The first game-expanding downloadable content for Tecmo's action title Ninja Gaiden II (360) will sell for a price of 800 Microsoft Points when it goes on sale July 25, according to a Microsoft release. The Xbox Live DLC amounts to a Mission Mode which includes 25 self-contained high-score and survival stages.

A number of free tutorial videos showing the locations of crystal skull items hidden in the game's original campaign will also be released on the same day.

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As many as three dozen members of Team Ninja may be following former studio chief and Ninja Gaiden II (360) director Tomonobu Itagaki after his sudden resignation and lawsuit against parent company Tecmo earlier this month.

According to a report from 1UP, the departing team members will also serve Tecmo with a class action lawsuit over unpaid bonuses for previously completed games. In filing his own lawsuit last month, Itagaki claimed damages of more than $1.4M in unpaid bonuses.

Moreover, the report adds that Tecmo may have violated Japanese law by withholding information about Itagaki's suit from its shareholders. Corporate law in Japan states that any lawsuit filed against a publicly-traded company must be reported ... Read more

Update: Shacknews has acquired the whole of Itagaki's statement regarding his departure and legal action, viewable here, in which he apologizes to fans of his games and calls the social responsibility of Tecmo into question.

The director further revealed that, as expected, he will not be involved in any future Ninja Gaiden or Dead or Alive titles.

Original Story: Mere hours before the North American debut of Ninja Gaiden II, director Tomonobu Itagaki announced that he will leave Team Ninja and has filed suit against parent company Tecmo and president Yohimi Yasuda for unpaid bonuses and emotional damages, according to 1UP.

Citing "unreasonable and disingenuous statements" made by Yasuda and unpaid completion bonuses for the development of 3D fighter Dead or Alive 4 (360), Itagaki claimed damages of 148M Yen, roughly $1.42M at current exchange rates.

"When the time came for the [completion bonus] payment, Tecmo Co., Ltd. went against its previous agreement and refused payment," Itagaki said in his statement. "President Yoshimi Yasuda chose not only to violate this agreement, but also... Read more

Ninja Gaiden II contains more "fuck yes" and "aw fuck" moments than any three action games put together. In the course of Ryu's journey, you'll be both bad ass and just plain bad. And sometimes, if only for a moment, you'll hate this game.

For every brilliant action sequence, there will be another marred by a bad camera angle. After every gorgeous level, there will be another set in a dull, dreary cave. Following every exciting fight, there will be another boring cutscene that defies all laws of human decency.

Some of this sounds terrible in description, but don't worry--these will be temporary feuds. The truth is, it's difficult to stay mad at something this beautiful. I mean, just look at this:

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Do you see that video? Doesn't that look awesome? Yeah, that was me. I did that. I didn't tap a button in time with the rhythm of a techno track, or wave a Wii controller in a disco move, or follow an on-screen prompt that triggered a scripted attack. Each slice and swing was an immediate result of my sometimes skillful, and frequently lucky, button presses.

With Ninja Gaiden II, what you see is what you get. ... Read more

Continuing its Spring Showcase blowout, Microsoft has released concept art and a number of screenshots from Team Ninja's slash 'em up sequel Ninja Gaiden II (X360), which is due out on June 3.

Team Ninja's Ninja Gaiden 2 (X360) will be released in three weeks, and to mark the occasion Microsoft has released a launch trailer. The video runs for sixty seconds, and can be streamed below.

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Following last week's set of screenshots and movies, Microsoft today released yet more Ninja Gaiden 2 (X360) footage. No gameplay footage this time; instead these videos are from cutscenes and feature the characters Alexei, Elizebet, Genshin, Joe Hayabusa, Muramasa, Volf and Zedonius.

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In case you recently felt like you hadn't seen enough of Ninja Gaiden 2 (X360), today's set of media should help with that.

We have two new screenshots galleries -- one, two -- as well as six movies from the Team Ninja developed action game.

Ninja Gaiden 2 is currently scheduled for a June release.

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I played through five chapters of Team Ninja's slash-em-up sequel. Like all good samurai stuff, the second encounter adds more weapons, enemies, and attacks. But how about that difficulty? And is the camera a nuisance? Read the full report.

At first, things did seem far easier on the lower difficulty level. Unlike the previous game, which tamed me by the third level, not once did I become unduly frustrated after blasting through five chapters of Gaiden II. This was mainly due to the numerous save points littered throughout the sequel's stages, shrines that now instantly boost your health to full. If that's not enough to welcome you with open arms, your health will now rejuvenate automatically inbetween battles, only a fraction of the bar permanently staying red and unhealed. Read more..

Continuing today's media blast, Microsoft had released a new in-game cinematic that reveals a bit more of Ninja Gaiden II's storyline, which apparently involves the CIA and a scantily-clad female known as Sonia.

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An Xbox 360 exclusive developed by Team Ninja, Ninja Gaiden II arrives on June 3, with a downloadable demo slated to hit sometime in May.

