XBOX REVIEW | Ninja Gaiden 4

I’ve been counting down the days until Ninja Gaiden 4 ever since that first gameplay reveal at the 2025 Xbox Games Showcase back in June, watching Ryu’s blade flash once more and wondering how Team Ninja would carry the series forward after so many years. From the moment the logo appeared, it was clear this wouldn’t be just another sequel, but something different. Something daring.

This time, the story shifts its focus from the legendary Ryu Hayabusa to Yakumo, a young and volatile ninja from the Raven Clan. Set in a devastated, cursed Tokyo haunted by the return of the Dark Dragon, Ninja Gaiden 4 follows Yakumo’s struggle to control his forbidden Bloodraven Form, a power as destructive as it is vital. His journey collides with Ryu’s legacy in ways that test not just their skill, but what it truly means to be a ninja in a world on the edge of collapse.

Ninja Gaiden 4 is as fast, punishing, and precise as ever, but it also dares to explore new ground, blending brutal combat with a darker, more character-driven story. Whether that gamble pays off will depend on how willing you are to embrace a new face beneath the mask.

Ninja Gaiden 4 is a cinematic single-player game featuring blisteringly fast gameplay and action, blink, and you’ll miss it.

Things I liked!

• Visuals | The visuals in Ninja Gaiden 4 are absolutely breathtaking, easily among the best I’ve seen on Xbox Series X. The sheer speed of the game is something else entirely; it has to be seen to be believed. Across my entire playthrough, I didn’t experience a single moment of slowdown, even when the screen was packed with chaos. If anything, it felt like everything sped up instead. Clarity is razor-sharp throughout. From close-up shots of Yakumo, often drenched in blood, it must be said, to sweeping skyline views of a cursed Tokyo, the level of detail is genuinely stunning. Every frame feels meticulously crafted, amplifying the cinematic edge that sets this entry apart. On Xbox Series X, Ninja Gaiden 4 offers two modes: Quality mode prioritises visuals with higher resolution and sharper textures, while Performance mode targets up to 120 FPS by dialling back some graphical detail to deliver faster, smoother combat. I experimented with both, but played mostly on Performance mode for this review, it felt like the best fit for the game’s blistering pace and precision.
  
  The Bloodraven Form is a visual spectacle, fluid, feral, and laced with crimson energy that crackles across the screen with every strike. From shattered shrines to rain-slick rooftops, the world tells its own story through texture and decay. While often very dark early on, the use of colour and lighting effects is highly impressive, adding depth and atmosphere to every scene. Soon, you arrive at a nightclub drenched in bright fluorescent lights, an unexpected burst of colour that helps the atmosphere grow even more intense and surreal. I was constantly using photo mode to capture shot after shot, so pleased to see it available right from the start. It’s the kind of feature that feels tailor-made for a game this visually striking. I also have to mention the animation: it’s smooth like butter, from Yakumo’s acrobatic dodges to the brutal finishers that land with real weight. All of this helps to deepen the immersion as you play, making every moment feel sharp, cinematic, and alive.

• Combat That Clicks | Ninja Gaiden 4 wastes no time throwing you into the action, and thankfully, the controls are tight and responsive from the get-go. Basic movement feels fluid, light attacks mapped to X, heavy strikes to Y, with dodging handled by the bumpers and jumping by pressing A. It’s instantly familiar if you’ve played previous entries, but refined enough to feel modern. Combos are easy to pick up but hard to master. You can chain light and heavy attacks into stylish finishers, and the game rewards timing and precision over button mashing. That said, at times, especially when I was just starting to learn different combos, I did find myself button mashing to great effect. There are so many moves and unlockable combos tied to the game’s currency, along with a growing arsenal of weapons as you progress, that experimentation often leads to surprising results. Once you’ve acquired other weapons, you simply use the D-pad to select which one you’d like. It’s quick and intuitive, letting you swap styles mid-fight without breaking the flow. By pressing and holding the LB button, you can also quickly select various consumables, like health regeneration items or temporary buffs, which becomes essential during tougher encounters.
  
  
• Combat That Evolves | Blocking and parrying, mapped to the right trigger, are crucial, especially when facing off against faster enemies or mini-bosses that punish sloppy play. As you progress, the mechanics deepen. Yakumo’s Bloodraven Form unlocks new abilities, like teleport slashes, aerial counters, and brutal area-of-effect finishers, that demand sharper reflexes and situational awareness. Advanced controls include stance switching mid-combo, environmental takedowns, and a rage meter that builds during combat and can be unleashed for devastating attacks. There’s a real sense of flow once you get into the groove, dodging, striking, transforming, and countering in one seamless dance of destruction. Boss fights are a standout, coming in all shapes and sizes, from towering beasts to agile assassins. Most of them require you to deplete their health bar not once, but twice, adding an extra layer of tension and endurance to each encounter. These battles push you to adapt, often requiring mastery of your weapon loadout, consumable timing, and Bloodraven abilities. Some bosses hit hard and fast, others test your patience with layered attack patterns and shifting phases. They’re tough, but fair, and always visually spectacular. The game does a solid job of onboarding new players without overwhelming them, but veterans will find plenty of depth to sink their teeth into. Whether you’re carving through mobs or duelling elite foes, Ninja Gaiden 4 keeps the pressure high and the satisfaction higher.
  
