Ninja Theory: A Retrospective

[@thatsimon2708]

I guess it's all that Simon dude's fault.

[@DanielSantosAnalysis]

Thank you so much for having me, it was truly great collaborating with you! As a fellow Ninja Theory fan, your love and passion shines through, which truly elevates this retrospective.

[@PixelaDay]

❤️❤️❤️

[@haileeraestout5567]

@@PixelaDay And You Can Find Kratos's Swords And Armor

[@SparksV]

This is an amazing piece of work, that required so much attention to detail, dedication and determination to do and finish, I can only admire and applaud what you've put in to make it happen and how great the result is 👏 Thank you for making it ! Also separately thank you so much for putting to words so perfectly what I felt I couldn't, about the DMC reboot and rest of that franchise. I genuinely feel like the reboot deserves not only more credit but more analysis and dissection into the culture it spawned from and how it shaped the game's characters/world/views (more specifically how british it feels vs the more typical japanese/anime-inspired the previous games are).

[@PixelaDay]

What a lovely comment! I'm glad to hear you enjoyed it :)

[@pimscrypt]

Even in the rare cases where I don’t agree with you, specifically during the DMC section, you still make such great points. As I suspected, this video was 110 percent worth the wait. I will probably, no *definitely*, watch it several times over. Amazing work Kat!!

[@PixelaDay]

N'aw Pim you're the best!

[@sethzard]

I'm curious what you don't agree with in the DMC section.

[@pimscrypt]

@@sethzard Well mostly it's the preference of camp. I'm wholeheartedly in love with the goofiness of the original series. While it absolutely suffers from it's own issues, I think that the reboot version of Dante is a very obnoxious character - to the point that he pretty much ruined the whole experience for me. I totally respect Kat's opinion, but even though I can appreciate the cool stuff Ninja Theory did with the game I don't think I can ever get passed the characterization and writing.

[@KeldNeedsCoffee]

I'm not crying! We're crying.

[@PixelaDay]

😭

[@disposable157]

I love Hellblade so much for being ABOUT mental illness and how it affects those who experience it, rather than the neurotypicals around them. Seriously, it's so rare. It shows up in Oscar bait films occasionally but not in novels or games.

[@takashiari1598]

Really really great video! Ninja Theory is such a talented studio!

[@asianbronyman]

Hi, I actually wanted to chime in real quick on your DmC segment because I can come at this from a different perspective as someone who's participated in a half-dozen DMC combo videos and who has a bit over 1000 hrs in the DMC series. Most of the best players in the DMC combo video community actually think pretty highly of the reboot even if most players still prefer DMC4 and DMC5. There was a lot of kneejerk hate to certain changes introduced in the reboot, like the removal of Style switching or the decreased move count, but over time we've warmed up considerably and there are even things I'd argue the reboot still does better than the current mainline DMC games. - The fact that you can jump/double-jump to cancel nearly any Angel Weapon attack without needing to use Enemy Step. - The reboot's Angel/Demon Snatch has more versatility than Nero's current Snatch. - Reboot Vergil's doppelganger is implemented vastly better than Vergil's doppelganger in DMC5. - The controller vibrating to tell you the timing for pause combos is an amazing QOL feature that literally any action game with pause combos should be doing. There are absolutely issues a lot of us still have. Color-coded enemies is an issue that's been beaten to death and Enemy Step freezing the enemy in place is generally seen as a net negative. If you're interested in watching any high-level DmC gameplay I'd recommend watching Nyx's video in the recent DMC Cryocore Tournament series which concluded very recently (it was even voted 2nd place in its division).

[@PixelaDay]

Hey, thanks for lending a bit of your flabbergasting level of DMC knowledge. I really appreciate it!

[@marvinvogtde]

Truely one of the most underrated channels on this platform, just incredible work and worth every minute you put into it, you should be very proud of what you created here.

[@PixelaDay]

You're too nice!! Thank you :)

[@aagh8714]

YES, finally someone talking about heavenly sword and enslaved after they came out. i love ninja theory so much, i even got kung fu chaos just because i wanted to see where they started from. it's pretty basic but the levels based around different martial arts movies and every character representing a different genre/source material was fun i don't really like devil may cry these days (i platted 2HD, OG DmC and 5 a long time ago), they feel a little repetitive now, but i still really wish we got the original concepts for DmC. i have talexi's concept art book for HS/Enslaved/DmC and it just looks so much more unique, kind of reminded me of VtM with the urban punk setting and aesthetics

[@sckshakex4308]

The ending for Hellblade was an emotional roller coaster for sure, plus the music, chefs kiss. also I cant help but think if this game is set somewhere in Scotland or the celtics, as that would make sense since vikings plundered that region constantly🤨

[@PixelaDay]

Well the game's set in Nordic Hel, but Senua's supposed to be a Pict (modern day Scotland).

