By Nathan Grayson on September 24th, 2012 at 9:30 am.
Remember that moment in Batman: Arkham [Batplace] when you figured out you could perch atop a gargoyle and just mess with people? Confuse them, terrify them, boil them, mash them, stick them in a stew, etc? Well, Mark of the Ninja‘s a lot like that, except with more weapons of mass distraction and in 2D. Also, there are swords. It is, in other words, among the better stealth games to skulk out of the shadows in a long while, and – as many suspected – it’s officially headed to PC. Details on when, where, and what that suspicious sound you just heard was are after the break.
Steam! Mark of the Ninja will be leaving its mark on Steam, and its mark just so happens to be a videogame. Having dealt with a variety of other ninjas, I’m fairly thankful for that. It’ll be out on October 16th for $14.99.
Encouragingly, Klei seems very dedicated to doing this port up in proper fashion. Lead designer Nels Anderson told me that Klei’s currently tweaking mouse-and-keyboard controls until they’re just so, and he also noted that Games For Windows Live absolutely, positively won’t be involved in any way, shape, or form.
“I’m primarily a PC person myself, and I’m not okay in any way with this feeling like a shoddy port,” said Anderson. “It’s my intention that this is a full, proper version of the game in its own right.”
I’ll be speaking with Anderson at length a bit later this week, and I’ve gotten some hands-on time with an early build, so expect tons more soon.
Oh, right, the weird sound you heard earlier. Yeah, it was absolutely a ninja. You’re dead now. Sorry about that.
24/09/2012 at 09:41 B4GG says:
Extremely excited about this coming to PC and it not being a shoddy port :D
24/09/2012 at 09:43 AmateurScience says:
What’s taters precious?
24/09/2012 at 09:49 Simes says:
This is a great game, I loved it on 360. Good that it’s getting proper porting treatment.
24/09/2012 at 12:02 Henke says:
Indeed. I played through the 360 version over the weekend, doing a NG+ run now using the Path of Silence style. It might well be my favourite 2012 game so far. :D
24/09/2012 at 13:45 Justin Keverne says:
I’ve been playing with the Path of the Mark and it reminds me of Dishonored.
24/09/2012 at 15:27 karthink says:
It reminds you of a game that isn’t out?
24/09/2012 at 15:48 Justin Keverne says:
“Reminds” was a bad word choice. I was hoping nobody would call me on that… I should have known better around these parts. :P
24/09/2012 at 19:43 Henke says:
I know what you mean. When that teleportation ability was introduced it immediately made me think of the “Blink” ability seen in the Dishonored videos.
24/09/2012 at 09:53 merc-ai says:
YES!
October will become even greater for fans of stealth games now.
24/09/2012 at 09:54 caddyB says:
In before steam comments.
24/09/2012 at 10:07 VelvetFistIronGlove says:
Your comment is a valuable addition to the intelligent discussion in this thread, and I thank you.
Back to the topic: Mark of the Ninja is very, very good. I’ve been playing and replaying it rather compulsively all week on the 360. Its levels aren’t *quite* freeform enough for my tastes, but there are many different ways to ghost past, distract, or sneakily slaughter the enemies. It’s the best thing I’ve played on the 360 in the last year.
24/09/2012 at 10:32 Justin Keverne says:
If Steam mean it keeps the Achievements and their names then I’m all for it. Who wouldn’t want to earn Achievements named “The Dark Project” or “No One Lives Forever”? :)
After finishing and spending some time with New Game+ I’m a little less effusive about it than I was but it’s still a very good game and certainly one of the best I’ve played in recent memory. It never quite reaches the level of “Thief in 2D” that it felt like it was heading toward in some of the middle levels, but it remains consistently challenging and rewarding. Certainly worth playing.
I do hope some of the minor glitches in Secondary Objectives and Achievements are fixed for the PC release. I managed to get an Achievement for killing a specific person by accidentally killing myself in the same level. Heh.
24/09/2012 at 16:59 Dances to Podcasts says:
No One Lives Forever? Now I’m obliged to get it. Bastards!
24/09/2012 at 10:51 caddyB says:
My comment is as useful and intelligent as most of the steam related comments in this website, which is to say none at all.
24/09/2012 at 12:48 Sheng-ji says:
What steam comments? There is only yours.
24/09/2012 at 15:20 Shooop says:
He said “on the site.”
There’s been comments on other games that are sold on Steam either doing nothing but praising or bashing it and therefore being utterly devoid of any purpose. This article’s turned into a rare exception.
24/09/2012 at 10:03 LennyLeonardo says:
Oh boy, this is a great game. One of the better stealth games of late. Get it!
My only reservation is that it turned out not to be about a ninja called Mark.
24/09/2012 at 10:34 Justin Keverne says:
Isn’t it? I don’t remember ever being told his name. Maybe it’s the best pun title of all time… OF ALL TIME!
… Probably not.
24/09/2012 at 10:26 Cytrom says:
Sold.
24/09/2012 at 10:58 DickSocrates says:
That was quick, I was expecting it some time next year. After all the gushing hype they gave it at GiantBomb I’m definitely going to pick it up. From the virtual Steam shelf.
24/09/2012 at 11:53 Hilden2000 says:
Great success!!
24/09/2012 at 12:21 Buemba says:
Very curious to see how they’ll rework the controls to m&k. The game feels pretty much perfect on the 360 gamepad (and I’m sure that’ll be an option on the PC), but if they nail the new control method that may be enough for me to replay it.
Personally I hope they rebuild the whole game into a text adventure the way it is in the game’s website.
24/09/2012 at 12:27 Suits says:
Needless to say, it’ll be better to use a pad for this, just like Shank.
24/09/2012 at 12:29 Arehandoro says:
I want it for yesterday.
24/09/2012 at 12:42 ocelot113 says:
Thank god, really didn’t want to buy this on Xbox
24/09/2012 at 13:12 Axyl says:
“I’m primarily a PC person myself, and I’m not okay in any way with this feeling like a shoddy port,” said Anderson. “It’s my intention that this is a full, proper version of the game in its own right.”
Thank god. <3 :D
Klei can consider me a guaranteed sale.
24/09/2012 at 13:46 BreadBitten says:
A Resounding ‘YES’ from me! I’ll be willing to purchase this game twice if it also came to PSN…!
24/09/2012 at 15:19 Shooop says:
Couldn’t care less about the Steam bit, but excellent news there’s no GFWL.
The previews look great. I’ll definitely be trying this.
24/09/2012 at 15:49 QualityJeverage says:
Played it on the 360 and it’s one of my favourite games of the year. Will buy again on Steam.
24/09/2012 at 16:50 Kein says:
ALL OF MY YES.
WILL BUY IN THE DAY OF A RELEASE.
24/09/2012 at 19:32 Tomba says:
Hooray!
Not the best of timing with XCOM & Dishonored being out at that time. Might be a Steam or bundle sale for me, but a sale for sure!
24/09/2012 at 20:19 RichieJohn says:
So excited to play this. I nearly bought it on XBLA the other day.
I’d much rather play this on my laptop.