It has been officially one month since Ninja Gaiden 4 sliced its way onto consoles and PC, ending a thirteen-year drought for the franchise. The hype leading up to the October 21 release was unreal. We finally got the dream collaboration: Team Ninja teaming up with the action maniacs at PlatinumGames. On paper, it sounded like the perfect recipe for the greatest action game of all time.
Now that the dust has settled and we have had thirty days to master the Izuna Drop, the community consensus is in. And it is… complicated. If you have been lurking on Reddit or Twitter, you know exactly what I am talking about. We seem to have a masterpiece of gameplay trapped inside a game that forgot to upgrade everything else.
The Combat is Absolute Perfection
Let’s start with the good news, because it is really good. If you are here purely to press buttons and watch cool things happen, Ninja Gaiden 4 is easily the best action game of 2025. The collaboration with PlatinumGames paid off in the combat department.
Players are praising the fluidity. It feels like a true evolution of Ninja Gaiden II, which is arguably the gold standard for the series. The weapon switching is seamless, the obliteration techniques are brutal, and the enemy AI is genuinely terrifying. Unlike other hack-and-slash games where enemies wait their turn, the foes here swarm you with an aggression that forces you to play perfectly.
One Reddit user summed it up perfectly: “The combat is rewarding, stylish, and feels unlike anything else that’s been released this generation.” If gameplay is king, then this game is sitting comfortably on the throne.
The Yakumo Problem
Here is where things get rocky. For this entry, the developers introduced a new protagonist, Yakumo, a young ninja prodigy. The problem? He just isn’t cool.
Fans are having a hard time connecting with him. He lacks the stoic badassery of Ryu Hayabusa, and his dialogue often falls flat. Speaking of Ryu, his treatment in the game has been a major point of contention. He is in the game, but he feels sidelined—almost like an afterthought included just to put his face on the marketing. Many fans feel like the game was developed as a new IP and then slapped with the Ninja Gaiden branding at the last minute.
Stuck in the Past?
Beyond the character issues, there is a growing sentiment that the game’s presentation is dated. We are playing on PS5s and Series X machines, yet the level design feels like it was ripped straight from 2008. Corridors are linear and uninspired, and the visual fidelity in the environments doesn’t match the quality of the character models.
The sound mixing has also caught some heat. In an era where audio design can make or break immersion, Ninja Gaiden 4 often sounds muddy. It is a strange contrast: the sword clashes sound sharp and visceral, but the ambient noise and soundtrack often fade into the background or just feel out of place.
The Community Verdict
So, one month later, is it a success? Commercially, it seems to be doing fine, especially with the Game Pass boost. But critically, it is a divisive title.
The dedicated “Character Action” community is loving the challenge. They are ignoring the cringey cutscenes and focusing on getting those high scores in the Ninja Trials. But for the casual player who wants a gripping narrative to go along with their violence, it is a harder sell. It is a game that demands you love the mechanics enough to forgive the wrapper they came in.
Frequently Asked Questions
1. Can you play as Ryu Hayabusa in Ninja Gaiden 4?
Yes, but not initially as the main protagonist. Ryu appears in the story, but the main campaign focuses on the new character, Yakumo. Ryu is playable in specific sections and modes.
2. Is Ninja Gaiden 4 on Xbox Game Pass?
Yes! The game launched day one on Xbox Game Pass Ultimate and PC Game Pass. If you are a subscriber, you can play it right now at no extra cost.
3. Is the game difficult?
Absolutely. It stays true to the series’ roots. While there are difficulty options, the “Normal” mode is significantly harder than your average action game. Expect to die a lot.
4. Who developed Ninja Gaiden 4?
It was a co-development effort between Team Ninja (the original creators) and PlatinumGames (creators of Bayonetta and NieR: Automata).
5. Will there be DLC?
Team Ninja has hinted at post-launch support, and fans are heavily requesting a story expansion that focuses more on Ryu Hayabusa to fix the narrative complaints.
Conclusion
Ninja Gaiden 4 is a flawed gem. It proves that Team Ninja and PlatinumGames are still the kings of combat design, but it also shows that you need more than just great swordplay to make a perfect modern game. If you can look past the cheesy story and the uncool protagonist, there is an incredible experience here. Here is hoping the inevitable “Sigma” or “Black” re-release fixes the rest.