A Master Ninja’s Return: An In-Depth Ninja Gaiden 4 Review
The much-anticipated Ninja Gaiden 4 Review begins by noting that on nearly every major front, the game lives up to the high level of promise established since its electrifying reveal at Gamescom 2025. This collaborative effort between Platinum Games and Team Ninja—two of the world's most well-known action developers—expertly builds on the combat foundations established in Ninja Gaiden 2, which is commonly accepted to be the series' best action design.
The new addition arrives with subtle polish that makes the game easier to play without diluting the notoriously high difficulty that die-hard fans demand. But although arguably one of the finest combat systems ever created, our review discovers the game to be less captivating in a lot of other crucial areas.
The Narrative and Character Deficiencies
The story has never been the flagship series' number one selling point, so it was not a huge surprise that the plot, as noted in our Ninja Gaiden 4 Review, was one of its down points. It introduces a new main character, Jacobo, a trained Raven Clan ninja. His initial mission—to assassinate a priestess of the Dark Dragon—soon becomes a pursuit to bring her to a series of ancient magic seals, all in an effort to finally send the Dark Dragon on its way.
What follows is a totally predictable ten-hour campaign with flailing at high-drama emotional scenes which never quite land. The narrative never makes any real effort to get players to care about the characters. There are some periodic tit-for-tat scenes between Jacobo and his handler, and with other members of his low-level clan squad, but these are never really charming or interesting and certainly never advanced to the point where a feeling of familiarity between agents exists.
Protagonist Weakness: Jacobo can speak only in growls, simple confirmation of mission objectives, and angry threats. In doing so, he becomes an uninspired, generic protagonist.
Missed Opportunity: Towards the end of the campaign, the game's final chapters allow players to play as Ryu Hayabusa. Although these chapters are a nice respite from the monotony of playing as Jacobo, they are also a huge missed opportunity. The levels are a repeat of following Jacobo through the same settings, enemies, and bosses, but with much reduced combat options as Ryu can only wield a single weapon and a much less exciting "Gleam Form" to substitute for Jacobo's Blood Raven Form.
The Phenomenal Combat System
A beat 'em up game can be forgiven many faults if the action itself is gripping. And, as highlighted in our Ninja Gaiden 4 Review, the combat in this latest installment isn't just good; it's breathtaking. It's incredibly fast-paced, the enemies are fantastically smart, and the elasticity allows for players to be changing their approach to every fight constantly. It looks breathtaking and smoothly co-mingles Team Ninja's trademark smoothness with the over-the-top stylistic madness that Platinum Games specializes in.
The Difference-Maker in the Middle: Enemy Aggression
The secret ingredient is the enemy's aggression. The enemy are never-endingly aggressive; they don't wait patiently in queue.
They attack you from offscreen.
They attack you with grabs that can't be blocked.
They break through your regular attacks.
They drown you in sheer numbers.
This overwhelming pressure is precisely what makes each battle encounter an thrilling fight for survival, a type of challenge the series uniquely presents alone.
Jacobo's Toolset and Blood Raven Form
Jacobo's toolset also has some power, opposing the heavy enemy pressure:
Iconic Moves: He retains the classics like the Flying Swallow technique (a dash attack that will behead weaker enemies) and the Izuna Drop air combo finisher (which will directly kill most enemies).
Ultimate Techniques: These allow him to siphon essence from knocked-out enemies so that he can quickly store up a powerful, flashy combo.
The Blood Raven Form: This is the game's strongest new addition. With the left trigger held down, Jacobo transforms his sword into a slower, more showy version with a new set of moves. It is necessary for breaking an enemy's guard or severing their armored "Super Attacks." It adds a level of resource management, as its use relies on a rapidly emptying meter that calls for tactical risk-assessment.
The Economy and Design Misfires
While the basic mechanics are great, the game is blighted by an uninspired level design and punishing early-game economy.
Uninspired Level Design
The level design itself is quite uninspired. While there are some sporadic glimpses of compelling architecture in the futuristic version of Tokyo, players too often walk through blandly uninspired sections:
Generic rooftops and corridors that appear identical.
Repetitive fog-shrouded cliff sides and dirty sewers outside of Tokyo.
Even the sporadic segments—like Sonic-type rail-grinding or wind-gliding segments—are padding, since they are performed ad infinitum without variation during the course of the campaign.
The Early-Game Economy
The weapon upgrade system is unlike before. Instead of individual weapon upgrades that teach new techniques, there are universal upgrades that must be bought a la carte using Ninja Coin (acquired primarily through side quests and challenges). Techniques for individual weapons are bought with Weapon XP.
The main issue is the economy in the morning is cruel. The players must purchase basic staples like the Flying Swallow, Izuna Drop, and charging Ultimate Techniques using the same currency which is spent on basic consumable items. If they did not purchase the pricier deluxe edition (which included a considerable amount of starting cash), the initial hours can be very tough as they gradually construct the arsenal needed to make the tough combat truly shine.
Post-Game Content and Final Verdict
After the core campaign is completed, the game unlocks Master Ninja difficulty and replay value for any level or boss as Ryu or Jacobo. Most importantly, it offers eighteen Combat Trials with unique modifiers. These trials may ban healing, deny the Blood Raven Form, or have health count down automatically, providing the real test for action game enthusiasts.
The boss battles, traditionally the series' downfall, are hit-or-miss. While some boss battles are genuinely great, others are lackluster battles against giant enemies with obnoxious gimmicks. Despite the common-place narrative, subpar locales, and uneven bosses, the pure, unadulterated action of the battle system is one of the best out there today. It's a genuine Ninja Gaiden game at heart, and its action is only the most fun to be found in a 3D action game in years.
In closing our Ninja Gaiden 4 Review, is the fact that a less endearing hero is added a gigantic turnoff when the combat system is so refined?