[@Menipipol]

Criminally underwatched

[@mezzanoon]

Fantastic journalism! When the video ended it felt unreal that 2 hours had past; it's great editing and pacing! I wish there was a bit more sound from the games throughout, but that's honestly just nitpicking :p Can't wait for more, but take your time!

[@PixelaDay]

Thank you! So glad you enjoyed it :)

[@JcgLounge]

I think you may have misunderstood most of what people enjoyed about the Devil May Cry franchise. Yes it can feel like a 12 year old’s fantasy, but most people, women included, enjoyed the over the top, wacky yet badass tone of the franchise. Capcom knew their audience. Great video tho. Ninja Theory is truly an outstanding developer.

[@thedrellum]

Thank you for all the work! This was really interesting (especially as I haven't played any of the games, but have heard/followed all of them).

[@thinreaper]

Amazing work as always! Even though i'd only played two of their games it was fascinating to hear you talk about the studio with such knowledge and passion. Studio auteurship is a subject i've never really seen explored before and you did an incredible job. Thanks so much for making this and all your hard work and dedication has paid off in the final product!

[@PixelaDay]

Ah, that's so lovely to hear! Thanks for watching and enjoying :)

[@mirfalltnixein.1]

There is a reason Ninja Theory is one of the handful of studios where I keep checking the careers page, hoping to find something that is a good fit for me. I am desperately excited for Hellblade 2 and Project Mara, and The Insight Project is the exact thing I wish I could help with. It feels like something that could help so, SO many people. Wish me luck, maybe some day I'll end up working on something I'm this excited about.

[@PixelaDay]

What a dream it would be to work there! Fingers crossed for you! 🤞

[@mirfalltnixein.1]

@@PixelaDay Thanks! Also, I love your videos. I started tearing up when you showed all the player quotes over Hellblade. I’ve been watching since the video on The Sublime and somehow you still manage to top yourself.

[@KeldNeedsCoffee]

I'm glad to have you on my list of followed video essay channels. SO good.

[@PixelaDay]

🥰🥰🥰

[@Arcadology]

Kat is the best! And anyone who says otherwise can go punt! Looking forward to watching this and dropping this here for your algorithm juice.

[@PixelaDay]

Thank you for the sweet sweet algo juice. We are calling it that now.

[@PixelaDay]

If you like what I do please consider throwing me a bit of money on Patreon, check out the tiers and benefits here: www.patreon.com/pixeladay

[@benjaminbollens8153]

great work as always! the thing I loved the most about DMC is the soundtrack :)

[@PixelaDay]

Ooooh that soundtrack. So good

[@moogymog1722]

I'll probably the ONLY one to say that I love the reboot DmC quite a lot. The darker take had been the one I've been waiting for. At that time, DMC 4 made me lose interest in its world and only its gameplay did make me replay, but not enough to even make me get their special editions and remasters or something. I think I feel the same way even after DMC 5. It felt like nostalgia fanservice and the combat game play was the sole reason to push me through. The only issues I have with it is that it's actually the opposite from the majority of the mainline fans who hated it: I think Dante himself wasn't edgy enough, he didn't give enough bite when it came to the bosses, except for when he was finally facing Mundus in his office. And the boss fights themselves are even a tad easier than the regular enemies of the game. I know they also had to "edit" their story because of backlash at the time, so I would've wished there was more backstory for Dante and even Vergil, it would be interesting what shaped him to be like that. But other than that, I quite like Dante's hidden heart of gold and his friendship with Kat. And the world building, it's amazing! Lilith's Club is unparalleled!

[@PixelaDay]

There are dozens of us! (sorry, I had to, but I genuinely think there are a ton of people who really liked it, even just in the comments here)

[@BenberOdred]

Thank you for sharing! I really enjoyed this look back.

