the devil is about to perform this attack. The attack involves the devil wrapping himself up in his wings and flying towards you like a bullet. After he's landed and hopefully missed you, perform the longest combos you can with the strongest weapon you have. Also like Alma's purple ball attack, the devil launches fireballs at you which can be dodged by constantly rolling out of the way. Perform enough long combos and the devil will die leaving you the final deity.
20th
Stone Angel
Flying on your slab of rock, the stone angel is fairly easy to beat. Just attack the blue stones on his chest and arms as much as you can before the purple beams hit you and, even when they do, keep on attacking. His swinging attacks aren't hard to dodge so just stay close to his body performing combos on his right or left arms as well as his chest. After smashing the stones, the angel will collapse into the lava.
21st
Skull Monster
With the right Ninpo, this boss can be fairly easy to beat. Follow him around as he walks about in the lava and wait for him to start launching skulls at you. When he starts doing this, use your Electric Ninpo which, if fully upgraded, will encase you in an electric shell as you cast the magic. This shell alone will destroy any skull that hits it doing a small amount of damage but when Ryu fully casts this spell, all skulls within range will be destroyed doing plenty of damage. Repeat this tactic, along with firing arrows or any other ranged weapon that does damage, as the monster wades through the lava to kill the monster.
22nd
Murai II
After Murai reveals himself your forced to fight his dark incarnation. Use the air swipe attack that I've mentioned several times along with short combos after he's finished an attack. Don't face Murai for too long as he'll perform long powerful combos. The odd swipe that Murai performs can be blocked but don't stand there blocking, instead roll away and keep your distance. Murai's ranged attack is his most powerful and involves him summoning a flying dragon to hit you. The best tactic to avoid this attack is to cast a Ninpo spell just as the dragon is about to fly into you as casting these spells causes you to be temporarily invincible. Unfortunately, the actual Ninpo attack doesn't do any damage but it's worth it just to avoid the dragons powerful attack. Perform the air swipe attack as much as possible to kill Murai quickly. After defeating him, you're free to watch the nice ending.
I hope you enjoyed fighting and defeating the bosses as much as I did!
mikelar.
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