I had played through the entire trilogy ofNinja GaidenNES games by the time 2004’s modern spin came along, but I wasn’t prepared for it in the slightest.Ninja Gaiden, along with the definitiveNinja Gaiden Blackedition, set the bar for action in 2004 among a lot of competition. It’s still considered a classic for a reason. The sequel, 2008’sNinja Gaiden II, continued that legacy with aplomb, until we reached the fateful day thatNinja Gaiden 3would be released four years later.
Between that disappointment and the bizarreYaiba: Ninja Gaiden Z,Koei Tecmo would put the series on ice for over a decade, opting instead tore-release older iterations of the series, rather than explore something new. Now,we’re back in actionwithNinja Gaiden 4,which feels like a massive return to form for the series. We had the chance to play a build that included the first four levels, and so far, things are looking good.
I Want To See Where Ninja Gaiden 4’s Story Is Going
Ryu Is Joined By The Equally Edgy Yakumo
One thing that struck me after playingNinja Gaiden 4was the distinct difference in its vibe compared to prior entries. Yakumo, the new protagonist, hails from a different clan, which brings a fresh perspective to the narrative. Yakumo’s crew, the Raven Clan, are clearly at odds with the Hayabusas, and see them as a clan that “steals the credit” from prior adventures and are generally the darlings of the ninja world.
Far be it from me to say thatNinja Gaidenlore is an easy sell to most people, but as someone who has played all the games in this series from the NES to modern platforms, I’m interested in seeing where this goes.The Raven clan sports more technological-themed upgrades(their shrine even turns into a massive Batcomputer), and their presence in the story makes everything a lot less straightforward.
It helps that the story is very spectacle-based. Tokyo has essentially become a hellscape, cursed by the remains of the Dark Dragon.After creating a tenuous alliance with a feisty priestess, Yakumo is tasked with ending the shadow of the Dark Dragon once and for all, with some snafus to solve along the way. There are a lot of wildcards in play, and I want to see the drama play out while I’m slicing and dicing.
Ninja Gaiden 4 Feels More Like 1 Or 2 Than 3
Thank Goodness We’re Back
As soon as I entered the frayand inputted the classic combo to do an Inzuma Drop, I knew I was in the right place. Team Ninja and Platinum Games went back to basics here while adding their own flair. Yakumo sports a familiarNGmoveset with a few twists, which drew me into the game immediately.
Yakumo has a unique “bloodraven” meter, which he can use to trigger more powerful swipes on command. You can use the bloodraven form to break blocks and block bigger attacks yourself, adding tension to combat.Light, heavy, and shuriken attacks are still in, which you can weave in and out of countless combos to keep weaker opponents juggled/occupied, and take down bigger elites.
The grappling hook(which you acquire shortly into the campaign) adds a lot to each fight, as it’s very zippy and easy to use. It creates a whole new dimension of strategic gameplay, and everything comes together seamlessly. I’m eager to see some of the later bouts and put all the game’s mechanics to use at once.
If all this talk about Yakumo has you worried, don’t sweat.Classic hero Ryu Hayabusaremains fully playable and is still very much in the game. You can freely select from both Ryu and Yakumo in challenge modes, allowing hardcore series fans to play whatever character they prefer. Hard mode and Master Ninja mode (which were available from the very start of our build) are going to be a ton of fun. If you’re really wild, you can opt for “death wish mode,” and turn off all upgrades to take down specific bosses.
We’ve been burned by theNinja Gaidenseries before, butNinja Gaiden 4feels like it could really deliver, thanks to all the lessons Team Ninja has learned sinceNiohand beyond. I also appreciate that, in today’s landscape, they didn’t take the “Souls-like” route and instead recreated a brand-new experience that retains what drew people toNinja Gaidenin the first place.
ScreenRant was provided with an Xbox Series X/S code for the purposes of this preview.Ninja Gaiden 4is out on June 29, 2025.