[@germansuicidegamers9885]

Due to the takeover by Microsoft, they no longer have to worry about money and other things but can give free rein to their creativity and try a lot of new things. Really good video but Hellblade was also on Xbox 😉

[@Bobthepetferret]

While I massively disagree with you about DmC's writing, which I found obnoxious even as someone with no prior relationship with the DMC franchise, it was still really interesting to hear your perspective on it. But on Hellblade, we are in agreement. As someone with mental illness (although not psychosis) that game tore me to shreds with just how brutal it was in it's depiction of Senua's struggles, and the level of care they took to get it all right is commendable. It really is Ninja Theory's masterpiece

[@PixelaDay]

Always love to see some love for Hellblade! ❤️

[@Runey16]

This video is really incredible. I have actually never played a ninja theory game, but I might have to now! The ending and overall structure of this video essay had me crying by the end, despite my unfamiliarity with the topic! Incredible work. I'm always so happy to see a new upload from you, and I appreciate you taking your time to create videos like this one.

[@Furore2323]

I *am* crying, Enslaved is a GOAT.

[@mayson696]

I still love DmC: Devil may Kry

[@samuelmiller2974]

Wow...what an awesome video, your channel is so underrated and I'm thankful for finding it. Keep doing what you love❣

[@PixelaDay]

I'm thankful you found it! Thanks for your comment, it means a lot.

[@pap64]

Pixel a Day: "The Last of Us" is essentially "Enslaved" but with zombies but it did far better commercialy and that's bad! Superbutterbuns: THAT'S WHAT I'VE BEEN SAYING THIS ENTIRE TIME! No really, Superbutterbuns did a video on Enslaved and she said the exact same thing as you did; the game did EVERYTHING "The Last of Us" was heavily praised for years earlier but Enslaved just keeps being forgotten about. Putting that aside, I have not finished the video yet but I am loving how in-depth this video is since Ninja Theory is one of those developers that had a great track record with games pushing the limit and being way ahead of their time but always getting the short end of the stick.

[@PixelaDay]

Love Superbutterbuns! I obviously missed her video on Enslaved but yeah, hard agree!

[@revalier3670]

Great video but the way you described DMC 3 is so simplistic and there is way more deeper meaning to what you said in this video. I recommend you to check 4th snake's video on the story on DMC 3.

[@filipnassen9076]

I hate Ninja Theory but I watched this entire vid and liked it. Good job.

[@Gogoroth2]

Before I had only played Enslaved and Hellblade. I appreciated those games as games and for what they did well. Now I have an appreciation for the company as a whole and their vision and approach to games. Thank you

[@PixelaDay]

You're so welcome

[@vilmospeter6599]

Just discovered your channel a week ago. I love your passion and high level of self-expression! You made me get motivated to continue on with my own passion-project. Big thank you for that!

[@PixelaDay]

Good luck with your project! :)

[@propaul1369]

"Ubislog" so real and keeps being real lmaaaao

[@marvinvogtde]

Ninja theory is what a game studio should be, they are amazing and I can't wait to see all their new Projekts release. Great video on your part, it's one of the best videos about a studios history I have ever seen

[@DPortain]

Your passion and love really shine in this essay. And your excitement is infectious. You convinced me to give them a try!

[@PixelaDay]

Woohoo! 😁

[@PowercellZeke]

So glad this video graced my recommendations! I have had a weird history with Ninja Theory. I first played DMC, when a friend lent it to me, cuz Devil May Cry was one of his favourite series. As my first DMC game, I found it fun, and enjoyed it, but wasn't in love with it. I later picked up Heavenly Sword and fell in love with it. I loved the characters so much, the art direction was captivating, and the whole package felt so epic and full of heart. I only recently played Enslaved, and while I fell in love with the setting, world, and characters, I found the gameplay a bit uninspired and repetitive. (I actually really loved the ending tho). I'm still yet to play Hellblade (which is why I skipped that portion of the video), but I'm really looking forward to it. Ninja Theory's games are games that I thoroughly enjoy, but seem to keep forgetting just how excellent they are. This video once again reminded me just how much I loved their approach to games and story telling. I might go and replay Heavenly Sword now. Thanks for the amazing video!

[@PixelaDay]

Honestly Heavenly Sword's gameplay is still great! It's held up well! Excited for you to play Hellblade, as I say in the video it's a bit rough around the edges so don't expect something super polished, but damn does it have so much heart.

