Ninja Gaiden 4 Gets Bloodier Gameplay Reveal

Does Ninja Gaiden still hold up in 2025, when soulslikes dominate the high-skill action game genre? After playing Ninja Gaiden 4 last weekend, my answer is an emphatic yes. Not only does it work—it stands out as a high-octane, stylish alternative that felt like a breath of fresh air. Among all the games I played at recent showcases, it was easily my favorite. As someone who considers Ninja Gaiden Black the greatest action game ever made, I walked away impressed.

Ninja Gaiden 4: June 2025 Screenshots

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While 25 minutes isn’t enough to judge where Ninja Gaiden 4 stands in the franchise hierarchy, it was more than enough to confirm that PlatinumGames (with Team Ninja’s guidance) has captured that signature Ninja Gaiden feel. It made me feel like an unstoppable killing machine while still challenging me—a promising start.

“The game is fast,” said PlatinumGames director Yuji Nakao. “We wanted it to feel like a modernized, high-speed action game while staying true to Ninja Gaiden’s roots.” He added, “We’re going against the trend”—meaning, deliberately differentiating it from the slow, methodical pace of soulslikes.

In my demo, I played as Yakumo, a young Raven Clan member in a near-future Tokyo overrun by the Dark Dragon’s return (let’s pretend Ninja Gaiden 3 never happened). Though I didn’t get to control Ryu Hayabusa, Yakumo's moveset—including classic techniques like the Izuna Drop and new Bloodraven attacks—kept me hooked.

Bloodraven strikes are powerful AoE moves activated by holding the left trigger and pressing X or Y, but their wind-up time makes timing crucial. My failure to adapt quickly cost me in a late-demo battle, preventing me from facing the chapter boss. Next time, I won't make that mistake.

Familiar mechanics return: timed blocks with the right trigger, wall-running decapitations, and stealth assassinations. Yakumo’s Blood Essence replaces Ninpo, allowing you to absorb residual energy from fallen enemies to unleash Ultimate techniques on survivors. Every system works in harmony to maintain that lightning-fast, brutal combat loop.

If anything, Ninja Gaiden 4 feels even speedier than its predecessors—Yakumo dashes faster than Ryu ever did. And the violence has reached new heights, with arterial sprays drenching the screen in crimson. Enemies explode into fountains of gore with every slash, making battles look like something out of a horror movie.

Better yet? The notorious camera issues seem fixed. In my demo, it never once obstructed combat, a welcome evolution from the franchise’s past. Dynamic difficulty lets you adjust modes mid-game, with Hero mode (essentially Easy) offering accessibility without sacrificing challenge. After multiple failed attempts, the game even provides healing items—a smart quality-of-life addition.

Checkpoints now reduce frustration, and red-eyed ravens summon allies who unlock combat skills using in-game currency. There’s even a practice mode for honing techniques. Collectibles called Gourdys add minor QTEs—simple two-button taps in my demo—though their long-term rewards remain unclear.

As a longtime fan, I entered this demo with sky-high expectations, and Ninja Gaiden 4 delivered. It’s fast, fluid, and stylish, honoring the franchise’s legacy while modernizing its approach. With Ninja Gaiden 2 Black, Ninja Gaiden Ragebound, Sega’s Shinobi revival, and now this PlatinumGames-led sequel, 2025 might just be the Year of the Ninja. If the full game maintains this momentum, Ninja Gaiden 4 could become an instant classic when it launches on October 21.