Ninja Gaiden 2 Black is a Great Reminder of What Makes Shorter Linear Games So Good

It’s no secret that gaming can be an expensive pastime, so it’s natural for us to strive for more value in our purchases. Often, this desire is fulfilled by games offering vast amounts of content. Regrettably, this trend has led to a surge in games that appear jam-packed and extensive, sometimes even excessively so. Excess baggage and unneeded additions are common problems, and even when they’re not, there’s no dearth of games that transform into epic, multi-day adventures simply due to their creators’ visions.

In one aspect, there’s an irresistible charm to getting more value for the same price. On the other hand, our affinity for succinct, focused, and less elaborate games has significantly increased over time. Fortunately, we occasionally encounter reasons to cherish such experiences, and lately, we’ve encountered another one with Ninja Gaiden 2 Black. Koei Tecmo and Team Ninja’s remastered character action game was unexpectedly released during Microsoft’s recent Xbox Developer Direct event, and revisiting it has reminded us yet again of the intense engagement a well-crafted linear game can provide.

Ninja Gaiden 2 Black can typically be completed within 9-10 hours, although dedicated players might extend that time if they wish to fully explore every aspect of the game. Regardless, this game is relatively short compared to contemporary titles – but I argue that length should not determine a game’s satisfaction. A complete playthrough of Ninja Gaiden 2 never feels insufficient in any sense. If you’re wondering whether you’d want more, the answer is yes, because the combat system in Ninja Gaiden 2 is simply outstanding and renowned – but as for its duration, the game lasts as long as necessary, and concludes when it must.

It’s truly refreshing when games exhibit concise storytelling and end at the right moment, as is the case with Ninja Gaiden 2 Black. Unlike many games that seem determined to overstay their welcome, this game never drags due to its brevity. Throughout its playtime, it offers superb combat, finely-tuned mechanics, and challenging boss battles, all of which have ample room to shine without being hampered by the game’s length. It may not be groundbreaking to acknowledge that shorter games can be exceptional, but in an era where expansive open-world epics are becoming increasingly common, every well-crafted linear release is a cause for celebration.

It’s worth noting that Ninja Gaiden 2 Black, originally released over a decade ago, has been revamped rather than reimagined. Although visually enhanced, it remains essentially the same game as it was in 2008, with Team Ninja describing it as a remaster rather than a remake. While there are some changes here and there, they are largely minor adjustments. At its heart, Ninja Gaiden 2 Black is incredibly faithful to its original form, demonstrating that its focused, linear gameplay design remains compelling even today, underscoring its timeless appeal.

It makes perfect sense from a commercial standpoint why game creators often prefer developing expansive, non-linear games over shorter, linear ones, as it’s typically these larger titles that achieve massive success. However, this isn’t an absolute rule, but if you examine some of the most successful games released in the past decade or so, you’ll notice that a significant portion of them belong to the open-world genre. Games like The Witcher 3, Elden Ring, Hogwarts Legacy, The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild, Red Dead Redemption 2, and Cyberpunk 2077 have been among the top sellers in recent years, and all of them are open-world experiences.

Linear games, such as Resident Evil or The Last of Us, Space Marine 2 or Astro Bot, Silent Hill 2, and many others, also draw significant audiences. These games, which deliberately limit their scope, have been consistently produced by the gaming industry. Many of these quality games have garnered both critical acclaim and commercial success. The AA scene has effectively adopted linear game design, with titles like A Plague Tale: Innocence and its sequel, A Plague Tale: Requiem, being notable examples. In 2022, Evil West, a throwback action game that fans of the genre shouldn’t miss, was released. Fortunately, it seems there will be more linear games to look forward to in the future as well.

To put it simply, Ninja Gaiden is gearing up for its comeback following the unveiling of Ninja Gaiden 2 Black at the Xbox Developer Direct showcase. The main reveal during the presentation was Ninja Gaiden 4, a joint collaboration between Koei Tecmo and PlatinumGames, which will reintroduce the Ninja Gaiden series this Fall after an extended break of thirteen years. Needless to say, there’s a lot of buzz around the game, and based on what we’ve seen so far – improved combat, enhanced traversal, a new protagonist, and more – expectations are running high.

An intriguing linear action-adventure game on the horizon that’s sparked interest is “South of Midnight”, developed by Compulsion Games. With every sneak peek, it has been growing in promise, capturing attention with its unique setting, artistic aesthetics, enemy designs, and the harmonious blend of action combat and nimble exploration. The developers have also confirmed that the gameplay duration will be approximately 12-20 hours, which is the ideal length we’re anticipating.

For quite some time now, non-linear games have been favored over linear ones by the gaming industry. However, there’s a sense that linear games are making a comeback recently. While we appreciate and don’t want to diminish the allure of expansive, open-world games, we welcome this new balance between linear and larger games that seems to be emerging in the industry. Let’s hope this trend continues for a more balanced gaming landscape.

Please take note that the opinions stated within this article belong to the author and may not reflect the perspectives or attributions of GamingBolt as a whole.

2025-02-01 03:12

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