Review of Ninja Gaiden 2 Black: A Flawed Yet Exuberant Resurrection
For a fortunate shock among the action crowd, the Ninja Gaiden is back. Team Ninja, along with the announcement of Ninja Gaiden 4, shadow-dropped Ninja Gaiden 2 Black which is a modern visual reimagining of the classic. With a complicated history of different versions, does this release on this find a way to unify that experience or is it yet another split entry.
A Conflicted Heritage: Original Versus Sigma
To understand Ninja Gaiden 2 Black, one must first understand the history of Ninja Gaiden 2 for one. The original Xbox 360 version of 2008 was praised for its deep fast-paced combat and over-the-top gore but condemned for performance issues. It was a game that managed to do significant damage to the hardware; with its massive hordes of aggressive but fragile enemies, all of which turned every encounter into bloody ballet destruction.
Then came Ninja Gaiden Sigma 2 for the PlayStation 3. The developers reduced the enemy count and toned down the gore to optimize performance and made the existing enemies tankier and less aggressive. While it introduced new playable characters and bosses (the infamous Statue of Liberty among them), many fans felt that it sacrificed the hardcore spirit of the original twin of Xbox 360. The Master Collection that came out a few years ago also used this compromised Sigma 2 version.
The "Black" label for this new release is not a remaster of the first iteration on Xbox 360. Rather, it is built on an adaptation of Sigma 2. The developers, reportedly having lost the source code for the original, tried to modify the Sigma version to bring it closer in spirit to the original.
The Unreal Engine 5 Makeover
Unquestionably, the most visually striking upgrade was implemented. Built anew in Unreal Engine 5, Ninja Gaiden 2 Black is by far the best-looking incarnation of the game. New light sources, high-detailed textures, and visual effects burst new life into old familiar environments. Fog never looked so moody and reflective surfaces so dazzling as in New York, and the Ninja Village shines more than ever. It's not an outright remake, and there are portions where animation appears a little dated; however, by far, visual fidelity is a big step forward.
Gameplay: Still Vicious, Still Flawed
Ninja Gaiden's core and combat remain great. The combat is quick, fluid, and deeply rewarding; it is a skill-based system. The array of weapons-rather the Dragon Sword, perhaps the most famous weapon, or the Eclipse Scythe, renowned for its destructive efficiency-all represent a playstyle of different kind. Marvelous chaining of combos to attack while wall-running before executing the iconic Izuna Drop still feels as good as ever.
What is paramount is the unrestrained gore and dismemberment from the original, which are now in full force. One of the mechanics is slicing limbs to set enemies up for a brutal Obliteration Technique, and its return is quite gratifying.
This version, however, is still burdened by many aspects of its Sigma 2 foundation. Enemy numbers and aggression have certainly been cranked up from Sigma, but nothing near the chaotic intensity of the 360 original. The result is a feeling that the game could perhaps be considered easier. Also, much of what plagued the original version comes back. An inconsistent difficulty curve makes major bosses surprisingly easy whereas standard ninja enemies remain your deadliest threat. Some levels are drab with nothing much to offer in terms of design opportunities, serving as a simple corridor that ushers you through fight after fight.
Performance and Technical Quirks
Nonetheless, technical limitations are visible despite the well-deserved graphical upgrade. In an unfortunate twist for a fast-paced action game on contemporary hardware, both the console frame rates remain locked at either 60 or 30 FPS, with no option to unlock. PC player reports confirm that there are some sporadic hangs as they jump through loading zones and occasional dips in the frame rate. The file size is a staggering 80GB, a grossly disproportionate increase when compared to the Master Collection's FTP size of just 4GB.
Pros and Cons
The pros
- With Unreal Engine 5, it boasts a stunning facelift.
- Core combat is still some of the best in the genre.
- Gore and dismemberment return, and they're incredibly satisfying.
- Includes bonus characters from the Sigma versions.
- There are so many different weapons and techniques to master.
Cons
- It's based on the highly polarizing Sigma 2, not the original 360 version.
- The enemy counts and their aggression levels do not reflect the original.
- Modern platforms have a 60 FPS cap that's locked.
- Boss quality and difficulty are inconsistent.
- Pricey ($50) for a remaster of an old game.
- A few leftover bugs and stuttery performance.
Ninja Gaiden 2 Black is a lively but flawed revival, being the best-looking and most attractive way to experience this classic today, attached to a combat system that remains the benchmark in the genre. However, it does not reach that status of the definitive game by virtue of its Sigma 2 foundations and some steep pricing. Newcomers will enjoy this tremendous challenge that is an action title; veterans will see this as a compromise, the best we've got but not the ideal version we thought it would be.
Final Judgment: Who Should Buy It
Whether you believe Ninja Gaiden 2 Black is worth the $50 price tag rests on you. If you are newer to the franchise and love a challenging action game, this experience is highly recommended, though perhaps best tried via something like Game Pass or at sale time. Given the game's short length for the average playthrough approximately six to eight hours the full price is hard to swallow for anyone who only buys a game to play through once.
Ninjas Gaiden 2 Blackelltakeshi's fans are slightly different. This is arguably the best all-round bundle available at present: it combines the visual fidelity expected from a modern remaster with gameplay that's a step closer to the fabled original than Sigma 2 was. It may not be the "true" Ninja Gaiden 2, but with all its flaws, it is an awesome game that is super fun to play.
