There’s no rest for the wicked in Ninja Gaiden 2 Black. Chapter 2 kicks things up a notch from the get-go as Ryu Hayabusa takes on the perilous Castle of the Dragon.
Between the powerful new techniques, fierce enemies, and a final showdown with Genshin, this chapter is sure to test your skills.
Here’s how to face every challenge and come out in one piece.
How To Complete Chapter 2
When Chapter 2 starts, Ryu is at the gates of Hayabusa Village, and you can feel the weight of what’s to come.
Head on through the village, and you'll find the first graveyard.
Stop here and examine the body near the graveyard, which will reveal the Flying Swallow technique note.
With this, you can pull off a fast, strong aerial slash that works on several enemies and will come in handy as you push through the chapter.
Now that you know the drill, keep going and take on the first batch: dual-sword ninjas.
These enemies are relatively easy to defeat, but keep your guard up as they can be quick.
After clearing them, head forward and listen for the howl of wolves.
A bunch of quick wolves will come at you, so you’ll want to take them down before they swarm you.
These wolves don't have high health but can hit fast, so keep your distance and use quick attacks.
Once you're past the wolf, continue through the village and make sure to check out the area.
Early on, you can find a Life of the Gods chest. Once you hit nine, your max health will stay higher. Look for these chests as you make your way through.
As you move ahead, you’ll find a shop by a statue where you can grab healing items or top off your Ki.
If needed, buy some supplies here before moving on. After you get to the bridge, take a detour to find the Reverse Wind Technique scroll.
It will teach you how to dodge and strike back at enemies. This is one of the best ways to take on speedy or aggressive enemies, so make sure you get some practice.
Once you pass the bridge, you’ll encounter a river you need to cross.
You’ll need to try the water run technique here to zoom across the water and pick up speed.
Head up the river until you see a set of stairs. While you’re at it, dive underwater and pick up the Crystal Skull for some rewards down the line.
Once you get past the river and deal with the enemies, you’ll need to take on a few archers who will shoot at you from a distance.
Take them down from a distance using your bow, or close the gap and finish them off with your sword.
After you leave the river area, you'll come across more enemies, like wolves and archers.
Keep making progress, and you'll find another Counter Attack Technique scroll off a corpse.
This move lets you block enemy attacks and instantly counter with a solid strike.
Once you take care of the wolves and archers, you’ll be right at the Castle of the Dragon entrance.
In there, you'll discover a chest containing the Falcon’s Talons, a fresh set of weapons for fast, up-close attacks.
With these claws, you can take down enemies fast with a flurry of attacks.
However, as soon as you pick them up, watch out for an ambush.
Enemies will drop down from the ceiling, so try out the claws and take them out fast before moving on.
As you keep moving through the castle, you’ll find a Fiend’s Bane Bow hanging off a dragon statue.
Equip the bow and use it to clear out any archers in the next area. After the archers, Gyuki will come down as the next big challenge.
Gyuki is no slouch, and his extra limbs can grab and slam you down. To avoid this, stay grounded and focus on dodging his attacks.
The best approach is to strike from behind, as going head-first makes you an easy target for his grab attacks.
Use your counters to freeze Gyuki, then go for the big damage while he's out of it.
After you beat Gyuki, go ahead and explore the rest of the castle. Dragon Statues are where you save, so watch for them.
Save here and there, especially when the end of the chapter is in sight.
As you go, you’ll run into items like Grains of Spiritual Life for healing and Lives of the Gods to max out your health permanently.
As you near the end of the chapter, you’ll be tasked with facing the final boss of Chapter 2: Genshin.
He is fast and powerful, with a variety of moves that can deal heavy damage. When you see that purple orb, brace yourself for a projectile.
This is the moment to sidestep his move and follow up with your own. The trick to taking down Genshin is staying active and dodging his attacks.
When you spot an opening, go for the counter, especially if he’s still recovering from his own hits.
Don’t be afraid to use healing items if your health gets low, as the game pauses while you’re on the inventory screen.
Once you beat Genshin, the cutscene will roll, closing out Chapter 2.
Don’t forget to save and pick up anything you might need before moving on to Chapter 3.