Ninja Gaiden II

 Xbox 360
  • Publisher: Tecmo
  • Release Date: Jun 3, 2008
User Score
8.0

Generally favorable reviews- based on 374 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 283 out of 374
  2. Mixed: 49 out of 374
  3. Negative: 42 out of 374
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  1. MikeW.
    Aug 2, 2008
    6
    Don
  2. DavidO.
    Sep 23, 2008
    6
    This game is a complete piece of trash! Everything from production to creation sucks! People who rate this game above 7 are getting paid to rate it high! First of all, NGB I have completed it in Master Ninja, I started this game on Warrior Path. The gameplay was fine, but too easy for me. ENOUGH! Even reviewing this game is a waste! I'll just get to the bad points!!! *Graphics sucks! This game is a complete piece of trash! Everything from production to creation sucks! People who rate this game above 7 are getting paid to rate it high! First of all, NGB I have completed it in Master Ninja, I started this game on Warrior Path. The gameplay was fine, but too easy for me. ENOUGH! Even reviewing this game is a waste! I'll just get to the bad points!!! *Graphics sucks! *Gameplay is farked! *Enemies are so cheap, you see ninjas throwing explosives tards ALL OVER THE SCREEN! *SO MUCH ENEMIES ON SCREEN AT ONCE IT CAUSES THE GAME TO SLOW DOWN!!! *You have enemies that can gang bang you to death, but when you fight a boss, you can EASILY triumph over a weak boss! Basically boss battles are easier than enemies! *Puzzles are farking annoying has hell! The puzzles are way worst than NGB! *Controls are farked too! They are so unresponsive! Worst is when you try to dash when you are in a block mode, you have to tap the direction pad multiple times just to make Ryu dash! *Game has no storyline! *You download additional content such as costumes, updates/patch or mission mode and they will completely mess up your game save which leaves the game unplayable! Many people still can get pass Chapter 10 because of this. *Costumes look like crap! where is Fiend Ryu!??? *Leaderboard is a piece of crap...when browsing through the list, it will crash on you! *Achievement list sucks asz! There are so many that can be said...I advise people not to buy this piece of shiz! The game is not challenging or hard...it's just frustrating! If you want a challenging game, go play Ninja Gaiden, Black or Sigma! It's like Team Ninja did this on purpose!… Expand
  3. Berglynt
    Apr 19, 2011
    5
    If you liked the first one, you should enjoy it as well. Graphics are good and overall experience with the game was fun. They hosed Xbox 360 user again, just like they did with the first one. Should have expected it; not going to bother buying the third iteration of this game new, since they will probably do the same thing again. May be a rental or buy used. Not going to bother supportingIf you liked the first one, you should enjoy it as well. Graphics are good and overall experience with the game was fun. They hosed Xbox 360 user again, just like they did with the first one. Should have expected it; not going to bother buying the third iteration of this game new, since they will probably do the same thing again. May be a rental or buy used. Not going to bother supporting Tecmo any more until they stop this crap.… Expand
  4. It'sanokgame
    Sep 5, 2008
    7
    Honestly, NGII is a great game but the camera angles wanted to make me throw my controller. I can't count how many times i've died due to the camera. Other than the camera the game is good but it's slightly easier than NGB or NGS which kinda made me mad since im a fan of the games. Ryu charges way too fast to even make it challenging but noting somehow the enemies have Honestly, NGII is a great game but the camera angles wanted to make me throw my controller. I can't count how many times i've died due to the camera. Other than the camera the game is good but it's slightly easier than NGB or NGS which kinda made me mad since im a fan of the games. Ryu charges way too fast to even make it challenging but noting somehow the enemies have gotten dumber which was a let down. The nippo has been added too much into the game as in ways of accessing it. It's still cool but i still like black and sigma better. I also hate the way the game lags, it seriously pisses me off and the loading times are also a down fall. Also to me the game feel less responsive to button commands compared to black or sigma.… Expand
  5. Brian
    Jun 5, 2008
    7
    A punishing game which replaces the intelligent AI of its predecessor with cheap, auto targeting enemies that withstand merciless onslaughts until your thumbs are sore. Not only this, but the polish is missing. Technical issues such as frame rate slow downs and frequent load times add to the frustration as players battle the horde of fiends as well as the vicious camera.
  6. Kyuud.
    Jun 7, 2008
    7
    Please listen ninja gaiden fans, this game is a total disappointment!!! countless camera issues, tons of enemies attack you once from all ranges, terrible lock-on system, and many other issues ... Its predecessor was simply million times better! the game aint worthy of the title ninja gaiden. but well, if you want to play it just for fun, you might like It for the super fast action it Please listen ninja gaiden fans, this game is a total disappointment!!! countless camera issues, tons of enemies attack you once from all ranges, terrible lock-on system, and many other issues ... Its predecessor was simply million times better! the game aint worthy of the title ninja gaiden. but well, if you want to play it just for fun, you might like It for the super fast action it delivers, Its great graphics , many weapon loaded with so many kinds of moves, combos and stuff. anyways in total I give it a 7.… Expand
  7. MatthewN.
    Jun 9, 2008
    6
    Read up Ninja Gaiden fans. If you're a true believer and truly enjoyed Ninja Gaiden and Gaiden Black, this game is not for you. The levels are straightforward and uninspiring, the camera has been downgraded, and the difficulty is widly imbalanced. I'm good at NG. I beat Black on Hard. So when I say that I understand the combat system, counters, cancellations, etc... you can Read up Ninja Gaiden fans. If you're a true believer and truly enjoyed Ninja Gaiden and Gaiden Black, this game is not for you. The levels are straightforward and uninspiring, the camera has been downgraded, and the difficulty is widly imbalanced. I'm good at NG. I beat Black on Hard. So when I say that I understand the combat system, counters, cancellations, etc... you can believe me... and when I say that even at my level of skill, it behooved me more often than not to ignore my abilities and just hammer the "Y" button repeatedly during 3/4 of the boss fights in NG2, you should be scared. The balanced gameplay and tactical boss fights are gone in favor of gore, fast-paced style, and "obliterations". Ryu is 1/2 the ninja badass he was in the first outing; don't let all the flying limbs fool you. Admittedly, the over the top violence is very cool... for an hour. But please, don't be tempted like I was... just play Black again until this game comes down to about $30. Might be worth it for the non-boss combat at that price... Jesus it hurts to say this. Maybe now that Itagaki has some time on his hands, he'll make a better action game.… Expand