  
• Story & Characters | Beyond the blood-soaked combat and cursed cityscapes, Ninja Gaiden 4 builds a surprisingly layered story. While the intro sets up Yakumo’s internal struggle and the looming threat of the Dark Dragon, it’s the quieter moments and supporting cast that give the narrative its emotional weight. The character you’re initially sent to eliminate, but ultimately end up rescuing, is Seori. At the game’s outset, Yakumo is dispatched on a mission to assassinate her. However, upon discovering that Seori is being manipulated by a greater evil force, he chooses to protect her instead, shifting the mission’s objective from assassination to rescue. It’s a pivotal moment that reframes Yakumo’s role, not just as a weapon of the Raven Clan, but as someone capable of empathy and defiance.
  
  Your mentor, Tyran, is another standout. Calm, sharp, and occasionally scathing, he’s more than a tutorial voice, he’s a moral compass, constantly challenging Yakumo’s choices and temper. Their dynamic evolves as the story unfolds, shifting from discipline to something more personal. Here, you can learn new combat skills, view your battle stats, access the training room to practise, and speak with Tyran. Then there’s the shopkeeper, Ami, a sharp-tongued, well-connected ally who offers more than just consumables. Her banter with Yakumo adds levity between missions, and optional dialogue reveals a surprising depth to her backstory. You can also access the mission database through her, where you accept new objectives and claim rewards from completed ones to aid your journey. Both Ami and Tyran appear frequently as you progress, and I found their locations a reliable place to save when needed. The cast may be small, but it’s purposeful. Each character plays a role in shaping Yakumo’s journey, and the game does a solid job of weaving story beats into gameplay without dragging the pace. It’s still a Ninja Gaiden game, fast, punishing, and relentless, but this time, there’s more heart behind the mask.
  
  
• From Screams to Synths | Ninja Gaiden 4 delivers on the audio front with a voice cast that’s nothing short of exceptional. Whether it’s a high-stakes cutscene or a quiet exchange between missions, every line feels grounded and genuine. The performances carry real emotional weight, Yakumo’s anger, Tyran’s restraint, Ami’s sarcasm, even Seori’s vulnerability, all come through with clarity and conviction. There’s no flat delivery or phoned-in dialogue here. Every word feels lived-in, like the actors truly understand the stakes and relationships at play. It’s a rare case where the voice work doesn’t just support the story, it elevates it. Even the lip syncing is spot on, adding a layer of polish that makes every conversation feel cinematic and immersive. The sound design around combat is equally sharp: slicing steel, crunching impacts, and ambient bell tones all contribute to the game’s relentless pace. One of my favourite moments, though it only happened a few times, was knocking an enemy off a high ledge and hearing his screams fade into the distance as he fell. It’s a small detail, but it stuck with me, adding a touch of realism and dark humour that fits the game’s tone perfectly. The soundtrack is just as impressive. From brooding synths and distorted strings to glitchy percussion and orchestral flourishes, the music adapts to every moment. Combat tracks ramp up the intensity, while quieter scenes lean into subtle themes that add emotional texture without overpowering the dialogue. The nightclub sequence is a standout, pulsing beats and surreal tones that heighten the atmosphere in all the right ways. It’s not just background noise, it’s part of the storytelling.
  
  
• Movement With Meaning | Ninja Gaiden 4 doesn’t just rely on combat to keep things exciting, it mixes up the gameplay with a handful of traversal mechanics that feel fluid, stylish, and surprisingly satisfying. Rail grinding, gliding through wind tunnels, wall running, and swinging across gaps all play a role in how you navigate the world, and each one adds a welcome change of pace between fights. Rail grinding is fast and punchy, often used to link areas or escape collapsing environments. It’s not just for show either, you’ll need to dodge obstacles like pipes and even oncoming trains. I mistimed more than a few jumps and died mid-grind, but the game throws you straight back into the action with minimal downtime, keeping the momentum alive. Gliding in wind currents feels more graceful, letting you soar across rooftops or descend into cursed zones with cinematic flair. Wall running returns with a vengeance, tight, responsive, and often chained into jumps or swings that demand timing and precision. Swinging mechanics are simple but effective, giving you just enough freedom to feel agile without slowing things down.
  
