If someone had told me a few years ago that in 2025 I’d be doing Izuna Drops on fiends, demons, and all kinds of freaks in a neon-soaked neo-Tokyo, I would’ve laughed. The idea of getting a new Ninja Gaiden sequel felt like pure science fiction. After the trainwreck that was Ninja Gaiden 3, hardly anyone believed this series could ever return. Especially since the industry had shifted focus, multiplayer and Soulslike games had buried the so-called “character action” subgenre, the one that defined classics like Ninja Gaiden, Devil May Cry, and Bayonetta. Sure, we had a few honourable mentions, like Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance (and yes, I’m bringing that one up on purpose), but that was around the same time Ninja Gaiden 3 and its improved version, Razor’s Edge, appeared.
For those who never played Ninja Gaiden, here’s the deal: before Dark Souls came along, Ninja Gaiden was considered the hardest and most complex action game on the market. I’m talking about the original, of course. It was a game that demanded you master the controller as if you were mastering actual ninja arts. Fast, brutal, unforgiving, and intense, those were the trademarks. It wasn’t for everyone, but for those who found their flow, it was pure bliss. One of those rare games that made your pulse skyrocket after beating a tough boss, so much so that even the most stoic gamer suddenly felt like they could wrestle a bull. That’s what the game did to you, and that’s why it became a cult classic: pure adrenaline, total immersion, and impeccable design.
Now, 21 years after the first game and 12 after the last, Ninja Gaiden 4 has finally arrived. Unlike previous entries (not counting the Yaiba: Ninja Gaiden Z spin-off), Ryu Hayabusa is not the main protagonist this time. Instead, we get a new hero named Yakumo, a member of the Raven Ninja Clan, who’s always operated in the shadows alongside the Hayabusa clan. Basically, they handled the dirty work Ryu couldn’t be bothered with. But this time, Yakumo takes on a much bigger responsibility. The Dark Dragon has returned, at least in some strange new form, and is passively tearing apart future Tokyo. Yakumo swears to destroy it once and for all, though not everyone agrees that’s a good idea.
While Yakumo takes the lead, Ryu Hayabusa does appear throughout the story, as a sort of mythical figure, the Super Ninja who’s slain the Dark Dragon multiple times and saved the world more than once. He’s the role model, the legend everyone in this world admires. Yakumo himself is young, cocky, and quiet, expressing himself more through action than words. His whole design, attitude, appearance, voice, scream early 2000s. In fact, the entire game feels soaked in that era’s energy, which is honestly fantastic. And yes, you do get to play as Ryu at some point, and when that happens… well, you’ll either tear up or grin like an idiot until someone in your house asks what’s wrong with you.
Old faces return too, familiar characters from previous Ninja Gaiden titles, and they all look great. They’ve been modernized but still retain that stylish Japanese flair we all love (we do, right?). The overall aesthetic takes inspiration from a cyberpunk version of Tokyo, drenched in neon lights. It looks great, cold and sterile at times, but thankfully there’s some variety in the environments to break up the monotony of gray-blue military bases buried under futuristic cityscapes. But if I had to choose, the underground rave scene in Neon Tokyo easily looks the best and freshest of all the environments. You’ll see exactly what I mean.
The story is fine. Ninja Gaiden was never known for deep narratives or dramatic moments, but this one does surprise with a few twists and nicely written segments. The dialogue leans into the cheesy and over-the-top, but come on, this is Ninja Gaiden, not some PlayStation “feelings, feelings, feelings!” type of game. The focus here, as always, is on gameplay.
And speaking of gameplay, Ninja Gaiden 4 feels super fast, like really super fast. Noticeably faster than its predecessors. Ryu always had a sense of weight, heavy but still agile. That heaviness limited your movements, made you deliberate. You couldn’t just slide around or constantly dodge attacks. You had to think, position, and strike. In Ninja Gaiden 4, everything feels about 50% faster, if not more. Yakumo is absurdly agile and capable of pulling off insane stunts mid-fight. You unlock new moves over time using two in-game currencies: money for skills and blood currency, or XP in the game, for weapon upgrades. Each new move feels wilder, faster, and more brutal than the last, and that shock factor from the original games remains intact. This is still a bloody, vicious game that doesn’t shy away from showing it.
The gameplay is fluid, but more importantly, it’s responsive in every possible way. Just like before, standing still equals death. The game constantly demands motion, dodge, strike, reposition, repeat. It’s challenging both mentally and mechanically; button-mashing won’t get you far. You’ll need to learn combos, timing, and when to execute each move. All the classic techniques from previous entries are here, joined by plenty of new ones that keep the combat fresh from start to finish.
Unlike most modern “hard” games that reward patience, Ninja Gaiden 4 rewards instinct. You’re not supposed to memorize enemy patterns or wait for openings, enemies react dynamically to you, not the other way around. The action moves so quickly that standing still is basically a death sentence. If you do, you’ll be greeted by the “Retry Battle/Last Checkpoint” screen in seconds.
