Ninja Gaiden 2 Black review - A slick and stylish slash from the past

With Ninja Gaiden 2 Black, Koei Tecmo's beloved ninja action series is back in the mainstream spotlight. Akin to the 2005 game Ninja Gaiden Black, this is an enhanced version of the original Ninja Gaiden 2 game first released for the Xbox 360 in 2008. Protagonist Ryu Hayabusa returns to wow modern audiences with a retro throwback replete with its signature high-difficulty, all gift-wrapped in shiny new visuals.

Is this new rendition worth a revisit for longtime fans, and most importantly, will newcomers be able to keep up with the hardcore, tough-as-nails gameplay? Get these questions and more answered in our full review of Ninja Gaiden 2 Black.

Ninja Gaiden 2 Black takes the sleek and gore of the beloved sequel to new heights

Storywise, nothing has changed from past entries. Set after the events of the original, Ryu Hayabusa, a lethal ninja and a descendant of the Dragon Ninja family, must traverse the world to keep the demonic Fiends from resurrecting the terrifying Archfiend. Since the animation data of the Xbox 360 game has carried over as well as the general tone of humor, it's refreshing to enjoy a campy blast from the past.

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That said, Black is not the first Ninja Gaiden 2 re-release. That would be Ninja Gaiden 2 Sigma, which this full-blown remaster Is based on. In other words, much of the design changes and balancing in Ninja Gaiden 2 Black are derived from Sigma — for better or worse. Before we dive into that, however, let's take a look at the most obvious change: the visuals.

The visuals of Ninja Gaiden 2 Black shine the best during cutscenes (Image via Koei Tecmo)

Built atop Unreal Engine 5, this new take on Ninja Gaiden 2 is gorgeous and might be the best-looking Koei Tecmo game yet. Every level and character from the original that has been faithfully represented here is rendered with impeccable detail, from Ryu's ninja attire to the varied particle effects as he moves swiftly around the areas chopping up foes.

After all, that is the gist of Ninja Gaiden 2 Black — taking on multiple deadly foes at once and coming out on top after engaging in a dance of blades and blood across levels; from lush mountainsides and the undersides of New York City to the underworld. Enemy AI is super aggressive, and unlike other character action games such as Devil May Cry or Bayonetta, will leave no breathing room for the player.

Do not underestimate the foes in Ninja Gaiden 2 Black (Image via Koei Tecmo)

This, on top of the multiple enemies targeting Ryu in any given encounter, is what largely contributes to the game's difficulty. Now, this is my first time with a Ninja Gaiden game and while the challenge has me on my toes at all times, I have no complaints as the gameplay is tough but fair. Players must learn all of Ryu's moves and weapons and have pixel-perfect reaction times.

With a variety of weapons obtained across the campaign, players have ample choice — and I found myself partial to the Lunar Staff obtained early on. Ryu can also block and dodge, two key parts of his arsenal to keep foes from swarming him, and they will need some time to adjust. Additional mechanics such as Ninpo magic spells, Ultimate moves, and secondary ranged firearms keep the experience fresh.

Ryu can even traverse on water with ease in Ninja Gaiden 2 Black (Image via Koei Tecmo)

That said, not everything that has made it over is for the better. The camera especially can be problematic during many scenarios, like boss fights and closed arenas. This is frustrating given the high level of difficulty of the game; a single mistake will cost players a chunk of their health bar, even from simple mobs. Healing and other consumables are rare and costly to purchase at vendors.

Thankfully, off-the-beaten-path exploration of linear levels can net players these rewards and even rarer ones like health upgrades. This is key to facing several unique and exciting boss fights to challenge across the levels.

What's here and what's missing?

Enemies can lurk around corners, ready to strike in Ninja Gaiden 2 Black (Image via Koei Tecmo)

Of course, this isn't to dissuade newcomers from checking the game out. While this is by all means a tough game, it is not impossible. The Normal difficulty is challenging but manageable enough for most players to see through all Chapters of the game. However, there is a new "Easy" mode labeled Hero Play Style on top of the other existing difficulty modes.

Whenever Ryu's health enters the low threshold, a Hero Gauge appears beneath the health bar. During this period (or when health is restored), the protagonist will auto-block and auto-evade enemy attacks. This is a great way of letting casual gamers experience the raw challenge of Ninja Gaiden 2 Black without compromising on the fundamental difficulty of the experience — which is what the series is known for at the end of the day.

Unfortunately, not every change is as welcome. Since this remaster is derived from the Sigma version, the enemy count is lower than the original. This may be a blessing for many players due to how aggressive foes are throughout the game. Furthermore, while there are levels with the three Dead Or Alive characters Momiji, Ayane, and Rachel, extra content is missing from past releases, including DLC costumes, modes like Ninja Race and solo side-missions, and even two bosses.

Graphics, performance, and sound

You win some, you lose some when it comes to this port (Image via Koei Tecmo)

As mentioned before, Ninja Gaiden 2 Black is an Unreal Engine 5 game. While that equates to solid visuals, replete with graphical innovations such as Lumen and raytracing, the same cannot be said for performance. 120 FPS is off the table for all but the absolute cutting-edge PC tech, and that too with DLSS

This is somewhat shocking since this is an Xbox 360 title at its core, despite the modern bells and whistles. In fact, the performance was far worse at launch but has since largely been patched by the studio. As for sound, both Japanese and English voices are here; and the soundtrack remains as urgent and thrilling as ever.

In conclusion

Battle powerful bosses across the campaign (Image via Koei Tecmo)

Ninja Gaiden Black 2 is a commendable remaster of a beloved classic that manages to successfully translate much of what makes it great in the first place. While the challenge will be jarring for newcomers at first, those who manage to adapt to it will find a thrilling hack & slash game.

Yes, it does have issues in the form of camera woes, underwhelming performance, and missing content. However, these are minor gripes against one of the most polished action games of the past decade. In summation, Ninja Gaiden 2 Black is an absolute must-buy for those looking to quench their virtual bloodthirst.