  8. CGilliam
    Aug 6, 2008
    5
    I'm sorry, but the myth that this game will please NGB fans the most is ridiculous. I just played Ninja Gaiden Black on Very Hard mode for awhile and then switched to NGII on path of the mentor... the combat on here is SO much easier! Yes, the enemies are far more numerous than in NGB but my god they're pathetic and simple. A UT often tears apart several enemies, leaving for I'm sorry, but the myth that this game will please NGB fans the most is ridiculous. I just played Ninja Gaiden Black on Very Hard mode for awhile and then switched to NGII on path of the mentor... the combat on here is SO much easier! Yes, the enemies are far more numerous than in NGB but my god they're pathetic and simple. A UT often tears apart several enemies, leaving for ridiculously easy UT chaining. Izuna drop still takes you out of range of most enemies, meaning battles are simply more repetitious with less challenging opponents. Combos with the scythe are ludicrously powerful and ridiculous, simply leading any halfway intelligent button masher to victory at times through dumb luck. As if all this weren't easy enough, ninpo is so plentiful that you can ninpo your way out of anything if they get the upper hand, even if you play for score. Most of the bosses are pathetically easy on any difficulty if you know how to deal with them correctly. For being so highly praised, I find the combat in this one ridiculous. On a final note, although the combat will be terribly easy for NGB pros, a huge disparity is revealed when a new player attempts the game. Anyone who has not played before will likely be quickly overwhelmed by the swarm of seemingly unstoppable enemies, particularly if they do not grasp the game's powerful defensive system. In NGB on the other hand... Enemies were fewer in number but far more complex and intelligent. In spite of this, the stage was set so that with every new challenge met a player could eventually learn how to overcome his foes and become a truly great player. No enemy in NGII can match berserksers, shadow fiends, incendiary ninjas, or even those damn cat things, yet at the same time there is ample opportunity to learn how to fight these foes. These were great and challenging foes to fight and it took skill to defeat them rather than spam and ridiculously long souped up combos. NGII's setup on the other hand provides little opportunity for a player to actually learn from encounters with their enemies or develop a sense of how to protect yourself against them. I have pounded my way through half of the game in one sitting on path of the mentor, yet I don't really know any of my enemies' moves (aside from certain throws.) Isn't something wrong with that picture? Furthermore, NGB's bosses were far more difficult. Ishtaros, Doku, Alma, and even Murai for god's sake are more challenging bosses than any found in NGII. As if all this wasn't enough, we talk about the camera... as a decent NGB player, I typically have little trouble with the camera, but the one in NGII has this nasty habit of times where it likes to position itself inside of some random building staring at a wall!!! And when I press R.... it doesn't move cause it's stuck!!!! This leads to death obviously. This should not happen... EVER. Indeed, while playing as Ryu you get very little chance to anything truly ninja-like. Sure, you climb some things, but so what!!! Where's the assassinations, puzzle solving, and sneaking around? NGB was far better at dealing out short yet satisfying puzzles. I was also a much bigger fan of roaming around in one large free world in NGB than this... level by level crap. Were there at least something new to show for all of this garbage, I might like this game better. Overall, I feel that all they did is add some flashy combos, throw in a ton of seemingly overwhelming enemies to scare the newbs, then add some blood and severed limbs... Then they pushed this title out as fast as they could. This is how you take a great genre and destroy it. ...On a final note, I understand this is the first game of the series to be published by a different company? Maybe this had something to do with why the game was so obviously rushed. No doubt, NGII COULD'VE been far better... there is clearly a reason that it wasn't.… Expand
  9. jman
    May 26, 2008
    6
    Nothing new at all. Overhyped by Itagaki. Terrible camera and framerates. Ninja Gaiden Sigma was better overall on PS3. IGN : Ninja Gaiden Sigma scored 9.3 with 1080p and a consistent smooth 60fps.
  10. smash
    Jun 14, 2008
    5
    *yawn* some of these guys are saying "like the original" when in fact, its not like the original. the arcade game, or the nes games is what i mean by original, and even the xbox game didnt serve that series right in my opinion. but as for being like the "original" (xbox version), then yes it is, and thats the problem. When I played devil may cry 4, it felt like more than just a fancier *yawn* some of these guys are saying "like the original" when in fact, its not like the original. the arcade game, or the nes games is what i mean by original, and even the xbox game didnt serve that series right in my opinion. but as for being like the "original" (xbox version), then yes it is, and thats the problem. When I played devil may cry 4, it felt like more than just a fancier devil may cry 3. I'm hoping god of war 3 isn't just a ps3 version of the first 2. when i saw vids of this game being super gory, i instantly knew that was going to be the focus, and not the gameplay. all they did was take the same exact formula from the first game and add falling limbs and buckets of blood. I'm not 14 anymore, that doesn't impress me.… Expand
  11. [Anonymous]
    Jun 17, 2008
    6
