Platform(s): PC (version reviewed), Xbox Series, PlayStation 5
Genre: Action, Hack & Slash, Ninja, 

Just take a quick glance at the cover art of Ninja Gaiden 4, and also the logos of Team Ninja and Platinum Games just next to Koei Tecmo’s, and you know what you’re in for already. High octane 3D action, a ton of flair and drip for its main protags -Raven Clan ninja Yakumo and superninja Ryu Hayabusa, a big tittied-woman or two as a plot device (in this case, Seori the well-endowed shrine maiden whose designer got a huge raise), a messload of weapons, and a ton of gore and dismemberment. The thing is: the Ninja Gaiden games favour practicality and efficiency over style and combo-racking (like your Devil May Cry series). Most of the time, the rank and file want to end you quick even in the tutorial stages as evident in the Xbox original Ninja Gaiden and Ninja Gaiden Black challenge upgrade pack.

In part 4, you’re only getting that hardcore experience in the last third of the game, and when you unlock the optional Ninja Master mode. It’s quite a change from parts 1 and 2, but is it welcome? Given that it’s been way too long since we had a 3D ninja game that’s liberal with the bloodletting and hack-and-slashing, I’d say it’s welcome despite some compromises.

A Different Cut?

Developer Platinum Games decided to take the “casual” approach and just ease in new players to get in on the action, letting you experience the weapon-swapping capabilities and Bloodraven-charged moveset of newbie Yakumo. He’s as edgelord-ish as you can get; what little story there is in this sequel just has him being cold and mission-driven. Not exactly the most charismatic guy as opposed to the chirpy and bouncy Seori, but hey, you’re not here for the plot.

You’re just here to kick ass through linear corridors, indiscriminantly cutting down whoever is in your way whether man or beast/Fiend. And by golly it feels just darn good cutting up fools. As enemies in this hack-and-slasher overwhelm you, Yakumo needs to use his regular weaponry and aforementioned Bloodraven moves (he enlarges his tools with blood magic and deals bigger and wider damage plus armour breaks) to dismember enemies, then one-hit kill them with the patented Obliteration Technique. You also have the Flying Swallow divekicks for evasion and singling out enemies, a very useful dodge and block that you can cancel to other moves (and vice versa), and go in Berserk mode where your charged Bloodraven moves can one-hit kill most baddies, highlighted in a damn cool one-second screen freeze of Yakumo posing with his glorified kill(s).

Bosses will still pose a challenge as they have a ton of knockdown moves and tricky combos for you to figure out and evade. Or when you see the exclamation mark telegraph, that’s when you interrupt them with the Bloodraven moves. They come by when you least expect it, but when you counter them, it’s oh-so satisfying. If this carnage isn’t enough, you can deviate from the main path and just take on sidequests that net you more kills for cash & battle points (for items and new moves), or take on gauntlet battles in the form of shrine portals. They’re all fun to partake in, and thankfully the controls and visual flair make the bloodletting all the more engrossing and replayable. Surely that C-ranking will make you want to revisit past areas so you can do a much better job at flipping out and killing people, right?

Still, purists of the franchise may be displeased that the combat isn’t revolving around the late Tomonobu Itagaki’s triangle strike-block-throw system in past Ninja Gaiden titles -the good ones anyway. One can argue that the fighting in part 4 has devolved to meter-based offense with less on defensive play; you can block all enemy moves as long as you don’t reach past the block count threshold (which can be upgraded RPG style as you progress through story mode). Less rewarding through learned play, more on style and “looking cool doing badass ninja stuff” motif instead.

Another major complaint is that when you get to play as the title character, you’re revisiting past stages rather than play through new ones, albeit with a new enemy or two. Much like Devil May Cry 4’s Dante sections, it’s nice to go back to the alpha hack-and-slasher, but the devs could have at least added new things and sections here instead of retreading old ground.

Hack-And-Slash Fun

This may not be the Xbox-slated Ninja Gaiden action title that’s completely true to the source material -at least until you unlock Ninja Master mode and play through that mode and even then you can get by through smart meter-management and Guillotine Toss spamming. Still, it’s the “rejuvenation” of the action series that is needed to make it mainstream.

It’s still a challenge, but has optional accommodating handicaps to sort you out. It plays more like a Platinum action title ala Bayonetta than Team Ninja’s hardcore foray, but you can still experience the latter through a replay or four (which is the whole point of its design). The main character isn’t the most charismatic, but has a ton of weaponry to vary up your playstyle and flair to your gameplay.

In any case, we do yearn for spam-tastic ninja games like this. I do hope part 4 does decently enough for a sequel or a spin-off, because this game engine and action design are absent in this day and age. Welcome back, Ninja Gaiden; you’ve been sorely missed.

Final Score: 70/100