Game Information

Game Title: Ninja Gaiden 4

Platforms:

• PC (Oct 21, 2025)
• PlayStation 5 (Oct 21, 2025)
• Xbox Series X/S (Oct 21, 2025)

Trailers:

• NINJA GAIDEN 4 - Official Story Trailer | Gamescom 2025
• NINJA GAIDEN 4 - Official Release Date Trailer | Xbox Games Showcase 2025
• NINJA GAIDEN 4 Official Announce Trailer | Developer_Direct 2025

Developers: PlatinumGames, Team Ninja

Publisher: Xbox Game Studios

Review Aggregator:

OpenCritic - 82 average - 89% recommended - 71 reviews

Critic Reviews

AltChar - Asmir Kovacevic - 95 / 100

Ninja Gaiden 4 is a thrilling ninja adventure, packed with fast-paced combat, cinematic action, and stunning visuals, offering an intense and rewarding experience for the series veterans and the newcomers alike.

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But Why Tho? - Abdul Saad - 8 / 10

Ninja Gaiden 4, while not perfect, is a solid new entry in the series. It offers an amazing and satisfying combat experience, great boss fights, and a memorable visual experience.

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CGMagazine - Philip Watson - 8 / 10

Ninja Gaiden 4 brings a bloodsport of epic proportions to AAA gaming, a must play title for fans of hack and slash, action, and anything ninja.

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CNET - Oscar Gonzalez - Unscored

Ninja Gaiden 4 will not be up for Game of the Year, or likely even considered one of the best games in the series, but that doesn’t matter. This is a game for anyone who just wants to feel like a badass ninja carving up enemies in the blink of an eye, because sometimes that’s all you want.

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COGconnected - Mark Steighner - 90 / 100

The arranged marriage between Team Ninja and Platinum Games has spawned a title that definitely blends what those two studios do best. Ninja Gaiden 4 is an action game that stays true to its roots while also folding in some enjoyable new ideas.

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Console Creatures - Dennis Price - 8 / 10

Ninja Gaiden 4 returns with a vengeance. With PlatinumGames at the helm, Combat is the best Ninja Gaiden has ever been, bringing back the challenging but satisfying gameplay that was missing from vanilla Ninja Gaiden 3, with blazing fast combat which includes dozens of heads and limbs that go flying as you slash through enemies in oh so satisfying ways with the variety of Devil May Cry-like weapons at your disposal.

It’s not all good. In a medium where Ichiban Kasuga can carry the Like a Dragon torch just as well, Ninja Gaiden 4’s new protagonist, Yakumo, feels like a downgrade to Ryu and feels shoehorned into the spotlight. This is somewhat compensated for by Yakumo’s cast of characters, with whom he interacts throughout the story, but he still feels like an uninteresting character whose uncaring edginess serves as a crutch for his character development. Overall, Ninja Gaiden 4 is still a great game to play, and I hope this new Ninja Gaiden connection for Team Ninja and PlatinumGames is the start of a new trilogy.

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DualShockers - Jake Valentine - 9.5 / 10

Over-the-top violence, incredibly satisfying combat, and an impressive challenge: this is a true, blue Ninja Gaiden experience that brings together the best of Team Ninja and PlatinumGames.

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Final Weapon - Jordan Brown - 5 / 5

Ninja Gaiden 4 is a triumphant return for the series, with Team Ninja and PlatinumGames uniting to deliver the most intense and fluid combat the franchise has ever seen. Its dual-protagonist story between Yakumo and Ryu is beautifully told, with jaw-dropping dynamic gameplay sequences for both characters. A stellar score ties it all together, making Ninja Gaiden 4 one of 2025’s best games and firmly cementing the franchise’s grand return in the modern era.

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GameSpot - Richard Wakeling - 8 / 10

Ninja Gaiden 4 brings the series back with a bang, building on its intoxicating foundations with smart additions that further elevate its brutally brilliant combat

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Gamepressure - Sebastian Kasparek - 8 / 10

Ninja Gaiden 4 is a full-blooded action game that delivers plenty of adrenaline from overcoming tough challenges. Even in light of a few missteps, it cannot be denied that PlatinumGames has created a strong representative of a heavily neglected genre.

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Gamer Social Club - DeMandre Pressley - 8.5 / 10

The story may not be the greatest but that’s not the primary reasons people play character action games. Ninja Gaiden 4 delivers with fun and fluid gameplay. After Ninja Gaiden 3 as well as the spinoff Yaiba left a lot to be desired, it’s a very welcome return to form and along with Ragebound being a great game, the future of Ninja Gaiden looks to be great.

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GamesRadar+ - Oscar Taylor-Kent - 5 / 5

Ninja Gaiden 4 is a bloody good time.

