For difficulty and accessibility, the team carefully balanced challenge and attainability. The three primary modes: Hero, Normal, and Hard, are complemented by assist functions such as automatic evasion and defense mechanisms. Whether you seek the endless thrill of mastery or wish to immerse yourself in the story, Ninja Gaiden 4 welcomes all who wish to step onto the path of the ninja. A dedicated training mode also ensures that every player can sharpen their own skills at their own pace.
In art, music, and level design, Team Ninja and PlatinumGames set out to forge the definitive modern vision of Ninja Gaiden. The teams, guided by the three keywords of adversity, brutality, and transformation, built a distinctive visual world of rain and shadow. The sound design merges the resonance of traditional Japanese instruments with electronic distortion, creating a striking contrast between silence and battle. Woven together with meticulous level design, these elements make every stage feel as though the very world itself is baring its fangs at Yakumo.
What do you want out of a modern, big-budget, blockbuster video game? Large, detailed environments to explore? Tons of skill trees, crafting systems, and resources to manage? An HBO-worthy story with top-notch voice acting that keeps you playing until the end? Ninja Gaiden 4 does not give a fuck about any of these things.
Ninja Gaiden 4 is here to serve you up tense, twitchy combo-based action and flashy but simple backdrops for ever more ridiculous boss fights and bloodbaths. Nothing more. Nothing less. It gets that job done with S-tier style and attention to detail. Everything else is…fine. I hope that doesn’t sound like a disappointment.
It’s not. I’m 10 hours into Team Ninja and Platinum Games’ cyberpunk-infused joint entry in the long-running series and I’ve been loving every no-frills moment. The sequel is out October 20 on PS5, Xbox Series X/S, and PC (published by Microsoft and available day-one on Game Pass Ultimate) and my full review won’t be out until later this week. I’ll leave more of my nitpicks until then. For now I can confidentially say this game has some real juice.
Ninja Gaiden 4 is the Brazilian steakhouse where the hosts keep plopping down increasingly rich and tasty hunks of meat until you feel completely gorged and then they give you more and you keep going because it’s just that good and also the world will fall to ruin at the hands of a mythic evil dragon if you don’t.
There’s not a lot of variety. You may occasionally break into a sweaty panic. But plate after plate of bloody brawls and bone-crunching boss fights will arrive and you will not send them back because this is Team Ninja’s house and you will feast until it’s over because who knows, it could be another 13 years until the next Ninja Gaiden arrives.
Team Ninja / Microsoft
If you haven’t been keeping up, Ninja Gaiden 4 puts you in the shoes of Ryu Hayabusa’s rival Yakumo who wields the Bloodraven Form technique to chain the blood of his enemies into dazzling and devastating combo attacks (you also play as Ryu in some chapters). Yakumo gets access to multiple weapons with different attack patterns and unlockable move sets. There’s even an ultimate meter you can fill up to unleash quick executions.
Combined with dodges, parries, and an overwhelming number of fighting-game-style aerial maneuvers and attacks, the combat rewards close attention and thoughtful execution. It’s a button-mashing gorefest, except that every button is pressed for a particular reason and if it’s not, you’re probably looking at the game over screen again.
Every challenge room and boss fight so far has left me feeling satisfied and accomplished in exchange for the effort expended, even when progress slowed to a crawl and it briefly felt like I was banging my head against the wall. Ninja Gaiden 4 is so limited and focused in terms of what it puts in front of you that I found these periods of stalled momentum as cathartic and calming as pushing through to the next chapter.
I won’t talk about the story because I’m not finished yet and, well, when has a Ninja Gaiden story ever really mattered that much? There’s a mysterious woman manipulating you into breaking magical seals to purify the ancient dragon and prevent it from returning to haunt neo-Tokyo. The English language dubs are not great so I’m playing with subtitles. The conversations and characters, like the spartan levels you encounter them in, provide the most barebones table setting for a linear series of battles and the occasional 3D Sonic-style platforming section.
None of the stuff outside of combat has been all that great in Ninja Gaiden 4 so far, so I welcome there being so little of it. This is a game about seeing how long you can keep your health meter unscathed while landing just enough blows to randomly sever an enemy’s limb and open them up to a grisly execution move that sprays blood all over the screen and nets you points toward your high score for the stage. It’s strikingly old-school that way. It’s nice to have you back, Ninja Gaiden.
Xbox, Koei Tecmo, and Team Ninja joined forces for a record-breaking stunt in honor of Ninja Gaiden 4.
