Inspired by the 1980s Ninja Gaiden series for the Nintendo Entertainment System (NES), the 2004 version was originally set in a re-imagined game world based on another Team Ninja creation, the Dead or Alive (DOA) series of fighting games. However, interviews with Tomonobu Itagaki indicate that the Xbox games are standalone prequels to the NES series and that both possibly share a single continuity.[18][19][20] Ninja Gaiden is set in the game world of the Dead or Alive series.[21] Located mainly in Japan and the fictional Western Asian nation of the Vigoor Empire, the game draws on Heian period structures for its Japanese locales—a ninja fortress and village set in the mountains. In contrast the Vigoor Empire, with its capital city of Tairon, is a blend of architectural types from around the world.[14] European-style buildings and the monastery in Tairon exhibits Gothic influences with a vaulted hall, pointed arches, and large stained glass windows. A hidden underground level features statues with the heads of cats, walls covered with carvings, hieroglyphics, Aztec pyramid and a labyrinth.[22] This mix of styles was the result of Itagaki's refusal to constrain the game's creative process.[21]Ninja Gaiden's story spans 16 chapters, each beginning and ending with a cutscene.