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Gaming Boulevard - Lander Van der Biest - 8.5 / 10

Ninja Gaiden 4 is a comeback. It’s fast, it’s furious, and it honours the legacy while turning up the tempo. Yakumo leads the charge with new mechanics, Ryu anchors it with familiar weight, traversal soars, combat slashes, bosses challenge. It isn’t flawless, repetition, some structuring echo past entries, and if you binge it you might feel the edges. But what it does best, it does with conviction. For fans of pure, no-nonsense action games, this hits hard. For those new to the series, it provides an accessible entry point without diluting the punch.

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Gaming Nexus - Nathan Carter - 8 / 10

Ninja Gaiden 4 is a fantastic, fun and challenging action game that fans of the genre will be coming back to many times, with tons of replay value and inevitable DLC expansions in the future. It’s a shame that the story and characters are completely undercooked, but the gameplay hard-carries this game to one of the best action games of the year.

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GamingBolt - Ravi Sinha - 8 / 10

Ninja Gaiden 4 has its missteps, especially during the story and with Ryu’s sections, but it’s still a triumphant comeback for the franchise.

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IGN - Mitchell Saltzman - 8 / 10

Despite its disappointing story and bland level design, Ninja Gaiden 4’s excellent combat still make it one of the best 3D action games in recent memory.

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IGN Italy - Silvio Mazzitelli - Italian - 8.5 / 10

Unity truly makes strength, and the collaboration between Team Ninja and PlatinumGames hits the mark. Despite a few minor flaws, Ninja Gaiden 4 stays true to the spirit of the series, enriching it with new mechanics that clearly bear the signature of the Bayonetta team. The result is a spectacular, technical, and varied combat system that delivers immense satisfaction once fully mastered.

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IGN Spain - Mario Seijas - Spanish - 8 / 10

Ninja Gaiden 4 lives up to the fame of the series and offers an experience that is as bloody as it is enjoyable. Despite falling into visual and plot monotony at times, the incredible combat takes the lead providing an unforgettable experience for everyone who loves a good action game.

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Loot Level Chill - Chris White - 9 / 10

Ninja Gaiden 4 is a prime example of how to offer varied combat and keep it evolving over the course of a game, with some stunning set pieces and endless brutality.

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MKAU Gaming - Sammy Hanson - 8.5 / 10

It’s been 13 long years since the last main entry in the Ninja Gaiden series, but the wait has been worth it. Ninja Gaiden and PlatinumGames are a match made in heaven as the combat is some of the most fun and exhilarating around, with tons of bloodshed and dismembered body parts.

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MonsterVine - James Carr - 4.5 / 5

Ninja Gaiden 4 feels right at home with the classic, linear design of the first three entries in the series. A focus on tight, fast-paced action lets the best aspects of the game sing, and it avoids muddying the water with unnecessary souls-like mechanics. A few boss fights feel a bit too janky for the action, but overall, they make for excellent mission endpoints. The story isn’t exactly memorable, but it doesn’t bog down the experience, making for a tight roller coaster of an action game worthy of the title Ninja Gaiden.

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One More Game - Ricki Buzon - 8.5 / 10

Ninja Gaiden 4 marks a triumphant return for a franchise long absent from the action spotlight. While its story may lean on familiar tropes and occasional padding, the game more than compensates with blistering combat, deep customization, and a rewarding difficulty curve that invites mastery.

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PC Gamer - Wes Fenlon - 69 / 100

Bloody good combat carries Ninja Gaiden 4 through its more granular and extraneous “modern” additions.

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PlayStation Universe - Timothy Nunes - 6.5 / 10

Maybe Ninja Gaiden 4 could be the weird transition game that helps the franchise find a new path in future entries. Like I said before, there is a good combat loop here. It just lacks the refinement and potency that fans have come to expect from this franchise. The Ninja Gaiden stories have never been complicated or over-the-top, but this one offers very little substantive content or drama to get its hooks in you. It’s not perfect by any stretch of the word, but the right person can find a good time here.

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PowerUp! - Leo Stevenson - 9 / 10

Ninja Gaiden 4 is pure, unadulterated video gaming. It’s fast, it’s slick and, most of all, it’s incredibly satisfying.

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Push Square - Stephen Tailby - 7 / 10

Ninja Gaiden 4 is a rock solid action game that delivers on what’s most important - the combat. While some of the surrounding aspects are a little less successful, such as repeated environments and a forgettable story, the intense battles and myriad challenges are where the game shines, whether playing as Yakumo or Ryu. It doesn’t hit every mark, but the simplistic structure, emphasis on technical combat, and even the cheesy performances combine for an action game that feels like it’s from a bygone era, in the best way possible.

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SECTOR.sk - Matúš Štrba - Slovak - 9 / 10

Ninja Gaiden 4 delivers a fast, fluid, and brutally satisfying combat experience that stays true to the series’ roots while evolving its gameplay with modern flair. The dual protagonists, deep mechanics, and intense metal soundtrack make every fight a thrill. While the visuals lag slightly behind today’s standards and some repetition creeps in, the game’s energy, challenge, and replay value make it a strong return for the legendary action series.

