If it isn’t obvious by now, I love action games. Devil May Cry, Viewtiful Joe, God Hand, Bayonetta, Metal Gear Rising, I’ve played them all. So when I confess the sin of never properly playing the mainline 3D Ninja Gaiden games (despite loving the 2D entries), I want it to be clear that it wasn’t out of indifference or ignorance of their legacy, but more of an ‘I’ll get to it eventually.’
Since each game is practically self-contained, I didn’t hesitate to jump into Ninja Gaiden 4, and wow, I was missing out on something special. These are my impressions of Ninja Gaiden 4 from someone who loves action games but skipped the main trilogy.
Instantly Brutal
First things first: Ninja Gaiden 4 is gory, brutal, and extremely violent. It’s not realistic violence, but so absurdly over the top that you can’t help but laugh at how high the insanity meter is cranked. Yakumo casually slices off limbs and decapitates enemies as finishers without any effort, but with plenty of style.
Every swing paints the floor red, and once you’re done carving through foes, you leave behind a scene that would keep a forensic team busy for weeks. It’s similar to DOOM Eternal in how it presents that violence, more goofy and ridiculous than something meant to shock you.
Nothing gets in the way of the action either. Finishers are fast, flashy, and the camera work is superb. The controls are easy to understand, but there is so much depth in the combat that you’ll spend a good time labbing in the training room trying to figure out what every move does, where it should be used, and what utility it can provide against certain enemy types.
Speaking of which, enemies are fast, aggressive, and don’t wait their turn. It feels like the entire game is actually trying to kill you rather than entertain you or act as moving targets. Even if you chop off an enemy’s legs, they’ll crawl toward you and blow themselves up. They are completely committed to dragging you to the grave, and learning how to counter them is what really makes this game stand out.
Fast and Precise
Both Yakumo and Ryu are a joy to control, and you can move around combat arenas with zero friction. Learning the intricacies of their traversal and combat tools will probably take me months, but I’m ready to take on the challenge and study the blade, as the weebs say.
My impression of the original Ninja Gaiden has always been that its combat demanded precision and deliberate play, and while Ninja Gaiden 4 still has that, it feels much closer to the sequels with its faster pacing and the absurd things Ryu can pull off.
You’ll die a lot, but that’s part of the learning process. I’ve played enough challenging action games to no longer be discouraged by death, and I really appreciate Ninja Gaiden 4’s training mode for that reason. If a certain enemy type is giving you trouble or you want to practice a move, you can jump into training mode whenever you want (outside of combat, of course). You can even map the View button on your controller to open training instantly, it’s that intuitive.
Here’s the thing: this is a hard game made for people who love this genre, but the developers make sure you’re never left in the dark. The mechanics are clearly explained, controls are simple, the tools are there, and the game actively encourages you to improve. It’s tough, but also surprisingly inviting.
What I Don’t Like
Look, I’m well aware that story in Ninja Gaiden games is usually an afterthought and the characters aren’t exactly memorable, but I still feel like the developers had an opportunity here. The main character, Yakumo, is your typical quiet anime protagonist who is always grimacing and saying edgy lines. To contrast him, his team is full of loud, over-the-top characters who swing too far in the opposite direction.
There’s no balance, and that’s something games like Devil May Cry and Bayonetta handle much better. I don’t find the world, characters, or story here particularly engaging. It might sound silly to criticize the story in a pure action game, but there’s a reason Dante and Vergil are still iconic today for their personalities and arcs, while Ryu is just the badass ninja with a fairly one-dimensional presence.
It’s not a huge issue, but it does make cutscenes a bit annoying to sit through. That said, the moment you are back in control, the game fires on all cylinders.
Final Thoughts
Talking about this game is tricky because, on one hand, it’s an incredibly satisfying action game with polished, fun combat systems to explore. On the other hand, it’s part of a legacy I haven’t personally experienced, which is why I ultimately decided not to fully review it, despite that being my original plan.
So, even though this isn’t really a review, if you’re a fan of challenging, fast-paced action games with incredible depth, Ninja Gaiden 4 does not disappoint, and I can recommend it. The game also doesn’t really require you to know much about the last few games, and from what I can tell, every major Ninja Gaiden entry is pretty self-contained anyway.
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Published: Oct 20, 2025 07:03 pm