<s>
Shinobi	B-Application
is	O
a	O
3D	O
action-adventure	O
video	O
game	O
developed	O
by	O
Overworks	O
and	O
published	O
by	O
Sega	O
as	O
part	O
of	O
the	O
Shinobi	B-Application
series	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
It	O
was	O
released	O
for	O
the	O
PlayStation	B-Device
2	I-Device
console	O
on	O
November	O
10	O
,	O
2002	O
,	O
in	O
North	O
America	O
;	O
December	O
5	O
in	O
Japan	O
;	O
and	O
May	O
15	O
,	O
2003	O
,	O
in	O
Europe	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
game	O
stars	O
the	O
master	O
ninja	B-Application
Hotsuma	B-Application
,	O
leader	O
of	O
the	O
Oboro	O
clan	O
,	O
who	O
wields	O
Akujiki	O
,	O
a	O
sword	O
that	O
feeds	O
on	O
souls	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
He	O
can	O
also	O
use	O
ninja	B-Application
magic	O
,	O
shurikens	O
,	O
and	O
special	O
moves	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Upon	O
finding	O
a	O
golden	O
castle	O
after	O
an	O
earthquake	O
,	O
Hotsuma	B-Application
makes	O
it	O
his	O
goal	O
to	O
defeat	O
the	O
powerful	O
sorcerer	O
Hiruko	O
,	O
who	O
had	O
summoned	O
hellspawn	O
creatures	O
in	O
Japan	O
to	O
destroy	O
Tokyo	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Hotsuma	B-Application
's	O
mission	O
is	O
to	O
stop	O
Hiroko	O
from	O
destroying	O
the	O
world	O
and	O
avenge	O
the	O
death	O
of	O
his	O
clan	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Shinobi	B-Application
was	O
originally	O
planned	O
for	O
the	B-Operating_System
Dreamcast	I-Operating_System
,	O
but	O
due	O
to	O
the	O
discontinuation	O
of	O
the	O
console	O
,	O
the	O
game	O
was	O
moved	O
to	O
the	O
PS2	B-Device
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
game	O
was	O
designed	O
to	O
place	O
emphasis	O
on	O
the	O
action	B-Application
elements	O
of	O
action-adventure	O
gameplay	O
and	O
appeal	O
to	O
the	O
action	B-Application
market	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Upon	O
release	O
,	O
Shinobi	B-Application
was	O
generally	O
well	O
received	O
by	O
critics	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
A	O
comic	O
book	O
adaptation	O
,	O
soundtrack	O
album	O
,	O
and	O
sequel	O
entitled	O
Nightshade	B-Application
were	O
also	O
released	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Shinobi	B-Application
is	O
a	O
3D	O
action-adventure	O
game	O
viewed	O
from	O
a	O
third-person	O
perspective	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
player	O
guides	O
protagonist	O
Hotsuma	B-Application
through	O
eight	O
levels	O
that	O
each	O
consist	O
of	O
two	O
sections	O
and	O
a	O
boss	O
battle	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Hotsuma	B-Application
's	O
sword	O
,	O
Akujiki	O
,	O
is	O
his	O
primary	O
weapon	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Akujiki	O
feeds	O
on	O
souls	O
,	O
initially	O
devouring	O
those	O
of	O
the	O
enemies	O
he	O
kills	O
,	O
then	O
that	O
of	O
Hotsuma	B-Application
himself	O
if	O
he	O
does	O
not	O
kill	O
any	O
enemies	O
for	O
too	O
long	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
To	O
ensure	O
that	O
Akujiki	O
's	O
hunger	O
remains	O
sated	O
,	O
Hotsuma	B-Application
can	O
kill	O
four	O
or	O
more	O
enemies	O
with	O
no	O
more	O
than	O
a	O
few	O
seconds	O
between	O
each	O
kill	O
to	O
perform	O
an	O
exaggeratedly	O
violent	O
"	O
TATE	O
"	O
attack	O
that	O
will	O
release	O
more	O
souls	O
for	O
Akujiki	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Hotsuma	B-Application
can	O
also	O
use	O
shurikens	O
to	O
briefly	O
paralyze	O
his	O
enemies	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Three	O
types	O
of	O
ninja	B-Application
magic	O
are	O
available	O
to	O
him	O
:	O
"	O
Ka'en	O
"	O
,	O
an	O
area-based	O
fire	O
attack	O
;	O
"	O
Kamaitachi	O
"	O
,	O
a	O
ranged	O
shock	O
wave	O
attack	O
;	O
and	O
"	O
Raijin	O
"	O
,	O
which	O
grants	O
him	O
