Xbox drops surprise free download for long-awaited remake

Xbox gamers have been surprised with a long-awaited surprise remaster of a beloved ninja classic, or ... remake?

The game in question is a reimagining 2008’s Ninja Gaiden II which was originally released by Koei Tecmo on Xbox 360 before being ported to PlayStation 3 the following year.

In the game's new synopsis, it's referred to as a remaster, but it also claims to be remade in Unreal Engine 5 so the line is a tad murky.

Check out the Ninja Gaiden 2 Black trailer below!

The Ninja Gaiden series has been about for decades with the first game in the series arriving in arcades in 1988. Its high-octane action and challenging gameplay enticed players to spend their coins in the hope of making some progress, as was the nature of classic retro arcade machines.

Since that time, the Ninja Gaiden series has seen loads of sequels, ports, remasters and spin-offs with the latest addition being shadow-dropped during the latest Xbox Developer Direct online event. By the way, Ninja Gaiden 4 was also announced.

However, the topic of this article is the remaster, available now, of Ninja Gaiden 2 Black. This remaster has benefited from the use of Unreal Engine 5, giving the visuals a modern polish mixed with its signature combat style.

The original Ninja Gaiden II featured challenging gameplay and this remaster is no exception. That being said, a new ‘Hero Play Style’ is available which will make the game easier for those who may struggle with “daunting situations”, so says the press release.

If you find the game too gory, there are also new accessibility options to tone down dismemberment or you can play the game as originally intended, the choice is yours.

Moreover, taken from spin-offs from the series, this remaster grants players the ability to play as three additional characters along with the main man, Ryu Hayabusa. Namely, Momiji, Ayane and Rachel.

Ninja Gaiden 2 Black is out now on PC, PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X/S. Best of all, it’s also free to download for Xbox Game Pass subscribers at no extra cost.

Ninja Gaiden 4 is expected to be released at some point this year on the same platforms, including Xbox Game Pass.