To kick off its Developer Direct event, Xbox announced the existence of Ninja Gaiden 4. The game’s presence at the online showcase was not in doubt given the recent crude teasers. It is refreshing to see this license return after a long hiatus, as it has been over 10 years since the last installment, Yaiba: Ninja Gaiden Z, was released. That title did not leave a strong impression, scoring only 8/20 according to PlayersForLife’s reviews. The previous entry, Ninja Gaiden 3, also received poor reviews, which may explain why Team Ninja decided to take a break from the series. To ensure quality, Team Ninja has collaborated with PlatinumGames on the co-design of Ninja Gaiden 4.
On the Xbox Wire site, it is reported that “Koei Tecmo president Hisashi Koinuma and PlatinumGames CEO Atsushi Inaba maintain a close relationship” and “with Phil-san’s support, the three companies have been able to take a crucial step in creating this brand new Ninja Gaiden.” Xbox Game Studios will be responsible for the game’s publishing and communication. Although the title is multi-platform, it will be available day one on Game Pass. The story is set as a sequel to Ninja Gaiden 3, taking place in an almost unrecognizable Tokyo with a cyberpunk aesthetic that allows for the emergence of a new hero. Ryu Hayabusa is not featured in this iteration of Ninja Gaiden 4; instead, Yakumo takes center stage. However, Yuji Nakao, who serves as producer and game director for Ninja Gaiden 4, has confirmed that Ryu Hayabusa will still be included and playable in the game. This should reassure fans who were concerned about this change.
From a gameplay perspective, the core of the combat system is described as relying on “quick transitions between attack and defense, head-to-head battles inspired by brawler games, and the Bloodraven Form (Aspect of the Scarlet Crow), which under certain conditions allows for a special attack known as ‘Bloodbath Kill’ (Scarlet Frenzy), instantly cleaving enemies into two pieces with a single blow.”
