Review of Ninja Gaiden 2 Black

As you near the climax of Ninja Gaiden 2 Black, there’s this monumental scene where you revisit the first level of the original Ninja Gaiden, but in reverse. I remember that stage vividly; it’s ingrained in my memory from the countless hours spent replaying a demo disk two decades ago. I had mastered every move until I could defeat Murai, the initial boss, without a scratch. Although the remake doesn’t take you all the way back to the start, the level’s transformation over time is apparent — it’s now a shadow of its former self, worn down and decaying. This subtle decay is a nod to the passage of time and the events of the first game, though it’s never expressly acknowledged in the game. Ryu doesn’t comment on it, and the camera doesn’t spotlight it. It’s a rare moment of subtlety for Ninja Gaiden. Yet, as I dashed through these old familiar grounds, I couldn’t help but smile. Just like the overall remake, while it may not be the same as before, the thrill of slicing through enemies remains as satisfying as ever.

This instance encapsulates the essence of Ninja Gaiden 2 Black, an Unreal Engine 5-based remake of the legendary 2008 Ninja Gaiden 2 from the Xbox 360 era. Meant to be the ultimate version of Ninja Gaiden 2, Ninja Gaiden 2 Black promises stunning visuals paired with rebalanced gameplay. However, while the remake excels visually — and mind you, it seriously elevates an already top-tier action game — it doesn’t fully embody the definitive edition its “Black” tag suggests. Much like Ryu’s blades, this remake is a double-edged sword, with its changes yielding both gains and losses.

Before exploring what Ninja Gaiden 2 Black falls short of, let’s celebrate what it achieves. The game, what I like to call an Action Jackson, prioritizes fierce, relentless combat above all else. Similar to its predecessors, this version sets itself a year after the Xbox reboot of Ninja Gaiden. This time around, Ryu Hayabusa, the indomitable Dragon Ninja, is up against the Black Spider Ninja Clan and Greater Fiends, who are hell-bent on resurrecting the Archfiend. While the plot serves as a backdrop for globe-trotting, meeting bizarre creatures, ninjas, and Fiends to dismember, it doesn’t delve deeply into story-driven territories.

Yet, it’s surprisingly entertaining. Greater Fiends, voiced by Steve Blum, are quoting Shakespeare at you. You take on a thunderous foe atop the Statue of Liberty. Volf, a colossal four-armed werewolf, challenges you to a duel in Venice’s colosseum filled with more werewolves, all while theatrically announcing the fight. It’s the epitome of campy fun.

But, we all know why we’re really here: it’s all about the combat. Ninja Gaiden 2 Black delivers on this front with gusto. The gameplay lets you dismember your enemies, tearing off limbs and heads, and leaving opponents wide open for instant execution if they’re still dragging themselves on the battlefield.

Injured enemies, however, are even more lethal. These adversaries don’t hesitate to sacrifice themselves for the chance to take you down. Unlike the stylistic combat in games like Devil May Cry or Bayonetta, Ninja Gaiden focuses on survival. Enemies won’t patiently wait for you to strike first; they are aggressive and have personal vendettas against you, fighting relentlessly.

Despite this, Ryu Hayabusa is an exceptional combatant. By campaign’s end, you’ll wield nine melee weapons, three ranged weapons, and four specialized Ninpo spells, each with distinct moves and combos. The real thrill? Pulling off moves like the Flying Swallow or the mighty Izuna Drop that make foes’ heads explode as they hit the ground.

Ryu controls similarly to a fighting game character, with intricate move sets, combo chains, blocking, and evasion abilities. Each weapon even has its own counterattacks, allowing you to switch from defensive to offensive maneuvers seamlessly. As a ninja, Ryu can scale walls, jump from enemy heads, and hurl adversaries across the screen effortlessly.

Modern action games might rely on parries or invincibility frames, but Ninja Gaiden 2 Black is all about positioning and aggressive tactics. Constant motion, strategizing your next offensive, and focusing on the most significant threats, whether it’s a sneaky foe looking to stab you or a colossal monstrous werewolf trying to devour you, are key.

