Ninja Gaiden 4 Directly Review – Returns of Platinumgames

Creator of Bayonetta and Metal Gear Rising Aim for the story of a large budget redemption, not only for Ninja Gaiden but for themselves as developers.

Now more than a decade since Ninja Gaiden 3 and is fair enough to say that and spin-off Yaiba: Ninja Gaiden Z has a bad effect on franchises, to the point where it will not surprise if the whole series has died and never returns. However, even though its history returned to the end of the eighties, it has been closely related to Xbox since it was re -booted as an exclusive console in 2004.

Together with the Sister Series Dead or Alive, this is the only Japanese franchise that is consistently seen as the title of Xbox, although all games have been released on Playstation in the end and there is also Nintendo Spin-Off. There is no doubt that is why Microsoft has helped finance not only this new sequel but the recent spin-off 2D pubic and the original new remasters.

It’s great and everything, but we recognize our main interest here is that Platinumgames is the main developer for the game. After a lot of high profiles out of the company, as if the studio, which was one of our favorites over the past decade, was destined, but this was their great opportunity to redeem themselves and so far the signs were good, that they did not waste the opportunity.

The two most important things that need to be clarified here are that this has a relatively small similarity, outside the most extensive blow, with the previous Ninja Gaiden game and … this might not end as the peak of Platinumgames. Despite the fact that he was getting closer to being a miracle, considering that Co-Sutradara (Ninja’s original creator team was still involved in the role of advisors) Yuji Nakao seemed not responsible for the previous big-big games that he got was a producer at Bayonetta 3.

As in Ragebound, you did not start as a regular series of Ryu Hayabusa but the new character Yakumo, from his rival, but not antagonist, the Bloodravenous clan. Ninja Gaiden is a strange franchise, because there is not only a little hidden but you usually fight Satan in the near future. Ninja Gaiden 4 occurred in Tokyo after the apocalyptic, with a different atmosphere of cyberpunk, which was also surrounded by defeated husks Dark dragon From the first game and spin-off DS.

We are not sure how many Ninja Gaiden experts are in the world, but we do not have instructions what is happening in terms of stories, but it is all clear just the reason for a blanket to have a type of monster or silliness of whatever sci-fi you want, which is very suitable for the usual platinum style. Not the game is at all unlike the title of other Ninja Gaiden but actually only a few characters and general concepts of the Ultra Violence Ninja game that connect it.

From the beginning, you can see the influence of Bayonetta, with Yakumo very nimble and has a mixture of light and heavy attacks that are similar, but also the optional combo that you can learn (and taught in training modes that look very familiar). The big gimmick turns into a form of bloodravenous, where he gets a very large large sword supported by the blood of his enemies, or something.

It is very possible that we do not appreciate all the nuances, in the part of the game we play (the first chapter, divided into four parts – although previews forced us to play the last two parts, and the second end, in challenge mode, without story) but the form of Bloodraven not did not do that much except giving you a bigger sword for a while.

There are many special abilities to learn, with many different types of avoidance, and bloody finisher moves to anyone you have chopped – which usually gives you awards with health. If you study some combo, they often do things like allowing you to throw enemies or launch it into the air, so this is not a button masher at all.

If you hold the heavy attack button, you can also charge a stronger attack (which seems to be many) and Yakumo has different weapons, including remote spears. He also has a burst mode, with his own power meter, so there are many things to remember, because you find out what is most suitable for what situation.

We can play as Ryu in challenge fashion, but because there are no tutorials related to him, we are not sure we understand everything. He did play more like an older game, becoming slower and stronger than Yakumo, but his main ability was Glam mode, which was supported by attacks and blocks-like Yakumo-but was used to activate super-fast magic attacks or different different forces chosen through D-PAD.

Ninja Gaiden 4 is very strange and unpredictable, with quite a lot of exploration involved – which is driven by a variety of side search. The levels are not the open world, but they have many optional areas to explore, which are usually well valued, including the devil portal that triggers survival fashion (which, once again, is very similar to Bayonetta). There are also many railroad milling and swinging with wrestling hooks, with a level that looks quite abstract.

Complex or realistic graphics never really become platinum and will be generous to say this looks very recent genes. This is smooth like silk in terms of movement and without the slowdown signs that we see – or indeed there is a bug at all.

This game is difficult, like the nature of Ninja Gaiden, but we don’t feel extraordinary. Not by way of the previous game can be from the start, even though the boss at the end of the four stage is really painful. Even then, the coach and his pet, who taught you a new movement, also offers to help if everything becomes too difficult. So, between that and this easy mode is not as hard as you think.

We enjoyed our time with Ninja Gaiden 4 and while there were many similarities with Bayonetta we could not help thinking about metal teeth that went up and how this was at all at all. This is less equivalent to the game sword gimmick, where you control the direction with analog sticks, and because it also does not have a strange magician power than Bayonetta, it seems that nothing is missing to make it feel the same unique.

Maybe it will appear lacking once we play a full game, but no matter how this is compared to the best platinum, it is a light year in front of disasters such as Fall and Bayonetta Origins Babylon. This is a good and solid continuation of Saga Ninja Gaiden which is not bound in the past and looks much better than Ninja Gaiden 3. precisely how well we have to wait and see.

Formats: Xbox Series X/S (PRATINUAN), PlayStation 5, and PC
Price: £ 59.99*
Publisher: Xbox Game Studios
Development: Platinumgames and Team Ninja
Release date: October 21, 2025
Age ranking: 18

*Available in Ultimate Pass games and PC Game Pass from the first day

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