    One of the most impressive aspects of ninja gaiden for the original xbox beyond the gameplay was the gorgeous cut scenes which completely took advantage of the system's capabilities. This is not the case with the 360 sequel. Control of the camera is good until your reach a boss and it mysteriously becomes disabled. The game is terribly unbalanced. Many bosses make more than one One of the most impressive aspects of ninja gaiden for the original xbox beyond the gameplay was the gorgeous cut scenes which completely took advantage of the system's capabilities. This is not the case with the 360 sequel. Control of the camera is good until your reach a boss and it mysteriously becomes disabled. The game is terribly unbalanced. Many bosses make more than one appearance, and are always easier to kill than a horde of normal enemies you encounter along the way. Unless you want to fork over the cash for a couple new weapons, just revisit the original and sigma or black. And those have the great perks of unlocking the original nintendo trilogy and arcade version while nothing is offered for II. If anything, it's a rental.… Expand
  12. Andrewanon
    Feb 13, 2009
    7
    If you were a huge fan of Ninja Gaiden Black I would advise you pick this one up on the cheap.
    The game has an amazing first act of fighting, bloodshed and skilled combat, but in act 2 the game quickly devolves into intense frustration as endless waves of cheap-and-cheerful bug-style enemies, off-screen rocket launchers and machine guns, and bosses that cross into the wrong side of the    If you were a huge fan of Ninja Gaiden Black I would advise you pick this one up on the cheap.
    The game has an amazing first act of fighting, bloodshed and skilled combat, but in act 2 the game quickly devolves into intense frustration as endless waves of cheap-and-cheerful bug-style enemies, off-screen rocket launchers and machine guns, and bosses that cross into the wrong side of the challenging/frustrating divide are thrown at you.    … Expand
  13. SuleimanM.
    Feb 23, 2009
    7
    Ninja Gaiden II is a solid title, but one cannot over look the mediocre framerate that the game offers for much of the game, and with that said, it seriously hampers the enjoyment of the game. Aside from that, and if you can some how over look that issue, as well as some camera screw ups, then Ninja Gaiden II is worth a look.
  14. JohnF.
    Jun 14, 2008
    7
    Some major problems with this game. The camera is every bit as bad as critics say it is, maybe even worse. It's the worst camera I've seen in years. The challenge often isn't fair and gets worse and worse as the game goes along. You'll be blindsided on a consistent basis by enemies who are outside of the camera. You'll be hit with fireballs, missiles, and whatever Some major problems with this game. The camera is every bit as bad as critics say it is, maybe even worse. It's the worst camera I've seen in years. The challenge often isn't fair and gets worse and worse as the game goes along. You'll be blindsided on a consistent basis by enemies who are outside of the camera. You'll be hit with fireballs, missiles, and whatever from enemies that are all the way across the screen while you are trying to fight hordes of enemies at melee range. You'll be hit and thrown to the ground by unblockable, unseeable attacks by one enemy while in combat with another enemy. Not to mention many of the enemies are extremely annoying as many of them explode when they die. You'll encounter some of the worst boss fights you'll ever see, with almost all of them sharing the same boring strategy and some of them including adds of those same missile-throwing exploding trash mobs. The game is not fun more often than not and doesn't compare in quality to its smooth, more polished predecessor. The game has a lot of cool combat qualities and fast action, so if you are looking for a challenge and don't mind being constantly bombarded with cheap shots, give this one a try. The higher difficulties in this game are about as hard as a video game gets, and only the very best and most patient will be able to complete the Master Ninja difficulty, so it is good for those looking to put their abilities to the test. But if you are the type that is easily annoyed and likes a fair fight, you might want to stay away.… Expand
  15. Trevor
    Sep 26, 2008
    7
    Ninja Gaiden 2 is more or less a rushed out game for the Xbox360. instead of being a successor to number 1, this title is a downfall. The game had a bad storyline centering on fiends taking over the world and how Ryu must battle all the way to the warlord to claim peace. It was a disappointment but more or less it was the gameplay that kept it somewhat fresh. Having a faster framerate Ninja Gaiden 2 is more or less a rushed out game for the Xbox360. instead of being a successor to number 1, this title is a downfall. The game had a bad storyline centering on fiends taking over the world and how Ryu must battle all the way to the warlord to claim peace. It was a disappointment but more or less it was the gameplay that kept it somewhat fresh. Having a faster framerate meant that combat could be much quicker. That alone was a good thing about the game, being able to hack your apponents to pieces is not only a new addition but also a graphic one. The fatalities were a new addition and also pretty gruesome as well. The wait was somewhat worth it but since it felt rushed, just left me a bit disappointed in the end.Rent it but don't be tempted to buy it.… Expand
  16. DME
    Jun 25, 2012
    7
    Very nice graphics and a near-flawless combat system make this one of the best fighting games for the 360. Unfortunately, there is a lot of repetition and a stubborn camera. Also, the game is not for casual players. You have to be a devoted and competitive player to get the best experience out of NG2... And don't you dare play on the easy difficulty.
  17. niconline
    Oct 29, 2012
    7
    Don
  18. harryjc
    Oct 6, 2014
    5
    Ninja Gaiden 2 is a hack and slash type game. You go around with your weapons and cut up the bad guys. It's not a bad concept, but this is greatly held back by bad camera angles, and awkward controls. The controls are relatively simple, but it lacks a certain amount of accuracy. I also found it too repetitive and lacking in consistency in terms of difficulty. You go from one fairly easyNinja Gaiden 2 is a hack and slash type game. You go around with your weapons and cut up the bad guys. It's not a bad concept, but this is greatly held back by bad camera angles, and awkward controls. The controls are relatively simple, but it lacks a certain amount of accuracy. I also found it too repetitive and lacking in consistency in terms of difficulty. You go from one fairly easy area to something just balls out hard. The game is kind of dumb too. It doesn't take a lot of brains to play, just all out button mashing, the success of which seems to come out at random.