We flew two helicopters across Miami, one carrying a 26-foot screen, and another transporting a player, dominating Ninja Gaiden 4 while airborne.
The event set a new Guinness World Records title for the largest video game display flown by helicopter.
Learn more below – Ninja Gaiden 4 arrives tomorrow, October 21.
To celebrate the launch of Ninja Gaiden 4, we took the fight sky-high — literally. Imagine this: two helicopters slicing through the Miami night sky, one carrying a 26-foot wide screen (200+ sq ft in size), the other with Team Ninja Community Manager, Emmanuel “Master” Rodriguez, and diamond-certified recording artist Swae Lee.
The result? A jaw-dropping, first-of-its-kind spectacle that fused gaming, technology, and pure adrenaline. The event also set a new Guinness World Records title for the largest video game display flown by helicopter.
As the city lights shimmered below, Yakumo of the Raven ninja clan leapt into the night, battling enemies across an enormous screen suspended in the sky. Every slash, every grapple, every heart-pounding moment of combat came alive against the backdrop of snippets of an exclusive new record from Swae Lee entitled ‘Flammable’.
The inspiration behind this stunt comes straight from Ninja Gaiden 4’s in-game lore. The denizens of Tokyo have escaped the toxic floodwaters by building skyward. The skyscraper district towers above the ruined city below, a breathtaking vertical landscape that mirrors the high-flying action we brought to life.
Technology played a starring role in making this dream a reality. Using advanced sports broadcasting tech, we streamed live gameplay from Emmanuel’s helicopter to the massive screen – built by pioneering aerial media company, Heli-D – in the other.
Timing, precision, and nerves of steel were everything — a misstep would have grounded the Raven. But as Yakumo fought and triumphed across the illuminated sky, it was clear that the risk was worth it.
This is more than a launch; it’s a celebration of everything Ninja Gaiden 4 stands for — precision, skill, and pushing limits. From the game’s lore-rich skyscrapers to the Miami skyline we soared across, we’ve redefined what it means to experience a video game live.
In the dead of night, the ninja truly awakened — and for those lucky enough to witness it, the sky has never looked more alive.
Ninja Gaiden 4 arrives tomorrow, October 21 for Xbox Series X|S, Xbox on PC, ROG Xbox Ally handhelds, Xbox Cloud, Xbox Play Anywhere – also available on Steam and PlayStation 5. Play it day one with Xbox Game Pass Ultimate.
The Deluxe Edition includes future gameplay content “The Two Masters”, along with additional character skins, weapon skins, and in-game items. Pre-order either the Standard Edition or the Deluxe Edition to get the Dark Dragon Descendent Yakumo skin at launch.
More on Swae Lee
Swae Lee first saw mainstream recognition as the younger and melodic half of southern hip-hop duo Rae Sremmurd. Swae has made a name for himself outside of his duo work, showcasing himself as a force to be reckoned with both within and beyond the hip-hop world. Tracks such as French Montana’s diamond-certified ‘Unforgettable’ highlight his singing chops, while his impressive list of writing credits includes Beyoncé’s ‘’
Swae’s melodic repertoire, however, is not relegated exclusively to the R&B and hip-hop sphere as his crooning can also take on ballad form and mesh into a more electronic background as well—a complex Gemini in many ways. His impact on the music industry is also underscored by his record-breaking achievements, including the historic success of the Grammy-nominated track, ‘Sunflower’, which became the first-ever song to be certified 2x Diamond by the RIAA and holds one of the biggest streaming records in history. In addition to ‘Sunflower’, Swae’s contributions to hits like Travis Scott’s ‘Sicko Mode’ have also earned diamond certifications, further cementing his place as a dominant force in modern music.
NINJA GAIDEN 4 Preorder Standard Edition
Xbox Game Studios
☆☆☆☆☆ 40
★★★★★
$69.99
Pre-order now to receive the Dark Dragon Descendant Yakumo Skin at launch
The definitive ninja hack & slash franchise returns with NINJA GAIDEN 4! Embark on a cutting-edge adventure where legacy meets innovation in this high-octane blend of style and no-holds-barred combat.
Return of the Legend
Experience a return to the intense, high-speed combat that established NINJA GAIDEN as a premier action game series. Prepare for a legacy reborn with captivating style for a new generation of players.
