Ninja Gaiden 4 is as pure action as a game can get, and it’s a delicious and sometimes grueling gauntlet of increasingly brutal attacks that test your reflexes, dexterity, stamina and creativity in invigorating ways. It’s a welcome return to form for a franchise whose last mainline entry was over a decade ago, and whose trademark tight control has never been more refined. Platinum Games, which is the main developer of this entry, emphasizes the distinctive Ninja Gaiden action atmosphere to such an extent that fans will never notice that a up-to-date developer is in control. However, the studio behind Bayonetta and Metal Gear Rising has introduced some intriguing up-to-date ideas, most notably a up-to-date ninja at the helm whose combat skills surpass those of longtime hero Ryu Hayabusa.
The story centers on Yakumo, a member of the Raven Clan, a mysterious and morally pliant branch of the righteous Hayabusa clan. This juvenile ninja prodigy is on a mission to prevent another resurrection of his returning nemesis, the Dark Dragon, by killing a pretty priestess, the vessel of the dragon’s dormant soul. But when the priestess convinces Yakumo that the only way to permanently end the Dark Dragon is to release it, they embark on a quest that puts Yakumo and his petite team at odds with a man staunchly opposed to the dragon’s return: Ryu Hayabusa. Despite a nice premise, this story is nothing to write home about, with predictable, melodramatic beats and a fun, unearned hint of romance. Fortunately, I don’t play Ninja Gaiden expecting a robust narrative; the action is the star of this show.
What Yakumo lacks in terms of compelling character traits – he’s a one-dimensional, abrasive edgelord to an almost comical degree – he makes up for in sheer brutality and finesse on the battlefield. Creating absurd chains of combos by swapping four different weapons creates a crazy wave of flashy attacks that never cease to be a pleasure to pull off, no matter how many limbs I cut off. Each weapon has a unique playstyle, and good pacing allows players to get used to their weapons before others are introduced. I love how each weapon fills a significant gap in Yakumo’s gameplay. His twin swords are great at medium range, but his staff is better at ranged crowd control. One delightfully silly projectile weapon does a great job of zoning and extends combos better than standard shuriken attacks.
Boosting Yakumo’s attack with Bloodraven’s up-to-date form transforms the weapon into more powerful variants that break down solid defenses and interrupt unblockable attacks. I like to strategically incorporate this powerful upgrade into my offensive flows, and it’s always satisfying to stun opponents with a well-timed Bloodraven attack. Ninja Gaiden 4 loves to overwhelm players with dozens of enemies, but filling the meter solves this problem by unleashing a satisfying finish that instantly kills multiple targets. I can’t imagine a better reward for causing a ton of offense.
Make no mistake: Ninja Gaiden 4 is a Yakumo game. However, Ryu Hayabusa is playable, albeit with some disappointing missions that retrace Yakumo’s steps in elderly levels, including fighting the same bosses again. Ryu offers a more precise style, combining razor-sharp sword attacks with Ninpo magic and his own variation of Bloodraven mechanics. While fun in its own way, I definitely preferred playing Yakumo and I’m glad Ryu is taking a backseat. No matter which ninja you control, there’s so much fun taking out grunts or creatively designed demonic bosses that half-baked stealth gameplay feels incredibly inappropriate. Stealth is nothing more than slowly (and painstakingly) moving forward and stabbing easily alerted targets; at least let me crouch if you want me to bother sneaking around.
There’s not much to do outside of slicing and dicing, but the high-speed rail grinding sequences and high-speed parkour segments focused on grappling hooks can be almost as fun as the fighting. While the often long battles can wear out their welcome and require a greater variety of enemies, and the elementary side quests and challenge rooms are uninspiring, Ninja Gaiden 4 gives fans what they want: a pure, often arduous test of their ninja skills. This return finally washes away the bad taste left by the hated Ninja Gaiden 3, and hopefully the legend of Yakumo will grow in a up-to-date series of stylish action-adventure games.
