Ninja Gaiden 4 Reviews

Ninja Gaiden 4 revives a legacy that’s languished for far too long. Its technical achievements in camera and combat movement eclipse its limited enemy and level diversity. Sure, the story is a glorified stepping stone for the future, but I’m too busy reducing enemies to a shower of limbs and bloody pulp to care.

Ninja Gaiden 4 features the brutally challenging combat the series is known for. Though its story and level design aren't memorable, its superb gameplay makes up for any shortcomings. This is the return to form we've wanted.

Yakumo is no Schmoe. The main protagonist of NINJA GAIDEN 4 is one of the best-controlling characters in action gaming history. Across nineteen increasingly batsh*t crazy levels, Yakumo and Ryu Hyabusa lead you through a deadly gauntlet. Platinum Games and Team Ninja take a series known for fast combat and somehow make it way faster. Even the story is slightly less nonsensical than previous entries. Despite all of the high-profile departures, Platinum proves it still has what it takes to make...

When the blades come back sharper, faster, and more deadly than ever

Not only a return to form for Ninja Gaiden but for PlatinumGames as well, in a game that may lack in innovation, but makes up for it in mechanical complexity.

Team Ninja is back with Ninja Gaiden 4, this time teaming up with PlatinumGames for a title published by Xbox Game Studios. Those who enjoyed previous entries in this series will find a lot to like about this new title, which is old school in almost every way. The problem is, that’s not always a positive.

Ninja Gaiden 4 is a prime example of how to offer varied combat and keep it evolving over the course of a game, with some stunning set pieces and endless brutality.

Ninja Gaiden 4 has its missteps, especially during the story and with Ryu's sections, but it's still a triumphant comeback for the franchise.

In a world of gaming dominated by the ever expanding range of Souls-likes, it can be easy to forget that character action used to be king. High octane Japanese game series like Ninja Gaiden used to dominate consoles, but over the years this iconic Team Ninja franchise has steadily faded into irrelevancy. It’s easy to see why, when Ninja Gaiden 3 managed to cater to neither existing fans or newcomers. Whatever spark and soul that entry lacked, Ninja Gaiden 4 makes up for in spades, and it’s an awesome reminder of why the classic action game will never truly die.

A new Ninja Gaiden for a new generation, Ninja Gaiden 4 features combat that's faster-paced and more intense than ever before. It's the most accessible, too, thanks to a range of difficulty levels and assists. It's just a shame that its new protagonist isn't a little more likeable.

Ninja Gaiden 4 is a return to form after the misstep of its third entry, comfortably sitting alongside Ninja Gaiden 2 as a fast-paced action romp that makes you feel like a master ninja. However, some weak level gimmicks and an unremarkable central storyline hold it back from dethroning the earlier games in the franchise.

Team Ninja and PlatinumGames' collaboration brings a stylish new numbered entry of this hallowed series into the modern era. Some old problems persist, but it's nonetheless a (very) bloody good time with some of the slickest action gameplay out there.

Ninja Gaiden 4 is a fantastic, fun and challenging action game that fans of the genre will be coming back to many times, with tons of replay value and inevitable DLC expansions in the future. It's a shame that the story and characters are completely undercooked, but the gameplay hard-carries this game to one of the best action games of the year.

Ninja Gaiden 4 delivers fast and furious action that will have you hacking and slashing through demons and cybernetic soldiers in a fun and satisfying way, but its overuse of gimmicks in its level design, lack of variety of weapons, and flat story keep this from being a game that will leave a lasting impression.

Ninja Gaiden 4 will not be up for Game of the Year, or likely even considered one of the best games in the series, but that doesn't matter. This is a game for anyone who just wants to feel like a badass ninja carving up enemies in the blink of an eye, because sometimes that's all you want.

Ryu Hayabusa is back, baby. After a decade off, licking his wounds from the series’ middling third game, Ninja Gaiden 4 does gaming’s most legendary ninja justice with a tremendous fourth outing that achieves an excellent balance of style and substance.

Ninja Gaiden 4, while not perfect, is a solid new entry in the series. It offers an amazing and satisfying combat experience, great boss fights, and a memorable visual experience.

Ninja Gaiden 4 is a rollercoaster of action, with a rich combat system to master and plenty of badass scenarios to overcome. Ryu's sections don't live up to the hype, nor does the writing. Even so, this is the best action game to come out in years, and perhaps Platinum's greatest hit yet.

Ninja Gaiden 4 is a full-blooded action game that delivers plenty of adrenaline from overcoming tough challenges. Even in light of a few missteps, it cannot be denied that PlatinumGames has created a strong representative of a heavily neglected genre.

Ninja Gaiden 4 is a triumphant return for the series, with Team Ninja and PlatinumGames uniting to deliver the most intense and fluid combat the franchise has ever seen. Its dual-protagonist story between Yakumo and Ryu is beautifully told, with jaw-dropping dynamic gameplay sequences for both characters. A stellar score ties it all together, making Ninja Gaiden 4 one of 2025's best games and firmly cementing the franchise's grand return in the modern era.

