Ninja Gaiden, as a franchise, might have existed since the NES, but my first experience with it was on the original Xbox back in 2004. In fact, it was one of the first Xbox games I had played. That revival, while fantastic, might have been a little too taxing for a 10-year-old back then, but over time, I’ve learned to love this revival series for its smooth combat and punishing difficulty.
However, when Ninja Gaiden 3 was released in 2012, I think most people reacted with a resounding ‘meh’. While that entry set the franchise back in some ways, it’s an absolute pleasure to see the franchise return with the release of Ninja Gaiden 4. In many ways, developer PlatinumGames has taken all the right notes and has served up a solid culmination of everything the series has done well up until this point.
While it’s not perfect, due to its rather pointless story or wacky level design, the top-notch combat feels better than ever, combined with smooth traversal and an ever-growing list of upgradeable abilities, epic boss fights and a brand new protagonist.
New Era, New Ninja
I’m not sure if anyone has ever valued the Ninja Gaiden series for its story over its combat, but Ninja Gaiden 4’s story feels like an afterthought. That being said, it ultimately serves its purpose as a way to get you to tear through a futuristic version of Tokyo, but its lore does most of the work, instead of building a legitimately engaging story throughout the game’s 10-or-so-hour campaign.
Set many years after the events of Ninja Gaiden 3, players take control of a new ninja, Yakumo, from the Raven Clan. Funnily enough, they’re a rival clan of the Hayabusa Clan, of which the previous protagonist Ryu Hayabusa belonged. After the Dark Dragon was defeated by Ryu, the city of Tokyo experienced non-stop rain known as the Rain of Darkrot. After it is found that the Dark Dragon Priestess Seori, along with the Dark Dragon itself, are still alive, Ninja Gaiden 4’s story begins.
Yakumo’s task is simple: assassinate the Dark Dragon Priestess Seori and end the Rain of Darkrot. Early on, however, we learn that the Dark Dragon Priestess Seori has information on certain remaining seals that can be destroyed, to finally end the Dark Dragon’s hold over Tokyo once and for all.
Meanwhile, Ryu Hayabusa lurks in the shadows, with his own intentions, as the two Ninjas ultimately build towards some sort of confrontation. Players to take control of Ryu later in the story, but I would rather not spoil the journey, as it’s short and sweet.
Ninja Gaiden 4 might feel incredibly predictable and at times, bizarre, but thanks to that shorter runtime, it never really overstays its welcome. I will admit that while players can take control of Ryu later in the story, the game’s pacing and varied combat mechanics take a little hit, but it’s not a dealbreaker. I would love to say that this story holds Ninja Gaiden 4 back considerably, but we all know why we’re here. So let’s talk about it.
The Crown of Combat
Ninja Gaiden 4 might feature some of the best combat mechanics I have ever experienced in a game. There, I said it. While it builds strongly off the mechanics of its previous titles, everything just feels so smooth and interconnected that it makes every encounter feel incredibly satisfying.
Players can mix light and heavy attacks while holding L2 or the left trigger to activate Yakumo’s Bloodraven form, which turns his weapon into a huge sword of blood, which generally deals out more powerful attacks, and breaks the defences of tougher enemies. Players can also block up to four regular attacks at a time with R2 or the right trigger and push the left stick in any direction while blocking, to dodge. Perfectly timed dodges can help you get the jump on enemies, while parrying works simply by attacking at the same time as your enemies. It sounds simple, but it is a little harder to master without a dedicated parry button. Players can even throw shurikens to attack enemies from a distance.
Combat is fast and frenetic, and never really lets up. Players can generally attack an enemy until they are dismembered, which leaves them open to a finishing move known as an Obliteration, activated by a heavy attack. Finishing enemies off builds your Bloodraven meter over time, so it’s generally essential, as you’ll need to tap in and out of your Bloodraven form to get the upper hand.
You’ll even get access to multiple weapons throughout the story, but start with your Takeminakata, or standard dual katanas. The Yatousen serves as a lance that can turn into a massive drill, while the Magatsuhi is a massive hammer, and the Kage-Hiruko gives you these hulking mechanical arms. Each weapon can be switched on the fly via the directional arrows, and has their own moves and Obliterations.
There’s also a fair amount of traversal through each level, as Yakumo can wall climb, wall run, swing between points, fly through wind tunnels, and even use his grappling hook to get the drop on enemies with a small amount of stealth. It’s not necessarily deep, but it works to break up the combat rather nicely.
Along the way, Yakumo can chat with his mentor, Tyran or access the DarkNet terminal, both of which can be called upon at certain checkpoints in each level. Here, he can use his stored Ninja coins, which are gained from defeating enemies, to spend on both consumable items and combat skills. These combat skills are applied to combat as a whole, no matter what weapon you’re using. Yakumo can undertake smaller task-based combat missions, which also grant him Ninja Coins. Finally, coins can also be used to purchase certain elixirs for health boosts and revivals, although these can also be found in each level.
Yakumo can also spend Weapon XP to purchase certain weapon skills, which can be done simply by pausing the game. The weapon skills are only applied to each weapon, and can also be activated or deactivated once purchased, should you not wish to use them in combat. It’s a level of depth and versatility that I’ve come to appreciate, and I wish more games would implement it. The list really does go on, but it’s all done in such a way that it never feels overbearing, although I’m sure it looks incredibly chaotic to someone else watching as you play.
Finally, Ninja Gaiden 4 splits most of its chapters up with a final boss battle, and they’re all fantastic. While they’re usually a mix of avoiding attack-based patterns and striking at the right time, they’re all incredibly tough, without ever feeling unfair. That being said, prepare to flex all of your skills here, as they’re all equally required.
Look the Part
I would be lying if I said Ninja Gaiden 4 didn’t look fantastic. The rain-soaked, futuristic rendition of Tokyo looks as detailed as it does shiny, even if the linear level design makes no sense for an actual city.
On the Xbox Series X, things also run relatively well. There’s a Graphics Mode that locks the action at 30 FPS, while boosting the overall resolution and clarity. There’s also a Performance Mode, which aims for a 60 FPS target, but the frame rate does drop slightly and occasionally. Even then, the action is so swift and chaotic at times that it is really hard to notice. The fact that even with those frame rate drops, it’s still a smoother experience than the Graphics Mode already felt worth the small sacrifice.
The sound design is also fantastic, with a perfect mix of heavy metal riffs and electronic undertones. The fact that all this can be balanced and, honestly, audible, throughout the multiple slashes, grunts and blood splatters of combat is incredibly impressive.
Final Thoughts
Ninja Gaiden 4 has its flaws, be it the predictable narrative or the strange level design, but it just doesn’t hold the experience down in any meaningful way. But combat is still at the heart of the experience, and it’s simply better than it’s ever been, learning from and culminating the best bits of its previous entries.
As a result, it’s one of the best action games you can play today, and it makes a strong case for the best game in this long-running series thus far.
FOUR AND A HALF STARS (OUT OF FIVE)
Highlights: Combat is incredible; Boss battles are epic; Plenty of variety through upgrades and moves
Lowlights: Story feels like an afterthought; Level design is a little strange; Frame rate drops in Performance Mode
Developer: Team Ninja, PlatinumGames Inc., KOEI TECMO GAMES CO. LTD.
Publisher: Xbox Game Studios
Platforms: PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, Windows PC
Available: Now
Review conducted on Xbox Series X with a code provided by the publisher.
Featured header image also provided by the publisher.
