Ninja Gaiden Revival: A Fresh Alternative to Soulslike Games

The 2025 Xbox Developer Direct was packed with exciting announcements, but none more thrilling than the revival of the iconic Ninja Gaiden series. Fans are buzzing with anticipation over the release of multiple new titles, including Ninja Gaiden 4 and the surprise drop of Ninja Gaiden 2 Black right after the event. This marks a significant shift for the franchise, which has been dormant since the release of Ninja Gaiden 3: Razor’s Edge in 2012, except for the Ninja Gaiden: Master Collection. The resurgence of Ninja Gaiden could signify a pivotal moment for the gaming industry, bringing back the beloved old-school 3D action genre that has been overshadowed by the rise of Soulslike games in recent years.

In the past, action games like Ninja Gaiden, Devil May Cry, and the original God of War dominated the scene. However, the genre has largely been overtaken by the likes of FromSoftware's Dark Souls, Bloodborne, and Elden Ring. While Soulslike games have their merits, there's a clear need for diversity in the AAA action gaming market. The return of Ninja Gaiden might just be the catalyst needed to restore balance to the action genre.

The Ninja Gaiden series was once widely considered the epitome of action gaming. The 2004 relaunch on the original Xbox transformed the series from its 2D roots on the NES into a 3D masterpiece. Ryu Hayabusa's new adventures were renowned for their smooth gameplay, fluid animations, and challenging difficulty. While other hack-and-slash games like Devil May Cry were known for their toughness, Ninja Gaiden set itself apart by challenging players right from the start, with many recounting their struggles against the first boss, Murai, and his nunchaku mastery.

Despite its steep learning curve, Ninja Gaiden's difficulty is fair, with deaths often resulting from player errors rather than unfair game mechanics. Mastering the game involves understanding the rhythm of combat, a delicate balance of movement, defense, and counter-attacks. From the iconic Izuna Drop to the powerful Ultimate Techniques and a variety of weapon combos, players have all the tools needed to overcome the game's challenges.

The love for Ninja Gaiden's brutal challenge and the satisfaction of conquering its hardest settings have influenced the mindset of Soulslike fans, who seek the thrill of overcoming seemingly impossible odds. Ninja Gaiden was a precursor to the Soulslike phenomenon, yet its influence may have been too successful, as the genre has dominated action games for the past decade.

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The release of Ninja Gaiden Sigma 2 in 2009, considered an inferior version of Ninja Gaiden II, coincided with the launch of Demon’s Souls, which received strong reviews and paved the way for Dark Souls in 2011. Dark Souls became a landmark title, often hailed as one of the greatest video games ever made, including by IGN. As Ninja Gaiden 3 and its rerelease Razor’s Edge struggled, Dark Souls and its sequels carved out a significant niche in the action market. FromSoftware continued to refine this style with Bloodborne, Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice, and Elden Ring.

The popularity of FromSoftware’s mechanics influenced other franchises like Respawn Entertainment’s Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order and Jedi: Survivor, Team Ninja’s Nioh, and Game Science’s Black Myth: Wukong. While these games are well-received, the dominance of the Soulslike model has left little room for traditional 3D action games. Ninja Gaiden's return after over a decade, alongside the last Devil May Cry entry in 2019 and the revamped God of War in 2018, highlights the need for variety in the action genre. The new God of War games, while not exact copies of the Soulslike style, have adopted some of its elements, moving away from the fast-paced, linear hack-and-slash gameplay of the originals.

Soulslike games are characterized by challenging combat, timing-based dodges and parries, stamina management, customizable builds, and large, open-ended level designs with save points that heal and respawn enemies. While FromSoftware pioneered this model, its widespread adoption has led to an oversaturation of similar games. With Ninja Gaiden 2 Black's release, the unique strengths of character action games have a chance to shine once more.

The Master Ninja Returns

Ninja Gaiden 2 Black offers a refreshing take on the action genre. Its fast-paced combat, diverse weapon selection, and the return of the original's gore, which was missing in the Sigma version, make it the definitive version of Ninja Gaiden 2 for modern platforms. It's an ideal entry point for newcomers and a satisfying experience for veterans, despite some adjustments to difficulty and enemy counts. The original Ninja Gaiden II had technical issues and unbalanced design, but Ninja Gaiden 2 Black strikes a balance, maintaining high difficulty and gore while incorporating much of the extra content from Sigma 2, minus the unpopular statue boss fights.

Ninja Gaiden 4 Screenshots

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This remaster serves as a reminder of what was lost when games like Ninja Gaiden and God of War were no longer at the forefront of the action genre. In the late 2000s and early 2010s, games inspired by these titles, such as PlatinumGames’ Bayonetta, Visceral Games’ Dante’s Inferno, Vigil Games’ Darksiders, and even FromSoftware’s Ninja Blade, were prevalent. The fast-paced, combo-based battles against numerous foes and giant bosses in a linear format have largely disappeared as the Soulslike model took over. While games like Hi-Fi Rush in 2023 have kept the spirit alive, Ninja Gaiden 2 Black stands out as a major release from a prominent developer in recent years.

Playing Ninja Gaiden 2 Black underscores the unique experience of such action games, where success depends solely on mastering the game's mechanics without relying on builds, experience points, or stamina bars. It's a pure test of skill, where players must adapt and overcome with the tools provided. While Soulslike games will likely continue to dominate, the return of Ninja Gaiden could herald a new golden age for action games, offering a diverse range of experiences for gamers to enjoy.