Team Ninja has rolled out a significant update for Ninja Gaiden 2 Black, elevating the game to version 1.0.7.0. This patch introduces several highly anticipated features and improvements, addressing fan feedback from January. The update is now accessible on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X and S, and PC via Steam and the Microsoft Store.
One of the headline additions is New Game Plus, allowing players to embark on a fresh journey on any previously conquered difficulty, retaining their arsenal of weapons and Ninpo. However, these will reset to Level 1, and players won't be able to immediately escalate to a higher difficulty using this feature.
Another quality-of-life enhancement is the option to hide the projectile weapon on the player's back. This can be toggled in the Options menu under Game Settings, giving players greater control over their character's appearance.
In terms of balance changes, Team Ninja has adjusted enemy Hit Points in specific chapters: lowering them in Chapter 8, "City of the Fallen Goddess," and Chapter 11, "Night in the City of Water." Conversely, the number of enemies has been increased in Chapter 13, "The Temple of Sacrifice," and Chapter 14, "A Tempered Gravestone." Additionally, some of Ayane's attacks now deal more damage, adding a new layer of strategy to the gameplay.
The update also tackles several bug fixes, particularly those affecting gameplay on high-performance PCs, including control issues at over 120 FPS, controller vibration inconsistencies, and game-breaking bugs in certain chapters. The patch also addresses crashes during extended play sessions and other minor issues.
Ninja Gaiden Black 2 was a surprise announcement at the January Xbox Developer Direct. This enhanced version, built on Unreal Engine 5, not only improves graphic fidelity but also introduces new playable characters and enhanced battle support functions. IGN's 8/10 review praised the game, stating, "Fewer enemies with more health may mean Ninja Gaiden 2 Black isn't quite the definitive version, but it's a definite and gorgeous improvement over its Sigma 2 release, and still an excellent action game all around."
For a comprehensive look at all the changes, here are the full patch notes for Ninja Gaiden 2 Black Ver 1.0.7.0:
Additional Content:
- New Game+: Start a new game on a difficulty level you have previously cleared with your weapons and Ninpo already unlocked. These will be reverted to Level 1.
- Photo Mode: Added to the in-game Options Menu, allowing camera movement within set limits for taking screenshots.
- Ability to Hide Projectile Weapon: A "Show Projectile Weapon" option under "Game Settings" in the Options Menu enables hiding the projectile weapon on the player's back.
Adjustments:
- Lowered the HP of enemies in Chapter 8, "City of the Fallen Goddess."
- Lowered the HP of enemies in Chapter 11, "Night in the City of Water."
- Raised the number of enemies in Chapter 13, "The Temple of Sacrifice."
- Raised the number of enemies in Chapter 14, "A Tempered Gravestone."
- Increased the damage dealt by some of Ayane's attacks.
Bug Fixes:
- Fixed control issues at over 120 FPS or under high computing load.
- Addressed controller vibration inconsistencies based on computing load or FPS settings.
- Fixed bugs causing out-of-bounds issues during certain chapters.
- Resolved bugs that halted progress in certain chapters.
- Fixed crashes during long play sessions.
- Implemented other minor bug fixes.
