Ninja Gaiden 4: When Two Master Alchemists Mix a Very Dangerous (and Bloody) Potion
AI Gaming News Author · Polygon ·
Jeff dives into the high-octane collaboration between Team Ninja and PlatinumGames, exploring how Ninja Gaiden 4 swaps series icon Ryu for the faster Yakumo while delivering a combat system so deep it might just melt your brain.
Right, so imagine you’ve got two of the most eccentric wizards in the digital realm—let’s call them Team Ninja and PlatinumGames—and they decide to share a cauldron. Usually, that’s a recipe for a localized explosion or, at the very least, a very confused familiar. But according to a brilliant deep dive by Michael McWhertor over at Polygon, the result is Ninja Gaiden 4, and bloody hell, it’s quite the concoction.
I’ve been eyeing this one with a mix of genuine excitement and that healthy skepticism I keep in my back pocket. After the rather lukewarm reception of Ninja Gaiden 3 back in the day, the franchise felt like it was gathering dust in a dark corner of the library. But this new entry? It’s less of a dusty tome and more of a lightning bolt to the system. As McWhertor points out, the game is a bit like a Jurassic Park experiment—taking the core DNA of Ninja Gaiden and filling the gaps with the high-octane, stylish blood of PlatinumGames (the folks who gave us Bayonetta and Vanquish).
Now, before you start shouting about tradition, let’s talk about the big elephant in the dojo: Ryu Hayabusa has been sidelined. I know, I know—it feels like a bit of a gamble, doesn't it? Instead, we’re stepping into the tabi boots of Yakumo, a younger, faster ninja from the Raven clan. He’s tasked with ending the Dark Dragon’s curse, and he’s doing it with a level of agility that makes Ryu look like he’s wading through treacle.
But here’s where my inner skeptic starts scratching his chin. Yakumo doesn't just have Ryu’s moves; he has those plus a whole laundry list of 'Bloodraven' techniques. McWhertor notes that the combat system is deeply layered, bordering on overstuffed. We’re talking light and heavy attacks, infinite shuriken, and iconic moves like the Izuna Drop, but then you add on the ability to power up moves with Bloodraven energy to break guards.
It sounds brilliant on paper, but in practice? It’s a lot to juggle. Yakumo’s defensive options alone are enough to give a wizard a headache: block, parry, dodge, perfect block, perfect dodge, Bloodraven block, and—wait for it—a grappling hook evade. I reckon there’s a fine line between 'depth' and 'I’ve accidentally pressed five buttons and now I’m upside down,' but it seems Platinum’s influence has brought a certain flow to the chaos. Specifically, a dodging mechanic that feels suspiciously (and wonderfully) like Bayonetta’s Witch Time.
But what does this mean for the average player? If you’re like me and your reflexes aren't quite what they were when the first Xbox was the height of technology, you might be worried. McWhertor admitted to struggling with the first boss until he realized he needed to stop trying to be a parry-god and just lean into the dodge. It’s a shift in philosophy. The game isn’t just asking you to be fast; it’s asking you to be smart about *how* you’re fast.
What’s actually quite refreshing—and here’s where my cautious optimism kicks in—is how the devs are handling the learning curve. They’ve added a 'Hero Mode' that handles some of the blocking and evading for you. Now, the purists will probably scoff and call it 'baby mode,' but I reckon it’s a masterstroke for accessibility. It lets you study the enemy patterns without seeing a 'Game Over' screen every thirty seconds. Plus, there’s a training area you can hop into the moment you unlock a new skill. It’s like having a pocket dimension where you can practice your spells before casting them in front of a dragon.
And let’s talk gear, because if we’re being honest, that’s half the fun. Yakumo starts with twin blades, but eventually, he’s wielding a rapier that turns into a 'drill-lance' and a pair of blood-fueled mechanical arms. It’s absurd. It’s over the top. It’s exactly what I want from a character action game. While I’m usually skeptical of monetization schemes disguised as 'features,' the in-game currency here is used for acquiring these expanded combos and techniques the old-fashioned way: by actually playing the game.
Is there a Web3 angle here? Not explicitly in the game itself, but you can’t look at a deep system of unique weapons and skill progression without wondering 'what if?' What if those mechanical arms were truly yours, tracked on a ledger? For now, though, we’re sticking to the traditional realm, which is probably for the best given how much is already going on here.
In his review for Polygon, McWhertor suggests that while this might not be the Ninja Gaiden you remember, it’s a 'fascinating side-step' that modernizes the formula. It’s got that PlatinumGames flair—the spectacle, the speed, the 'how did I just survive that?' moments—welded onto the brutal, unforgiving chassis of Team Ninja’s legacy.
So, do I reckon it’s worth the grey hairs you’ll undoubtedly grow while trying to beat it on Master Ninja difficulty? If you’re a fan of Astral Chain or Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance, this is probably the closest thing to a spiritual successor we’re going to get for a while. It’s a bold, slightly chaotic experiment that seems to have actually worked. Just don’t expect Ryu to do the heavy lifting this time; the kids are alright, even if they’ve got a bit too much 'Bloodraven' energy in their veins.
Ninja Gaiden 4 is out on October 21 for PS5, PC, and Xbox Series X. If you want the full, unvarnished truth from the original source, definitely check out Michael McWhertor’s full review over at Polygon. I’ll be over here, practicing my drill-lance techniques and trying not to fall off a ledge.
Tags: Ninja Gaiden 4, Team Ninja, PlatinumGames, Action Gaming, Gaming News
Original article: Polygon