Just as
was promised a few months back, the
Itagaki-less Team Ninja and Microsoft Game Studios have partnered to release three chunks of new
Ninja Gaiden II downloadable content to the XBLM. Content that we've previously compared to
Oblivion's legendarily overpriced horse armor, because for comparative purposes, that's what it is. The
NGII DLC comes in the form of three costume packs that allows you to cloth Ryu in five color variations of either Biometal, Shadow Walker or Fiend Hayabusa duds (all viewable here). The rub, each costume variant will cost you 200 Microsoft points. Ouchy! Ouchy indeed.
- Biometal Hayabusa Costume Pack - 200

- Shadow Walker Hayabusa Costume Pack - 200

- Fiend Hayabusa Costume Pack - 200

[Photo via GameSpot forums]
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
7-02-2008 @ 12:06PM
Brian said...
Expensive? Only if you are poor.
200 is nothing.
Reply
7-02-2008 @ 12:39PM
Gemini Ace said...
Then pony up and buy it for everybody.
7-02-2008 @ 12:42PM
Brian said...
See that is a different matter, If i did that THEN it would be expensive.
7-02-2008 @ 1:00PM
psychohog said...
I know, it's less than a gallon of gas. Ride a bike for a day and buy some points people.
7-02-2008 @ 1:21PM
Edog said...
I think the issue is, "Are these costumes worth $2.50 U.S. each?", not if you can afford them or not. I spent 4k on my primary hobby, video games, last year so I can buy this DLC without any problem. The question I ask my self when I buy stuff is, "Is it worth it?", not, "Can I afford this?". Why???? Self-respect. I don't like it when others take advantage of me. I put on a condom when I have sex... I brush my teeth twice daily. Why? Self-respect. And I won't buy this overly priced DLC that adds nothing to game play. Why? Self-respect.
But if you find worth in this DLC, maybe you think Bio-Ryu is the coolest thing evar, then you have found worth in this costume and your not a tool for buying these. The rest of you guys/girls are officially tools.
7-02-2008 @ 2:24PM
Andrew said...
I don't think anybody is saying that they can't afford it, it's all about what you get for your 200 points. Costumes are not worth $2.50.
7-02-2008 @ 2:25PM
Andrew said...
Ugh, I have had this page open for a couple of hours, and I forgot that fact when I submitted my reply.
7-02-2008 @ 5:25PM
Insomnious said...
Hmm, to be honest, the only skin pack that looks any good is the Fiend pack, which I received free with my Pre-order from GAME.
Not that I can be bothered playing, now that my final save-game before the final bosses has no health items, and a 1/3 bar of health. No chance.
7-02-2008 @ 12:13PM
HazyCloud said...
Taken from Gamerscoreblog.com Friday, May 09, 2008 4:25 PM by CPaladino
"FYI - the 200 pts pack is for FIVE costumes - not one."
Not sure if it actually worked out that way. I still haven't even finished NG2 yet, so I doubt I'll be grabing these anytime soon.
Reply
7-02-2008 @ 2:14PM
Mighty Healthy said...
It worked out that way, in a "technically it's just uninformed PR speak" fashion. You "get 5 costumes," even if it's just 5 different color skins of the same texture.
Of course, it's technically five color variations of one costume for 200 MPs, and there are only actually 3 costumes.
By the way, his is no attempt to burn Gamerscoreblog or anything, they've run a great site for years...I'd definitely give them the benefit of the doubt here, on whether they were actually trying to misinform people.
I just don't think they were told the full details when they were trying to clarify things for everyone else.
One last point: couldn't this have been smoothed over by - gasp - offering single costumes via marketplace? 40-60 MPs for a single skin would make more sense, as it would be a small MP purchase that you could actually swallow.
XBLM is starting to seem outdated by the the limitations that restrict not only the product "selection," but our ability to judge the content. Nothing like making purchases from the same wall of text and an image that's only a banner for the name of the game.
7-02-2008 @ 2:45PM
Chris Paladino said...
@Mighty Healthy
I didn't think what I said was uninformed PR speak. You can dislike the price, or you can like the price, but I wasn't trying to pull the wool over anyone's eyes.
Each set has 5 costume variations...
7-02-2008 @ 4:39PM
Mighty Healthy said...
@ CPaladino: I apologize for the wording, especially if it offended you, but it was as best a phrase that I could come up with.
I figured that someone else in the info pipeline had made what I felt was an error in judgement, and again, gave you guys the benefit of the doubt.
I respect your views on the matter...but regardless of price, I just think that there's a fundamental disparity between "five costumes" and "five color variations of the same costume."
I agree to disagree, obviously.
7-02-2008 @ 12:13PM
The Beta Max said...
200 MSP? That a dragon sword to the ol' wallet, ain't it?
Reply
7-02-2008 @ 12:27PM
DBoyFlex said...
Do you unlock other regular colors after finishing the game on different difficulties? Just curious.
Reply
7-02-2008 @ 12:53PM
Dirty said...
Would you put the real price on there, I still get confused on the exchange rate. Hurts my brain.
Reply
7-02-2008 @ 1:38PM
AoE said...
They're $2.50 each
7-02-2008 @ 2:29PM
Andrew said...
Just remember that 800 points is $10 and go from there.
7-02-2008 @ 1:09PM
Hey Apples said...
Is there a horse armor costume?
Reply
7-02-2008 @ 1:14PM
ScallionN said...
That's...that's just fucking retarded. I don't mind some microtransactions (like Rock Band's) but things like horse armor, Ace Combat -EMBLEM- grind my gears. Content like that used to be offered in games for FREE. It's seeming more likeley that a lot of DLC is just extra content they purposely left out of the main game so that they could sell it.
A costume with a few fancy pallet swaps isn't worth 2.50.
Reply
7-02-2008 @ 2:36PM
Jace Bartet said...
Right on with Scallion, I have to say that this bothers me because I feel that it is a blatant abuse of the online gaming model on the part of the developers, especially when a game is already $60. New costumes and the like used to be things that you might earn through completing certain tasks in the game. Perhaps it would make more sense if they offered the option to buy them OR achieve them through some heinously difficult (but doable) special requirement.
Reply