Ninja Gaiden 2 Black [PlayStation 5] | REVIEW

Ninja Gaiden 2 was absolutely brilliant, blending together lightning-fast combat with ruthless difficulty and relentless action, and there’s no doubting that it easily stands out as the best entry in the Ninja Gaiden series. And now, almost 17-years on from its original release, it takes a fresh and revamped form in Ninja Gaiden 2 Black, revitalising the brutal adventure with a visual overhaul and a silky-smooth performance that makes it feel better than ever to play.

Check out some screenshots down below:

Ninja Gaiden 2 follows Ryu Hayabusa as he travels the world, battling the Black Spider Clan after they attacked his home village to steal the Demon Statue that the Hayabusa clan had been tasked with protecting. It’s up to Ryu to get it back… and yeah, that’s about it. Listen, Ninja Gaiden titles have never been about gripping storytelling, and whilst I enjoyed its world and love the over-the-top characters, the narrative never goes deeper than a few quick quips leading into insane battles. And that’s completely fine, because if anything, the streamlined approach to storytelling complements the manic nature of the game’s combat.

At its core, Ninja Gaiden 2 really is all about the combat. Fast, stylish, and brutally difficult, it demands precise execution and quick reflexes, with players having to learns the ins-and-outs of Ryu’s skillset to better their foes. You’ll need to master each combo, weapon, and special ability if you hope to conquer your enemies, whilst blocking, dodging, and parrying attacks with pinpoint timing makes the difference between life and death. It can be a very, VERY tough experience, but combat is so wonderfully executed that it’s hard not to find yourself completely hooked in. Each success feels like it means something, and whilst you’ll die a lot, it’ll never deter you from trying to get better.

This is never more apparent than in the boss battles, which offer brilliant over-the-top showdowns that will really push your skills to their limit. You’ll have to learn the attack patterns of each boss and identify their weaknesses, but also work out what moves or weapons are the most effective to deal with them. Many hack-and-slash games can become button-mashing affairs, but Ninja Gaiden 2 Black demands strategic thinking, careful timing, and a lot of skill to see you succeed. It might sound intimidating, but honestly, it’s one of its greatest strengths.

“Ninja Gaiden 2 Black is a phenomenal remaster that successfully restores the best entry in the series whilst making it more gorgeous than ever… you know… in that limb-slicing, blood shooting everywhere kind of way.”

It is worth noting that some refinements have been made to Ninja Gaiden 2 Black to make it a little less intense than the original game, with healing items and save points more generously placed to give players an easier time. There’s also a newly added Hero Mode, which makes the game more accessible to newcomers by reducing the difficulty and providing automatic defensive manoeuvres when Ryu is in danger. It won’t be for everyone, but making the game more accessible to a wider audience of players can only be seen as a good thing – especially with the fourth release in the series hitting later this year.

I’ve been left impressed at just how well Ninja Gaiden 2 Black holds up, with its action-packed gameplay easily rivalling modern releases in the genre with its excellent combat. There is one aspect of the game that hasn’t aged that well though: the camera. It struggles to keep up with the manic nature of the game a lot of the time and keeping track of your position can be tough – especially when dealing with multiple enemies at once – whilst the more confined locales can see it struggling to frame the action. It’s something you get used to the longer you play and it feels less problematic in some areas than others, but it is one of the rougher edges of this remastered release.

One of the things that really did impress me was just how good Ninja Gaiden 2 Black looks. The upgrade to Unreal Engine 5 really elevates the visuals of the game, with stunningly detailed character and enemy models, slick animations that always look fluid in motion, and environments that are rich with intricacies that make each locale you battle through stand out in the midst of the action. The enhanced lighting effects add to the atmosphere, whilst the improved textures really help make the game feel like it belongs in 2025. Add to that the impressive frame rate (which can go up to 120fps), and you’ll quickly find that the visual upgrade is one of the best new features of Ninja Gaiden 2 Black.

Oh, and it’s INCREDIBLY gruesome too, with blood, limbs, and gore aplenty as you slice and dice your way through enemies. It’s glorious, but certainly not for the faint-hearted.

Check out some screenshots down below:

There are three additional characters to play as here too, with Ayane, Momiji, and Rachel bringing their varied playstyles to the fray, so there are some cool extras outside of the visual upgrade. However, Whilst Ninja Gaiden 2 Black really does have a lot going for it, there are some omissions to the package that do feel a little strange. Some of the unlockable costumes and game modes are missing, whilst it also has the reduced enemy count seen in the previous re-release, Ninja Gaiden 2 Sigma (which was panned by fans for the changes it made). Maybe some of the omissions will be rectified down the line (a patch has been announced that will bring additional features to the game), but for now, it feels like a peculiar choice by Koei Tecmo, especially since it looks to deliver the definitive experience here.

Developer: Koei Tecmo, Team Ninja
Publisher: Koei Tecmo
Platform(s): PlayStation 5 (Reviewed), Xbox Series X|S, PC
Website: https://teamninja-studio.com/ng2black/uk/