The 2025 Xbox Developer Direct brought many surprises, but the Ninja Gaiden revival stands out as monumental. The classic action franchise is getting multiple new games, including Ninja Gaiden 4 and the surprise shadow drop, Ninja Gaiden 2 Black. This marks a significant return for the series, absent a proper entry since Ninja Gaiden 3: Razor’s Edge in 2012 (excluding the Master Collection). This resurgence could also signal a pivotal shift in gaming: the comeback of classic 3D action games after years of Soulslike dominance.
Once, titles like Ninja Gaiden, Devil May Cry, and the original God of War defined action games. However, FromSoftware's Dark Souls, Bloodborne, and Elden Ring largely supplanted this style. While Soulslikes are enjoyable, the AAA market should accommodate both styles. Ninja Gaiden's return could be the much-needed balance for the action genre.
A Dragon's Legacy
The Ninja Gaiden series was once considered the peak of action gaming. The 2004 Xbox reboot, a departure from its 2D NES roots, instantly became iconic for its smooth gameplay, fluid animation, and brutal difficulty. While other hack-and-slash titles existed, Ninja Gaiden stood apart, challenging players from the very first level. The notoriously difficult Murai, the initial boss, is a testament to this.
Despite the challenge, the difficulty is generally fair. Deaths stem from player mistakes, requiring mastery of combat rhythm, movement, defense, and counter-attacks. The Izuna Drop, Ultimate Techniques, and diverse weapon combos provide ample tools to overcome challenges.
The demanding nature of Ninja Gaiden, and the satisfaction of overcoming its challenges, foreshadowed the Soulslike ethos. Players' dedication to mastering the mechanics influenced the Soulslike community's drive to conquer seemingly insurmountable odds. Ninja Gaiden's high skill ceiling inspired FromSoftware and the subgenre it created. However, the Soulslike model's success may have inadvertently stifled other action game styles.
Following the Trend
Ninja Gaiden Sigma 2, a PS3 port widely seen as inferior and a series low point, coincided with Demon's Souls (2009). Demon's Souls received strong reviews and paved the way for Dark Souls (2011), a critically acclaimed landmark title. While Ninja Gaiden 3 and Razor's Edge struggled, Dark Souls thrived, spawning sequels and influencing Bloodborne, Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice, and Elden Ring.
This Soulslike influence spread to other franchises, including Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order, Jedi: Survivor, Team Ninja's Nioh, and Black Myth: Wukong. While Soulslikes aren't inherently flawed, their prevalence has overshadowed classic 3D action games. Ninja Gaiden's return after a long absence, and DMC5 (2019), are notable exceptions. Even God of War's 2018 revival, while successful, shifted away from its fast-paced hack-and-slash roots towards a more methodical, semi-open-world style reminiscent of Soulslikes.
Soulslikes share recognizable traits: precise combat emphasizing dodges and parries, stamina management, character builds, open-ended levels, and save points that heal players but respawn enemies. This formula, while successful for FromSoftware, has been overused by other developers. Ninja Gaiden 2 Black's release offers a chance to highlight the unique strengths of character action games.
The Master Ninja's Return
Ninja Gaiden 2 Black provides a refreshing change. Its lightning-fast combat, diverse weapons, and the return of the original game's gore (absent in Sigma 2) make it the best version on modern hardware, ideal for newcomers. While veterans might criticize difficulty adjustments and enemy counts, the original Ninja Gaiden II suffered from technical issues and unbalanced design. Ninja Gaiden 2 Black balances difficulty, restores gore, and retains the extra content from Sigma 2 (excluding unpopular statue boss fights).
This remaster showcases what was lost when similar games became less prevalent. Games inspired by Ninja Gaiden and God of War (like Bayonetta, Dante's Inferno, Darksiders, and even Ninja Blade) were common in the late 2000s and early 2010s. The frenetic, combo-based combat against numerous enemies and large bosses in a linear format is a proven formula, surprisingly overshadowed by the Soulslike model. While similar games exist (Hi-Fi Rush, for example), Ninja Gaiden 2 Black is a significant release from a major developer.
Replaying Ninja Gaiden 2 Black highlights its unique qualities. There are no shortcuts; no build guides, experience points, or stamina bars to limit gameplay. It's a pure test of skill, demanding mastery of combat. While Soulslikes remain popular, Ninja Gaiden's return hopefully ushers in a new golden age for action games, providing enough space for both styles to thrive.
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