invincibility	O
for	O
a	O
short	O
period	O
of	O
time	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Raised	O
together	O
within	O
the	O
Oboro	O
Clan	O
,	O
Hotsuma	B-Application
and	O
Moritsune	O
were	O
seldom	O
apart	O
during	O
their	O
youth	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Being	O
the	O
younger	O
of	O
the	O
two	O
,	O
Hotsuma	B-Application
looked	O
up	O
to	O
Moritsune	O
,	O
and	O
considered	O
his	O
older	O
brother	O
to	O
be	O
a	O
superior	O
warrior	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
commandment	O
deems	O
that	O
the	O
next	O
clan	O
leader	O
must	O
be	O
determined	O
by	O
a	O
duel	O
to	O
the	O
death	O
between	O
the	O
eldest	O
clan	O
heirs	O
—	O
in	O
this	O
case	O
,	O
Moritsune	O
and	O
Hotsuma	B-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
duel	O
occurred	O
beneath	O
a	O
full	O
moon	O
,	O
with	O
only	O
Hotsuma	B-Application
's	O
childhood	O
friend	O
,	O
Ageha	O
,	O
and	O
Kobushi	O
as	O
the	O
witnesses	O
and	O
after	O
a	O
long	O
exhausting	O
fight	O
,	O
Hotsuma	B-Application
won	O
and	O
finally	O
slew	O
his	O
brother	O
,	O
though	O
he	O
felt	O
a	O
great	O
deal	O
of	O
guilt	O
from	O
it	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
With	O
the	O
Oboro	O
Clan	O
ravaged	O
and	O
Tokyo	O
on	O
the	O
verge	O
of	O
collapse	O
,	O
Hotsuma	B-Application
placed	O
himself	O
at	O
the	O
heart	O
of	O
the	O
chaos	O
,	O
determined	O
to	O
reach	O
the	O
mysterious	O
Golden	O
Palace	O
and	O
avenge	O
the	O
death	O
of	O
his	O
clan	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Along	O
the	O
way	O
,	O
Hotsuma	B-Application
is	O
also	O
forced	O
to	O
battle	O
the	O
slain	O
Oboro	O
ninja	B-Application
who	O
had	O
been	O
reanimated	O
to	O
serve	O
Hiruko	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
game	O
starts	O
when	O
Hotsuma	B-Application
arrives	O
in	O
Tokyo	O
in	O
a	O
helicopter	O
,	O
and	O
while	O
in	O
position	O
to	O
the	O
Golden	O
Palace	O
,	O
suddenly	O
two	O
hellspawns	O
arrive	O
and	O
crash	O
into	O
the	O
helicopter	O
,	O
and	O
Hotsuma	B-Application
jumps	O
from	O
it	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
After	O
running	O
through	O
the	O
city	O
alleyways	O
and	O
streets	O
,	O
defeating	O
several	O
tanks	O
and	O
ninjas	B-Application
,	O
he	O
encounters	O
the	O
helicopter	O
,	O
now	O
possessed	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Ageha	O
is	O
mad	O
with	O
Hotsuma	B-Application
exacting	O
his	O
revenge	O
,	O
but	O
he	O
tells	O
her	O
that	O
he	O
does	O
not	O
need	O
her	O
help	O
,	O
and	O
then	O
leaves	O
her	O
and	O
goes	O
through	O
the	O
city	O
roofs	O
,	O
where	O
he	O
encounters	O
mysterious	O
ninja	B-Application
named	O
Aomizuchi	O
,	O
whom	O
he	O
fights	O
,	O
and	O
Akujiki	O
awakens	O
by	O
tasting	O
his	O
blood	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Aomizuchi	O
escapes	O
when	O
the	O
helicopter	O
arrives	O
again	O
,	O
and	O
Hotsuma	B-Application
escapes	O
the	O
fire	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Hotsuma	B-Application
reaches	O
the	O
temples	O
of	O
the	O
Oboro	O
Clan	O
,	O
where	O
Akujiki	O
starts	O
to	O
eat	O
his	O
soul	O
while	O
trying	O
to	O
get	O
rid	O
of	O
the	O
sword	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Akujiki	O
needs	O
to	O
be	O
fed	O
,	O
or	O
it	O
will	O
eventually	O
consume	O
Hotsuma	B-Application
as	O
well	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
She	O
explains	O
him	O
that	O
he	O
will	O
need	O
to	O
feed	O
the	O
sword	O
by	O
killing	O
the	O
possessed	O
fighters	O
,	O
whose	O
souls	O
have	O
been	O
darkened	O
,	O
to	O
still	O
Akujiki	O
and	O
prevent	O
it	O
from	O
consuming	O
Hotsuma	B-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
Hotsuma	B-Application
continues	O
through	O
the	O
Oboro	O
Clan	O
's	O
temple	O
,	O
where	O
he	O
encounters	O
several	O
dogs	O
and	O