[@bottlezone]

My wife and I had to watch this in pieces, but we loved the video! This was a real nostalgia trip for us, having played each of these games together more-or-less as they released. There really is something special in each of these games, but Hellblade is on an entirely different level. A true masterpiece. We're also big fans of the channel, thank you for providing such consistently thoughtful analyses.

[@PixelaDay]

Hello to your wife :) And thank you both so much for watching!

[@FrankenSama]

It always rubbed me off how Enslaved never reached the success of the Last of Us or the hate DMC got (understandably so) but I remember getting very excitedly when Hellblade got annouced and they stated they would frequently share their production process. The new devlogs every month kept me hooked awaiting for the final product and when it finally came out I remember feeling a bit let down by the game mechanically, but thematically, the way it bends storytelling, visual design and voice acting got me thinking about it after beating it for months. I got even more excited when I heard the news they were bought by Microsoft. It's like seeing that kid in high school that struggles in PE finally reaching peak performance. A culmination of hard work and experimentation that paid off big time, and as a fan, its so awesome to see the current position they're at right now. If it wasn't for them and the Hellblade devlogs, I wouldn't be currently studying game design. Their games legitimately changed my life and I get so passionate when people bring them up

[@PixelaDay]

Yay, a fellow fan! Glad to see you on the channel, and I hope you enjoyed the video :)

[@FrankenSama]

@@PixelaDay i did so thoroughly and I really enjoyed it, especially the entire analysis on Hellblade.

[@Cannotbetamed1]

Fantastic video! Always love to see someone talking about Enslaved.

[@jindrichjochec296]

46:50 The video was worth wathing by this bit alone XD.

[@xtoadsannom6704]

How much do you think that Enslaved "owe" to Prince of Persia (2008) ? The platforming, the grandiose environments and some of the physical interactions between the leads (especially when Monkey carries Trip on his back for some of the platforming) remind me a lot of that game.

[@PixelaDay]

That and Sands of Time may very well have been an influence. The parallels are interesting too - 2008 PoP was also under appreciated partly due to an unconventional ending.

[@zariaswell]

Ok challenge accomplished ! -A few years ago, I watched one of my fav youtuber play Heavenly Sword and I liked it, even the goofy characters ! -"I'm not crying, you're crying !" -Haven't played old Devil May Cry games, so I really liked DMC. -One of my best friends streamed Hellblade, and it was one of the best game sh ever played. So I'm sold. I just took Hellblade on Steam and bookmarked for Hellblade II :D

[@PixelaDay]

Hooray!

[@TuMadrino]

What an emotional video

[@DecentOfAngles]

Man, I fricken love Ninja Theory. Heavenly Sword was one of the formative games of my teenage years (it was released the summer before I turned 13). And Hellblade is practically the only game that can make me break down into tears from just hearing the opening chords of its title theme music. Not to mention the vast, vast, vast amount of things I personally learnt about myself due to participating in Senua's story. If there was one game I could forget, just to experience it all over again fresh, it would be Hellblade. Glad it allowed Ninja Theory to secure a means of financial stability, sad I will probably never play the sequel (system exclusivity - no matter which game for which system - really does suck).

[@PixelaDay]

Yay, another fan! ❤️ I'm super bummed too about the system exclusivity. I'm not an XBox owner so I don't know what I'll do when Hellblade 2 comes out. Probably just cry

[@zannrebel1217]

@@PixelaDay Time to invest into an xbox

[@asb6493]

great video, three months of work really paid off

[@Stfguac]

Hellblade is my favourite game. There has never been a game that stayed with me as much as it did. You can just tell how much work Ninja Theory put into depicting psychosis and how they designed the game around it

[@JorgenTol]

Great video! You definitely deserve a bigger audience. Keep it up!

[@SteveCrafts2k]

1:15:30 Dante & Vergil would like to have a word.

[@Crazybark]

this is the first time im even hearing about enslaved and it sounds awesome

[@PixelaDay]

It is

[@N1CKSO]

Great work! Seeing DmC as a Ninja Theory title completely separate from the rest of the franchise really puts it into a favorable light. I kinda wann play it now.

[@PixelaDay]

Me too :) (and I just played it)

[@bevtsen]

Finally finished this video. Had to pause the last 40 minutes or so while 8 finished the copy of Hellblade you graciously lent to me. I've never been a fan of ninja theory games but this, was something else. Easily the most immersive experience I've had playing a video game so far. Until I saw your video, I had no idea the permadeath mechanic didn't exist! There was a part of the game where I got quite stuck in and kept dying. All the while I thought this could be my last run and the panic induced was something I've never experienced before. I feel cheated, in a good way 🤣.