By delivering brutal combat, high challenge, and interesting characters, Ninja Gaiden 4 is almost everything I dreamed it would be.

It’s hard to imagine any action game fan not being entertained by Ninja Gaiden 4. Its combat is visceral and incredibly fluid. Moving around the environment is more engaging than ever, making every battle a ballet of acrobatics and combat. Some sequences overstay their welcome and there’s a questionable bit of storytelling near the end. Breathe a sigh of relief. Ninja Gaiden 4 is the return to the bloody good time that fans have been hoping for.

Ninja Gaiden 4 takes the torch from the second game, runs with it, and impales the nearest hulking demon. This is a genre triumph that delivers slick, over-the-top action that rewards patience and mastery, and a blood power system that adds a combat layer that allows you to push yourself beyond your limits. A deadly delight, action doesn't get much better than this.

Ninja Gaiden 4 is about as pure action as a game can get, and it’s a delicious and sometimes exhausting gauntlet of increasingly brutal bouts that test your reflexes, dexterity, endurance, and creativity in exciting ways. It’s a welcome return to form for a franchise whose last mainline entry was well over a decade ago, and its trademark tight controls have never been tuned finer. Platinum Games, which serves as the primary developer behind this entry, nails the distinct feel of Ninja Gai...

You know, I never thought I’d want to play a Ninja Gaiden game that didn’t have Ryu Hayabusa front and center in some capacity, but Ninja Gaiden 4 makes a pretty good case for Yakumo of the Raven Clan. He’s the star of the show in this latest entry in Team Ninja’s legendary action franchise, this time with PlatinumGames developing, and not only does he bring an awesome combat gimmick to Ninja Gaiden’s 3D side of the franchise, but Ninja Gaiden 4 also offers a stylish and challenging action-adventure that puts a great bookend on a story that’s been running for decades.

Ninja Gaiden 4 returns with a vengeance. With PlatinumGames at the helm, combat is the best Ninja Gaiden has ever been, bringing back the challenging but satisfying gameplay.

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Ninja Gaiden 4 is the best game Team Ninja has put out since Nioh 2, and for co-developer PlatinumGames it’s easily its strongest project since 2019’s Astral Chain. A boisterous, blood-drenched character action game, Ninja Gaiden 4 combines the rock-solid difficulty of its predecessors with Platinum’s prowess for satisfying, fast-paced combat. Some levels do drag on with dull platforming sections, but few games this year match the unapologetic thrills of Ninja Gaiden 4’s brutally brilliant combat.

Despite its disappointing story and bland level design, Ninja Gaiden 4's excellent combat still make it one of the best 3D action games in recent memory.

Ninja Gaiden 4 brings a bloodsport of epic proportions to AAA gaming, a must play title for fans of hack and slash, action, and anything ninja.

For instance, enemies telegraph unlockable attacks, which can be often canceled by throwing out a quick Bloodraven ability. Bloodraven form serves multiple purposes, like breaking guards and taking out multiple enemies at once. It's all governed by its own meter, which is in addition to an additional Devil Trigger-like super meter that lets you go all-out on foes for a limited time. Because of how many tools the development team armed you with, you feel like a formidable one-man army at all times.

Maybe Ninja Gaiden 4 could be the weird transition game that helps the franchise find a new path in future entries. Like I said before, there is a good combat loop here. It just lacks the refinement and potency that fans have come to expect from this franchise. The Ninja Gaiden stories have never been complicated or over-the-top, but this one offers very little substantive content or drama to get its hooks in you. It's not perfect by any stretch of the word, but the right person can find a good time here.

Ninja Gaiden 4 answers the call for a Ninja Gaiden successor. The gameplay offers plenty to enjoy for series veterans and newcomers alike, although the elements surrounding the combat don't put up as good of a fight.

2025 has been a killer year for ninjas. Not only have we seen the resurgence of Shinobi developed by the folks at Lizardcube but another Ninja Gaiden title also dropped over the summer from The Game Kitchen. Now, mere days after the untimely passing of the man behind the series reboot on the original Xbox, it’s time for the first new numbered title in the Ninja Gaiden franchise in fourteen years and the first of the modern series to not feature super ninja Ryu Hayabusa front and center. Can PlatinumGames prove they’ve got a mastery of ninjutsu, or is this one adventure a magic trick gone wrong?

Ninja Gaiden 4 feels plucked out of time in the best way possible. An action game in the same vein as the first three entries in the series, Ninja Gaiden 4 smartly makes the fast-paced combat the star of the show. Linear levels drive home this focus, never asking you to take a break from the action for some unfortunate mini-game or collectible hunting, instead placing you directly on the roller coaster track with no signs of slowing down. Combine that with a simple but well-executed story and...

Ninja Gaiden 4 brings the series back with a bang, building on its intoxicating foundations with smart additions that further elevate its brutally brilliant combat

Following the resignation of Tomunobu Itagaki recently, Ninja Gaiden 2 is sure to be the last project that the prodigal son and Team Ninja will ever create together. The sequel to the hugely successful original, released in 2004, is built from the ground up exclusively for the Xbox 360. Being a newbie to the series, I wasn’t sure what I was about to let myself in for.