As well as announcing Ninja Gaiden 4, Koei Tecmo has announced a remake of 2008 Xbox 360 action game Ninja Gaiden 2 — and it’s out now.
Announced during Microsoft’s Xbox Developer Direct 2025, Ninja Gaiden 2 Black shadow-dropped across Xbox Series X and S, PlayStation 5, and Windows PC via Steam and Microsoft Store, and with Game Pass on console, PC and cloud today, January 23. For more, here’s everything announced during Microsoft’s Xbox Developer Direct 2025.
Here’s the official blurb on Ninja Gaiden 2 Black:
In Ninja Gaiden 2 Black, players assume the role of Ryu Hayabusa, a deadly ninja who wields the legendary Dragon Sword while embarking on a global battle against a series of formidable foes. The beautiful and bloody remaster utilizes Unreal Engine 5 to significantly enhance the graphic expression, elevating everything from character visuals to environmental backgrounds. In fact, the stages, characters, effects, and lighting have all been completely redesigned and remastered to fully immerse gamers into the story’s dark ninja world.
Gore elements such as dismemberment and blood have also been remastered to enhance the action experience. The high-speed, violent fights play out in brilliant brutality, utilizing a variety of weapons and techniques including Japanese swords, shurikens, Kusari-gamas, and tonfas. Meanwhile, those looking for a more toned-down experience can simply toggle the dismemberment feature on and off in the Options menu.
In addition, Ninja Gaiden 2 Black includes extra elements from the spin-off titles released after the original game’s debut, including the ability to control three additional characters: Momiji, Ayane, and Rachel. The remaster also includes “HERO PLAY STYLE”, a mode for beginners that provides automatic support in the most difficult situations, making the notoriously challenging title more accessible for those who may not be so confident in their action skills.
In a post on Xbox Wire, Team Ninja boss Fumihiko Yasuda explained the decision to remaster Ninja Gaiden 2.
“This simultaneous announcement and same-day release alongside Ninja Gaiden 4 might have caught some people by surprise,” he said. “The biggest reason for developing Ninja Gaiden 2 Black was to address the concerns of core fans who might be wondering, ‘What’s going to happen to Ryu Hayabusa?’ We also wanted to give players something to enjoy as they wait for the release of Ninja Gaiden 4. We chose Ninja Gaiden 2 because it stands as one of the most solid action games in the series. We added ‘Black’ to the title to signal to fans that this is the definitive version, much like Ninja Gaiden Black was for the first game.”
Yasuda continued: “This version is crafted to satisfy both those who played the original and newcomers discovering it as a current-generation action game. We’ve meticulously incorporated some of the additions of Ninja Gaiden Sigma 2 while staying true to the challenge and feel of the original 360 version, including its signature gore and violence. We’ve also adjusted the weapon upgrade system to more align with the original release.”
Team Ninja’s infamously challenging Ninja Gaiden series has a long association with Xbox. The developer’s reboot of the action series launched first on Xbox in 2004, propelling master ninja Ryu Hayabusa into the mainstream. Ninja Gaiden Black, considered one of the greatest action games of all time, launched the following year.
Ninja Gaiden 2 came out in 2008 published by Microsoft Game Studios for the Xbox 360. Ninja Gaiden 3 followed in 2012 on the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360. Since then, fans have had the critically panned spin-off Yaiba: Ninja Gaiden Z, and, more recently, Ninja Gaiden: Master Collection, a compilation of Ninja Gaiden Sigma, Ninja Gaiden Sigma 2, and Ninja Gaiden 3: Razor’s Edge.
Publisher Koei Tecmo revived interest in Ninja Gaiden with the announcement of Ninja Gaiden Ragebound, a brand-new side-scrolling spin-off due out later this year. But the main event is Ninja Gaiden 4, which finally continues Ryu Hayabusa’s story 13 years after Ninja Gaiden 3 came out.
Wesley is the UK News Editor for IGN. Find him on Twitter at @wyp100. You can reach Wesley at [email protected] or confidentially at [email protected].
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