Ninja Gaiden 2 Black shadow dropped during Xbox's recent Developer Direct. Besides that, they also helped showcase a new game coming in 2025, Ninja Gaiden 4. Fans of the series will be eating well as it was also announced in 2024 that a new 2D game was in the works, Ninja Gaiden: Ragebound.
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A complete rundown of every difficulty option in the new Ninja Gaiden 2 Black remake.
Ninja Gaiden 2 Black will be a good warm-up for those rusty with the series as it's one of the more demanding action game series around. To survive, players will have to master their moves well. Individual weapons have moves attached and more will unlock as they upgrade. Ignoring individual weapons though, players need to get used to these techniques first. Here are some tips along with how they are all ranked based on usefulness. All of these tips will be based on Xbox inputs since players can get the game easily via Game Pass.
7 The Technique OF Shadowless Footsteps
Wall Jump Away From Danger
- Move List: Press A After Jumping Toward A Wall
Wall dashes are pretty common in video games from Call of Duty to Titanfall. Ninja games like Ninja Gaiden 2 Black especially have wall running common in them and The Technique of Shadowless Footsteps will give players this ability. Players need to master this and its several upgrades quickly if they don’t want to cry during the intense platforming segments. However, most players may not even think to use wall running during combat. Jumping onto a wall could be a good way to get away from enemies and then drop down from above to perform a surprise attack.
6 The Flying Swallow Technique
Dive Bomb From Above
- Move List: Jump, Move + Y (Dragon Sword)
The Flying Swallow Technique is an example of a move for a specific weapon, the Dragon Sword. This has been Ryu’s weapon since the very beginning of the series, making it an iconic weapon in video games. Players simply have to jump up, move forward, and hit the Y button.
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This will cause Ryu to sort of dive at enemies which will often throw them off guard. Most weapons can perform similar attacks to this, so don’t be afraid to use air during combat to get away from the dangers down below.
5 The Guillotine Throw Technique
Toss Me!
- Move List: X + A, Jump Forward
The Guillotine Throw Technique is not as cool as it sounds because Ryu can’t summon a giant guillotine to execute enemies. Bayonetta can in her titular series, an action game series that is similar in intensity to Ninja Gaiden. Instead, players can hit X + A and then jump toward an enemy in Ninja Gaiden 2 Black to grab and toss them across the field. Players can do more damage if they can successfully chuck an enemy into a wall or even another enemy. If players are lucky, maybe they can even throw them off a ledge.
4 Mastering Ninpo
Spells Can Change The Tide Of Battle
- Move List: Y + B
Ninpo, or ninjutsu as it’s referred to in other media like Naruto, is a type of magic spell that ninjas can use. Ryu can use four techniques in the game and the three guest characters come equipped with one Ninpo spell apiece. Players can use Ninpo spells simply by equipping a scroll and hitting Y + B. This will use a charge of Ki and it’s hard to recharge this meter so players have to use Ninpo spells sparingly. Mastering this button prompt will also prevent players from accidentally hitting them which can happen more often than not. One example is The Art of the Flame Phoenix Ninpo which can summon fiery birds to protect Ryu.
3 The Ultimate Technique
Go Ninja, Go Ninja, Go!
- Move List: Hold Down Y
The Ultimate Technique is one of the most obvious moves in an action video game. Players can hold down the Y button to charge up their weapon in Ninja Gaiden 2 Black. In most action games, this would simply make the attack stronger. In Ninja Gaiden 2 Black, Ryu will perform an intricate combo attack when unleashed without further input needed from the player. It’s intense and fun to watch from the Lunar Staff to the Kusari-gama not to mention this can decimate large crowds of enemies in an instant.
2 The Counter Attack Technique
Let Enemies Come To You
- Move List: LB + X or Y
Counterattacks are also valuable in an action game. They’re not easy to pull off in Ninja Gaiden 2 Black as enemies are aggressive and quick. To begin The Counter Attack Technique, players have to hold the block button, LB, and then either hit X or Y to counter an enemy right as they hit Ryu.
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Timing is everything and it won’t be surprising if most players never get this combo move down right. However, for the higher difficulties, mastering The Counter Attack Technique is a must, so be sure to practice.
1 The Izuna Drop Technique
Ninjas Can Wrestle
- Move List: X, Y, X, X, And Y
The Izuna Drop Technique is a complex move to pull off and each weapon handles it differently. For example, hitting X, Y, X, X, and then Y with the Lunar Staff will cause Ryu to grab an enemy, jump into the air, and then piledrive them into the ground. This attack will turn Ryu into a bonafide wrestler which is not that weird considering he has appeared in fighting games like Dead or Alive. The Izuna Drop Technique is one of the strongest combos in the game but it’s tricky to pull off because players can constantly get interrupted by enemy attacks. The button prompt for the Dragon Sword is X, Y, X, X, X, and then Y for another example.
Ninja Gaiden 2 Black
- Released
- January 23, 2025
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- M For Mature 17+ // Intense Violence, Blood and Gore, Suggestive Themes, Partial Nudity, Strong Language
- Developer(s)
- Koei Tecmo Games Co., Ltd.
- Publisher(s)
- Koei Tecmo Games Co., Ltd.
- Number of Players
- 1
- PC Release Date
- January 23, 2025
- Xbox Series X|S Release Date
- January 23, 2025
- PS5 Release Date
- January 23, 2025
- Platform(s)
- Xbox Series X|S, PlayStation 5, PC
- X|S Optimized
- Yes
- File Size Xbox Series
- 85.99 GB
