Ninja Gaiden 4 appears like a recreation that got here out 15 years in the past, and we imply that as a praise.
This blood-soaked, hard-as-nails motion recreation eschews many modern design selections, as a substitute giving gamers a standard, linear expertise that is refreshingly easy.
A collaboration between motion specialists PlatinumGames and Workforce Ninja, that is the primary numbered sequel since Ninja Gaiden 3 soured issues approach again in 2012. We’re happy to say Ninja Gaiden 4 takes a back-to-basics strategy whereas mixing issues up simply sufficient to make it stand out from its predecessors.
Working example: Ryu Hayabusa takes a again seat. The primary star of the present this time is Yakumo, a younger ninja of the Raven clan who’s able to wielding a wide range of completely 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 so as 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 facets of the sport; between hammy dialogue and flat characters, it is tough to grow 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 superb in a recreation 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 employees is right for tackling crowds; and the murderer’s instruments are your greatest wager for attacking at vary.
Moreover, you may enter Bloodraven type whenever you’ve constructed up sufficient meter, reworking your outfitted weapon right into a extra highly effective variant. For instance, the twin swords will be charged to swipe at enemies in a large radius, whereas the employees turns right into a hammer that explodes on impression, when you get the timing proper.
Whereas on this type, you may 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 various all through the sport.
Ryu himself may be very a lot second fiddle on this recreation, however he is absolutely playable, and post-credits you may replay any stage with him as a substitute.
He solely has one weapon — his iconic Dragon Blade — which suggests his base moveset is extra restricted than Yakumo’s. Nonetheless, he has a really completely different really feel; his assaults appear far more highly effective general, making up for a scarcity of versatility with sheer energy.
Moreover, you may trade meter for a wide range 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 completely different sufficient from one another that we got here to take pleasure in enjoying them each.
Fight is extremely fast-paced and intense, and whereas essentially the most fundamental enemies do not pose an excessive amount of of a menace on their very own, giant teams can simply overwhelm when you’re not paying consideration. It is an motion recreation 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 laborious to react to in time. For those who’re in the midst of a combo string and somebody fires rockets at you from off-screen, it may be tough to vary what you are doing at a second’s discover.
In that approach, the sport does really feel very Ninja Gaiden; you may’t at all times button-mash your method to success.
Truly, considered one of our favorite issues about this recreation is its stripped again nature. This can be 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 extra targets in ranges, and hidden issues to seek out, like Purgatory gates that result in fight trials, however by and enormous that is very easy.
Its design dodges lots of what has come to outline the motion style in recent times, and in that approach, Ninja Gaiden 4 has a refreshingly easy construction we actually respect.
Maybe the sport’s greatest 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 may be some variety, lots of the areas are repeated all through. You will be seeing lots 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 strategy. 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 areas to discover.
Problem has at all times been a defining issue of the collection, and this recreation carries that torch with some robust phases and boss battles. Nonetheless, what makes it stand out is an unlimited array of accessibility choices that allow you to tweak the issue to your required stage.
There are assists that sacrifice rating in favour of automating sure actions, equivalent to wall-running or rail grinding, and on the bottom issue setting, you may even automate dodges, blocks, therapeutic, and extra.
It goes the opposite approach too; when you full the sport, you unlock a slew of extra challenges in addition to an excellent harder issue mode for essentially the most hardcore gamers.
Conclusion
Ninja Gaiden 4 is a rock strong motion recreation that delivers on what’s most necessary — the fight. Whereas among the surrounding facets are rather less profitable, equivalent to repeated environments and a forgettable story, the extreme battles and myriad challenges are the place the sport shines, whether or not enjoying as Yakumo or Ryu. It does not hit each mark, however the simplistic construction, emphasis on technical fight, and even the tacky performances mix for an motion recreation that feels prefer it’s from a bygone period, in one of the simplest ways attainable.
