Summary
- Rachel has an uneven character build with a slow hammer but a powerful machine gun.
- Ayane is fast and ninja-like, armed with twin swords and a decent Ninpo spell.
- Momiji stands out with the Heavenly Dragon Nagita as one of the best weapons in the game.
Ninja Gaiden 2 Black starts players off with Ryu, the main character of the series. Ryu has been fighting fellow ninjas and monsters since the 80s when his franchise debuted in arcades in 1988. In 2004, the series was reborn on the original Xbox and it was Koei Tecmo’s and Team Ninja’s decision to meld this world with Dead or Alive.
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That’s why Ryu has appeared as a guest fighter in those games and why characters from Dead or Alive have appeared in Ninja Gaiden games. This is all to say that altogether there are four playable characters in Ninja Gaiden 2 Black some of which are from the acclaimed fighting game series. How do they all play? Here's a ranking of them based on their weapons and strengths.
4 Rachel
It’s Hammer Time
- Appearance: Chapter 8
Rachel is the returning femme fatale from the first Ninja Gaiden reboot in 2004. She’s the second guest character in Ninja Gaiden 2 Black and is equipped with a big hammer, a machine gun, and one Ninpo spell. The hammer is slow, making it easy for the smaller and faster monsters to swarm Rachel. Savvy players familiar with the countering and evasion system can make this hammer sing though. Her Ninpo spell can summon thorny vines to surround her which is not a bad defensive move.
Compared to other Ninpo spells in the game though, it’s not as versatile as players have to wait for enemies to get close. Rachel’s best attribute is her machine gun with the catchy name Type 666 Heavy Machine Gun. The stopping power isn’t much to brag about but consistent bullets will stop enemies in their tracks long enough for players to finish them off with the hammer. Overall, Rachel has an uneven character build. She’s a tank with the hammer but the rest of her gear doesn’t reflect that type of classic RPG build.
3 Ayane
The Purple Blur
- Appearance: Chapter 11
Next to Ryu, Ayane is probably the most recognizable character in this game and overall series. Ayane was in the very first Dead or Alive game, as a ninja, so it made sense to bring her into Ninja Gaiden when it was decided the two series would share a world. Origins aside, Ayane is the last guest character players can control in Ninja Gaiden 2 Black. She’s armed with two small swords, explosive kunai, and a pretty decent Ninpo spell that can damage enemies around her. The explosive kunai replaces a typical ranged weapon like a gun or bow, but that’s okay as the power is decent for stunning enemies.
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Ayane’s best gear is her twin swords, the Fuma Kodachi, which make her incredibly fast. Of the four playable characters in Ninja Gaiden 2 Black, Ayane acts the most ninja-like thanks to her swiftness. Ayane sticks out as much as Naruto does in his anime series thanks to her bright blue color and giant pink bow but at least she’s quick on her feet. Like Sonic the Hedgehog, Ayane will leave blurs of her image behind as she slices and dices her way through opponents. While not the strongest physically, Ayane is a classic character who should honestly get her own Ninja Gaiden-style adventure instead of a volleyball one.
2 Momiji
A Shrine Maiden With Bite
- Appearance: Chapter 5
Momiji is the first guest character players can get into and they may not want to return to Ryu afterward. She has an incredible main weapon, the Heavenly Dragon Nagita, which is essentially a heavy spear with a sword-like blade attached. The nagita is a traditional Japanese weapon that players have probably seen before in games like Bushido Blade. It’s not as heavy as Rachel’s hammer, but not as swift as Ryu’s Lunar Staff. The Heavenly Dragon Nagita fits somewhere in the middle but regardless it’s a lot of fun to use especially when impaling enemies on it.
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Her bow is faster than Ryu’s but not as strong. Her fire-based Ninpo spell, The Art of the Crimson Lotus, is stronger than Ryu’s starter though. Overall, the Heavenly Dragon Nagita is why Momiji is fun to play which shows this shrine maiden is not playing around. It’s one of the best weapons in the game and it’s a shame Ryu can’t use it or that Momiji doesn’t appear in more levels.
1 Ryu
Who Could Have Guessed?
It would be weird if the main character in any game was not the best one to play. Ryu definitely earns the title of the Dragon Ninja by the end of Ninja Gaiden 2 Black. He’s the best character simply because players get to upgrade him, unlike the guest characters. Players can find a large array of weapons from his starting katana to the aforementioned Lunar Staff which is THE best weapon in the game. Ryu can equip two ranged weapons as well, a bow and a cannon, and he can throw kunai to stun enemies.
There are four Ninpo spells to collect. Two are fire-based, one is wind-based, and the fourth one uses darkness. Of those four, The Art of the Flame Phoenix is the best one which will summon fiery birds to surround Ryu defensively and they will ignite enemies if they get too close. Players can find a bunch of moves too like the ability to run on walls or one that will piledrive enemies into dirt. If Ryu has one poor quality, it’s that he controls like a tank sometimes but that’s more a problem with the camera angles than anything else. Ryu is a classic video game ninja which is why fans are so excited to see him return with this remaster and the upcoming Ninja Gaiden 4.
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