[@PixelaDay]

At last I feel like I’ve finally paid you back for pushing God of War into my hands 😁😊❤️

[@scrustle]

Ninja Theory are a very interesting studio. They've always had a lot of potential, that I think they have been progressively been getting better at achieving over time. Their upward trajectory has been cool to watch, and Hellblade is just incredible. Watching this made me want to go back and give those earlier games another look though. I have played all their games before, but I never finished Heavenly Sword thanks to one of those QTE-laden boss fights. Maybe time to change that. I do still want to see them iterate on DmC as well, and taking what worked there under developing it under a new IP that ditches all the franchise baggage would be a really cool to see. It showed they can do a great complex combat system, and I'd really like to see another big player in that space that isn't DMC or Platinum. They could have a lot of freedom to take that in their own direction too. Hellblade was amazing at what it was doing, but it did lean away from the mechanics a bit, and I think that does leave another avenue of potential yet to be fulfilled. It was rather strange seeing them get bought out by Microsoft though. After so long with them having trouble with big money publishers, and finally showing that they can succeed doing things on their own without that help, they then turn around and become a subsidiary of one of the biggest game companies out there. It's good that they have financial stability and I am curious to see how that might help them in the future. But at the same time it seems to run counter to what they were doing right up until that point, and I'm wary of how things might pan out. Also "Ubislog" is great. I might have to start using that myself.

[@PixelaDay]

Haha I can't take credit, I think I heard Matt Lees use it on a podcast years ago and it stuck with me :) Hard agree with everything you said! I don't see their deal with Microsoft as running counter to their philosophy - they've never been against receiving financial support in theory, it was just all the BS bells and whistles attached that hindered them. This is why I'm fairly confident they'll have creative freedom at Microsoft - I very much doubt they would have accepted the deal if it had come with a bunch more strings attached.

[@supermoo7087]

This was strangely apropos since I litterly installed Disney infinity 3, witch was worked in by ninja theory, love that studio!

[@thisguyfromtherenaissance934]

Jesus fckin Christ I've been waiting for this thing half of my life: A positive opinion about DMC Devil May Cry in retrospective/critique! I was waiting for it for so long that I was thinking about doing it myself! This game was always for me my biggest guilty pleasure srsly thank you so much for your video!

[@PixelaDay]

Haha you're welcome! No need to feel guilty - it's a GOOD GAME

[@VTlounge]

Well thanks, now I want to revisit all of these.

[@PixelaDay]

Ha ha, you're welcome :)

[@xxcormagxx6757]

truly amazing vid

[@PixelaDay]

Thank you! 😊

[@Frankzoar]

What an incredible video. Thanks for the ‘trip’ down memory lane ;)

[@PixelaDay]

You’re welcome ❤️ Glad you liked it!

[@theolgd2719]

My god how do you not already have 200k subscribers with this quality of content and dedication? And this video is even almost a year old!! Thank you for making me discover so much about this studio that my girlfriend has been falling in love with for the past year. And for making me WAY more confident about Hellblade's sequel. After finishing the first I couldn't see how a sequel could work at all but knowing now that Ninja Theory have such achievements in writing I trust them to know what to do.

[@HanmaHeiro]

I never played Senua's Sacrifice. I cried at the 1:40:00 mark when you said of course there's no permadeath since the darkness and creatures are not real. We must keep hope alive because sometimes we are our own worst enemies. Thank you again for a great video

[@PixelaDay]

Hey I’m just describing the game 😊❤️ I’m glad you liked the vid. I think you’re the kind of person this game would connect with if you ever get around to playing it

[@vhagarthebard9804]

This video is a masterpiece.

[@sethzard]

I really like both Enslaved and DMC, and was always a bit disappointed that there isn't an easy way to play Heavenly Sword on something other than a PS3. For that reason I wish I could enjoy Hellblade. It managed to do some really bad things to my mental health so I had to give it up. I can't even watch the section of the game with audio you showed easily. I recognise the mastery but it just freaked me the fuck out.

[@PixelaDay]

I've heard quite a few people saying similar things. Totally get it!

[@ZbuntowanyGwindon]

Downplaying original DMC series to make DmC look better is only thing I don't agree in this video. Aside from that this was a pretty good video.

