Ninja Gaiden 2 Black

The return of the Ninja Gaiden franchise was the big surprise of the recent Xbox Developer_Direct. Not only was the next mainline entry, Ninja Gaiden 4, announced, but a remaster of Ninja Gaiden 2 was also released. So what is this new edition?

The Ninja Gaiden franchise from Koei Tecmo and Team Ninja has been dormant for a long time. more than 7.5 million units of the franchise have been sold to date. 2012 saw the release of Ninja Gaiden 3: Razor's Edge, the final instalment in the main series, while Ninja Gaiden 2 (2008) is still considered one of the best character action games of its time. Fumihiko Yasuda, Head of Team Ninja and Producer of Ninja Gaiden 4 at Koei Tecmo Games, told Xbox Wire about the new remaster called Ninja Gaiden 2 Black: "This version is crafted to satisfy both those who played the original and newcomers discovering it as a current-generation action game. We've meticulously incorporated some of the additions of Ninja Gaiden Sigma 2 while staying true to the challenge and feel of the original 360 version, including its signature gore and violence. We've also adjusted the weapon upgrade system to more align with the original release." In addition, fan feedback from Ninja Gaiden Master Collection (2021) has also led to this remaster.

Ninja Gaiden 2 Black is basically a mix of Ninja Gaiden 2 and Ninja Gaiden Sigma 2. The original game was released in 2008 exclusively for Xbox 360, but not in Germany as Microsoft decided not to release it because the USK refused to give it an age rating due to the blood and gore in the game. A year later, Ninja Gaiden Sigma 2 was released for PlayStation 3. This Sigma edition was an enhanced, but also modified edition, in which, for example, the depiction of violence was significantly reduced - and so it was released in Germany. There were fewer enemies in the game, but they were stronger. New playable characters (Ayane, Momiji, Rachel) and bosses were added, while many other elements were adapted. The Black Edition somehow tries to combine elements of both titles.

The new remaster has more enemies than the Sigma version, but not as many as the original. The old weapon upgrade system has returned, and the bloody and gory dismemberment effects are back at the original level, but that can be changed in the options. Additional characters from Sigma are included, while some changes have been made to the boss fights: the two statue bosses (Giant Buddha Statue: Hatensoku and the Statue of Liberty) have been removed, but the Dark Dragon has been reintroduced. Online features such as ranking and co-op play are not available, 35 team/tag missions can be played with an NPC. Ninja Race Mode and Ninja Cinema have also been removed. These omissions are forgivable, however. Hardcore fans would have preferred more Ninja Gaiden 2 than Sigma, but the action in Ninja Gaiden 2 Black is still inimitably fast, brutal, powerful and challenging, with a variety of techniques and weapons including Japanese swords, shuriken, kusarigama and tonfa. And the remaster adds the Hero Play Style mode for beginners, which provides automatic assistance in difficult situations, making this notoriously difficult game more accessible.

This remaster, so elaborate in places that remake would be more accurate, is based on Unreal Engine 5. Pretty much everything from the character visuals to all stages, effects, environmental backgrounds and lighting have been completely redesigned. The fact that the level design is sometimes a little bare underlines the fact that this is a remaster rather than a remake, but the visual upgrade itself is impressive. Even the customisation options, including framerate locks and upscaling support, are decent on PC and consoles, but there are some performance issues (even with the previous shader compilation) and ray tracing seems to need improvement in some places. It seems that Ninja Gaiden 2 Black is running on Sigma 2, according to game programmer and designer Koenji: "Ninja Gaiden 2 Black (NG2B) is running a modified version of Ninja Gaiden Sigma 2 (NGS2) under the hood. It only uses Unreal Engine to render visuals."

For publisher Koei Tecmo, Ninja Gaiden 2 Black kicks off the 'Year of the Ninja' and the revival of its famous brand, with Ninja Gaiden 4 due for release later this year. While Ninja Gaiden 2 is over 15 years old, Ninja Gaiden 2 Black will allow new players to experience the high-speed ninja combat. Speaking of Ninja Gaiden 4. The game is being developed by Team Ninja in partnership with PlatinumGames and published by Xbox Game Studios Publishing. It is scheduled for release in autumn 2025 on PC, PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S. Set in a near-futuristic Tokyo, the fourth instalment of the ninja action-adventure series introduces an all-new protagonist in Yakumo, a young ninja prodigy whose destiny is intertwined with that of Ryu Hayabusa himself. "Prepare for a legacy reborn with exhilarating style and thrilling action for a new generation of players," Koei Tecmo promises. After all, Xbox boss Phil Spencer hinted in an interview that the Ninja Gaiden 4 project had begun six or seven years ago.

Ninja Gaiden 2 Black was released digitally on 23 January 2025 for PC, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S and Game Pass. The game features Japanese and English voices with text in English, French, German, Spanish and Italian. In Germany the game is rated 18+.

Conclusion

This highly elaborate remaster modernises the spectacular high-speed ninja fighting for a new generation. As the "definitive edition", it combines the content of both Ninja Gaiden 2 and Ninja Gaiden Sigma 2, but still has some minor technical issues.

Features

• Very significant visual overhaul
• Just as bloody and groy as the original (can be turned off)
• Unique combat feel, including a beginner option