Ninja Gaiden 4 Sticks to the Bloody Basics

By Michael Murphy | October 20, 2025 | 7:00pm

Video Games Reviews ninja gaiden 4

Ninja Gaiden 4 Sticks to the Bloody Basics

Note: Ninja Gaiden 4 is published by Xbox Game Studios, which is owned by Microsoft, whose complicity in the Palestine occupation and genocide has made it a priority boycott target for the BDS movement.

2025 is truly the Year of the Ninja. Koei Tecmo’s iconic Ninja Gaiden series is having quite the year. Ninja Gaiden 2 Black brought an overlooked entry back to life, whereas Ninja Gaiden Ragebound brought players back to the 2D era with a nostalgic beat that captured the essence of the franchise. However, one title stands out as the make-or-break headliner: the next mainline entry in the series, Ninja Gaiden 4.

The 3D counterparts of the Ninja Gaiden franchise have been largely praised, though nothing like their classic 2D predecessors. Still, the tough-as-nails, hack-and-slash action combat remains a hallmark for fans. Revealed earlier this year, Ninja Gaiden 4 promises to be the next big 3D game in the series and update it for modern audiences. With the acclaimed PlatinumGames (Bayonetta, Nier: Automata) helping Team Ninja, it’s no wonder it’s become one of 2025’s most-anticipated titles. Now, having played all of what Ninja Gaiden 4 has to offer, I’d say it was well worth the wait for fans of action-packed gorefests, even if it treads familiar ground.

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The story of Ninja Gaiden 4 doesn’t follow longtime protagonist Ryu Hayabusa, shifting the focus to Raven Clan member Yakumo. This edgy shinobi is tasked with killing the Dark Dragon once and for all to save Tokyo. It’s simple, it’s straightforward, and it’s serviceable—a story that doesn’t dig deep but also doesn’t fade entirely into the background. For fans, I can assure you it is better than Yaiba: Ninja Gaiden Z’s plot. Still, don’t expect it to be heavy on lore and meaning, if that’s what you’re hoping for. There are but two goals in a Ninja Gaiden game: hack and slash foes and be hard as hell–and it delivers on that two-fold.

Fortunately, the essence of the series is all there in Ninja Gaiden 4. Every battle is one blood shower after another, and it never gets old. Enemies can hit hard and you can hit just as hard if you’re quick enough. It’s not a Ninja Gaiden game without it being difficult and 4 can throw some pretty mean punches. You will die plenty and it can get quite frustrating, but it’s worth it for the thrill. Though, compared to past iterations, it is a bit more accessible for newer players.

I can’t express how satisfying the combat in Ninja Gaiden 4 is. Every slash of a weapon carries weight behind it, especially with the in-depth dismemberment system. Blocking and parrying become second nature, and juggling enemies make you feel like a violent circus performer.

Ninja Gaiden 4

Unfortunately, the game’s mediocre bosses break that spell. It’s not that they are too difficult, it’s that they don’t fit the game’s combo-heavy combat system. Focusing on one enemy instead of five or six at a time exposes a flaw in the action. Boss battles, especially later ones, can be so complex and difficult that they mess up the game’s flow. These encounters can be visually and structurally impressive, but it’s hard to appreciate when it feels like a completely different game.

Speaking of “visually impressive”… The Ninja Gaiden series has featured consistently striking art direction, and 4 takes that up a notch. The designs of many enemies and locations are well-crafted. Yakumo’s outfit is a standout, looking exactly what I’d imagine a hi-tech Raven Clan ninja to look like, complete with tail-like feathers. From a cyberpunk Tokyo to sprawling jungle vistas, it looks incredible.

If you don’t like blood and gore, though, Ninja Gaiden 4 is a hard sell. From the minute you start combat, limbs are flying, and Yakumo is covered head to toe in red. By the time a battle ends, the battlefield will look like a Pollock canvas splattered exclusively with red. Furthermore, obliterating enemies in a flashy and over-the-top gory way is key to winning, so your hands will be more than crimson. Of course, none of this is new; if you don’t like blood and gore, you probably never cottoned to Ninja Gaiden in the first place, or at least not the 3D series.

For fans of the series, Ryu takes a back seat in the game’s narrative. Yakumo is very much the star of the show, despite his character not really changing much throughout. Still, it maintains some franchise mainstays, including a few surprises, that are sure to hit. It does, at times, feel more like it’s its own thing, a la soft reboot, and not the next mainline entry. Yet, at credits end, I couldn’t help but hope that it continues this way. It’s reinvented itself by amplifying what has traditionally worked for these games, while keeping things grounded in the same universe.

If I had to describe Ninja Gaiden 4, it’s like a metal song: loud, boisterous, hard as hell, and simultaneously brutish and complex. It’s hard to expect that much more from a Ninja Gaiden title, even in a new generation. If 4 is the base for future games, the Year of the Ninja may wind up needing a few pages in the calendar.

Ninja Gaiden 4 was developed by Team Ninja and PlatinumGames and published by Xbox Game Studios. Our review is based on the Xbox System X|S version. It is also available for PlayStation 5 and PC.

Michael Murphy is a freelance video game journalist and critic with bylines at Game Informer, Destructoid, ComicBook, and more.