[@PixelaDay]

I know it's hard to hear criticism of your favourite things, but the opinions here are all my actual and honest ones. Just say you disagree.

[@ZbuntowanyGwindon]

@@PixelaDay that's... exactly what I did.

[@nomchonks]

The passion you put into this video blows me away, and it deserves many more views. Only Ninja Theory game I've played is Enslaved, which I wanted to play for the story, but I didn't like the gameplay, and I didn't enjoy looking at it. I hated all the bloom. It was kinda neat to play it on my 3d tv though!

[@Kraaketaer]

Thank you for a really excellent video. It's truly a shame that this is languishing at less than 5000 views. While I understand that most people aren't looking for 2-hour videos about a single studio, this was well worth the time (and the four-game structure makes it easily divided up into more manageable chunks!). As someone who never played an NT game before Hellblade, this was really enlightening. I came into the X360/PS3 era quite late, and never even heard of Heavenly Sword. My only exposure to Enslaved was as this title I had never heard of that stayed in the bargain/"platinum" section of a games retailer I worked at - quite a few years after its release. I skipped DMC just because it doesn't even remotely appeal to me - neither do the old DMCs, nor other action games like Bayonetta. But right now I'm looking at how I can get my hands on Heavenly Sword and Enslaved, as they sound like great games. And their relatively short length is a _massive_ plus in my book. Anyhow, thank you so much for making this video.

[@PixelaDay]

You’re welcome, thanks for the lovely comment!

[@86lanzo]

I still play kungfu Chaos to this day ...it's actually very unique...

[@lukedyde6384]

My hype brought me to your video. Was worth the 2 hour investment.

[@PixelaDay]

❤️

[@RichoRosai]

You're such a good salesperson that I had to go back and get into this stuff I missed out on despite working in the industry, even spending a day getting PS3 emulation viable... This'd better be worth it! :p

[@PixelaDay]

I hope it is! I spent hours struggling to get the PS3 emulation (mostly) working XD

[@pr0feta660]

Masterpiece video.

[@joeldunsdon9801]

H:SS is without doubt the best, most important and impressive game I have ever played. It is a game so great, that i can't believe it even exists.

[@lagmion4061]

I can't wait to dive into your ode to Ninja Theory. Hope I make time for it this week, 'til then, here's a comment and a like to help with the algorithm!

[@PixelaDay]

Thanks for the boost! Would love to hear your thoughts when you've watched it too. I hope you enjoy it :)

[@senorvolcanito8530]

Love this video

[@onaipid]

Fantastic video! Makes me want to go and play all of these games right away

[@nasiraparveen5937]

Hello, I don't know if you are gonna read this comment, but I really liked your video "in defense of walking Sims" it bought up interested discussion. However I do think you still are giving Hellblade too much credit, this game didn't take each of the mechanics it introduced much far like the horror section or those fire levels. I personally didn't find the story compelling. It was nothing to write home about. This game honestly felt like a tech demo to me. And remember when you mentioned how stripping away unnecessary mechanics can help. In this case however, I felt as if introducing faster movement speed might have worked for the betterment since the puzzles revolve running back and forth A LOT, and from a narrative stand point it would make so much more sense to since she desperately wants to save her lover.

[@LostMekkaSoft]

When I played Hellblade for the first time, I identified with Senua so much that I had a genuine fear of Dillion ditching me because of that darkness... But the weirdest thing was that I also strongly identified with Dillion, to the point where I wasn't sure who I am anymore. This is the only game I played so far where I could immerse myself to a point where I BECAME the characters. As Senua I felt the utter desperation and the drive to bite myself through it; not for worthless me, but for Dillion. As Dillion I felt the unconditional love an compassion for Senua and a deep admiration for her incredible strength, but also a constant feeling of unease from not knowing how to best help her. At times I even felt like I was Senuas father and I hated myself for it... This game was weird and wonderful and frightening and I love every bit of it.

[@arkham666]

I've played 2 out of 4 of the games in the main image (DMC and Enslaved) and loved them both, very underrated games in my opinion.. when I have some time to spare I shall be watching this through. My initial impressions are this is very well made. I'll probably have more to say when I've finished the video. For now though nice job.

[@PixelaDay]

If I had a dollar for every time I was doing research on a Ninja Theory game and read/heard the word "underrated"! I feel like that's pretty much the main theme of the video. Hope you enjoy it :)

[@arkham666]

@@PixelaDay I shall probably have to watch it in sections. It's hard to find 2 hrs to just sit down and watch something these days. I usually consume content in the 20 minutes I have during my morning routine so this'll keep me going for a few days. By the way you've really rattled someone on reddit. Or rather they've rattled themselves over this.

