Shinobi

Shinobi is a 2002 action-adventure game developed by Overworks and published by Sega for the PlayStation 2. It is part of the Shinobi series. The game stars the master ninja Hotsuma, leader of the Oboro clan, who wields Akujiki, a sword that feeds on souls. He can also use ninja magic, shurikens, and special moves. Upon finding a golden castle after an earthquake, Hotsuma makes it his goal to defeat the powerful sorcerer Hiruko, who had summoned hellspawn creatures in Japan to destroy Tokyo. Hotsuma's mission is to stop Hiroko from destroying the world and avenge the death of his clan. Shinobi was originally planned for the Dreamcast, but due to the discontinuation of the console, the game was moved to the PS2. The game was designed to emphasize the action elements of action-adventure gameplay and appeal to the action market. Other gameplay elements resulted from a desire to mix old and new elements. Upon release, Shinobi was generally well received by critics.