Ninja Gaiden 4 Reviews
Ninja Gaiden 4 is not a game built for comfort. It is built for those who still believe that skill matters. Every cut, every dodge, every perfectly timed strike reinforces that belief. By the time the credits roll, one truth becomes clear: the way of the ninja has not been forgotten. It has merely been waiting for the right blade to bring it back to life.
PlatinumGames sought to replicate the success of NieR: Automata and Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance with Ninja Gaiden 4, and when it comes to the combat system, the outcome is positive. However, the game suffers from overly restrictive level design, poor storytelling, and an art direction that leaves much to be desired.
Review in Portuguese | Read full review
I’ve tried to be as even-handed as possible with this review because I am a diehard Ninja Gaiden fan. I have played since the 8-bit days on the original Nintendo, and I also really dig Platinum Games and what they produce. If you are in one camp or the other, you’re either going to be pissed or you’re going to be happy. If you like both, you may end up confused, disappointed, or really happy, because Ninja Gaiden 4 isn’t really a proper Ninja Gaiden game nor is it a pure Platinum game.
Ninja Gaiden 4 is a thrilling ninja adventure, packed with fast-paced combat, cinematic action, and stunning visuals, offering an intense and rewarding experience for the series veterans and the newcomers alike.
Ninja Gaiden 4 is all about quality over quantity, and the quality is just incredible. The combat is fast-paced, brutal, flashy, and engaging, while still feeling accessible enough to use the diverse moveset and still require some skill to utilize to their fullest. With the gorgeous world, head-bopping soundtrack, and side content, I found many reasons to keep coming back for more even after finishing the campaign. There are some minor issues here and there, but nothing that stopped me from enjoying every moment. It also plays quite nicely on the Steam Deck. It does have a specific Steam Deck Mode that can play at 30 FPS, and while it can handle higher framerates, there are a multitude of issues that keep it from being an amazing experience. Still, it's playable, looks decent, and a solid way to enjoy the game.
At its best, Ninja Gaiden 4 is an exhilarating bloodbath that has finally struck the perfect balance between hardcore and accessible. It's a reminder of how invigorating this franchise once was, and how, in the right hands, it can be once again.
It’s been 13 long years since the last main entry in the Ninja Gaiden series, but the wait has been worth it. Ninja Gaiden and PlatinumGames are a match made in heaven as the combat is some of the most fun and exhilarating around, with tons of bloodshed and dismembered body parts.
The story may not be the greatest but that’s not the primary reasons people play character action games. Ninja Gaiden 4 delivers with fun and fluid gameplay. After Ninja Gaiden 3 as well as the spinoff Yaiba left a lot to be desired, it’s a very welcome return to form and along with Ragebound being a great game, the future of Ninja Gaiden looks to be great.
There are moments, specifically during flashy boss fights or particularly tough levels, where Ninja Gaiden 4 shines. Unfortunately, a lackluster story, repetitive content, and a general lack of polish on important gameplay elements like the camera make the series' grand return anticlimactic
Ninja Gaiden 4 marks a triumphant return for a franchise long absent from the action spotlight. While its story may lean on familiar tropes and occasional padding, the game more than compensates with blistering combat, deep customization, and a rewarding difficulty curve that invites mastery.
Let’s not mince words: after more than a decade of dormancy, seeing Ninja Gaiden return with this much confidence feels triumphant.
Ninja Gaiden 4 is an incredibly varied game that leaves no room for boredom. The constant change of locations, gameplay mechanics, enemies, and characters in the short playing time creates a brilliant overall package that is second to none in terms of variety and density of ideas. The combat system impresses with precise controls and ultra-fast, bloody action. The tough difficulty level motivates me to keep going despite countless deaths. I never feel unfairly treated when I die – even if the camera doesn't always cooperate. Graphically, the game impresses with excellent art design, but disappoints with numerous unfinished-looking textures that pull me out of the experience.
Review in German | Read full review
Ninja Gaiden 4 feels right at home with the classic, linear design of the first three entries in the series. A focus on tight, fast-paced action lets the best aspects of the game sing, and it avoids muddying the water with unnecessary souls-like mechanics. A few boss fights feel a bit too janky for the action, but overall, they make for excellent mission endpoints. The story isn't exactly memorable, but it doesn't bog down the experience, making for a tight roller coaster of an action game worthy of the title Ninja Gaiden.
Ninja Gaiden 4 is the action experience that perfectly caps off the year of the Ninja. It's fast-paced and brutal combat respects the franchise's legacy while modernizing its accessibility.
Ninja Gaiden 4 is pure, unadulterated video gaming. It's fast, it's slick and, most of all, it's incredibly satisfying.
Ninja Gaiden 4 will not be up for Game of the Year, or likely even considered one of the best games in the series, but that doesn't matter. This is a game for anyone who just wants to feel like a badass ninja carving up enemies in the blink of an eye, because sometimes that's all you want.
Ninja Gaiden 4 is a spectacular comeback that combines the strengths of the series with modern influences from Team Ninja and PlatinumGames. The combat system shines with fast-paced, precise, and mercilessly satisfying fights, while the staging and boss battles showcase the action genre at its best. Although the level design remains too conservative in places and does not fully exploit its creative potential, the thrilling action, stylish brutality, and successful gameplay make it a worthy and impressive successor that skillfully continues the legacy of Ryu Hayabusa.
Review in German | Read full review
Ninja Gaiden 4 offers a thrilling, action-packed experience with a creative arsenal and plenty of visceral combat. However, it drags on with too many on-rails segments, and its generic story and environments keep it from truly pushing the series forward or giving the new ninja enough presence to convincingly take up Ryu’s legendary mantle.
Review in German | Read full review
Ninja Gaiden 4 is a full-blooded action game that delivers plenty of adrenaline from overcoming tough challenges. Even in light of a few missteps, it cannot be denied that PlatinumGames has created a strong representative of a heavily neglected genre.
NINJA GAIDEN 4 revives the decade+ dormant franchise with a new developer leading it into an insanely fast, new direction. It’s a fun, occasionally beautiful title with an actually not terrible story, perhaps a first for the series