Ninja Gaiden 4 review for Xbox Series X, PS5, PC

Few game franchises manage to return after nearly 13 years since their last entry, but Ninja Gaiden has done just that this year with the release of not one, but two new Ninja Gaiden titles. The first, Ninja Gaiden: Ragebound, was an excellent 2D action-platformer from just a couple of months ago, while the second is the release of Ninja Gaiden 4, available now on consoles and PC. While the last Ninja Gaiden entry, Ninja Gaiden 3, wasn’t particularly well received by fans, I think most will be pleasantly surprised by its successor.

Right out of the gate Ninja Gaiden 4 attempts to create its own identity by introducing new protagonist Yakumo. While series hero Ryu Hayabusa isn’t present at the onset of the game, returning Ninja Gaiden fans needn’t fret, as you’ll certainly see and control familiar faces later in the game. While the story in Ninja Gaiden 4 isn’t anything to write home about, the newer characters introduced fit the world well enough. And while there’s plot given to support the use of a new player character in the form of Yakumo, I’m not sure that it’s a strong enough reason to keep players away from Ryu Hayabusa, and the focus on this new hero character might be the biggest misstep in the game.

Once you get past that component, and dive into the actual action of Ninja Gaiden 4, you’ll likely find yourself not caring nearly as much about the story as the fantastic gameplay and bloody combat of the game takes hold. Much like the original Ninja Gaiden 3D games, you’ll take on groups of enemies at a time, hacking and slashing your way through limbs, robotic appendages, and various types of demons, attempting to not only stay alive but rack up a considerable score in an effort to improve your end stage rankings and become a master ninja.

While the game doesn’t feel spot on to Ninja Gaiden 1 or 2 control wise, it does a suitable job of echoing the classic Ninja Gaiden mechanics while also feeling more modern and forgiving for newer audiences. That’s not to say the game can’t be tough, even on normal difficulty some of the bosses and encounters are likely going to give you a run for your money, but more modern conveniences certainly help ease the frustration that any overly difficult sections provide.

Visually, Ninja Gaiden 4 is a great looking action game. Super smooth framerates are delivered throughout, I played on both Xbox Series X and on PC and had little to no trouble from the technical side of things. The various stages in Ninja Gaiden 4 are also really well designed, with little side ventures to explore that lead to optional battles, special areas, and the occasional health upgrade. If I had to complain about any one section in particular, it’d be the on-rails movement sequences that get tossed in here and there. These feel like Platinumgames hallmarks at this point, but they can be a little frustrating if you care about your end of level scoring or if you’re trying to complete a no-hit run since they often give you the cheapest hits and damage you’ll encounter in the game.

Despite the occasional on-rail hiccup, I’ve really enjoyed my time with Ninja Gaiden 4, and it’s easily a game I can see myself revisiting as I try to improve my own abilities and end of level scoring, offering up an easy reason to replay stages over and over again. It’s certainly a far better effort than its predecessor, and while it’s a very different Ninja Gaiden game compared to the recently released Ragebound, it’s a worthy follow-up to one of the more beloved action franchises out there. Hopefully the release of Ninja Gaiden 4 breathes new life into the franchise, as I’d love to see even more Ninja Gaiden titles released in the near future.

Note: Microsoft provided us with a Ninja Gaiden 4 Xbox Series X code for review purposes.