Raw Data Hero Spotlight: Saija, the Cyber Ninja

July 15, 2016

Hello, and welcome to the second Raw Data hero spotlight! In this series, we’ll give you insight into how SyndiK8’s top operatives utilize nanotechnology to gain enhanced abilities, both through their weapons and with their minds.

Raw Data’s Early Access build comes with two SyndiK8 heroes: Bishop and Saija. We went over Bishop’s loadout and development last week. Today, it’s time to meet Saija, the Cyber Ninja.

Saija is the second of two starting heroes in Raw Data (more to come!) and is our melee-oriented player character. When you hear the word ninja, what usually comes to mind? Shadows, stealthiness, lightning-fast reflexes?

Well, Saija definitely has the latter, but as for the former–she’s a bit more in-your-face than the typical ninja trope. That’s thanks to her discipline of telekinetic Ninjutsu, an ideal marriage of enhanced physical prowess with well-honed psychic abilities.

 

In a Flash

The core of Saija’s loadout is the fan favorite Flash Blade, a futuristic energy katana that uses a contained energy beam to slice through robots like butter. It can always be found behind your back, reachable over your shoulder, and can be wielded with one or both hands. Holding with both hands will activate the supercharged blade, which gives tons of extra damage to each swing.

The katana’s power is derived from you–the harder you swing, the more damage you’ll do when it connects. No wimpy sword waggling allowed here!

 

Return to Sender

The Flash Blade is much more versatile than it initially appears: the energy blade deflects as well as slices and dices. In addition to charging the blade, holding it with both hands will also activate Bullet Counter, which greatly magnifies its deflection accuracy and precision.

When you feel surrounded, this is an effective way to protect yourself and send your enemies’ projectiles back at them in a deadly reversal of fortune. However, this is strictly situational; you’ll soon learn why keeping one hand free is crucial to play Saija.

As you rack up the mission accomplishments, Saija will unlock her Shuriken Stream, fired from whatever arm isn’t holding her Flash Blade (shown here in combo with Katana Throw).

A quick squeeze-and-hold of the Trigger will unleash a brief onslaught of ethereal ninja stars that will tear apart whatever enemy is unfortunate enough to be in its path.

 

Free Your Mind

What makes Saija so much more than a typical melee class isn’t just her crazy beam sword. Her psychic abilities manifest themselves in multiple effective methods of literally get enemies off your back.

For example, when Hornet Drones or hordes of enemies appear, Saija’s Flash Blade doubles as a ranged weapon–albeit one you guide with your mind. Katana Throw transforms it into a sharp spinning boomerang with a controllable flight path.

Make a throwing gesture and release the Grip buttons, then wave your hand to direct it–you’ll send your sword hurtling through enemies, cutting them up both going and returning. The angle of your throw also defines the angle of the spinning blade, allowing you to cut through many enemies horizontally, or vanquishing a foe from head to foot with a well-placed vertical sword toss.

But her powers aren’t limited to her weapon: Saija also focuses her powers to turn her enemies into her weapons. Unlocked through game progression, Gravity Thrust gives you perspective on the gravity of the situation, in that you can manipulate it to throw enemies around like ragdolls.

Despite its name, Gravity Thrust works in all directions: sure, you can knock enemies backwards (and hopefully off a walkway or into another robot), but you can also toss them sideways and–if you want to execute a coup de grâce–pull them toward you onto your Flash Blade.

Or you can always throw it at them, too:

Let’s Break It Down!

In the current Early Access build, Saija has one Ultimate, and to give you an idea of how it works, all we have to say is this: Everybody get up, it’s time to slam now!

Levitation Smash is the pinnacle of Saija’s gravity-manipulation prowess. You’ll rise up and float above the battlefield, and just when you’re enjoying the view (of several pairs of robot eyes goggling at you), it’s time to return to Earth. With a devastating area-of-effect energy blast.

Yes, this even deals a hefty blow to the super-heavy Dynomo robots. Save it up and unleash it when you’re surrounded–your enemies will be blown away faster than you can shout, “Welcome to the jam!”

 

Puppetmaster

Coming up in a future content patch, Saija’s second Ultimate is the aptly-named Telekinesis. Think of it as the much more powerful big brother of Gravity Thrust, because instead of just a blast of directed gravity, you can actually pick up an enemy of your choice and jettison them into the crowd like a rocket.

Usable at a great distance, your victim is completely at your mercy. Throw it into other enemies? Sure. Slam it down on the ground from an absurd height? Of course. Hurl it off the side into oblivion? Aww yeah.

When you’re thinking NOPE, Telekinesis will be your go-to.

 

Perfect Harmony

While Saija is initially more difficult to play, she soon lives up to her SyndiK8 operative classification as a lethal ninja assassin. The key to her effectiveness is to not be afraid to get close to enemies: Teledash to get within melee range, then quickly escape and activate ranged abilities. Hit ‘em quick, get out fast!

And like with Bishop, special ability combos are crucial for those big multi-enemy kills:

• Gravity Thrust + Katana Throw: blast enemies away from you, then finish them off with a well-directed boomerang
• Katana Throw + Shuriken Stream: a deadly duo of bladed ranged projectiles that can take out Hornet Drones and thin out large enemy groups
• Gravity Thrust + Teledash + Levitation Smash: knock them back, rush up, and slam down for a double dose of heavy AOE damage

You’ll soon be pulling off satisfying superhuman results that’ll leave you going, “Gun? Who needs a gun?”

Next in our Raw Data hero spotlight series: a look at Saija’s inspiration and design development, and a sneak peek at the upcoming shotgun-toting Street Merc (still in SyndiK8 operative training).