Team Ninja has unleashed a significant update for Ninja Gaiden 2 Black, boosting it to version 1.0.7.0 and introducing highly anticipated features like New Game Plus, Photo Mode, and more. This patch, promised in January to address community feedback, is now live on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC (Steam and Microsoft Store).

New Game Plus allows players to restart the game on any previously completed difficulty level, retaining previously acquired weapons and Ninpo. However, all items will revert to Level 1, and players cannot directly select a higher difficulty via New Game Plus.

A welcome quality-of-life improvement lets players hide their projectile weapon from view. This toggle is accessible within the Options menu under Game Settings.

Balance adjustments include HP reductions for enemies in Chapters 8 and 11, increased enemy counts in Chapters 13 and 14, and a damage boost for some of Ayane's attacks.

The patch also addresses numerous bugs, including high-performance PC related issues, game-breaking glitches in specific chapters, and crashes during extended play sessions. A complete list of fixes is provided below.

Ninja Gaiden 2 Black, initially surprising players during January's Xbox Developer Direct, is an Unreal Engine 5 enhanced version of the classic action title. This update leverages the engine's capabilities to improve visuals, introduce new playable characters, and enhance combat mechanics.

IGN's 8/10 review described the game as "a definite and gorgeous improvement over its Sigma 2 release, and still an excellent action game all around," noting that while enemy adjustments might not make it entirely definitive, the improvements are substantial.

Ninja Gaiden 2 Black Ver 1.0.7.0 Patch Notes

New Content:

• New Game+: Start a new game on a cleared difficulty level, retaining unlocked weapons and Ninpo (reset to level 1).
• Photo Mode: Added to the in-game Options Menu for capturing screenshots.
• Hide Projectile Weapon: A "Show Projectile Weapon" toggle in Game Settings allows players to hide their back-carried projectile weapon.

Adjustments:

• Reduced enemy HP in Chapter 8 ("City of the Fallen Goddess") and Chapter 11 ("Night in the City of Water").
• Increased enemy numbers in Chapter 13 ("The Temple of Sacrifice") and Chapter 14 ("A Tempered Gravestone").
• Increased damage for some of Ayane's attacks.

Bug Fixes:

• Resolved control issues at frame rates exceeding 120 FPS or under high system load.
• Fixed controller vibration inconsistencies related to system load and FPS.
• Addressed out-of-bounds glitches in certain chapters.
• Corrected progression-blocking bugs in specific chapters.
• Fixed crashes occurring during extended gameplay.
• Other minor bug fixes.