Epic Hack and Slash Combat, Evolved
NINJA GAIDEN 4 fuses Team NINJA’s tempered combat philosophy with the stylish, dynamic action gameplay of PlatinumGames. Engage in visually stunning combat that rewards precision and strategy. Use Bloodbind Ninjutsu to transform your weapons and unleash devastation upon your enemies, alongside legacy techniques like the Izuna Drop and Flying Swallow. The legendary Ryu Hayabusa also returns with a revamped yet familiar set of tools to master. With a customizable player experience, NINJA GAIDEN 4 will push action game veterans to their limits while allowing newcomers to enjoy a heart-pounding adventure full of twists and turns.
An Ancient Enemy Returns
An endless rain of miasma hangs over a near-future Tokyo in the wake of an ancient enemy’s resurrection. The fate of the city lies in the hands of young ninja prodigy, Yakumo. Fighting his way through cybernetic ninja soldiers and otherworldly creatures, Yakumo must reconcile a destiny he shares with the legendary Ryu Hayabusa himself and free Tokyo from the ancient curse that brought the city to its knees.
NINJA GAIDEN 4 Preorder Deluxe Edition
Xbox Game Studios
☆☆☆☆☆ 1
★★★★★
$89.99
Pre-order now to receive the Dark Dragon Descendant Yakumo Skin at launch
Experience a return to the intense, high-octane action of NINJA GAIDEN with the Deluxe Edition! The Deluxe Edition includes:
• NINJA GAIDEN 4 base game
• Future Gameplay Content “The Two Masters”*
• Traditional Dark Blue and Legendary Black Falcon Ryu Skins
• Blade of the Archfiend Ryu Weapon Skin
• Divine Chimera and Raven Master Yakumo Skins
• Divine Chimera Yakumo Weapon Set
• 50,000 Bonus NinjaCoin
• Additional In-Game Items such as Life Elixirs, Incense of Rebirth, Kongou Iron Brew, and more!
The definitive ninja hack & slash franchise returns with NINJA GAIDEN 4! Embark on a cutting-edge adventure where legacy meets innovation in this high-octane blend of style and no-holds-barred combat.
RETURN OF THE LEGEND
Experience a return to the intense, high-speed combat that established NINJA GAIDEN as a premier action game series. Prepare for a legacy reborn with captivating style for a new generation of players.
EPIC HACK AND SLASH COMBAT, EVOLVED
NINJA GAIDEN 4 fuses Team NINJA’s tempered combat philosophy with the stylish, dynamic action gameplay of PlatinumGames. Engage in visually stunning combat that rewards precision and strategy. Use Bloodbind Ninjutsu to transform your weapons and unleash devastation upon your enemies, alongside legacy techniques like the Izuna Drop and Flying Swallow. The legendary Ryu Hayabusa also returns with a revamped yet familiar set of tools to master. With a customizable player experience, NINJA GAIDEN 4 will push action game veterans to their limits while allowing newcomers to enjoy a heart-pounding adventure full of twists and turns.
AN ANCIENT ENEMY RETURNS
An endless rain of miasma hangs over a near-future Tokyo in the wake of an ancient enemy’s resurrection. The fate of the city lies in the hands of young ninja prodigy, Yakumo. Fighting his way through cybernetic ninja soldiers and otherworldly creatures, Yakumo must reconcile a destiny he shares with the legendary Ryu Hayabusa himself and free Tokyo from the ancient curse that brought the city to its knees.
*For release date when announced, see https://www.xbox.com/games/ninja-gaiden-4.
When we set out to launch Ninja Gaiden 4, we asked ourselves: what if the blades of legend weren’t confined to the game? What if Ryu Hayabusa’s iconic Dragon Sword and new protagonist Yakumo’s Takeminakata — weapons rooted in centuries of lore — could be forged in the real world? That question brought us to Kyoto, Japan, where ancient swordsmithing traditions met the next chapter of Ninja Gaiden.
In association with master swordsmith Yuya Nakanishi and the Masahiro Tantoujou Sword Forge, we set out to create real-life versions of the Dragon Sword and the Takeminakata. These aren’t just props — they’re living, breathing testaments to craft, power, and story.
The Stories of the Swords
The Dragon Sword has always been more than steel. In-game, it’s the ancestral blade passed down through the Dragon Lineage for generations.,
Combined with the Eye of the Dragon, a sacred jewel granted to Ryu by his childhood friend Kureha, the blade now displays its full power, transforming into the “True Dragon Sword.” With this legendary blade in hand, Ryu has purged the encroaching forces of evil and saved the world time and time again.