What this game absolutely nails is the sense of spatial awareness. It demands creativity and instant reaction, millisecond decisions are everything. You can’t just wait things out; you either “git gud” or you’re toast. No YouTube tutorials can save you here. It’s just you, your fingers, and your reflexes.
You really have to find your own flow while playing, to follow it, feel the rhythm of the game, and sync with it completely, because there’s simply no other way. Forcing your way through doesn’t work here; it’s all about finesse, skill, and understanding what the game offers when you’re fully in control. That so-called “flow” is a double-edged sword, though, just when you think you’ve found the perfect rhythm of movement and slicing through enemies, something can throw you off, and that’s when your brain and reflexes reset for a split second. The game demands that you recover quickly from that tiny shock, or you’re done for.
That’s the beauty of Ninja Gaiden, it asks for pure skill, and nothing else. Sure, Team Ninja, Koei Tecmo, and Platinum Games have softened things a bit for the modern crowd, offering an Easy Mode for those who just want to enjoy the spectacle of flashing blades and blood geysers without breaking a sweat. I didn’t try it myself, I went straight for Hard, but it’s there if you want it.
Boss fights have always been a crucial part of Ninja Gaiden, and while they’re still good here, I have to admit I preferred those from the first two games. Not because these are bad, they’re well-designed, but maybe I just expected more in terms of difficulty and creativity. Some bosses look phenomenal, but even on Hard, most fights felt a bit too easy. Some I beat on the first try, and very few took me more than three attempts. Then again, I’m a longtime fan of Team Ninja’s games, so maybe I’m not the best reference for difficulty. Either way, the mechanics this time make fights feel slightly more forgiving.
Let’s say you reach a boss fight without a single potion because you weren’t really planning or thinking that far ahead, and you end up dying pretty fast, the game will reward you with a free one. If you die right after a checkpoint with low health, your HP will be fully restored. These little mechanics can be exploited on Hard or any other difficulty, which is definitely a change from the old-school Ninja Gaiden formula. What threw me off the most, though, was how generous the game can be; you can die three times and get three healing items to help you beat the boss. Like I said, it’s surprisingly forgiving… even on Hard.
One thing I really liked compared to older games is that you can’t just exploit one trick to beat every enemy. You have to think on your feet and constantly mix up your attacks. Yakumo has four weapons, each suited for different situations: slicing enemies, crowd control, precision attacks, or pure carnage. Every weapon set feels unique enough that you’ll want to master all of them.
I said weapon-set for a reason, because each weapon also has two modes: normal and Bloodraven form, the latter fueled by enemy blood. These are your strongest moves, capable of interrupting enemy attacks or unleashing devastating combos. But you can’t spam them; the gauge fills up only through regular attacks or by time passage, so you always need to time things carefully and stay aware of your options.
Mechanically, the game revolves around three key pillars: mobility, Bloodraven attacks, and dodging. Movement is essential, and dodging is your lifeline. But you can’t just spam it; there are no “invincibility frames.” You have to dodge precisely, or if you nail a “perfect dodge,” time slows briefly, letting you counter with a powerful strike. There’s also parrying and blocking: parrying works if you strike just as an enemy’s attack lands, again rewarding perfect timing with a brutal counterattack. Blocking, however, is limited; you can only absorb a few hits before your guard breaks, leaving you wide open. That’s exactly why you need to use your block wisely in moments when you’re not sure what to do, because if you start abusing it every chance you get, things are not going to end well for you.
One thing that really threw me off was the hit feedback. Unlike the older games, there are times when enemies smack Yakumo and he barely reacts, no flinch, no signal at all. At first, it was pretty jarring. I’d think I was handling the crowd just fine, only to glance at my health bar and realise I was about to die. Basically, as long as you’re moving, there’s almost no indication that you’re taking damage, no little or subtle animation or anything. Only when you stand still do you see Yakumo flinch.
Because Yakumo has such an incredible range of abilities, he feels more versatile than Ryu, faster, sharper, and in a way, like he’s breathing new life into a new generation of Ninja Gaiden games. The moment you take control of Ryu Hayabusa, though, the pace shifts. Everything slows down a bit, that familiar Ryu “weight” kicks in, and suddenly it feels like someone gently pressed the brakes after the hyper-speed chaos of Yakumo’s gameplay. Those sections genuinely feel like a nod to the older Ninja Gaiden titles, slower, heavier, but full of that same precision and tension. Ryu’s abilities are noticeably different from Yakumo’s, more in line with the classics, which makes it the perfect dose of nostalgia fuel for longtime fans. It’s wonderful to play as Ryu again, even if it’s just for a small part of the game; it brings back so many great memories. And yes, the Muramasa Shop is back! That little touch absolutely melted me.
