Ahhh. If we could, we would fill this six-page review with one long, satisfied sigh. The kind of deep, resonating sound you let out after moments of extreme pleasure, where everything seems balanced in the world, and nothing could be more perfect. The sigh would be filled with all the satisfaction of knowing everything is just so, without a hair out of place, nor a polygon protruding where it shouldn't. Ninja Gaiden, for all the hype and hope pined on it, not only delivers in the most dazzling explosion of gameplay and graphics, but it leaves you tingling and prickly skinned afterwards.

There were so many places Team Ninja at Tecmo could have tripped up, so many potential pitfalls and glitches that could have sucked Ninja Gaiden down into nothing more than a misty-eyed memory. First is the history of the game itself. There are fans out there who still get giddy over the prospect of fighting that dreaded Apache helicopter, and if crucial old favourites like that are overshadowed by pointless razzmatazz and next-generation pomp, this wouldn't be Ninja Gaiden. It would be a standard beat-'em-up under the banner of a classic. And the controls. Well, if they weren't the most precise, intuitive and perfectly balanced blend of acrobatics and martial arts, this still wouldn't be Ninja Gaiden.

But, this is Ninja Gaiden. Every last drop, and you'll want to quaff it up. Controlling Ryu, the lead character, was always going to be hard to nail, and especially hard to nail in a way that would leave you breathless, but pass the inhaler. Team Ninja has taken what Prince Of Persia did, and expanded upon it exponentially. You're a pinball, ricocheting from wall to wall, bouncing from ledge to ledge in a flurry of blood and metal, then coming to a composed standstill as bodies are still falling to the floor. You can launch from great heights, land with both feet on someone's shoulders, drive your dragon sword through their head, then bounce off to an opposing ledge with such speed it's hard to fathom what you've just done. And this isn't all through blind luck, nor is it accomplished with intense training. The game simply hints at what you can do, then lets you get stuck in, striking a perfect balance between all-out button-bashing combos, and precision take-downs. And these kills aren't reserved for special moves either - they are your bog-standard kills, the ones you dispatch grunts with. You'll run up a wall, backflipping down behind someone to drive a sword through their back; you'll run along a wall, sword outstretched and slicing necks; and you'll spin off opponents, sending them tumbling to the ground ready for a skewering. Your mouth will water, we promise.

The sheer complexity of attacks you can combo together is limited only by how robust your thumbs are, and while you may think you're knocking people down in a random blur, you can switch directions and stances instantaneously. You never have to wait for a pre-animated attack sequence to finish before launching into another parry, a vitally important aspect of the game learned by Tecmo after years developing the Dead Or Alive series.

By gathering karma from fallen foes, you can charge up your chi, then unleash it at critical moments. There's little more satisfying than hitting an oncoming enemy with such lethal ferocity you turn into a lightning blur, leaving them either bewildered or gurgling in a pool of blood. Do be warned though, you don't want to waste these special moves on just anything. You're going to need every ounce of skill and luck you can muster.

End-of-level guardians are almost worth getting killed by, just so you can appreciate the design and beauty that has been lavished upon them. From laser cannon-carrying cyborgs riding atop an airship, to a demon samurai mounted on a flaming steed, they are stunning and deadly in design. The challenge to bring one down, even during the early stages of the game, is gargantuan, and you really have to work hard at utilising the spectrum of moves available to you. If you think repeated attacks won't be punished for their predictability you're sorely mistaken. If you think enemies won't see what you're doing (or rather not doing), don't think for an instant they'll give you any slack. This game is brutal, and all the better for it too.

There are things you can do to shift the odds though, and one of these is to buy or learn Nimpo (ninja magic that extends beyond pulling rabbits out of hats). Nimpo comes in various styles, and each is affiliated with a particular element. Like chi, it takes a while to build up, but unleash it at the right moment and the results are explosive.

For all the pyrotechnics and neck-snapping savagery, it was important for Team Ninja to sustain momentum in what could potentially become a dull game. After all, the console world has come far since the last Ninja Gaiden outing, and beat-'em-ups seem to feel obliged to include puzzles and crate-shoving. But Ninja Gaiden has forsaken the path of pleasant distractions, simply opting to up the ante every time you think it's reached the top of its game.

It gets bigger, harder and faster the further you progress. It's not until the fourth level that you even find your first alternative main weapon - a set of nunchaku that behave like you're dropping your opponents in a blender. And although the majority of gameplay may seem like Torvill and Dean with weapons, the acrobatics aren't just for effect. There's plenty to discover once you get used to the mindset that walls, like floors, can be walked up. Keep your eyes peeled for a metal throwing star hidden in a seemingly insurmountable nook. What?

No, we're not going to give it away! You can tell Tecmo is responsible for Ninja Gaiden, principally because every female character looks like she should keel over forwards, and secondly, because it looks so damn fine. Subtle lighting effects, the stunning architecture, level design, sound, and character models are all from the Dead or Alive stable. In fact, cast your mind back to the first time you kicked someone through those stained glass windows in Dead Or Alive and multiply that thrill by the biggest number you can think of. That's what this game is about. It's about delivering big on thrills, and having the ability to keep on supplying.

There are more subtle elements at work here though, things you aren't likely to notice while knee-deep in bodies. Because some parts of the game take place in tight confines, you aren't always able to see where your foes are coming from. So, ever so slightly the camera nudges itself in the direction of the possible onslaught, allowing you, almost at a subconscious level, to brace yourself in the appropriate direction.

Hidden areas are obscure obviously, but accessing them is reward in itself. You'll find gentle pointers and hints, offering up the merest of indications where you should be looking. Water, although great for swimming in, is also fair game to walk on. It is easy to overlook, but tap the A button repeatedly over the briny and you'll tippy toe over the surface. Again, it's subtle, almost inconceivable, but it's there, and that's a good, good thing.

Perhaps the only gripe is the fairly guided route the main bulk of the game takes you on. There is very little diversion from the path, discounting the secret rooms. It really is a case of fighting from point A to point B in the most overtly stylish manner possible, but only the most gaming purist is likely to grumble about the destination when the journey is so exhilarating. Another thing that might miff the purists is the respawning enemies, although the shrewd gamer would chose a respawn point close to a trader to gather up valuable spending money from the corpses.

You'll end up sporting more metal accessories than Jimmy Saville. But besides feeling you've got built in sat-nav and suppressing the urge to warble 'now then, now then, jingle jangle', Ninja Gaiden is nigh on flawless. It has everything you'd want from a beat-'em-up, and none of the gristle. The weaponry is drip fed to you, so you must fight tooth and claw for every inch of ground. The range of melee attacks and combos are too numerous to list, and the enemies are consistently, and wonderfully creative (look out for the horsemen who'll try and skewer you with their lances by the way). Ninja Gaiden has been created with every kind of colour and imagination possible, not only resurrecting a beloved franchise, but ramming it with tremendous force into the superleague of Xbox games. Indispensable.

1. Virtually everything!
2. The controls are like liquid silk
3. It looks utterly stunning!

1. Can be a little too linear at times
2. Respawning enemies

Power
Walloping. Only the Xbox could truly do it justice, and it makes you proud to own one.

Style
It oozes style. Everything it does makes you gasp, from the training to the gigantic boss showdowns.

Immersion
Deep as deep could get. You'll be embroiled in blood and chop suey in no time. It's superb.

Lifespan
Depends how hard you think you are. It take time to get going that's for sure. It's a tough pig of a game.

Summary
Groundbreaking beat-'em-up action of the highest calibre. A must for anyone who has the ability to hold an Xbox pad.