Yakumo’s Takeminakata has also been passed down through generations of the Raven Clan, who have actively collected cursed blades to utilize with Bloodbind Ninjutsu. Yakumo uses Bloodbind Ninjutsu to share the life force of blood with Takeminakata and the accursed armaments to maximize their destructive potential.
The Creation Process
Creating these blades in real life took months. Hundreds of hours. And no compromises. Each artisan at Masahiro Tantoujou Sword Forge approached their part of the process with the same dedication Ryu and Yakumo bring to battle — patience, discipline, and unwavering focus.
The result? Two swords that don’t just mirror their in-game counterparts — they embody them. When you see the Dragon Sword’s gleam or the Takeminakata’s raven feather-imbued blade, you’re not just looking at steel. You’re looking at the legacy of the Dragon Clan and the Raven clan, and the Master Ninjas that define Ninja Gaiden 4.
This collaboration is more than a celebration of a game. It’s where story meets steel, and where fantasy becomes something you can hold in your hands. Because in Ninja Gaiden 4, legends aren’t imagined — they’re forged.
NINJA GAIDEN 4 Preorder Deluxe Edition
Xbox Game Studios
☆☆☆☆☆
★★★★★
$89.99
Pre-order now to receive the Dark Dragon Descendant Yakumo Skin at launch
Experience a return to the intense, high-octane action of NINJA GAIDEN with the Deluxe Edition! The Deluxe Edition includes:
• NINJA GAIDEN 4 base game
• Future Gameplay Content “The Two Masters”*
• Traditional Dark Blue and Legendary Black Falcon Ryu Skins
• Blade of the Archfiend Ryu Weapon Skin
• Divine Chimera and Raven Master Yakumo Skins
• Divine Chimera Yakumo Weapon Set
• 50,000 Bonus NinjaCoin
• Additional In-Game Items such as Life Elixirs, Incense of Rebirth, Kongou Iron Brew, and more!
The definitive ninja hack & slash franchise returns with NINJA GAIDEN 4! Embark on a cutting-edge adventure where legacy meets innovation in this high-octane blend of style and no-holds-barred combat.
RETURN OF THE LEGEND
Experience a return to the intense, high-speed combat that established NINJA GAIDEN as a premier action game series. Prepare for a legacy reborn with captivating style for a new generation of players.
EPIC HACK AND SLASH COMBAT, EVOLVED
NINJA GAIDEN 4 fuses Team NINJA’s tempered combat philosophy with the stylish, dynamic action gameplay of PlatinumGames. Engage in visually stunning combat that rewards precision and strategy. Use Bloodbind Ninjutsu to transform your weapons and unleash devastation upon your enemies, alongside legacy techniques like the Izuna Drop and Flying Swallow. The legendary Ryu Hayabusa also returns with a revamped yet familiar set of tools to master. With a customizable player experience, NINJA GAIDEN 4 will push action game veterans to their limits while allowing newcomers to enjoy a heart-pounding adventure full of twists and turns.
AN ANCIENT ENEMY RETURNS
An endless rain of miasma hangs over a near-future Tokyo in the wake of an ancient enemy’s resurrection. The fate of the city lies in the hands of young ninja prodigy, Yakumo. Fighting his way through cybernetic ninja soldiers and otherworldly creatures, Yakumo must reconcile a destiny he shares with the legendary Ryu Hayabusa himself and free Tokyo from the ancient curse that brought the city to its knees.
*For release date when announced, see https://www.xbox.com/games/ninja-gaiden-4.
NINJA GAIDEN 4 Preorder Standard Edition
Xbox Game Studios
☆☆☆☆☆ 4
★★★★★
$69.99
Pre-order now to receive the Dark Dragon Descendant Yakumo Skin at launch
The definitive ninja hack & slash franchise returns with NINJA GAIDEN 4! Embark on a cutting-edge adventure where legacy meets innovation in this high-octane blend of style and no-holds-barred combat.
Return of the Legend
Experience a return to the intense, high-speed combat that established NINJA GAIDEN as a premier action game series. Prepare for a legacy reborn with captivating style for a new generation of players.
