Ninja Gaiden Black -Xbox- 10

February 18, 2024

I just beat Ninja Gaiden Black on normal mode. Black is an update of the 2004 game with some minor tweaks, such as camera control, as well as extra post game content. But it’s still basically the same game, so this was a great way for me to revisit an old classic that I last played through when it released in 2004.

The thing I remember most about NG’04 is that it felt like an action game with the depth of a fighting game, and playing NGB all these years later drew me in all over again with its deep combat and brutal challenge. Ninja Gaiden was and still is arguably the best action game ever made. There are tons of different combos and gymnastics you can pull off with the razor sharp controls, and awesome selection of powerful weapons. And you must make use of the variety when dealing with the very smart and very aggressive enemy A.I. This game has a big roster of enemies that are all a challenge to deal with. Certain weapons and strategies work better on specific foes. And each boss fight is an epic showdown that requires quick reflexes and precision. Murai, Alma, and Doku all brought a threatening presence every time they appeared. And every fight was a showcase of the most beautiful swordplay I’ve ever seen in a game.

Ninja Gaiden is a very hard game. In the first half of Black, the difficulty felt almost unbearable at times. Thankfully, the aqueduct level half way through gives some much needed breathing room with plenty of respawning enemies to grind for gold orbs, so that you can fully upgrade your weapons and restock healing items. However, when you reach the core tower in the final stretch of the journey, the difficulty ramps back up by not having any nearby merchants to buy health items for the rest of the game.

Ninja Gaiden is also quite a lengthy adventure, with my playthrough clocking in at just over 25 hours. The game is broken up into 16 chapters, but the levels are all interconnected into one giant world. You can backtrack almost anywhere at almost anytime. There are also light puzzles throughout, and the world design gets more intricate the deeper you go.

The large world, intelligent enemies, deep combat, and uncompromising challenge make Ninja Gaiden my favorite game on the original Xbox. This game was a masterpiece 20 years ago, and it still holds up today. I rate Ninja Gaiden Black the same score I rated Ninja Gaiden 2004 back in the day, and that is a 10 out of ten.