Don't shoot the messenger – I'm just saying, don't expect too much from Ryu's playable story segments Ninja Gaiden 4. For the past week or so, I've been able to play and lose Ninja Gaiden 4And I have to say that most of my expectations were exceeded by a shiny new action game. As for Yakumo, it offers everything I want from combat and more, but PlatinumGames confirmed that there will be two playable characters ahead of release: the new Yakumo and the veteran Ryu Hayabusa. I can easily point to the worst gameplay sections Ninja Gaiden 4story, and those are the ones where you play as Ryu.
But I want to be clear: NG4 A good game and, overall, I recommend it. I recommend this with the caveat that your expectations for Ryu should be grounded. Fortunately, this is a relatively short section of the game, only taking up a handful of chapters Ninja Gaiden 4. It's worth noting that Ryu has more than those chapters, at least, but it still feels like he's a side character in the franchise that bears his name. Spoiler discussion follows.
Explained Ryu's role in the NG4 story
Without going into spoiler territory more than I have to, this is abundantly clear in the early hours. Ninja Gaiden 4 that Ryu is indeed the “major challenge and growth milestone” for Yakumo that PlatinumGames suggested he would be. Yakumo carries with him the arrogance and self-righteousness one would expect from a less experienced warrior, believing himself to be Ryu's equal from the start. The conflicts between the two are clearly one between a seasoned veteran and a distinguished upstart, and the story puts them at odds very quickly. There are several reasons for this, but as players progress through the story as Yakumo, they must complete four objectives. Throughout, it is constantly suggested and then clearly confirmed that the priestess Seori holds those four objectives – with Ryu's help.
After spending the entire game clearing those four objectives, the playable sections for Ryu are flashbacks to setting up those four objectives. In other words, it is repeating content that has already been played. It won't surprise any gamer that each of those four objectives ends in a boss fight, and it's the same boss fight for Ryu. Making it a little worse is that it goes backwards, meaning that the last objective that Yakumo finishes is the first that Ryu sets up. Players face a major boss back and forth, first as Yakumo and then as Ryu, and then proceed to repeat the levels to reach the other bosses. The one silver lining here is that each objective is short for Ryu, perhaps speaking to his strength, but it's not like players need to be convinced that Ryu is a good ninja. Overall, this is one of the shortest sections of the game, but the brevity, the frequent boss fights, and the fact that it has no real story bearing. Ninja Gaiden 4 It would be nice if these levels were cut.
How cutting playable Ryu made Ninja Gaiden 4 great
The pacing would be vastly improved, for one. These flashbacks take place immediately after one of the biggest stories Ninja Gaiden 4A natural storytelling barrier. Perhaps the goal is to create distance from that moment and what follows, which itself is short compared to the rest of the game, but it doesn't really accomplish that. There seems to be repeated content between the four objectives and the resolution of the final boss. Secondly, it also adds nothing to the gravity of the story. If something new had been revealed here, then perhaps the content would have been worth playing through, but there isn't. Seori's role in the four objectives is made clear early in the game, and it is implied throughout the game that Ryu was involved. Flashbacks serve no purpose narratively, except perhaps to explain a detail, which is amplifying the need for explanation.
The story structure of Ninja Gaiden 4
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Prologue and setup
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complete objective one
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Complete objective two
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Complete objective three
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Complete objective four
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Big Story Moment (Cutscene)
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Repeat as Ryu aims four, three, two, and one
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The final chapters of the game
Considering that nothing significant or anything new happens in Ryu's boss fights or story chapters, it feels like the game backtracks for fan service. Now, there's definitely nothing wrong with fan service, and within a playable Ryu Ninja Gaiden 4 Just makes logical sense. But the fact is, cutting out his chapter would have made it a better game. Stepping into Ryu's shoes quickly goes from a surge of excitement to anxiety that feels all too familiar “Oh, so what are we doing. All this. Again.” As the story unfolds, I'll be more curious about what Ryu was doing during the rest of the current game instead of these flashbacks. The story and pacing would have been more interesting if each objective for Yakumo (which is about three chapters long) was followed by an original present-day chapter for Ryu instead of a flashback.
Without that, cutting Ryu's chapters would have worked as well, with his role as a playable character only being an endgame unlock. It is already effective, but his story chapters are not necessary for it. As it stands, it feels like an arbitrary story reward rather than an actual one when players go in. Ninja Gaiden 4of higher difficulties/end game content.
Content of Ryu's Endgame in NG4
To reiterate, I loved and recommend playing Ninja Gaiden 4. For me, this is a very good 8/10 game. I think this part of the story hurts it overall and prevents it from being a great or awesome experience. The moment-to-moment combat is a lot of fun, the content offerings are pretty good, and the overall story isn't revolutionary but more than serviceable. I don't think it's necessary More Ryu It was fixed, but I wanted Good Ryu Content rather than flashbacks. Players, I'd argue, deserve more than being flashbacks to the main content of Super Ninja.
However, once players pass those chapters and wrap up Ninja Gaiden 4story, Ryu can be chosen as a playable character. Players can repeat chapters, do Purgatories, complete trials, and so on, which at least means there's more Ryu than in story chapters. But for his playable story segments, it's hard not to be disappointed by his behavior.
- issued
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October 21, 2025
- ESRB
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Mature 17+ / Blood and gore, intense violence, strong language, suggestive themes
- publisher(s)
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Xbox Game Studio