With a demo due out in May and the June 3 release date coming up, Microsoft has issued 15 new screenshots of Team Ninja's Xbox 360-exclusive action title Ninja Gaiden II, highlighting the various shapes and sizes of the foes Ryu will slaughter. For more on the blood-splatted sequel, scope out our extensive interview with Team Ninja lead Tomonbu Itagaki and be sure to check back later this week for our hands-on impressions.

A new post on the official website for Team Ninja's Ninja Gaiden II (X360) reveals that a demo for the game will hit Xbox Live sometime in May.

Ninja Gaiden II is slated for a June 3 release in North America. Check out our interview with Team Ninja's Tomonobu Itagaki for more information on the hardcore action title.

Fresh from the Game Developers Conference is this Ninja Gaiden II demonstration from developer Team Ninja.

As was announced earlier today, Ninja Gaiden 2 is slated for a June 3 release in North America on the Xbox 360.

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Ninja Gaiden II will arrive in North America on June 3, Team Ninja's Tomonobu Itagaki announced today while speaking during Microsoft's keynote at the Game Developers Conference. Itagaki noted the game would launch worldwide in June, but did not provide a specific date for other territories.

During the demonstration of a previously unseen level--The Temple of Sacrifice--it was also revealed that the game will sport a replay feature, which will allow users to share and download clips of their carnage.

Though few details on how the replay system would work were provided, Itagaki and his translator noted--in true Team Ninja fashion--that it is intended for the best players in the world to show off their collective skills. While all players will be able to download the clips, only those that met certain, unspecified conditions will be able to upload them.

A few new screenshots of the game were also released.

Following its debut in our Ninja Gaiden II interview, Shacknews is proud to present an exclusive bit of Ninja Gaiden II gameplay footage, which is viewable below through the glory and magic of streaming Flash technology.

Three new screenshots accompanied the movie, complete with pertinent, humorous descriptions that are displayed below the images. "In the weeping cherry blossoms, Super Ninja is scattering bloody splash with his deadliest sword," reads one. "This elegant place even matches horrific violence."

Developed by Team Ninja, the Xbox 360 exclusive is slated to arrive later this spring. For more on the game, be sure to check out our extensive Ninja Gaiden II interview with Team Ninja lead Tomonbu Itagaki.

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Team Ninja's upcoming Ninja Gaiden II (X360) will sport some type of downloadable content, studio lead Tomonobu Itagaki told Shacknews in a comprehensive interview.

"It'll be something that'll make you say, 'Whoa,'" teased Itagaki, though he refused to offer further details. "In the past, when I've said I've been thinking about something, there have been times when I haven't followed through. This time, you can rest assured that I'll follow through [with downloadable content]."

While discussing DLC, Itagaki noted his dislike for titles such as Namco Bandai's Beautiful Katamari, a game that includes locked disc content only accessible if users purchase a downloadable key from Xbox Live. "That's not very beautiful, is it?" he jested. "That's awful. Games like that should cease to exist from this planet."

He also touched upon Namco Bandai's recent revelation that Yoda and Darth Vader will appear in Soul Calibur IV, with one character exclusive to the Xbox 360 edition and the other exclusive to the PlayStation 3 version. "I think [the exclusivity is] a disservice to gamers," he said. "This is like saying, 'You gotta get both [versions] if you... Read more

I recently attended a demonstration of Team Ninja's upcoming Ninja Gaiden II (X360) and got to chat with Team Ninja lead Tomonobu Itagaki for a bit.

While it turns out the game is still as violent as ever, Itagaki provided new details as to how the game has been tuned to better accommodate those who aren't as skilled in the ways of the notoriously difficult franchise. He also talked about Yoda and Darth Vader in Soul Calibur IV, his views on downloadable content, and threatened to cut me in half.

We've also got some new screenshots and an exclusive gameplay video. If you're at all a fan of ninjas or badassery in general, I suggest you check it out.

One of the dudes who had lost an arm rushed Ryu and tackled him to the ground. Then, with his gaping wound still squirting blood, he attempted to drive a sword through Ryu's neck with his one remaining hand.

In response, Itagaki did what any good ninja would do. He threw a giant fireball that blew the one-armed bandit across the stage and left his corpse in flames.
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Nothing says Merry Christmas like new Ninja Gaiden 2 media filled with blood and dismemberment. We have three screenshots and another gameplay trailer, which shows about a minute of gameplay footage from Team Ninja's Xbox 360 exclusive action game.

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Yet more media from Team Ninja's Xbox 360 exclusive Ninja Gaiden 2 is now available. We have a set of screenshots, as well as two more gameplay trailers. The first offers about a minute of gameplay footage while the other runs for three minutes.

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And again, registered users can use the HD stream. Ninja Gaiden 2 will be released some time during 2008.

Tecmo-owned developer Team NINJA has provided four more images of Ninja Gaiden II, the Xbox 360-exclusive sequel to one of the more frustratingly challenging Xbox, and later PlayStation 3, titles ever released.

Included in the bloody barrage are glimpses of severed arms and legs, along with a few decapitations. The game itself is due out at some point in 2008.