Ninja Gaiden 2 Black review

• Available on PS5, Xbox Series X/S and PC
• Released on 23 January 2025
• Developed by Team Ninja

It’s a good time to be a fan of character action games. Not only is Ninja Gaiden 4 officially on the horizon, but Ninja Gaiden 2 Black has stealth-dropped as a remaster, giving fans a modern way to revisit one of the series’ most iconic entries. With upgraded visuals thanks to Unreal Engine 5, it looks fantastic, and the combat remains as brutal and satisfying as ever.

At its core, this is still the same game you remember: more specifically, it’s based on Ninja Gaiden 2 Sigma. That means fewer enemies per encounter but with tougher health pools, and a few extra missions thrown in where you briefly take control of characters like Momiji, Ayane, and Rachel. Some purists might grumble at the changes, but what’s here still packs a punch.

You’ll spend most of the game as Ryu Hayabusa, cutting through waves of rival ninja, demons, and otherworldly creatures across a globe-spanning journey. The combat is fast, fluid, and demanding. You can’t afford to get sloppy. Enemies will punish you hard for mistimed dodges, and when they’re injured, they’ll sometimes self-destruct to take you down with them.

To survive, movement is key. You need to keep dancing around your enemies, chipping away at limbs until you can land a flashy execution. It’s a bloody, over-the-top affair, but it never loses its edge. The spectacle of slicing through a crowd and leaving behind a battlefield littered with body parts is oddly graceful, in that stylish, action-game way.

The arsenal at your disposal helps keep things interesting. Ryu starts with a katana but quickly gains access to a wide range of weapons, including dual swords, tonfas, massive two-handers, and the vicious Vigoorian Flail. Each has its own rhythm, and you can upgrade them to unlock new moves. Add in shuriken, a bow, and a selection of powerful spells, and you have a combat system that rewards experimentation and skill.

There are a few stumbles, though. The camera, for instance, remains a nuisance. It struggles to keep up during tight fights and cramped arenas, often forcing you to wrestle with it mid-combat. The added stages with the secondary characters are also underwhelming, offering less satisfying combat and a noticeable drop in pace. And on higher difficulties, the game sometimes feels cheap rather than just challenging.

Still, there’s no denying how well Ninja Gaiden 2 Black holds up. It might not fix all of the original’s flaws, but it brings one of the genre’s most iconic titles back into the spotlight with a stunning visual overhaul. For newcomers curious about the series or longtime fans eager to test their reflexes once again, this remaster delivers a sharp, stylish dose of nostalgia.