The Ninja Gaiden series is famous for the stiff test it present to any gamer looking to finish the game. The combat system is also incredibly fluid and deep, so players might struggle to get to the grips with it at first.
The very first boss in the game is actually Master Murai, your own master. He won’t hold back and is happy to break out some dirty tricks and push you to the limit.
There are a number of things you absolutely should not do when taking on Master Murai
- Don’t throw shuriken, they will simply be deflected back at you
- Don’t wall hop toward Murai or he will pluck you out of the air and do lots of damage with a grab attack
- Don’t stall too close to the wall or Murai will charge you
The best way to deal with Master Murai is through counterattacking. Waiting for him to make a move and expose himself to damage, block his incoming attack or roll into it in the cast of a jump, and then open up with a two or three-hit combo. You are at risk of being grabbed, so prepare to roll back out as quickly as possible and repeat the process.
It’s actually a dull fight by Ninja Gaiden standards, and far slower-paced than the minion fights you will have played through until now, but it teaches an important lesson. All enemies and bosses have a way to exploit certain moves that you use, and they will leave you open to attack. Leave what these are for each enemy, and combat becomes much easier to handle. Just keep chipping away at the boss with 2 and 3 strike counters until the fight is over.
