Ninja Gaiden 4 is a hard-hitting action game that’s sure to satisfy genre enthusiasts, but it exchanges the franchise’s complex combat mechanics for a simpler, more arcade-like experience.
The Ninja Gaiden series stands among the best action franchises in gaming history, but the mainline titles have been dormant for more than a decade. So, it was a surprise when publisher Koei Tecmo announced earlier this year that a new game was in the works, with the action masters at Platinum Games steering the wheel. Happily, it’s a good pairing. Platinum Games’ signature arcade-style action shines in Ninja Gaiden 4 (reviewed on PC, also available on PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X/S), courtesy of on-the-fly weapon switching and free-form combos. That said, this comes at the cost of the technical finesse, fighting elements, and tight mission structure that have made the series so successful. Despite these shortcomings, Ninja Gaiden 4 ($69.99) remains a strong action title for returning fans.New Progatonist, Forgettable Story
In Ninja Gaiden 4, you play as newcomer Yakumo and series veteran Ryu Hayabusa as they work to prevent the resurrection of the evil Dark Dragon. The great beast was revived in a ritual prior to the game’s start, and although its full rebirth was thwarted, its skeletal husk remains hanging over Tokyo, raining miasma upon the city. Both ninjas traverse the ruined city as they attempt to permanently put an end to the monster.
In truth, Ninja Gaiden 4’s plot serves as a schlocky framework to support the bloodbath on display. In fact, the story makes little sense. I won’t spoil anything, but the character development is shallow as a puddle, and the plot twists are predictable and impotent. As a fan of the series, I can’t say that the nonsense story detracted much from the game, but it certainly didn’t elevate it. Don’t think about it too much: Just grab your sword and hack apart demons and cyber-soldiers. Streamlined Gameplay: A New Spin on Classic Ninja Gaiden
Let’s get this out of the way: Ninja Gaiden 4 does not play like the older Ninja Gaiden games. The series earned its reputation for action by incorporating fighting game mechanics into its combo and movement systems. A combo’s basic hit-stun featured numerous variations— crumple stun, spin stun, stagger—determined by the specific attack. As a result, mastering Ryu Hayabusa’s combos meant better control over the enemies you fought. This is not the case in Ninja Gaiden 4.
In Ninja Gaiden 4’s defense, it incorporates some of these core mechanics, making it one of the most technically challenging action titles Platinum Games has produced. Learning how to perform and utilize mechanics like on-landing attacks, guard breaks, and the various stuns helps you control the relentless enemies the game throws your way. The combo system is decidedly more lenient, so you can freestyle your combos now. See an enemy charging a heavy attack? Use the convenient new Bloodraven or Gleam attacks to break its defense: There’s no need to learn which combos guard break anymore.
It’s a more noob-friendly system, but longtime series fans may not like this mechanical change. Because Ninja Gaiden 4’s combos don’t have unique properties to the same degree as the older games, you can get by with simply mashing light attacks and injecting a heavy attack to launch enemies.