Epic Hack and Slash Combat, Evolved
NINJA GAIDEN 4 fuses Team NINJA’s tempered combat philosophy with the stylish, dynamic action gameplay of PlatinumGames. Engage in visually stunning combat that rewards precision and strategy. Use Bloodbind Ninjutsu to transform your weapons and unleash devastation upon your enemies, alongside legacy techniques like the Izuna Drop and Flying Swallow. The legendary Ryu Hayabusa also returns with a revamped yet familiar set of tools to master. With a customizable player experience, NINJA GAIDEN 4 will push action game veterans to their limits while allowing newcomers to enjoy a heart-pounding adventure full of twists and turns.
An Ancient Enemy Returns
An endless rain of miasma hangs over a near-future Tokyo in the wake of an ancient enemy’s resurrection. The fate of the city lies in the hands of young ninja prodigy, Yakumo. Fighting his way through cybernetic ninja soldiers and otherworldly creatures, Yakumo must reconcile a destiny he shares with the legendary Ryu Hayabusa himself and free Tokyo from the ancient curse that brought the city to its knees.
It’s been over a decade since the last numbered Ninja Gaiden game. While the precision-based hack-and-slash series was sleeping, most action games went one of two ways. They either morphed into sprawling RPG adventures full of bloat or tried to ape the obsession with Soulslikes, incorporating methodical hitbox dodging and disciplined stamina management. But one of the kings of 3D arcade action is awake again and ready to dispense with all of the popular trend chasing. Ninja Gaiden 4 is mostly a game about killing tons of guys by executing the most lethal combos and flashiest executions you can master, and it seems to be completely content with that. I am too.
I had a chance to play a recent build of the game at Microsoft’s campus (Xbox is publishing the game) during PAX West 2025 ahead of Ninja Gaiden 4‘s release on PS5, Xbox Series X/S, and PC on October 21. The joint venture between Koei Tecmo’s Team Ninja and Bayonetta makers Platinum Games appears to be going great. Rather than a disjointed sequel divided between two game design philosophies struggling with each other and the series’ infamous legacy, what I played of Ninja Gaiden 4 felt smooth, focused, and fun. Most importantly it exuded confidence about what it is: a high-skill action game that rewards diligent fans with satisfyingly gory thrills.
The story revolves around returning frontman Ryu Hayabusa and a new hero, the Raven Clan’s Yakumo, as they scale a cyberpunk-infused Sky City Tokyo infested with new daemon horrors and futuristic ninja soldiers. Each character has access to different weapons and skill sets, and which you play depends on the chapter your in. The option to replay any chapter as either one unlocks after you finish, and for demo purposes I opted to go with Ryu for old times’ sake.
Within seconds I was chopping off heads and staggering enemies with throwing stars. A perfect dodge gives you a small window to press the attack with a counter-strike that breaks through enemy defenses. There’s also a perfect parry that consists of attacking an enemy right as they’re about to attack you, but it’s an awkward window to exploit and doesn’t feel nearly as satisfying when you’re in the heat of combat (and for those who want a less crunchy experience, there’s an option in the settings menu to turn hitstop completely off).
Ninja Gaiden 4 thrives when you’re constantly moving and trying to combo light, heavy, and projectile attacks into a conveyor belt of carnage. Doing so builds up meter to unleash special attacks or enter a time-limited transformation that alters your moveset an also makes it more lethal, culminating in stylish new insta-kill animations that swap the screen to black, white, and red. The old obliterations are there too, letting you unleash geysers of blood as you quickly execute foes already suffering from severed limbs. The pulled-out third-person camera also performed well during the demo, rarely tripping me up with off-screen attacks amid the controlled chaos.
I only had time to experience the first layer or two of combat, and can see how two characters, a handful of weapons each, and all of the other secondary moves can add up into a combat system with enough depth to keep things interesting while never losing sight of the moment-to-moment satisfaction that propels a game like this forward and keeps you from rage-quitting once you hit a difficulty spike or two (there are three difficulty modes in Ninja Gaiden 4 that you can swap between at any time).
What I’ll be most curious to see from the finished game is whether its level design will feel equally refined or just like a means to an end. The early couple of sections I experienced included some wall running, wall jumping, and grappling hook swinging, both for platforming and combat. Ninja Gaiden 4 has collectibles and I encountered the occasional fork in the road to explore, while statues dotting the level offer checkpoints at which to buy items from and upgrade skills.
But most of the action was confined to flat arenas without many interesting features outside of some split elevations and grappling hook points. If Team Ninja and Platinum Games are able to imbue the later stages with as much drama in-between the big battles as during them, Ninja Gaiden 4 could be the return to demanding hack-and-slash action fans have been waiting for, perfecting the essentials and carving away the rest.