encountering	O
a	O
twin	O
siblings	O
and	O
his	O
young	O
students	O
,	O
Shirogane	O
and	O
Akagane	O
,	O
who	O
are	O
slowly	O
being	O
possessed	O
and	O
beg	O
Hotsuma	B-Application
to	O
kill	O
them	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
After	O
a	O
struggle	O
with	O
another	O
wave	O
of	O
ninjas	B-Application
,	O
he	O
eventually	O
reaches	O
the	O
main	O
shrine	O
of	O
Oboro	O
Clan	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Helicopter	O
arrives	O
again	O
,	O
and	O
Hotsuma	B-Application
slices	O
the	O
rocket	O
that	O
was	O
fired	O
on	O
them	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Hotsuma	B-Application
continues	O
,	O
leaving	O
the	O
temple	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Midway	O
into	O
his	O
journey	O
,	O
Hotsuma	B-Application
encounters	O
a	O
young	O
shrine	O
maiden	O
named	O
Kagari	O
who	O
believes	O
that	O
she	O
is	O
intended	O
to	O
be	O
sacrificed	O
by	O
Hiruko	O
to	O
release	O
a	O
statue	O
called	O
Yatsurao	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
She	O
asks	O
Hotsuma	B-Application
to	O
kill	O
her	O
,	O
but	O
feeling	O
guilty	O
over	O
killing	O
his	O
brother	O
and	O
the	O
similarity	O
of	O
the	O
situation	O
where	O
the	O
girl	O
wants	O
him	O
to	O
kill	O
her	O
,	O
he	O
is	O
unable	O
to	O
do	O
it	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Hotsuma	B-Application
confronts	O
and	O
destroys	O
Yatsurao	O
,	O
but	O
in	O
doing	O
so	O
,	O
allows	O
Hiruko	O
to	O
absorb	O
its	O
power	O
and	O
restore	O
his	O
youth	O
,	O
which	O
had	O
apparently	O
been	O
his	O
plan	O
with	O
Yatsurao	O
the	O
whole	O
time	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Hiruko	O
returns	O
to	O
his	O
palace	O
with	O
Hotsuma	B-Application
continuing	O
his	O
pursuit	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Moritsune	O
kills	O
Ageha	O
,	O
then	O
fights	O
Hotsuma	B-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
Hotsuma	B-Application
defeats	O
him	O
again	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
After	O
the	O
battle	O
,	O
Hotsuma	B-Application
breaks	O
to	O
Hiruko	O
's	O
Golden	O
Palace	O
,	O
where	O
Hiruko	O
reveals	O
that	O
he	O
had	O
all	O
along	O
intended	O
for	O
Hotsuma	B-Application
to	O
kill	O
all	O
of	O
the	O
hellspawn	O
and	O
the	O
undead	O
Oboro	O
so	O
that	O
their	O
souls	O
would	O
fuse	O
inside	O
Akujiki	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Hotsuma	B-Application
vows	O
to	O
kill	O
Hiruko	O
and	O
destroy	O
Akujiki	O
,	O
as	O
he	O
blames	O
the	O
evil	O
sword	O
for	O
everything	O
that	O
happened	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Hotsuma	B-Application
fights	O
and	O
kills	O
Hiruko	O
after	O
an	O
intense	O
battle	O
,	O
absorbing	O
the	O
sorcerer	O
's	O
soul	O
into	O
Akujiki	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Overworks	O
,	O
a	O
division	O
of	O
Sega	O
,	O
had	O
been	O
the	O
developer	O
of	O
the	O
Shinobi	B-Application
series	O
throughout	O
its	O
early	O
years	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Other	O
projects	O
had	O
prohibited	O
Overworks	O
from	O
developing	O
Shinobi	B-Application
titles	O
for	O
the	O
Sega	B-Device
Saturn	I-Device
or	O
Dreamcast	B-Operating_System
.	O
</s>
<s>
However	O
,	O
in	O
2001	O
Overworks	O
member	O
Noriyoshi	O
Ohba	O
realized	O
that	O
he	O
had	O
time	O
to	O
develop	O
a	O
new	O
Shinobi	B-Application
game	O
,	O
and	O
Sega	O
returned	O
to	O
publish	O
it	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Development	O
of	O
Shinobi	B-Application
began	O
around	O
May	O
2001	O
,	O
with	O
a	O
team	O
of	O
roughly	O
50	O
people	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
game	O
was	O
originally	O
planned	O
for	O
the	B-Operating_System
Dreamcast	I-Operating_System
until	O
the	O
console	O
was	O
discontinued	O
and	O
Sega	O
began	O
creating	O
