NINJA GAIDEN 2 BLACK REVIEW: NOSTALGIA GETS AN UNREAL FACELIFT AND IDENTITY CRISIS
Ever wondered what would happen if someone tried to remake one of gaming's most legendarily brutal action titles but couldn't decide which version to actually remake? Ninja Gaiden 2 Black answers that question with a remaster that's caught between three different games, powered by an engine that sometimes feels like it's actively trying to kill you - and not in the fun way the original did.
BLOODY BEAUTIFUL CHAOS
The gore that helped make NG2 infamous is back in full UE5-powered glory. Limbs fly, blood paints the walls, and every dismemberment looks prettier than a sunset over a pile of demon corpses. The graphics overhaul pulls the game screaming into 2024, with raytracing support and up to 120fps - when the engine decides to cooperate, that is. The lighting effects in particular make every blood spray look like a deadly work of art, though sometimes at the cost of your GPU melting faster than a ninja facing a dragon.
IDENTITY CRISIS 2: ELECTRIC BOOGALOO
Here's where things get messier than Ryu's laundry after a long day of demon slaying - this isn't quite the Ninja Gaiden 2 you remember, nor is it exactly Sigma 2. It's some strange hybrid creature that borrowed bits from both versions but somehow ended up with less content than either. The enemy count sits awkwardly between Sigma 2's conservative approach and the original's chaos, like a party where half the guests showed up but nobody's sure which half was actually invited.
Gone are the Tests of Valor, the Windmill Shuriken, and even some costumes that were in Sigma 2. But hey, at least they removed those giant statue bosses that everyone hated! It's like they went through both games with a checklist and randomly decided what to keep based on a dartboard.
TECHNICAL NIGHTMARES
UE5 might be the most advanced engine around, but sometimes it feels like trying to run a ninja dojo in a bouncy castle. Input lag appears randomly like an uninvited boss fight, frame pacing can be shakier than a nervous genin's first mission, and the performance demands are high enough to make even a 4090 sweat. When it works, it's spectacular. When it doesn't, you'll swear your controller is secretly working for the bad guys.
The game demands about 80GB of storage space, which feels like it's mostly filled with UE5's hopes and dreams rather than actual content. Steam Deck users, meanwhile, get to experience the exciting mini-game of "will it run above 30fps this time?"
COMBAT STILL KINGS
Strip away all the technical issues and version drama, and you'll find the core combat system remains an absolute masterclass in action game design. The weapon variety and combo potential are still deep enough to drown in, and when everything clicks - meaning when the engine isn't having an existential crisis - it's pure ninja magic. The essence-based upgrade system returns from the original, letting you power up your favorite weapons through combat rather than Sigma 2's shop-based progression.
THE MULTIPLAYER VOID
One of the more puzzling omissions is the lack of any online features. No leaderboards, no mission mode co-op, no ninja cinema - it's lonelier than a pacifist at a ninja convention. For a remaster in 2024, the absence of these features feels about as modern as a wooden sword at a gun fight.
THE BOTTOM LINE
Ninja Gaiden 2 Black is the gaming equivalent of a greatest hits album remixed by a DJ who only partially understood the original songs. For newcomers, it's a perfectly serviceable way to experience one of action gaming's most influential titles. For veterans, it's a bittersweet reminder of what was, mixed with some modern conveniences and inconveniences that nobody asked for.
The $50 price tag feels steep for what's essentially a remixed remaster with missing features, but the core gameplay loop remains so damn good that it's hard not to recommend to anyone who can stomach the technical issues and compromises. Just maybe wait for a sale unless you're as dedicated to the way of the ninja as Ryu himself.
Score: 7.5/10 - Like watching your favorite kung fu movie remastered in 4K, but they changed the choreography and forgot to invite half the cast.