>>712753520
>The fact that NG2 is an offense-based game is already an upgrade over NG1 being defense-based
Funny how you say I don't understand "it at all" when clearly you don't. What makes NG2 more offensive based? What does it specifically have that NG1 doesn't? Nothing. Both games are filled with strong offensive and mobile tools and tons of i-frames on attacks.
In NG1 your defense is stronger but that does NOT mean you can just sit back all day, grabs are deadly and will fuck you up and that's a big part of what makes ninja gaiden what it is. NG1 is capable of making a small room with 3 enemies very dangerous if you don't know how to use your tools right. NG2 just makes offense extremely easy because you have much bigger spaces to work with generally and UT is much more powerful.
>even in your own post you claim that NG2's weapons are a "big step up"
They are but if the enemies aren't interesting enough to fight then the weapon movesets don't really get as much use. 3RE was much better at building the movesets and the enemies to work together, that's why the movesets feel better because nearly every attack and string has a deliberate purpose.