Team Ninja has just rolled out a significant update for Ninja Gaiden 2 Black, elevating the game to version 1.0.7.0. This patch introduces several exciting features and improvements, including New Game Plus, Photo Mode, and more, fulfilling promises made to fans back in January. The update is now available on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X and S, as well as PC through Steam and the Microsoft Store.
New Game Plus allows players to embark on a fresh journey at any difficulty level they've previously conquered, carrying over their arsenal of weapons and Ninpo. However, these items will revert to Level 1, ensuring a fresh challenge without the ability to skip straight to higher difficulties.
A new quality-of-life feature lets players hide the projectile weapon on their character's back. This can be toggled in the Game Settings under the Options menu, enhancing the visual customization of your gameplay experience.
Balance adjustments have been made to the game as well. Enemies in Chapters 8 and 11 now have reduced Hit Points, making these sections slightly less challenging. Conversely, Chapters 13 and 14 have been made more demanding with an increased number of enemies. Additionally, certain attacks from Ayane have been boosted in terms of damage output.
Several bugs have also been squashed with this patch. Issues that arose on high-power PCs, such as control problems at over 120 FPS and controller vibration inconsistencies, have been resolved. Game-breaking bugs that could prevent progress or cause crashes during extended play sessions have also been fixed, alongside other minor issues.
Ninja Gaiden 2 Black, an enhanced version of the classic action game powered by Unreal Engine 5, was a surprise announcement at the January Xbox Developer Direct. This update showcases the engine's capabilities through improved graphics, new playable characters, and enhanced battle support functions.
In our review, IGN awarded Ninja Gaiden 2 Black an 8/10, 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 detailed look at what's new, 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 previously cleared difficulty with your weapons and Ninpo unlocked but reverted to Level 1.
- Photo Mode: Access Photo Mode from the Options Menu to capture in-game screenshots with adjustable camera angles.
- Ability to Hide Projectile Weapon: Toggle the "Show Projectile Weapon" option in Game Settings to hide your back-carried projectile weapon.
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."
- Increased the number of enemies in Chapter 13, "The Temple of Sacrifice."
- Increased the number of enemies in Chapter 14, "A Tempered Gravestone."
- Boosted 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 issues related to computing load or FPS settings.
- Corrected bugs causing out-of-bounds issues in certain chapters.
- Fixed progression-blocking bugs in specific chapters.
- Resolved crashes during long play sessions.
- Implemented other minor bug fixes.