games	O
for	O
other	O
companies	O
 '	O
consoles	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
PlayStation	B-Device
2	I-Device
console	O
was	O
chosen	O
over	O
the	O
competing	O
Nintendo	B-Application
GameCube	I-Application
and	O
Xbox	B-Application
because	O
of	O
its	O
familiarity	O
to	O
the	O
team	O
;	O
Uriu	O
had	O
become	O
experienced	O
with	O
the	O
console	O
's	O
software	O
during	O
his	O
past	O
work	O
on	O
the	O
Sakura	B-Application
Wars	I-Application
series	I-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
Shinobi	B-Application
marked	O
the	O
jump	O
of	O
the	O
series	O
to	O
3D	O
,	O
attributed	O
to	O
the	O
changing	O
video	O
game	O
market	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
2D	O
gameplay	O
of	O
past	O
Shinobi	B-Application
games	O
had	O
made	O
consistent	O
use	O
of	O
shuriken-based	O
combat	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Due	O
to	O
the	O
3D	O
rendering	O
of	O
Shinobi	B-Application
,	O
Overworks	O
decided	O
to	O
grant	O
Hotsuma	B-Application
the	O
ability	O
to	O
run	O
on	O
walls	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
His	O
usage	O
of	O
ninja	B-Application
magic	O
was	O
a	O
recurring	O
feature	O
in	O
the	O
series	O
,	O
implemented	O
as	O
part	O
of	O
a	O
desire	O
to	O
mix	O
older	O
and	O
newer	O
gameplay	O
elements	O
,	O
but	O
his	O
"	O
stealth	O
dash	O
"	O
move	O
was	O
a	O
new	O
addition	O
consistent	O
with	O
the	O
overall	O
fast-paced	O
nature	O
of	O
the	O
game	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Although	O
Overworks	O
had	O
worked	O
mainly	O
on	O
simulation	O
and	O
role-playing	O
video	O
games	O
,	O
experience	O
with	O
the	O
Streets	O
of	O
Rage	O
series	O
helped	O
with	O
the	O
creation	O
of	O
an	O
action-based	O
game	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Ohba	O
decided	O
to	O
tailor	O
the	O
game	O
to	O
the	O
needs	O
of	O
the	O
relatively	O
small	O
action	B-Application
market	O
amidst	O
the	O
emergence	O
of	O
stealth-oriented	O
ninja-focused	O
games	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Uriu	O
was	O
discontent	O
with	O
the	O
state	O
of	O
contemporary	O
action-adventure	O
games	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Hotsuma	B-Application
's	O
character	O
,	O
as	O
well	O
as	O
the	O
game	O
's	O
setting	O
and	O
plot	O
,	O
resulted	O
from	O
a	O
desire	O
to	O
create	O
a	O
"	O
darker	O
hero	O
"	O
for	O
the	O
game	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Hotsuma	B-Application
's	O
"	O
stealth	O
dash	O
"	O
move	O
hatched	O
from	O
Uriu	O
's	O
knowledge	O
of	O
real	O
life	O
ninja	B-Application
's	O
ability	O
to	O
"	O
divide	O
themselves	O
into	O
different	O
bodies	O
"	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Shinobi	B-Application
was	O
showcased	O
at	O
Electronic	O
Entertainment	O
Expo	O
(	O
E3	O
)	O
2002	O
together	O
with	O
other	O
prominent	O
Sega	O
titles	O
such	O
as	O
Crazy	B-Application
Taxi	I-Application
3	I-Application
:	I-Application
High	I-Application
Roller	I-Application
,	O
ToeJam	B-Application
&	I-Application
Earl	I-Application
III	I-Application
:	I-Application
Mission	I-Application
to	I-Application
Earth	I-Application
,	O
and	O
Panzer	B-Application
Dragoon	I-Application
Orta	I-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
A	O
single-issue	O
comic	O
book	O
adaptation	O
of	O
Shinobi	B-Application
was	O
created	O
by	O
Scott	O
Allie	O
,	O
published	O
by	O
Dark	O
Horse	O
Comics	O
,	O
and	O
released	O
in	O
2002	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
plot	O
follows	O
Hotsuma	B-Application
and	O
other	O
characters	O
from	O
the	O
game	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Shinobis	B-Application
initial	O
release	O
fell	O
on	O
November	O
10	O
,	O
2002	O
in	O
North	O
America	O
;	O
December	O
5	O
in	O
Japan	O
;	O
and	O
May	O
15	O
,	O
2003	O
in	O