  These traversal moments aren’t just filler, they’re woven into level design in a way that keeps the momentum going. I genuinely enjoyed how they broke up the rhythm, offering brief bursts of platforming and movement that made the world feel more dynamic. Exploration is rewarded too. Hidden routes sometimes lead to collectibles like Gaudy, strange little rats tucked away in corners, or chests packed with goodies, including Ninjacoin for upgrades and consumables. You’ll also stumble upon Purgatory Portals: optional combat arenas that throw increasingly tough waves of enemies at you. Survive them, and you’ll earn generous rewards that make the challenge well worth it. It’s not a full-on open world, but it doesn’t need to be. The traversal and exploration elements are just varied enough to keep you on your toes, and to make every detour feel like part of the adventure.
  
  
• Accessibility Options | I was really impressed with the options available here. Ninja Gaiden 4 makes a genuine effort to be more inclusive without compromising its core challenge. Right from the start, you can choose between three difficulty levels, Hero, Normal, and Hard, with a fourth, Master Ninja, unlocked after completing the game. Hero difficulty also includes optional auto-assist features that help with dodging and blocking, which is a thoughtful touch for newcomers or players who prefer a more relaxed experience. There’s also auto-block and auto-evade at low health, plus an auto-heal toggle that kicks in when things get dicey. These aren’t just gimmicks, they genuinely help smooth out the difficulty curve while still letting you feel in control. I was especially pleased to see an option for single-handed play, which opens the door for more players to enjoy the game regardless of physical limitations. Button mapping is also available and works well, giving you the flexibility to tailor controls to your own comfort. For a series known for its punishing pace, it’s great to see Ninja Gaiden 4 take accessibility seriously. These features don’t dilute the experience, they expand it.
  
  
• Replayability | Ninja Gaiden 4 offers impressive replayability that kicks into gear the moment you finish the main story. Completing the game unlocks Challenge Mode, which includes Chapter Select for revisiting key moments, Purgatory Select for tackling optional combat arenas, and Trials that push your skills to the limit with curated enemy waves and modifiers. Each chapter in the story also ends with a performance rating, encouraging players to refine their tactics and chase higher scores. Online leaderboards add a competitive edge, letting you compare your results with others worldwide. Personally, I’m eager to dive back in on a tougher difficulty, and test how far I can push my reflexes and strategy under pressure.

Mixed & disliked!

• Repetition Creeps In | As much as I enjoyed the combat and traversal, I couldn’t shake the feeling that things started to blur together after a while. The missions often follow a similar rhythm, fight through cursed streets, clear out waves of enemies, reach the next checkpoint, and while the mechanics are solid, the variety doesn’t always keep pace. I found myself thinking, “Haven’t I done this exact encounter already?” more than once. It’s not that the game lacks intensity, but the repetition dulled the edge a little, especially during longer play sessions. I just wanted a few more surprises in how the missions unfolded.

• A Story That Overstays Slightly | Towards the end, I felt the game started to drag. With 19 chapters on offer, it occasionally felt like the story was stretching itself too thin. Around 14 chapters might’ve delivered a tighter, more impactful experience. The final few missions still pack a punch, but trimming the length could’ve helped the pacing land more cleanly.
  
  
• Missions That Play Themselves | Missions in Ninja Gaiden 4 are a welcome addition, offering a steady stream of rewards and giving players a sense of progression between story beats. Most are accessed via Ami’s mission database, and while they’re framed as optional objectives, they rarely feel like true detours. In practice, I found myself completing many of them organically, defeating a certain number of enemies, reaching specific locations, or using particular abilities, all just by playing through the chapters as normal. That said, a handful do stand out. Assassination missions, for example, require you to explore alternate routes and hunt down hidden mini-bosses, adding a layer of discovery and challenge that breaks from the usual flow. It’s a nice touch, but overall, the mission system feels more like a passive bonus than a strategic layer. A few more bespoke challenges or branching objectives could’ve added extra bite.
  

How long did I play the review before publishing? 24 Hours
How long to beat the story? 20 Hours
How many Achievements did I earn before publishing? 27/45 OR 470G
How long to achieve 1000G | 40 hours +
You’ll love this game if you like these | Devil May Cry 5, Soulstice and Bayonetta

CONCLUSION

Score: 91/100

A confident return for the franchise, Ninja Gaiden 4 blends precision combat with atmospheric storytelling, though its length and repetition hold it back slightly.

 Ninja Gaiden 4 is a brutal, stylish return that dares to evolve. From razor-sharp combat and cinematic visuals to heartfelt character moments and slick traversal, it kept me hooked throughout. While repetition crept in and the story lingered a little too long, the sheer polish, pace, and personality made it a standout entry, and one I won’t forget anytime soon.