NInja Gaiden 3 to convey a sense of steel on bone

Team Ninja is using a series of cinematic tricks collectively labelled "steel on bone" to communicate Ninja Gaiden 3's violence, in place of earlier outings' visual gore.

"What does it mean to cut someone with a sword, both physically and mentally?" Team Ninja localisation manager Peter Garza asked Giantbomb at E3.

"You'll notice sequences when time slows down, the camera will zoom in. That's the representation of the sword going into the body, getting caught in the bones and the muscles of the enemy, and you have to really push through the meat of the body to finish the cut.

"We call that steel on bone."

In the same interview, Garza said the Wii U version of the game on show is about 30 percent complete, and the team is bringing some of DS game Dragon Sword's touch controls to a full console game.

"Now we have the chance to give this full console experience with those controls on the Wii U. We've actually started development on it but we don't have anything set. We're just playing with it."

"... We're looking forward to emerging of Ninja Gaiden 3 gameplay and visuals with Dragon Sword touch commands. That's where we're thinking now. Honestly, we're just playing with it, so it might change."

Ninja Gaiden 3 is due on PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 in early 2012, with the Wii U version to follow.

Thanks, GoNintendo.