Review | Ninja Gaiden 2 Black Remastered

A short review

I'm completely lost when it comes to the different Ninja Gaiden versions. If you are too, let me help clear things up a bit.

The Ninja Gaiden: Master Collection dropped in 2021, featuring the Sigma versions of the first two games in the series. Unfortunately, the source code for the Black version was lost.

Fast forward to January 23, 2025—during the Xbox Developer Direct, Ninja Gaiden 4 was revealed. Alongside that, Team Ninja and Koei Tecmo announced an Unreal Engine 5 remaster titled Ninja Gaiden 2 Black. It'll be available on PlayStation 5, Windows, Xbox Series X/S, and Xbox Game Pass. They're calling it "a definitive version" of Ninja Gaiden II—essentially, a spiritual follow-up to the original Ninja Gaiden Black.

This remaster, directed by Shuhei Sato, aims to recapture the feel of the original Ninja Gaiden II by bringing back its upgrade system and restoring its signature level of blood and dismemberment. The enemy count has been boosted (though not quite to the Xbox 360 version’s level).

Built on the Sigma 2 codebase, it retains most Sigma 2 features: playable Ayane, Rachel, and Momiji; revised enemy placements; additional costumes; Tag Missions; and the Black Dragon boss. However, some content didn't make the cut—like the Great Buddha and Statue of Liberty bosses, plus the "Ninja Race" mode. Sadly, the New Game Plus mode, "Test of Valor" challenges, Mission Mode DLC, and the Giant Death Worm boss fight (which were removed in Sigma 2) are still missing here.

But honestly? There’s still a lot to love. Don’t sweat the missing stuff. This remains one of the best fast-paced, action-oriented games out there, packed with slick moves and a level of satisfaction that Devil May Cry and similar action game fans will absolutely vibe with.

Visually, it looks great. You can play at 120 FPS, though I’m perfectly fine with the 60 FPS mode. HDR seems a bit off right now, but I’m sure they’ll fix it. The only real downside? The camera. Honestly, it’s the weakest part of the game—and probably of every other version, too.

If you don't fel in love with the game in the first couple of minutes, you probably won't at all. It's all about dismembering and conquering the challenge in front of you. Also, all boobs are big. All.

Story and the characters

Thankfully (or maybe not), this will be short: the story in this game sucks. It’s basically just filler between missions. You have to go to hell and back—like in every other game.

What’s actually interesting about Ninja Gaiden for me is that you get to play as Dead or Alive characters. I love that series, so playing as Ryu brought a big smile to my face back in the day. I played it on the Xbox 360 and went through the first two games. The third one? Meh, it just didn’t impress me.

Fighting demons, ninjas, and various bosses while chasing that sweet revenge was cool, but honestly, I don’t remember a single important thing from the story. The graphics are nice, though, and seeing everything again in this version definitely hits the nostalgia button. Even without the nostalgia, you’ll still be eyeing those villains and mentally preparing for each fight.

As for the different playable characters? They don’t add anything to the story. It’s all about beating levels—17 in total, though only 3 of them are with the girls.

It's lovey how some areas get hidden from plain sight. It's a good idea to explore, and it's always a good idea to upgrade the weapons you'll use through your playthrough. The rest is all about mastering the moves.

Game design, exploration

Ryu is a ninja—a damn good one. He comes armed with more than five main weapons, and his fighting style is fast as hell. It’s all about mastering combos, defending, and parrying whenever you can. Once you get the hang of it, you’ll definitely love the cinematic feel of flying limbs and blood splatter all around you.

If you’re new to the game, don’t worry. The early stages have great tutorials in the form of pickable corpse scrolls that explain the movesets. Since weapons share movesets, pulling off the combos shown in the tutorials is simple enough.

Every level is linear: start at the beginning, fight your way through, beat the boss at the end, and move on. You know the drill—it’s the same formula you’ll find in all Devil May Cry games and similar titles.

One thing I really enjoy is picking up new weapons and upgrades. When you’re not fighting, you can explore a bit and look for hidden items—it’ll definitely help. But honestly, that’s about it. Outside of extra challenges and higher difficulties, there’s not much more.

Still, don’t sweat it. The combat is so much fun that everything else just follows. If the combat doesn’t hook you, nothing else will.

And don’t worry—I’ll talk about the camera and platforming in a bit. I’m gonna need some energy for that.

Probably the worst aspect of the game is swiming underwater. Thankfully, you can run on the surface (Ryu, you dawg!). The game looks good, it also helps.

Combat

Easily the core of the game—playing as Ryu is a masterclass. It feels like a top-tier fighting game where every hit counts. You’ll often find yourself surrounded by multiple enemies (which happens a lot), and you’ll need to stay sharp or get wrecked fast. These enemies hit hard. One second you’re pulling off a slick combo; the next, you’re airborne while ninjas slice you up like pork. Honestly, there were times I felt proud of landing some clean combos—right up until I realized it was me flying through the air, not the enemies.

What really makes this game shine are the finishing moves and the insanely fast combat flow. Sure, there’s some button mashing—but not really. Every well-timed button press matters. Smashing buttons at random might get you past weaker enemies, but boss fights demand more. You’ll have to dodge, parry, and attack only when the moment’s right.

I love the variety of weapons. They add so much more than just two basic combo buttons. The game’s pacing gives you enough time to enjoy and master each weapon before you reach the end. If you’re feeling bold, you can crank up the difficulty—but honestly, I think I’m too old for that grind now. I love the game and wanted to replay it, but that’s it for me. Especially when we need to talk about the worst camera of this gaming generation...

Yeah, the camera. It follows you, shifts as you move, and loves getting stuck in narrow areas. During combat? Absolute nightmare. Half the time, you can’t see what’s happening or who you’re attacking. I was constantly frustrated. The camera feels like it weighs four tons—you just can’t move it smoothly or where you want it. Honestly, it holds the game back a lot. I rage-quit a couple of times because of it.

Got to love the wall bouncing. It's also cool when you use the wall to bounce from and attack. The water... Stay away from the water!

Side Content

Side content comes in two forms: extra challenges and higher difficulties. It’s for the ninja in you. As for me? I’m feeling pretty casual right now—there’s no way I’m putting myself through that torture again, especially with such stiff, bad camera. But for the rest of you? Sharpen your mind, tighten those reflexes, and conquer the game. It’s totally doable, but also totally brutal.

The rest of the side content mainly involves collecting hidden upgrades and items. Honestly, I don’t mind that at all. If there were more side activities, it would probably mess with the pacing. Expect non-stop action—and that’s for the best because the combat is the absolute star of the show here.

These rooms filled with bones and ribcages hanging from the celling are top notch! I think I like this version the best.

Conclusion

Ninja Gaiden 2 Black delivers exactly what fans of fast-paced, challenging action games crave—tight combat, brutal difficulty, and satisfying weapon variety. While the story is forgettable and the camera remains its biggest flaw, the adrenaline-pumping fights and cinematic finishers more than make up for it. The remaster looks great, runs smoothly, and offers enough side content for those who want to test their skills further. If you’re here for the combat (and you should be), you’ll have a blast. Just be ready to wrestle with that stubborn camera.