Some people do not realise how old the Ninja Gaiden franchise really is. Before the series’ revival in 2004, the first Ninja Gaiden was released in arcades back in 1988. The original games were hard 2D side-scrollers, and not many people were able to complete them. 

The series didn’t get mainstream until a 3D version of Ninja Gaiden was released in 2004 for the original Xbox. Ninja Gaiden and Ninja Gaiden 2 on Xbox and Xbox 360 were critically acclaimed, and many people consider them to be the best in the entire series. 

The last main entry in the series was Ninja Gaiden 3, released back in 2013. Although the third game still allowed players to play as the legendary Ryu Hayabusa, it was the least critically acclaimed in the new series. 

After a spinoff called Yaiba: Ninja Gaiden Z came out in 2014, the series sadly faded away with no new releases in over a decade. That is, until 2025, with the releases of Ninja Gaiden: Ragebound and now Ninja Gaiden 4. 

What old-school fans need to know about Ninja Gaiden 4 is that it has been developed by a new team of developers. Team Ninja has teamed up with PlatinumGames to make the new game. PlatinumGames has made classics such as Bayonetta, Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance, and Nier: Automata. 

With a new game, the development team kind of made the controversial decision to introduce players to a brand-new character as well. Much like Metal Gear Solid 2 with Solid Snake, Ryu Hayabusa is only playable in the main story for about two hours. The rest of the game, you have to play as a Raven Ninja named Yakumo. 

Ninja Gaiden 4 takes place after the events of Ninja Gaiden 3, and Tokyo is suffering from an eternal rain with the impending return of the Dark Dragon. Yakumo has been tasked to try to purify the Dark Dragon and stop the darkness over Tokyo, but he has a conflict with Ryu Hayabusa and his allies, too. 

In terms of gameplay, Ninja Gaiden 4 is still an excellent 3D action game with linear levels, epic boss fights, and platforming segments. At the start of the game, Yakumo only has one weapon, which are his dual swords. 

You can block and parry using the R2 button on PS5, and use heavy and light attacks by pressing Square and Triangle. By pressing different button combinations, you can unleash some pretty cool-looking attacks. Pressing Circle also allows you to throw shurikens, which are effective against long-ranged enemies. 

When you are playing as Yakumo, he has an ability called ‘Bloodraven’ that allows him to transform his weapons into something more powerful. For example, his second weapon can turn into a sort of drill that literally buries itself inside the bodies of enemies. The ‘Bloodraven’ technique also helps to beat enemies who like to block a lot of the time, too. 

Overall, Yakumo has five different weapons that he can attain in the game, but I won’t spoil anything about them here. Sadly, it looks like Ryu Hayabusa is stuck with only one weapon in the game because the main focus is all on Yakumo. 

Speaking of Hayabusa, his ninpo (or magic attacks) return because he does not have the ‘Bloodraven’ technique as described above. Both characters can unlock more moves for themselves and their weapons as they progress through the game. 

A neat new feature in Ninja Gaiden 4 is a new training mode, so you can practice any new combos or moves that you have unlocked. This is a really useful new feature for anyone who wants to master the entire game and its extensive move set. 

Ninja Gaiden 4 isn’t just a combat game either, because PlatinumGames has added some fun platforming sections too. You can press R1 to use a grappling hook, and there are even some wind sections that allow Ryu and Yakumo to glide through the air. 

Yakumo also has a cool-looking surfboard that allows him to travel on bodies of water. The surfboard is useful when Yakumo has to chase a demonic shark that has swallowed his friend. 

The only platforming sections I did not like in the game are the excessive grinding sections. These sections appeared too frequently in my opinion, and they weren’t fun or engaging. I can see some speedrunners getting frustrated during these sections because it’s annoying every time you crash into a stupid train!

While Ninja Gaiden 4 can be fun for new players, Ninja Gaiden veterans might not like the new direction of the series. For one thing, the game is only eight hours long, featuring 20 different story chapters. 

16 chapters feature Yakumo, while only four chapters are dedicated to Ryu Hayabusa. Not to mention, Hayabusa has fewer moves and fewer weapons than he has in the older video games in the series. 

To try and please older fans, Ninja Gaiden 4 does give players the option to play as Ryu Hayabusa in all chapters after you have finished the main story. The only things you don’t see are cutscenes that involve Yakumo because playing as Hayabusa isn’t canon. 

Another thing you unlock after finishing the main story is challenges and boss trials. Both challenges and trials give you the option to play as either Yakumo or Hayabusa. There are also some side missions you can undertake during the main story modes that give you extra rewards. 

If Ninja Gaiden 4 was a standalone game, I think some fans would have liked it more. However, since this is a Ninja Gaiden game that does not focus on Ryu Hayabusa, long-term fans are sure to be disappointed with this new release. Hopefully, if Ninja Gaiden 5 is made, the developers will focus more on Hayabusa again. 

Verdict: 7.5/10