Review: Ninja Gaiden 2 Black (Xbox)

Hearken back to the original Xbox lineup and one game you might remember is the notoriously difficult ‘exclusive’ Ninja Gaiden, leading to the ‘Black’ rework during the same generation. Now, decades on, Ninja Gaiden 2 Black follows in the footsteps of not only the Xbox 360 sequel but also the more recent Master Collection (featuring Sigma 2).

This Game Pass shadow drop is off the back of the announcement of Ninja Gaiden 4 and offers up an immediate look at this long-running series now powered by Unreal Engine 5. The refined graphics have been publicised as the main hook of this new version of 2 – with the entire game given a visual makeover, resulting in a stunning facelift. There are all sorts of graphical enhancements improving the stages, characters and lighting. You only need to look at the earlier versions of the second game to see just how much has been overhauled in this department.

Simply put, Ryu Hayabusa’s shift to UE5 is awesome. Even if some aspects of this classic are still a tad rough around the edges – like the game camera and difficulty spikes – this modern remaster now arguably feels like the most kick-ass way to play. And it really is a hell of a ride from start to finish – delivering plenty of hack-and-slash action, all sorts of boss battles, beautiful game environments, a variety of cinematic moments, and plenty of blood and dismemberment drawing from the original sequel release (and the option to toggle this off is there).

For anyone who hasn’t played this series before and is now maybe considering it, Ninja Gaiden 2 Black might just be the friendliest entry point – with not only fresh aesthetics, but five levels of difficulty like Sigma 2’s Master Collection version and Sigma 2 Plus. Subtle modern touches like balance adjustments (addressing combat balance such as damage and enemy placements) also make it feel a little less punishing. The general design, if you are a newcomer, is action mixed with ninja-style platforming. You go about this while learning all sorts of moves, unlocking and upgrading Ryu’s weapons (including blades, projectiles and ninja stars) which keep fights fun from start to finish.

One other area where Ninja Gaiden 2 may fall short for some ninja enthusiasts is the level design, which isn’t always the most thrilling. Fortunately, the more exciting action-orientated platforming segments and combat mixed in with this remains high-speed throughout, so performing extensive combos on enemies while launching Ryu off the nearest wall never gets old. And if you are new, don’t worry too much about the story – just enjoy the journey as Ryu goes about saving the day and killing lots of fiends.

Other playable characters like Momiji also return in story chapters (with the total amount of levels adding up to 17 chapters), Team/Tag Mission (with NPC) and Chapter Challenge have been revived, and there are other things factored in from existing versions of the game, like Sigma – but not necessarily everything makes a comeback. Additional bosses like the “Giant Buddha Statue: Hatensoku” and “The Statue of Liberty” don’t make the cut, although the Dark Dragon is in the newest version. Elsewhere, online features including ranking and co-op have been left out and modes like Ninja Race haven’t been added, either.

Apart from this, Team Ninja has confirmed a post-launch update including balance adjustments and additional features.

Conclusion
If you enjoy a solid action game, do not pass this up. Ninja Gaiden 2 Black is a must-play and some of the most fun you can have as the legendary Ryu Hayabusa – even if certain aspects of the design feel dated and select content is missing. This is a great way to kick off the 30th anniversary celebrations of developer Team Ninja. Now, bring on Ninja Gaiden 4!