Ninja Gaiden 4 looks sick, is out in October, and has the exact storytelling I demand from a ninja game: 'You're a wanted criminal now'
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Ninja Gaiden 4 got a new trailer and a release date at today's Xbox Games Showcase, and this thing looks like a fever dream I had back in 2013: which I mean as a compliment. I mean, what more is there to life than murdering enemy ninjas and demons in incredibly graceful and over-the-top fashion?
The major reason for excitement around Ninja Gaiden 4, after the unutterably disappointing Ninja Gaiden 3, is that Team Ninja has been on fine form ever since with the likes of Nioh, and on this occasion had the wisdom to rope-in Platinum Games, best-known for Bayonetta and a studio that boasts some of the best hack-and-slash talent the industry's ever known. And doesn't Ninja Gaiden 4 show it.
You wanna know what I mean by hack-and-slash talent? This trailer opens with a character called Seori saying "watch your back Yakumo, you're a wanted criminal now."
"I'll kill the dark dragon myself," says new protagonist Yakumo. "It's my mission as a raven ninja." The latter phrase is uttered as some goon's body slowly slides apart after being bisected by a ninja sword and all I have to say is: yes.
Then some dork called Misaki says "breaking the dark dragon free has consequences" before a shot of some thunder-y lightning-flecked skies, and we're into the action shots of enemies being chopped into pieces. So many pieces. We get a glimpse of Yakumo's various weapons which include one that morphs into a giant drill, which he then drills enemy bodies apart with, and an absolutely sick-looking hammer that I am going to main.
We've had about five seconds' worth of dialogue followed by about 400 enemies being eviscerated in 15 seconds and, you know what: take my ninjacoin.
But wait there's more: Seori pops up again and says "Ryu, there's something I need your help with" and say no more fam: we're instantly into our boy Hayabusa filleting monsters, executing a fool with a perfect Flying Swallow, executing perfect dodges, and cracking out the ninpo magic. I especially liked how the camera jerks down into a fixed position for the ninpo, which maybe doesn't look as slick as some modern titles but is how the Ninja Gaiden games have always done it.
At a certain point in the trailer some of you might find yourselves thinking "why does this giant mutated shark have an almost equally large humanoid skeleton inside it?" And it's a fair question but, if you need it answered, this isn't the game for you. I on the other hand am going to brutally kill that skeleton shark for daring to exist in my videogame.
Ninja Gaiden 4 is out October 21, 2025, and you best believe I've got a hot date that night with a dark dragon.
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