| Review: | Ninja Burger is exactly what it sounds like: a burger joint run by blackclad ninjas in their unique deadly ninja style. Their sworn enemies are the samurais from the evil Samurai Burger, the burger place next door. If this sounds familiar, it's probably because you saw the idea first at ninjaburger.com, which is definitely worth a look to get the gist of the premise.
The humour and enthusiasm that went into this game are quite high, and if you know what you're expected to do, you can have quite a bit of fun. There's lots of bloodless mayhem, wacky responses when you make progress, and creative ways to die. It's therefore very unfortunate that the game is also plagued by numerous coding errors and design mistakes typically made by a new TADS author. The author seems to realize this, and dutifully mocks his own coding abilities in a few places by way of apology. I did manage to complete the game in two days, but I spent far more time fighting the parser, butting my head against misleading messages, and trying to read the author's mind than I did fighting ninjas or samurais. Frustration sauce with your entertainment burger.
Rating: **
Reviewed by David Welbourn (25 Sep 2003)
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