Just completed the boss on Chapter 3.
The silver train/worm boss.
Playing the game on warrior mode really makes me wanna throw my controller but i think overall the game is hard but not too hard.

Anyway just before i ever forget, a few tips on the Chapter 3 boss.
Try to avoid damage by using the fire/wind jutsu. The main purpose is just to avoid damage but if you can hit him with it, then good for you.
Run around the center area of the tunnel. It is easier to avoid those blue laser balls. The only hard to avoid is probably the homing flying creatures and the super big blue face. For this two, use jutsu/ninpo whatever.

This post has been edited by -= Virgil =-: Aug 13 2008, 11:33 PM

Woohoo!
Finally beaten the game on Mentor mode!
After uncountable Game Overs, the trial is finally over.
Those who have my gamer tag on their friend list can check out my games as prove

If you guys need any help on any bosses, i will be glad to be of help since after finish mentor mode, it seems like even the hardest boss has become a little easier :

Now, the test to become the Master Ninja begins!

Edited: For completing the Mentor difficulty, there is a reward of a Black Jaguar costume, a pretty gay outfit i say.

This post has been edited by -= Virgil =-: Aug 13 2008, 11:40 PM

The hardest part of the whole game would probably be the part where you get the Whirlwind Shuriken from Kureha's room (the room where you need to unlock by getting the key from her grave), and after that you trace back to the place after the bridge and get ambushed by 4 Rasetsu plus a few incendiary ninjas.
I spent all my inventories including the Lives of the Gods, Jewel of the Demon Seal and the Revival Scroll that i save up along the journey. Luckily enough for me, my final attempt managed to deal a couple UT Level 2 with the True Dragon Sword and manage to clear out a few Rasetsus
It is probably the most epic battle i have experience in this game.

Chapter 13 there is only one boss which is Alexei, the one who rules over lightning.
The way to beat him is to keep using reverse wind until you find an opening.
He is not that aggressive like the other bosses so Alexei will tend to use his combo which if you can get away with, you can counter him with a combo that takes about 25% of his health.

The other way is to use divine swallow but the risk is higher cause somehow Alexei will have a higher tendency to grab you and strut his combo on your puny body.

The chapter 1 boss fight should be Rasetsu right?
The way i beaten it on Mentor was focusing on attacking the ninjas.
Yes, the ninjas.
There is actually a trick to it when you do the izuna drop on the ninjas, the splash damage will actually damage Rasetsu if he is nearby. And dont underestimate such a feat as the damage is around 15% of Rasetsu's health.

If you ever got a IS stuck on you, just use your ninpo on Rasetsu to drain his health further.

Overall, not a difficult boss if everything goes according to plan

Mentor mode is not the hardest mode yet.
Master Ninja is the ultimate hardcore mode, which can only be unlocked after completing Mentor

Best weapon, well i would say the Fiend Scythe.
The ultimate is good for crowd control and every slice of it is enough to chop off limbs for easy obliteration.
However the lack of speed really sucks when you go up against a group of IS ninjas, usually avoid these ninjas if possible.

The dual swords are good and even better when you defeated Genshin for the last time.
Probably the more balanced weapon than the Dragon Sword. The speed is kind of alright but if you can bear with the lack of Divine Sparrow, then i think the dual sword is the perfect weapon.
If the Scythe are already a good weapon for OT, then this weapon is a level higher than the Scythe.

That may be true but once you get the hang of how the enemy attacks, it can be quite easy.
Just like how IS Ninjas like to throw IS, block is important when dealing with a mass group of them.
And once they come up front, do the counter to slice of their legs, then finish with OT.

If you want videos, then i think YouTube is your best friend

This post has been edited by -= Virgil =-: Sep 1 2008, 10:36 AM

Guys,
The update to fix the chapter 10 and 14 cutscene hang has been released.
So now you can safely play your NG2 while online on LIVE!

Bro leenaz not persistent enough

Alexei is quite easy. His combos might look flashy but try to use Reverse Wind as much as possible until you hit the time where he just finish off his combo, then start putting your own combo onto it.
If he does the whirlwind trick, then it is either you ninpo or Reverse Wind to avoid it.

That is the best part of the game

Personal tips for Chapter 4 mid boss (not Alexei). It is a big fat monster you fight on a bridge.

* Stay in front of him and lure him to only use his one handed slam, one hand grab, or the howling blast.
* When it is going to howl, he will move 2 step in front. So when you see that, dash to the right twice and while he is howling, put a nice combo onto his hands. If you got hit by his howling blast, you are dead. It is a one-shot death (Master Ninja difficulty).
* If he raises his hands in a horizontal direction, he is going for the one hand grab and try to dash away from it. If you got grab, you might lose 80% of your health.
* A good time to hit him would be when he does the one hand slam. Everytime he does it, the attack can either be blocked (yes it is blockable despite the size of his arm) and can be avoided (dash). It would be better to dash away and unleash a combo on his hand since the recovery from a dash is faster than a block.
* Remember to remain in a place in front of the monster. Do not ever go underneath it to slash its legs. He will do the whole body slam which is hard to avoid and 2 hit from it and you're dead.

Hope this helps whoever is going through the game. It is possible to beat this boss without a single drop of health point. I can beat it 30% of the time so i guess the above tips is considered to be quite feasible judging by how difficult Master Ninja is.

Anyway, do remember is that after the boss fight, you will have to deal with yellow winged fiends (a lot of em) and there is only a save point after your defeated all of them and a couple of IS ninjas. If you die along the way, it is back to the boss

Just spam Flying Swallow on Alexei and you will eventually kill him.
Cheap but effective.

Well to defeat this boss, it is actually quite easy.
First of all when the battle starts charge up a level 2 and hit its face.
Then when he turn into the left side of the tunnel, move forward and jump dash into the middle of the tunnel and start charging another level 2 arrow at its face.
Just keep repeating and try to stay in the middle of the tunnel since the boss tends to shoot electricity/cast of its underlings and shoot the big blue face in the middle section.

So if technically if you are behind the boss and the face starts shooting electricity balls, you are safe.
And if it shoots out the big blue face which causes a massive explosion, use a ninpo to void the attack and deal damage to the boss instead.

Hope this helps

You have a choice not to do it

I am down to the last chapter 14 in Master Ninja without having to use a single LoTG which means that my lifebar is the same length as when i first started the game.
Seriously to me, i think the Trials of Valor is only made as a supplement to the game for a higher challenge.
Other than that i wont be wasting time on it.
Maybe i will when i decided to do my No-Melee run on the game.

Finally completed the Path of the Master Ninja.
Looking back along the way, it has really been a difficult journey and probably one that i would never forget.
The amount of Game Over and the splattering of blood will forever be etch in my memories.

The Tribal Spirit costume looks really cool! One of the best costumes that comes with the game.

And the best of all is probably the Master Ninja gamer pic that is unlocked.

To tell you the truth, i did not even completed a single Test of valor even in Warrior/Mentor mode. It is just a waste of time seriously.
The items provided along the way is more than sufficient to complete the game.