Of all the action games to be released in 2025, perhaps no other title has as much riding on its shoulders. Ninja Gaiden 4. The first new 3D entry in the franchise in 13 years, and a follow-up to this year's successful return to the series' 2D roots. Ninja Gaiden: Ragbound, Ninja Gaiden 4 The series will also be the first game in the franchise to feature the collaboration between Shepherds Team Ninja and legendary character action studio, Platinum Games. Throw in the recent untimely passing of series creator Tomonobu Itagaki, and you have a perfect storm of expectations that sets the bar high. Ninja Gaiden 4. And to its credit, it doesn't clarify it—it shatters it.
noteworthy, Ninja Gaiden 4 It's as familiar an experience as it is a new take on the franchise's 3D lineage, blending the mechanically deep and complex inputs and combat that fans of Team Ninja games will recognize with a level of style and flair that's undeniably the work of PlatinumGames. There's a new hero to control, Raven Clan ninja Yakumo steps into the spotlight, letting Ryu Hayabusa assume a supporting role. That pivot proves to be a smart play that allows PlatinumGames to be incredibly creative with the game's combat sandbox, all while setting a future for the franchise that feels even more essential after the rolling credits. Along with this year's surprising decline Ninja Gaiden 2 Black and mentioned above Ninja Gaiden: Ragbound, Ninja Gaiden 4 To indicate that is the last piece of the puzzle Ninja Gaiden The franchise is back and better than ever.
Ninja Gaiden 4 is most definitely a platinum game title, and it's all the better for it
one time Ninja Gaiden 4 Starting with a bang and the opening credits begin to roll, the game makes a point to clearly state that this is PlatinumGames, and not Team Ninja, as it goes around. And that much has been known since the game's reveal, but the extent of Team Ninja's involvement in the actual gameplay side of things seems ancillary compared to how much luster is in PlatinumGames' DNA. Ninja Gaiden 4Moment-to-moment gameplay. Ultimately, this is a platinum game title through and through, which is the result Ninja Gaiden 4 The bloodiest, slickest, most outrageously action-packed 3D entry in the franchise. If Ninja Gaiden: Ragbound was a callback to the series' 2D origins, Ninja Gaiden 4 This continues as a glimpse of where the series can and should go from here, and it honestly feels like there's no going back once you've experienced how satisfying it is on every imaginable level.
PlatinumGames has long been known for producing a very specific type of action game from its early hits like Hideki Kamiya-Helmed. Bayonetta As for more experimental projects Awesomeness 101 and Astral chain. There's an almost undeniable sense of style that goes hand in hand with a PlatinumGames title, and it's front and center. Ninja Gaiden 4. The fight, of course, is the star and cause of the show Ninja Gaiden 4 Keeps players engaged for about 10-12 hours of its runtime, and this is the main area where Platinum's DNA comes through the most. While Ninja Gaiden 4 While still demanding a lot from players and will actively punish you for not setting up every weapon move and reacting to enemy attacks with button mashing, it's much more forgiving on normal difficulty than previous 3Ds. Ninja Gaiden Titles. That nod towards accessibility is undeniably a Platinum Game trademark, and it makes it Ninja Gaiden 4 Jump into the easiest game in the series and start having fun right away.
But don't worry – those looking for a true challenge are sure to find it Ninja Gaiden 4. Regular cannon fodder enemies are mostly arranged on normal difficulty, but this is boss enemies. Ninja Gaiden 4 which represents the greatest difficulty of the game. These two encounters tend to border on frustration (especially as repeated deaths destroy your chapter's final ranks), but the strategies necessary for victory eventually reveal themselves to the point where none of these fights ever feel unsatisfying or like a chore to do. On the contrary, Ninja Gaiden 4 It's the gaming equivalent of a roller coaster: it offers one non-stop thrill after another, and its short campaign goes in a flash, where you're all set to hop on for the next spin. And once you've mastered the normal mode, some of the best fun to be had with the game is to tackle the Hard and Master Ninja difficulties – which I'm still going through and doing this, my first attempt at a Master Ninja run. Ninja Gaiden Black And confirmation of PlatinumGames' debut crack at one of the more legendary action franchises.