Europe	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Shinobis	B-Application
basic	O
gameplay	O
was	O
largely	O
praised	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
GameZone	O
staff	O
writer	O
Steven	O
Hopper	O
stated	O
that	O
"[w]hile	O
some	O
would	O
want	O
a	O
bit	O
more	O
depth	O
from	O
a	O
ninja	B-Application
game	O
,	O
I	O
think	O
the	O
arcade-style	O
gameplay	O
keeps	O
the	O
game	O
close	O
to	O
its	O
roots	O
"	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
IGN	O
's	O
David	O
Smith	O
and	O
GameSpy	O
's	O
Benjamin	O
Turner	O
criticized	O
the	O
poor	O
artificial	B-Application
intelligence	I-Application
and	O
repetitiveness	O
of	O
the	O
basic	O
enemies	O
while	O
praising	O
the	O
bosses	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
game	O
was	O
described	O
as	O
"	O
hellaciously	O
hard	O
"	O
by	O
Electronic	O
Gaming	O
Monthly	O
staff	O
writer	O
Che	O
Chou	O
and	O
as	O
"	O
ninja	B-Application
tough	O
"	O
in	O
a	O
review	O
from	O
1UP.com	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Weigand	O
cautioned	O
:	O
"	O
Casual	O
gamers	O
beware	O
"	O
,	O
noting	O
that	O
earlier	O
Shinobi	B-Application
titles	O
had	O
not	O
been	O
as	O
demanding	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
1UP.com	O
highlighted	O
repetitive	O
environmental	O
textures	O
as	O
contributing	O
to	O
the	O
difficulty	O
of	O
finding	O
one	O
's	O
way	O
through	O
the	O
levels	O
,	O
comparing	O
them	O
to	O
textures	O
that	O
might	O
be	O
found	O
in	O
PlayStation	B-Device
games	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
newly	O
introduced	O
Hotsuma	B-Application
was	O
singled	O
out	O
for	O
strong	O
praise	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Smith	O
called	O
Hotsuma	B-Application
"	O
a	O
great	O
design	O
,	O
a	O
sort	O
of	O
post-modern	O
evolution	O
of	O
the	O
ninja	B-Application
in	O
comparison	O
to	O
the	O
thoroughly	O
traditional	O
Joe	O
Musashi	O
[	O
the	O
main	O
protagonist	O
of	O
the	O
series ]	O
"	O
,	O
additionally	O
commending	O
the	O
coordination	O
of	O
his	O
moves	O
with	O
his	O
appearance	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
1UP.com	O
stated	O
that	O
he	O
is	O
"	O
the	O
supermodel	O
of	O
video-game	O
action	B-Application
heroes	O
—	O
lean	O
,	O
stylish	O
and	O
mean	O
—	O
and	O
he	O
fights	O
as	O
good	O
as	O
he	O
looks	O
"	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Weiss	O
offered	O
strong	O
praise	O
for	O
Akujiki	O
,	O
as	O
did	O
Weigand	O
for	O
Hotsuma	B-Application
's	O
scarf	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
On	O
September	O
25	O
,	O
2003	O
,	O
Shinobi	B-Application
was	O
re-released	O
as	O
part	O
of	O
Japan	O
's	O
The	B-Device
Best	I-Device
budget	O
line	O
with	O
a	O
bonus	O
DVD	O
containing	O
a	O
trailer	O
for	O
Nightshade	B-Application
and	O
gameplay	O
footage	O
played	O
by	O
experienced	O
players	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Nightshade	B-Application
,	O
a	O
sequel	O
to	O
Shinobi	B-Application
,	O
was	O
later	O
developed	O
by	O
Wow	O
Entertainment	O
and	O
again	O
published	O
by	O
Sega	O
for	O
the	O
PlayStation	B-Device
2	I-Device
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
game	O
stars	O
female	O
ninja	B-Application
Hibana	O
,	O
who	O
is	O
stylistically	O
and	O
kinetically	O
analogous	O
to	O
Hotsuma	B-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
Nightshades	B-Application
Japanese	O
title	O
Kunoichi	B-Application
refers	O
to	O
a	O
female	O
ninja	B-Application
,	O
just	O
as	O
Shinobi	B-Application
refers	O
to	O
a	O
male	O
ninja	B-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
gameplay	O
is	O
also	O
structured	O
similarly	O
to	O
Shinobis	B-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
Hotsuma	B-Application
appears	O
as	O
a	O
secret	O
character	O
in	O
the	O
game	O
.	O
</s>