Overall, even though switching to Ryu felt a bit odd after spending hours with Yakumo’s fast-paced rhythm, it hit me with a wave of pure nostalgia. For a moment, it really felt like stepping back into those golden Ninja Gaiden days. God, I wish we’d get a full game with Ryu like this again, but maybe there’s a reason we didn’t. I have a feeling Platinum Games didn’t want to “play around” too much with the entire game and Ryu himself through their interpretation of what Ninja Gaiden should be. The slightly tweaked mechanics work perfectly for the new character, but it wouldn’t work as well with withRyu, though honestly, the Ninja Gaiden series needed a bit of fresh air, and Yakumo serves as the perfect vehicle for that.
Of course, even the best mechanics, like those in Ninja Gaiden 4, don’t mean much without well-designed enemy encounters, and thankfully, that part is handled brilliantly here. Just like the older titles, Ninja Gaiden 4 sticks to a linear structure, so you move from one area to the next, cutting your way through wave after wave, and I mean HUGE waves of relentless enemies who seem to exist solely to take you down as fast as possible.
The placement and variety of enemies during combat are perfectly balanced. You can’t really call the game unfair, because every fight is winnable with the right approach, but at the same time, you can’t say it’s easy either, because it’s just not. Everything feels carefully crafted and tastefully tuned, like a dish from a Michelin-starred restaurant. Still, if I had to nitpick, I’d say the game is noticeably easier than the older entries, and that’s coming from someone who played it on Hard and got through without too much trouble.
And that’s not necessarily bad. Sure, I’d have loved a true Ninja Gaiden sequel with Ryu in the lead, something that evolves the old formula. But this feels like Platinum Games’ own vision of what Ninja Gaiden should be, and honestly, they nailed it. It may feel more like a spiritual successor than a numbered sequel, but it’s still an excellent take. And what’s most important, the game is incredibly engaging and such a joy to play. Then again, maybe that’s the whole point of each new entry in the franchise: to feel familiar enough to spark that old connection, but still different enough to pull players in all over again. And if that’s the goal, then Ninja Gaiden 4 absolutely nails it.
Of course, that might bother hardcore fans. For purists who’ve waited over a decade to play as Ryu again, his limited role here may not be enough. But the truth is, this is likely the only way we were ever going to get a new Ninja Gaiden game. And while it may not embody the spirit of the older entries entirely, it’s still an outstanding modern action game that honours the franchise’s legacy.
Outside of combat, there are plenty of platforming sections in the game, maybe even a bit too many at times, but some of them are genuinely fun. These are the moments where you can catch your breath, relax a little while hopping from one rail to another, gliding between mountains, or surfing over water. Most of these sections look fantastic, especially the ones in Neon Tokyo, though I could’ve been happier if they weren’t so forced at certain points. I don’t recall a single Ninja Gaiden game doing stuff like this, but I do remember Platinum Games titles pulling off similar stunts.
Before wrapping up, let’s talk graphics, performance, and sound. On consoles, the Base PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X, there are three graphical modes: Quality (30fps), Performance (60fps), and 120Hz mode for those with high-refresh displays. The last one looks a bit muddy on larger screens, though. The game still uses an older version of AMD’s FSR, which can make fast-paced scenes look slightly smeared. Still, it’s visually solid, not groundbreaking, but stylish. Ninja Gaiden games were never about graphics anyway, even if the original was a stunner for its time.
I have to admit, the game looks genuinely impressive in some moments, and most of its environments are beautifully crafted. Whether you’re slicing through industrial factories, high-tech military bases, dense forests, or temple ruins, everything feels cohesive and visually striking. It perfectly blends that futuristic vision of Japan with its traditional roots in a way that feels both modern and nostalgic.
I was playing it on Performance Mode, and I have to say, I did notice some frame drops here and there. Thankfully, those dips never happened during combat. only while moving through the world. On the other hand, the sound design is absolutely fantastic. The slicing effects alone make your skin crawl, in a good way. Every weapon has its own distinctive sound when cutting, smashing, or grinding through enemies, and it’s just deeply satisfying to hear (I promise I’m not a psychopath). But the best part when we talk about presentation, hands down, is the music. It sounds straight out of the early 2000s and fits every single moment on screen perfectly. Each stage has its own track, every boss fight comes with a unique tune, and everything just clicks together flawlessly.
We would like to thank Xbox Game Studios for providing us with a copy of the game for review purposes.
Ninja Gaiden 4 (Xbox Series X)
Ninja Gaiden 4 is a continuation of one of the most iconic action franchises in the industry, and it carries many of the trademarks that defined the series.The Platinum Games DNA runs deep in this one, for better or worse. Personally, I loved it: the pure rush of action, the adrenaline that kicks in during every fight, and that sweet release when the chaos finally ends. No other game captures that feeling quite like Ninja Gaiden, and the best part is - Ninja Gaiden 4 still delivers that exact same high. You simply can not miss this!
