It should come as no surprise to anyone that Dead Island 2 is filled to the absolute brim with zombie-killing madness. As many scour across the game’s decaying landscape, they will have the option to engage in a bevy of challenges that encourage the slayers of HELL-A to mow down hordes with unique and violent twists on the typical hack-and-slash playstyle.
These challenges in Dead Island 2 can be tracked in the player menu, and among them is the Ninja Challenge, one of the trickier tasks to accomplish. However, with a few tweaks, some tactical analysis, and a bit of luck, each slayer should have no problem checking the box next to the Ninja Challenge.
The Ninja Challenge
The Ninja Challenge itself is relatively straightforward. Using the shurikens, which are among the first of the curveballs that the players can access, the slayer must dismember or maim three zombies with one throw. Doing so will complete the challenge. Simple, right?
The trouble is that while the shurikens come in handy in a pinch, they aren’t exactly tools built for maiming so much as they’re made for thinning crowds. And by the time Dead Island 2 really ramps up the necessity for crowd control, there are already plenty of other curveballs to choose from (and a lot of them go ‘boom’ which is sometimes even more fun). So, the question remains, how does the slayer complete the Ninja Challenge?
Tips for Making the Ninja Challenge Easier
While it is not a prerequisite to equip any specific perks or traits, go to any specific location, or use any specific ability (apart from the shurikens, of course) to complete the Ninja Challenge, there are things that can be done to ensure an easier and quicker method of success.
For one, completing the Batter Up Challenges can improve the shurikens’ damage output which in turn increases the likelihood that they will dismember as necessary. The Batter Up Challenges can be tracked in the same player menu. These challenges require the player to simply kill zombies using curveballs. Completing each tier of this challenge will improve curveball damage.
The best aspect of curveballs is that they are unlimited, but the worst aspect of curveballs is that they require a fair bit of recharge time. Therefore, unlocking the perk Pain Magazine can also assist in this challenge. Pain Magazine allows for a quicker recharge time for a used curveball so long as the slayer performs a well-timed dodge or block. This does come in handy, considering the Ninja Challenge may require more than one try.
Another key tip to offer is the location. There’s no wrong place to try for the Ninja Challenge, but some areas may be more amenable to it than others. Using a gate like the one where the slayer meets the Blue Crab staff in Santa Monica truly comes in handy to allow the player to take their shot and retreat to the safety of the other side while waiting for the recharge. If the slayer is more interested in just working on dodge or block timing in between attempts, using a wide open space is the way to go simply to ensure movement flexibility.
The most crucial point to focus on is the angle. Most zombies are broad up top, but the shurikens can easily expose if they’ve skipped leg day. Fortunately, the slayers can also throw shurikens from the crouched position offering a great angle to take the enemy out at the knees. Try to keep the zombies in a horizontal line as they approach, aim low, and the Ninja Challenge should be a thing of the past.
Dead Island 2 is now available for PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S.