Ninja Gaiden 4 sets up Yakumo as a worthy successor to the Ryu Hayabusa legacy
It's probably safe to say most players don't Ninja Gaiden Games for stories. But while Ninja Gaiden 4While the story won't win any awards, it's serviceable and an interesting continuation of the series' lore that picks up after a long time. Ninja Gaiden 3 was left More importantly, though, it establishes Yakumo as the shoulder on which another era Ninja Gaiden The franchise can stay. It may seem sacrilegious to suggest that any other hero could carry it Ninja Gaiden Ryu Hayabusa has had the franchise since 1988, but Ninja Gaiden: RageboundKenji and Ninja Gaiden 4Ko Yakumo definitely proves that there is room for more than just one master ninja in the series.
end of Ninja Gaiden 3 The Dark Dragon is seen defeated once again, but the Dragon Clan member's inability to truly defeat the evil enemy causes its corpse to be suspended in futuristic Tokyo, causing a mishmash of rain that summons fiends to the natural world and puts the city on lockdown. But while Ryu Hayabusa and the Divine Dragon Order (a paramilitary organization dedicated to the protection of Sky City Tokyo) are busy protecting the world from renowned enemies at the gates, a young Raven Clan ninja named Yakumo sets out to fulfill his clan's prophecy by slaying a dragon once and for all. And in truth Ninja Gaiden A fashion, seemingly simple “search and destroy” mission, quickly becomes more complicated, especially as Yakumo and Ryu find themselves on opposite sides of the conflict.
That conflict is at the center Ninja Gaiden 4The story of, usually serving as a metaphor for the game. Ryu's attempt to stop the evil in our world has finally failed, and Yakumo's mission enables him to fulfill his role as a new generation of ninja. There are plenty of twists and turns that fans of the series and action games will see coming a mile away, but that way Ninja Gaiden 4The wrap of the story makes it feel like the torch has been passed from one generation of ninja warriors to the next — a fitting meta commentary on the game's location for what could be the first title in a new line of 3D. Ninja Gaiden Games.
Between Ragebound and Ninja Gaiden 4, 2025 is the 'Year of the Ninja'
In addition to its combat that features the undeniable nature of PlatinumGames, Ninja Gaiden 4 There are other gameplay aspects that will feel familiar to fans of other character action titles. As in previous 3D Ninja Gaiden Games and other platinum titles like Bayonettadefeating enemies Ninja Gaiden 4 Players earn currency (“Karma”) that can be used to unlock new combat techniques, purchase restoration items, or unlock new slots in which to equip items that strengthen Yakumo's abilities. This kind of “RPG-lite” progression is characteristic of the character action genre that is new Ninja Gaiden The game wouldn't feel complete without it, so it's great to see it return Ninja Gaiden 4 Along with some other, new elements the title introduces to the franchise. One of the most surprising elements of Ninja Gaiden 4The levels are the amount of platforming that players will find themselves doing, all of which is incredibly smooth, responsive and satisfying. The levels themselves may be slightly linear, but that linearity is often broken up by wall running, grapple hooking, and grinding on rails across the futuristic Tokyo skyline.
All to say, Ninja Gaiden 4 Sounds like the complete package that fans of the series have been hoping to see from the new entry. Its combat may not please die-hard purists who feel that way Ninja Gaiden Black and the original Xbox 360 version Ninja Gaiden 2 is the pinnacle of the series, but I'd argue that it emphasizes pure fun more than any of those titles.
I like it a lot Ninja Gaiden: Ragebound, Ninja Gaiden 4 takes the best elements of the series that players remember — the tough but fair challenge, outrageous enemy designs, and refusal to shy away from bloody, gore-soaked combat — and updates them just enough without trying to completely reinvent the wheel. This proves that Ninja Gaiden The franchise has managed to steer the ship with a fresh perspective for a new golden age, and has positioned itself as one of Platinum Games' best titles and possibly the best action game of 2025.
- 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
- A stunning return to form for the 3D entries in the Ninja Gaiden series that almost outshine its predecessors.
- A fluid and responsive combat sandbox that is an absolute blast to use
- Yakumo is an exciting new hero and a perfect torchbearer for future Ninja Gaiden games.
- Visually impressive character models and environments that showcase PlatinumGames' telltale penchant for stylish flair.
- Some boss battles feature difficulty spikes that can prove frustrating
- Levels can sometimes contain very long and very narrow, linear paths
