Ninja Gaiden 4 appears like a sport that got here out 15 years in the past, and we imply that as a praise.
This blood-soaked, hard-as-nails motion sport eschews many modern design selections, as an alternative giving gamers a standard, linear expertise that is refreshingly easy.
A collaboration between motion specialists PlatinumGames and Staff Ninja, that is the primary numbered sequel since Ninja Gaiden 3 soured issues method again in 2012. We’re happy to say Ninja Gaiden 4 takes a back-to-basics method whereas mixing issues up simply sufficient to make it stand out from its predecessors.
Working example: Ryu Hayabusa takes a again seat. The principle star of the present this time is Yakumo, a younger ninja of the Raven clan who’s able to wielding quite a lot of totally different weapons.
His mission sees him delve right into a ruined Tokyo, the place the husk of the Darkish Dragon fills the town with demons and perpetual rain. Working alongside a mysterious priestess, Yakumo should destroy a collection of seals as a way to resurrect the Darkish Dragon earlier than purifying it — a extra everlasting resolution than merely killing the beast.
The story and characters are one of many weaker features of the sport; between hammy dialogue and flat characters, it is tough to turn out to be too invested in what is going on on. It is largely simply an excuse to ship Yakumo on a violent campaign in opposition to evil, and that is completely wonderful in a sport primarily involved with cutthroat motion.
As talked about, Yakumo earns a number of weapons over the course of the story. Every of them operates barely in another way and are suited to sure encounters. The dual blades are your all-rounder melee weapon; the rapier is nice for closing the hole and honing in on a single foe; the workers is good for tackling crowds; and the murderer’s instruments are your finest guess for attacking at vary.
Moreover, you’ll be able to enter Bloodraven kind while you’ve constructed up sufficient meter, reworking your geared up weapon right into a extra highly effective variant. For instance, the twin swords might be charged to swipe at enemies in a large radius, whereas the workers turns right into a hammer that explodes on impression, in the event you get the timing proper.
Whereas on this kind, you’ll be able to counter sure assaults and break enemy defences, and it even permits for some splendidly satisfying one-hit kills with the berserk mode.
There are numerous fight skills and weapon abilities to unlock as you progress, every outfitting Yakumo with but extra choices in battle. He is given an enormous variety of instruments and methods that assist to maintain the fight diversified all through the sport.
Ryu himself may be very a lot second fiddle on this sport, however he is totally playable, and post-credits you’ll be able to replay any stage with him as an alternative.
He solely has one weapon — his iconic Dragon Blade — which suggests his base moveset is extra restricted than Yakumo’s. Nevertheless, he has a really totally different really feel; his assaults appear way more highly effective general, making up for a scarcity of versatility with sheer power.
Moreover, you’ll be able to change meter for quite a lot of magical Ki assaults, like a hearth blast or protecting orbs that hurt close by enemies.
Whereas they share some strikes and methods, the 2 characters are totally different sufficient from one another that we got here to take pleasure in taking part in them each.
Fight is extremely fast-paced and intense, and whereas probably the most primary enemies do not pose an excessive amount of of a menace on their very own, giant teams can simply overwhelm in the event you’re not paying consideration. It is an motion sport that forces you to remain alert.
We’ll say, there are moments the place the sheer variety of enemies could make the motion tough to learn, or onerous to react to in time. Should you’re in the course of a combo string and somebody fires rockets at you from off-screen, it may be difficult to alter what you are doing at a second’s discover.
In that method, the sport does really feel very Ninja Gaiden; you’ll be able to’t at all times button-mash your approach to success.
Really, one among our favorite issues about this sport is its stripped again nature. It is a level-based, 10-hour motion journey with largely linear phases, a sprinkling of bosses, and new weapons and skills unlocked steadily all through.
There are missions that provide you with further targets in ranges, and hidden issues to search out, like Purgatory gates that result in fight trials, however by and huge that is very easy.
Its design dodges a variety of what has come to outline the motion style in recent times, and in that method, Ninja Gaiden 4 has a refreshingly easy construction we actually recognize.
Maybe the sport’s largest weak level is its lack of selection by way of environments and, to a lesser diploma, enemies.
The story retains the concentrate on the stays of Tokyo, and whereas there’s some range, lots of the areas are repeated all through. You may be seeing a variety of rain-slicked, neon-lit rooftops, sterile navy amenities, and grey-blue demon realms, and can even undergo some very same areas greater than as soon as.
With out spoiling issues, it is symptomatic of the narrative and the sport’s twin protagonist method. Whereas the motion may be very a lot the beating coronary heart of the sport, it is a disgrace there is not a broader vary of places to discover.
Problem has at all times been a defining issue of the collection, and this sport carries that torch with some robust phases and boss battles. Nevertheless, what makes it stand out is an enormous array of accessibility choices that allow you to tweak the problem to your required stage.
There are assists that sacrifice rating in favour of automating sure actions, resembling wall-running or rail grinding, and on the bottom problem setting, you’ll be able to even automate dodges, blocks, therapeutic, and extra.
It goes the opposite method too; when you full the sport, you unlock a slew of further challenges in addition to a good harder problem mode for probably the most hardcore gamers.
Conclusion
Ninja Gaiden 4 is a rock strong motion sport that delivers on what’s most essential — the fight. Whereas a number of the surrounding features are rather less profitable, resembling repeated environments and a forgettable story, the extraordinary battles and myriad challenges are the place the sport shines, whether or not taking part in as Yakumo or Ryu. It would not hit each mark, however the simplistic construction, emphasis on technical fight, and even the tacky performances mix for an motion sport that feels prefer it’s from a bygone period, in one of the simplest ways potential.