[@svenwalter4293]

The metaverse part killed me LMAO

[@PixelaDay]

I WAS WAITING FOR SOMEONE TO COMMENT ON THAT BIT

[@svenwalter4293]

@@PixelaDay haven't even finished watching and it just keeping better xD

[@SocraTetris]

My favorite thing about Dino is playing him in Playstation All Stars

[@SocraTetris]

Also, I love that Daniel Santos is in this video, but because of him I now have to make a response video. Not my fault, he said the magic word.

[@DanielSantosAnalysis]

@@SocraTetris I seem to have unwittingly awaken the slumbering beast!

[@PixelaDay]

@@DanielSantosAnalysis Fight! Fight! Fight!

[@EggheadsGuide]

I honestly always get confused between Ninja Theory and Team ninja and it distracts me for a while until I realize no the other ninja developer group did Metroid the Other M.

[@twigglyfiggly3429]

I get that this video is partially a love-letter to this game series, but if you want to present the video as a retrospective analysis, I think your script would benefit a lot by cutting out lines that are just you talking about your own experiences playing or just talking about how much you like certain parts. Your recording is fantastic, and that combined with how you word your praises for the game, your passion for the game is already very pronounced. I always love me some 2-hour analysis and you can have both long writing AND concise writing. And I really like your points too, and the editing is solid.

[@RicardoDirani]

To serve as a counterpoint, my favorite aspect of her retrospective was her personal envolvement with the games; also Daniel Santos' part, which went the same way.

[@twigglyfiggly3429]

@@RicardoDirani I'd come up with something to respond with, but I watched this video too long ago to remember anything about it, so sure

[@arkham666]

Hey there. So I just got done watching the video. I can't tell just how much I was grinning all the way through the Enslaved part. What a truly wonderful experience that is. It's been a while but I honestly don't think the ending bothered me all that much. I'll definitely be reinstalling it soon and buying Hellblade when I can free up some time. I really do love AA studios and their products, jank and all. You spoke with passion and honesty and structured your essay in a very clear and flowing fashion. At no point was I board with any part of this video, neither did I feel it was okay to have it as background noise while I was doing something else. You really grabbed my attention and didn't let go. You've made a subscriber out of me. I'll be looking through your other work soon. Thanks again for this passion filled essay. I shall be taking some queues from you in my own work from now on.

[@PixelaDay]

Thanks for your lovely comment, glad to hear you enjoyed it! Hope you’ll stick around on the channel 😊

[@ultimatsz]

omg the metaverse bit for enslaved 🤣🤣🤣

[@PixelaDay]

It’s maybe the best thing I’ve ever done. Like, in my life

[@jbirzer]

Thanks for making this for one of my favorite game developers. I've actually played all of their games, in order. I've always been impressed by their ability to tell stories in games. They haven't been perfect, but they hit the mark for me every time. I just hope Microsoft doesn't ruin them. Also, Kai is best girl.

[@doktorradium3878]

Great video. Found you through Something Rotten. Totally with you on the early Ninja Theory games - particularly Enslaved which I loved and keep trying to get people to play. Really wish they'd done a sequel. Heavenly sword...man the writing. I just can't. And I know that shite level with the ranged character which is exactly where I stopped playing. Anyway. Great video. Really well done. I'll start checking out the other vids later.

[@PixelaDay]

So glad you're here! Hope you stick around and enjoy the channel :)

[@RaMMy96]

In enslaved, the robots were made prewar, and used in the great war, and some mechs remaining sticked to what they were programmed for, kill any human. Pyramid, such as Trip, hacked the mechs and used them for himself. There you go, no more plot holes. 😂

[@Chrono_Mitsurugi]

I loved Heavenly Sword and Enslaved. But hated DMC because of its take on Dante and Vergil.

[@wolfi9180]

I was so underwhelmed by Hellblade. I gave it a 4/10. I don't think Senua is a compelling character and her mother's characterization also felt flat for me.😑

[@Somanyheadphones]

I've never played any of Ninja Theory's games, so this is a great way to get familiar with them! Been a silent fan for a while, but I'm wanting to comment to help with the algorithm, you know?