At its best, this game feels like you’re conducting a symphony of death, stringing together combos, dodging, countering, and charging up Ultimate Techniques that decimate entire rooms. Ryu stands out as the coolest character at any given moment, with enemies destroying themselves on your altar of combat. When things don’t go your way, however, you’ll find yourself dying quickly. Mastery of the game is essential to progress.

Yet, the game is more forgiving than it sounds. Save statues restore your health fully upon first use, and finishing encounters restores most of your health bar, though a red section signifies ongoing damage. You can use items to recover, and defeated enemies might drop health-restoring blue Essence. You’re never down for long.

As perfect as the combat system seems, it does have its glitches. Occasionally, the camera struggles with weird angles or tight spaces, though managing it and planning your battles usually mitigates this annoyance. The other main issue lies in boss fights. While some bosses, like Volf, offer a memorable challenge, others fall flat, turning into tedious bouts that lack engagement or depend on gimmicky strategies. Even exciting bosses can overstay their welcome through annoying repetition.

Exploring levels between battles yields health boosts, Ninpo enhancements, Essence, and Crystal Skulls (seriously, what was it with crystal skulls in 2008?). These bonuses bring the Unreal Engine 5 upgrades to life. Character designs shine, and the lighting and texture enhancements help these environments stand out. Platforming sections add a nice change of pace from the combat. Running up walls and executing bird flips in the clock tower is surprisingly satisfying.

Overall, Ninja Gaiden 2 Black is impressive, yet its main setback is its foundation on Ninja Gaiden Sigma 2 rather than the original 360 version from 2009. For those less familiar, Sigma 2 modified or replaced bosses, adjusted costumes and weapons, reconfigured levels, and introduced three characters with their own stories. This makes it drastically different. Team Ninja even provides a comparison chart detailing these differences.

Where Sigma 2 notably diverged is in the reduction of onscreen enemies, reducing hordes to a handful, particularly noticeable in iconic sequences like The Stairs. In trade-off, enemies in Ninja Gaiden 2 Black boast more health, prolonging combat. This compromise detracts from the combat’s fluidity, as fewer enemies crowd the battlegrounds and enemy resilience extends battles, especially against tougher foes like werewolves or Van Gelfs.

For my review, I played on the Normal difficulty setting, “Path of the Acolyte,” which was considered Easy on the original. Having revisited the original on its “Path of the Warrior” setting, even on a harder difficulty, the original offers a more exhilarating experience with brisker enemy takedowns and larger foes swarming the screen. The flow and rhythm feel more dynamic in the original Ninja Gaiden 2.

Other combat changes, such as enemies sometimes deflecting hits mid-combo or not responding predictably, also slightly mar the experience. These elements can feel inconsistent and detract from the precision players expect.

On a positive note, upgrades from the original return. The gore level is back, and instead of free upgrades at fixed points like in Sigma 2, you can wield Essence to purchase enhancements, confronting players with strategic decisions between upgrading or buying life-saving items.

While Ninja Gaiden 2 Black incorporates good Sigma 2 elements, like side levels with Rachel, Momiji, and Ayane, these new characters break from Ryu’s extensive repertoire, offering fresh gameplay though not reaching its depth. They are fun inclusions despite leaving room for story cohesion improvements.

Completing the game unlocks additional costumes, albeit fewer than Sigma 2 and some originals missing. For continued fun, Chapter Challenges and single-player versions of once-co-op missions add value, appealing even without online leaderboards. The return of Sigma 2’s Hero difficulty opens the door for newer or less dexterous players, ensuring they can enjoy the game’s spectacle.

The remake isn’t without minor hiccups; glitches like texture oddities or doors not opening offer an occasional chuckle but a reset can usually resolve them.

Thus, reflecting on Ninja Gaiden 2 Black, while it may not fully capture the original’s spirit, it provides a thrilling slice of nostalgia with jaw-dropping modern visuals and an intense combat thrill ride. A few stumbles aside, it stands as a testament to the enduring allure of the Ninja Gaiden universe.