How Hard Is Ninja Gaiden 2 Black?
January 27, 2025
Is Ninja Gaiden 2 Black hard? It's a valid question to ask if you're on the fence about the new game. Video games that are known for being insanely hard can definitely be scary to get into. The Ninja Gaiden franchise, especially, has long been known for its grueling difficulty. But should that be something to worry about with Ninja Gaiden 2 Black? No. And here's why.
Various Difficulty Modes Available — Choose Wisely
If you're really concerned about difficulty, you don't have to be, because Ninja Gaiden 2 Black has an easy mode. The "Hero Play Style" difficulty that is available makes the game pretty accessible. Every fight becomes a lot more lenient, because the game essentially makes you unkillable at low health for a temporary period. Your character will automatically block and dodge all incoming attacks. Players should have no problem beating the game if they choose this difficulty.
Maybe you don't want the easy way out, though. Maybe you want something of a challenge...just not something that will make you want to rip your hair out. If that's the case, then you really shouldn't be too afraid of Ninja Gaiden 2 Black. Even on Hard difficulty, Ninja Gaiden 2 Black feels plenty fair. With how the checkpoints are designed, you're never going to lose too much progress even if you die. As long as you have a good sense of the mechanics, it's a totally fine experience. You'll have fun. You'll struggle plenty, too, but that's expected.
One thing that you definitely should keep in mind about Ninja Gaiden 2 Black is that you cannot change your difficulty level once you have started your new game. If you feel like the game is too easy or too hard after playing a few chapters, you're out of luck. You would have to abandon your save and start anew. So choose wisely. A majority of people can definitely handle the normal difficulty, so that's something to consider. It's your choice from there.
Tips On How To Handle Ninja Gaiden 2 Black's Difficulty
Ninja Gaiden 2 Black isn't really that hard, unless you're desperately trying to not die. That might sound paradoxical, but it's often preferable to die in this game. It's better to learn how to deal with the enemies in front of you than to waste all of your healing items prematurely. When facing the final boss of a chapter, you should have at least 3 or 4 healing items on you. Even with bosses, you don't want to completely burn through everything you have. Do not sacrifice your long-term success for short-term success.
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Waves of enemies can get real big in Ninja Gaiden 2 Black, so learning how to deal with them is definitely a priority. A common mistake that new players make is being too immobile. The movement in the game isn't amazing, but standing still is a verifiable death sentence. Reposition yourself. Don't let the enemies direct the course of battle. Getting a good sense of blocking and dodging is also pretty important as you face more serious threats. You don't have to be perfect at it. Just good enough for what your difficulty level demands.
Lastly, it's important to note that the weapons are not made equally in Ninja Gaiden 2 Black. They all have their different uses, and some are just strictly better than others for a majority of situations. If you're getting overpowered by a certain group of enemies, try out a different weapon. Aim for better crowd control. There's also nothing wrong with using "cheesy" moves. Use everything to your advantage.
A Comparison To The Original Ninja Gaiden 2's Difficulty
Ninja Gaiden 2 Black is not as hard as the original Ninja Gaiden 2. This isn't too surprising, as it seems that this new remake is actually built off of Ninja Gaiden Sigma 2. Yes, this new game is technically a remake of a port. 2 Black is harder than Sigma 2, though, so this new game is a little closer to being the definitive experience.
The original Ninja Gaiden 2 was known for throwing an ungodly number of enemies at you. That's what really made the original game so hard. It relied more on cheap difficulty. Waves of enemies are a lot more controlled in the new remake. It appears that the same number of enemies will still appear, but the game will stagger their spawning. Ninja Gaiden 2 Black, in general, is pretty fair with how it handles difficulty. It is a great entry point into the Ninja Gaiden franchise.
