If you thought Elden Ring was tough, welcome to Ninja Gaiden 2 Black, where the difficulty curve isn’t a curve at all—it’s a sheer cliff, greased up with demon blood and lined with shuriken-throwing psychopaths. This game isn’t just hard; it actively wants you to suffer. But hey, if you’re playing Ninja Gaiden, you probably knew that already.
Let’s get one thing straight—Ninja Gaiden 2 Black is an absolute masterclass in action gameplay. Ryu Hayabusa isn’t just a ninja; he’s a one-man apocalypse, wielding an arsenal of weapons that feel so good to use it should be illegal. The Dragon Sword? A classic. The Eclipse Scythe? A giant, spinning death machine. The Tonfas? Rapid-fire face-breakers. Every weapon has its own unique moveset, and mastering them feels like leveling up in real life.
And then there’s the dismemberment system. Oh, boy. This isn’t your standard hack-and-slash gore—this is strategic brutality. Enemies don’t just keel over after losing a limb; they get desperate, aggressive, and sometimes even suicidal. A one-armed ninja will lunge at you, shoving an explosive into your ribs like a kamikaze. It’s hilarious until it happens to you for the tenth time in five minutes.
For those who played Ninja Gaiden 2 back in the day, this version—Black—comes with some changes that hardcore fans will definitely notice. First off, gone are the gallons of enemy blood that used to paint the floors red. Instead, enemies now dissolve into wisps of energy, which feels a bit less satisfying than watching a battlefield look like a Tarantino movie. Blame it on censorship changes from Team Ninja, but honestly, the action is still so fast and violent that you’ll barely have time to notice.
Another big change? Enemy encounters have been slightly tweaked. In the original, the game would hurl endless waves of foes at you like a ninja Black Friday sale. Black dials that back just a touch—though don’t mistake that for mercy. Enemies are still relentless, but now the challenge feels a little more intentional rather than just overwhelming for the sake of it.
Boss fights? Still ridiculous. The armadillo boss still explodes when you kill it, meaning you have to avoid its last-ditch self-destruct move or die with it. If you’ve never fought a giant flaming armadillo that suicide bombs you, now’s your chance.
Since Ninja Gaiden 2 Black runs through the Ninja Gaiden Master Collection on PS5, don’t expect a full-on remake. There are no major graphical overhauls, but the performance? Chef’s kiss. The framerate is buttery smooth, meaning every slash, dodge, and perfectly timed counterattack looks and feels incredible. The game also loads faster, which is great because, let’s be real, you’ll be dying a lot.
One downside? No manual save states. If you’re used to modern games holding your hand with frequent checkpoints, think again. You save at designated save statues, meaning if you mess up right before one… enjoy replaying the last 20 minutes of ninja hell.
If you love brutally fast combat, if you enjoy games that demand mastery, and if you don’t mind occasional moments of soul-crushing defeat, then Ninja Gaiden 2 Black on PS5 is absolutely worth your time. It’s a true action game—no RPG mechanics, no fluff, just raw skill-based combat.
Just do yourself a favor and buy a backup controller. Hayabusa isn’t the only thing getting tested here.
