Ninja Gaiden 2 Black also introduces periodic filler chapters in which you play as one of three side characters: Momiji, Rachel, and Ayane. All three of these bring their own weapons, ranged attacks, and spells that do a nice job of varying up the pace, throwing you in for a loop just when you start to feel a monotony set in.

Say what you will about Ninja Gaiden 2, the game commits to its ridiculous over-the-top action tone. Most people playing through the remaster will look at it through rose-tinted glasses. It's an old-school action game emblematic of mid-2000s action game design.