Ninja Gaiden II Black Review – An Impressive Surprise Drop

Ninja Gaiden II Black, from Team Ninja and KOEI TECMO GAMES, made a surprise launch recently as a shadow drop within January Xbox Developer_Direct, bringing its brutal and stylish action to a new generation. This remaster of the 15-year-old classic leverages the power of Unreal Engine 5 to deliver a significant visual overhaul. The stages, characters, effects, and lighting have been completely redesigned and remastered, creating realistic visuals that truly immerse players in the world of Ninja Gaiden.

Having recently played through Ninja Gaiden Sigma 2 as part of the Ninja Gaiden: Master Collection, my memory of the game’s events and locations was fresh, allowing me to fully appreciate the visual enhancements. While the level layouts themselves may feel familiar to veterans of the series, the visual upgrade breathes new life into these environments, making them a treat to explore. It’s an impressive coat of paint on a familiar structure, but one that significantly enhances the overall gameplay experience.

Where Ninja Gaiden II Black really shines though is its combat. The deep and rewarding combo system offers a dizzying array of devastating attacks. Mastering the diverse weapon types, from the swift Japanese swords and shurikens to the more exotic Kusari-gamas and tonfas, is essential. Each weapon boasts a unique moveset, encouraging players to experiment and find their preferred style.

The dismemberment system, made even more gory in this version, impacts enemy behaviour that forces you to adapt their tactics on the fly. This adds a layer of depth beyond simple button-mashing. The fluid and responsive controls make chaining combos together an incredibly satisfying experience.

While the game certainly presents a challenge, especially with its demanding boss fights, it felt manageable for me who is not the best souls player. The inclusion of a “HERO PLAY STYLE” mode, which provides automatic support in challenging situations, makes the game even more accessible for those who might be less confident in their action game skills.

Ninjutsu, the powerful ninja magic, adds another dimension to combat, unleashing devastating elemental attacks. However, this is where the game’s camera issues started to sap some fun for me. Aiming certain Ninjutsu, like the initial fire-based attack, can be a frustrating experience with the sensitive mouse controls. I was able to dial down the sensitivity, but it didn’t completely eliminate the issue for me.

The diverse enemy roster, ranging from standard soldiers to hulking demons and agile werewolves, demands strategic thinking and quick reflexes. Boss battles are a true test of skill, requiring players to fully understand the game’s mechanics and master their chosen weapon.

Overall, Ninja Gaiden II Black is a fast-paced, thrilling and challenging action game and a visual feast for fans of the series. The enhanced graphics, deep combat system, satisfying combos, strategic dismemberment, and demanding gameplay make it a must-play for fans of the genre. Just be prepared to tweak those camera settings and controls on PC if you’re playing keyboard/mouse. It certainly gave us a taste of what we can expect to see in the brand-new title in the series, Ninja Gaiden 4 that is launching this year.

This review utilised a Steam key provided by KOEI TECMO EUROPE and Ninja Gaiden II Black is available now on Steam, Xbox, and PlayStation.

#roundtablecoop