Summary
In a massive surprise, during Thursday’s Xbox Developer Direct,Team Ninja, in partnership with Platinum Games, announced that it is reviving the Ninja Gaiden franchise with a new entry, Ninja Gaiden 4, that’s due out later this year.
That announcement was topped several minutes later,when it was revealed that 2008’s Ninja Gaiden 2 would be receiving a remaster in the form of Ninja Gaiden 2 Black. Oh, and it’s out everywhere.
In other words, it was a bombastic several minutes for action game fans. That said, perhaps the most interesting part of the release of Ninja Gaiden 2 Black, besides its modern graphics and additional playable characters, is the presence of a “Hero Mode” that seemingly curbs the game’s notorious difficulty.
Anyone Can Play Ninja Gaiden 2 Black
For background, Ninja Gaiden as a franchise is as iconic for its major set pieces as it is for its difficulty. The original Ninja Gaiden famously received a “Black” definitive edition that added difficulty options, while Ninja Gaiden 2 Sigma modified a few things, including reworking enemy attacks and boosting item spawn rates.
Those reworks are part of Gaiden 2 Black, too.According to the game’s official listing on the PlayStation Store, “The game also includes ‘HERO PLAY STYLE’ mode that provides automatic support in challenging situations, making it accessible for those who may not be confident in their action skills.”
In other words, if difficulty is certainly not your thing, then there’s a built-in option that will help you out in a pinch. At this time, it’s unclear how exactly “automatic support” works, but if the original Gaiden Black is anything to go off of, then increased damage, increased item spawn rates and weaker enemies all sound like fair game. Either way, it’s a welcome bit of accessibility, particularly for those who are interested in the game, and likely unaware of how difficult it can be.