[@PixelaDay]

Glad to hear from a fan of the channel :) Thanks for the comment!

[@mukulsaini3970]

The first I heard of Ninja Theory was when the news that a AAA developer is restructuring to make an AA story-focused game was making rounds. And I got really interested in Hellblade from all the promo and dev blogs they were doing before release. As someone living with panic and generalized anxiety disorder, this game turned out to be much more personally meaningful than I had imagined. Before this video though, I had never even bothered to check out their previous work. I had completely ignored it as obvious mainstream action fluff since only now are they finally making games they *really* wanted to make all along. I thought of them as a completely new studio. And I completely missed the context of the stage the studio was at when they embarked on Hellblade.

[@mukulsaini3970]

All of this is to say Thank You for making this video. You are honestly doing one of the sharpest commentaries on video games on this platform and I wish these videos are seen by more people (Seriously people are MISSING OUT!). Your videos on Horizon, Nier Automata and Edith Finch have added so much to my understanding of these games. And things I found lacking but couldn't articulate. I'm truly grateful.

[@mukulsaini3970]

Also, I kinda wanna watch just the story bits of Enslaved. In the end, I'll just switch to your metaverse ending.

[@PixelaDay]

I admit, I do love the idea that the Metaverse ending is canon in someone's mind.

[@ttewelow1]

One of my biggest complaints about Ninja Theory is probably just the fact that almost none of the games they have made have direct sequels. When you look at their relatively small catalog of games, you have Heavenly Sword which is exclusive to the Playstation 3 and is a great action game, but has no trophy support nor mention of a sequel whatsoever. Then you haven't Enslaved Odyssey to the West which oftentimes gets compared to the likes of the Last of Us and would be fertile ground to create a sequel of some type. After that you get DMC: Devil May Cry which I don't really think needs a sequel at all and I've always been of the mindset that had that game been its own thing, it would have done a lot better. Finally you get Hellblade Senua's sacrifice which is the only game they have made that has a direct sequel, but is exclusive to the Xbox due to them becoming a first party studio. If only one of these other games got some sort of a direct sequel, I think Ninja Theory's name would hold a lot more weight

[@kostasvl]

Phenomenal work! Thank you.

[@Metalrubrik]

What a great video. Fantastic work! Wish you the best and thank you!

[@PixelaDay]

Thanks for watching! 🥰

[@razagan1343]

''I prefer the DMC reboot" is a sentence I did not expect, which I kinda like, makes the words you use in this video and the others truly yours not forced by the common collective.

[@HanmaHeiro]

Learning of Ninja Theory's journey and Senua's Sacrifice being the tipping point towards acknowledged success has got me tearing up to near fully crying for a third time. Then your well edited and timed use of the sequels heightened moment of Senua's war chanting had me needing to leave work cuz I couldnt burst out crying. But that's ok I don't need to be here after hours on a Friday night. Again thank you for your work

[@timustim7418]

You are showing me a new horizon in video game world

[@iamnoimpact]

Incredible video! I loved the time I spent with Hellblade, and I think you did it justice by spending so much time discussing it as well. I realize I have only ever played one of NT's games (Hellblade) but the others have always been regarded with such "respect" from the people I trust. Enslaved was such an underrated gem. A friend of mine would always recommend it when it came to people looking to pick up a game to play that was new and they knew nothing about. DMC reboot was one that just as this new 5th one was coming out last year (was it last year? this year? i forget) it came up in conversations basically summing up exactly what the series has always been about. Absolute nonsense that you can embrace, but absolutely cannot ignore. And Heavenly Sword I remember as a groundbreaking game that people really were blown away by initially. A friend got it when he first picked up his PS3 and he wasn't a huge game fan but was stunned at how excellent it was. Such a rad team over there. Really happy you spent the time on this one. I fully enjoyed it! Thank you for making it and sharing!!

[@kalikkalam884]

You deserve more subscribers :)

[@PixelaDay]

Feel free to share it round with people you think might like it 😊

[@rerunx5]

Excellent job on this retrospective. Good points indeed.

[@PixelaDay]

Thanks, glad you enjoyed it!

[@PunchKickBlog]

Bought all four games and even applied for a job once. Truly am a believer in the studio and agree on almost all points, except one: those scars on whiptails face are gills, duh. 🤐 Great video, thanks a lot!

[@PixelaDay]

I interpreted them as scars intended to resemble gills! Glad you liked the vid!