For an action game, Ninja Gaiden 2 Black has a surprising amount of weapons for players to test out. Of the seventeen chapters in the game, players will find new ones up through the seventh level and beyond when guest characters arrive. Having so many can be daunting, but action game fans are all different.
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Some prefer big bulky weapons that are slow to use but can destroy enemies in a few hits while others prefer to be nimble like the ninjas in Ninja Gaiden 2 Black. So, of the many weapons in the game, including guest weapons, which are the best overall ranked on ease of use and power?
7 Type 666 Heavy Machine Gun
The Best Ranged Weapon
- Location: Equipped To Rachel (Chapter 8)
The Type 666 Heavy Machine Gun is the best ranged weapon in the game and belongs to Rachel. Players can use her briefly in Chapter 8 of the game and are also equipped with a massive hammer. The Type 666 Heavy Machine Gun does not have a powerful amount of stopping power in terms of strength, but rapid-fire bursts can halt enemies in their tracks. If players develop a good rhythm with the machine gun weapon then they should have no problem mopping up the smaller hoards of enemies in Ninja Gaiden 2 Black.
6 Kusari-Gama
Good For Crowd Work
- Location: Chapter 7 (Body)
The Kusari-gama is a small sickle attached to a weight which game or anime fans of ninja content should be familiar with. It does not begin strong but once leveled up completely, the weapon can do some massive damage when Ryu is cornered.
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The Kusari-gama is not going to stop bosses but it will be good for dealing with crowds. Seeing Ryu whip that chain around should look awesome if players practice enough with combos. It’s one of the last weapons players can find in Ninja Gaiden 2 Black on a body in Chapter 7.
5 Tonfa
Reliable For Quick Counters
- Location: Chapter 7 (Chest)
Tonfas are typically weapons police use in media from games to movies. The Tonfas in Ninja Gaiden 2 Black are a bit bigger and upgraded to their maximum potential, they also get sharp. These weapons are great for making Ryu a speed demon during battle. They’re also great for countering thanks to their smaller statue. Tonfas are as close as players can get to barehanded fighting which is saying something since there are claw weapons in the game. Unfortunately, they’re a bit clunky to use which is why Tonfas are better.
4 Fuma Kodachi
The Quickest Blades In The East
- Location: Equipped To Ayane (Chapter 11)
The Fuma Kodachi are Ayane’s choice weapons which players may also know from the Dead or Alive series. This female ninja, or kunoichi, can be played in Chapter 11 with these twin dagger-like blades equipped. Like the Tonfas, they’re not that strong but they are quick and incredibly easy to use. Players can zip around levels in Ninja Gaiden 2 Black as Ayane like they were The Flash. Between counters and dodges it may be hard to see Ayane in this level beyond a pink blur.
3 Heavenly Dragon Nagita
Piercing Demons And The Heavens
- Location: Equipped To Momiji (Chapter 5)
The Heavenly Dragon Nagita also belongs to a guest character, Momiji, who appears during Chapter 5 as a shrine maiden. Nagitas are like spears in Japan but ones with larger blades at the end with an almost sword-like curve. The Heavenly Dragon Nagita specifically gives Momiji a decent reach during combat for good offensive and defensive measures. Many of her combos end with Momiji impaling her victims like she was Vlad the Impaler, aka Dracula, but it never gets old. It can be a little slow to swing around but overall it’s a balanced weapon.
2 Eclipse Scythe
A Heavy Damage Dealer
- Location: Chapter 7 (Defeat Volf)
The Eclipse Scythe is one of the heavier weapons that Ryu can wield. Players can win it after defeating Volf in the Roman Coliseum and then they will have to ward off a pack of werewolves who were coming to Volf’s defense.
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The Eclipse Scythe starts strong but gets even better once it is fully leveled up. The blade on the end can practically slice through anything. Because it’s a larger, slower weapon though, players should save using the Eclipse Scythe for larger demons or boss fights.
1 Lunar Staff
An All-Around Sturdy Ally
- Location: Chapter 1 (Chest)
The Lunar Staff is easily the best weapon in the game and players can get it as early as the first mission. It’s basically a bo staff and coincidentally the best weapon in another Koei Tecmo game, Dynasty Warriors: Origins, is also a bo staff. In Ninja Gaiden 2 Black, a fully upgraded Lunar Staff will arm the weapon with flails on each end which will flip out during certain combos. Using Strong Attacks with the Y button on an Xbox controller will twirl the weapon around and turn Ryu into a walking tornado. The Lunar Staff is good against groups of smaller enemies, big enemies, and even bosses so be sure to upgrade this one quickly.
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