    I'm really disappointed here, since I am a fan of the Ninja Gaiden series on the NES and Ninja Gaiden on the Xbox. But this version of ninja games just seems lacklusters. It's kind of odd writing about this game when it's so old, but it just so happens that I picked out a copy to try.    … Expand
  19. YokoHugo
    Aug 1, 2022
    7
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Awards & Rankings

40
#40 Best Xbox 360 Game of 2008
15
#15 Most Discussed Xbox 360 Game of 2008
33
#33 Most Shared Xbox 360 Game of 2008

Critic Reviews

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Metascore
81

Generally favorable reviews - based on 74 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 60 out of 74
  2. Mixed: 14 out of 74
  3. Negative: 0 out of 74
  1. Jolt Online Gaming UK
    77
    For the die-hards who take their games like they take their women – angry, violent, unforgiving, underdeveloped and occasionally gratifying – Ninja Gaiden 2 is a fine follow-up, especially with its punishing achievements and four difficulty settings (Very Hard, Insane, Chuck Norris, Double Chuck Norris). For everyone else Ninja Gaiden 2 is an exercise in futility that’s just not as polished, balanced or enjoyable as its predecessor.
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  2. Game Over Online
    80
    The point here is despite all its flaws, Ninja Gaiden 2 was still able to deliver some excitement and thrills and every now and then it exhibits some of the pure kung-fu insanity that placed its predecessor on the mantle of genre-defining action titles.
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  3. Xbox World Australia
    79
    Fans of the original will probably love it, newcomers will probably divided, but either way it's a faithful sequel to one of the Xbox's favourite sons.
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