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Seasoned Gaming - Alejandro Segovia - 8.5 / 10

Let’s not mince words: after more than a decade of dormancy, seeing Ninja Gaiden return with this much confidence feels triumphant.

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Shacknews - TJ Denzer - 8 / 10

The grand spectacle of Ninja Gaiden 4 felt like the developers saying they wanted a proper ending for what we’ve seen out of the 3D Ninja Gaiden series, and I feel like they nailed it.

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Slant Magazine - Eli Friedberg - 3.5 / 5

Ninja Gaiden 4’s gruesome, lightning-fast trials respectably preserve and build upon the core of its ancestors. It should also introduce a whole new audience of challenge-seeking players to the joys of ninja limb-lopping and the pride of overcoming a blockbuster game that seems to give the player almost no quarter, even as its robust movement and deeply customizable fighting styles convey sleek, ruthless empowerment. It’s not perfect, but that sheer speed and aggression still builds a convincing case for what Team Ninja’s heroes offer that Dante and Kratos do not.

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SmashPad - 4 / 5

I’ve tried to be as even-handed as possible with this review because I am a diehard Ninja Gaiden fan. I have played since the 8-bit days on the original Nintendo, and I also really dig Platinum Games and what they produce. If you are in one camp or the other, you’re either going to be pissed or you’re going to be happy. If you like both, you may end up confused, disappointed, or really happy, because Ninja Gaiden 4 isn’t really a proper Ninja Gaiden game nor is it a pure Platinum game.

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SteamDeckHQ - Noah Kupetsky - 4.5 / 5

Ninja Gaiden 4 is all about quality over quantity, and the quality is just incredible. The combat is fast-paced, brutal, flashy, and engaging, while still feeling accessible enough to use the diverse moveset and still require some skill to utilize to their fullest. With the gorgeous world, head-bopping soundtrack, and side content, I found many reasons to keep coming back for more even after finishing the campaign. There are some minor issues here and there, but nothing that stopped me from enjoying every moment.

It also plays quite nicely on the Steam Deck. It does have a specific Steam Deck Mode that can play at 30 FPS, and while it can handle higher framerates, there are a multitude of issues that keep it from being an amazing experience. Still, it’s playable, looks decent, and a solid way to enjoy the game.

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Stevivor - Steve Wright - 7 / 10

Ultimately, Ninja Gaiden 4 is fun, but not memorable – something that extends into its general narrative. You’re not there for witty banter though, nor for its plot twists and turns – but instead to decapitate enemies as a bad-ass ninja. In that sense, Ninja Gaiden 4 does exactly what it says on the tin.

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TechRaptor - Austin Suther - 9 / 10

Ninja Gaiden 4 is a rollercoaster of action, with a rich combat system to master and plenty of badass scenarios to overcome. Ryu’s sections don’t live up to the hype, nor does the writing. Even so, this is the best action game to come out in years, and perhaps Platinum’s greatest hit yet.

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The Nerd Stash - Julio La Pine - 9 / 10

Ninja Gaiden 4 is the action experience that perfectly caps off the year of the Ninja. It’s fast-paced and brutal combat respects the franchise’s legacy while modernizing its accessibility.

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The Outerhaven Productions - Josh Piedra - 3 / 5

Ninja Gaiden 4 delivers fast and furious action that will have you hacking and slashing through demons and cybernetic soldiers in a fun and satisfying way, but its overuse of gimmicks in its level design, lack of variety of weapons, and flat story keep this from being a game that will leave a lasting impression.

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TheGamer - George Foster - 4.5 / 5

Platinum clearly understands what makes the series so special and has done an incredible job building on the razor-sharp formula that we’ve all been missing for nearly a decade.

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TheSixthAxis - Miguel Moran - 9 / 10

Ninja Gaiden 4 is a shock to the system that reminds us of a time before Souls-likes. It’s a high-octane, unrelenting, and effortlessly cool action game experience that newcomers and franchise fans alike need to play.

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Toisto - Joonatan Itkonen - 4 / 5

At its best, Ninja Gaiden 4 is an exhilarating bloodbath that has finally struck the perfect balance between hardcore and accessible. It’s a reminder of how invigorating this franchise once was, and how, in the right hands, it can be once again.

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Uagna - Silvia Mannu - Italian - 9 / 10

Ninja Gaiden 4 had a difficult task: navigating the heavy legacy of a series that has made difficulty one of its trademarks while also satisfying a new audience looking for deep but accessible action. Yakumo and Ryu’s mission was accomplished with flying colours, and the latest addition to the Team Ninja saga is an extremely entertaining action game, but with a combat system ready to be dissected by the most demanding fans.

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Vamers - Edward Swardt - 5 / 5

Ninja Gaiden 4 is not a game built for comfort. It is built for those who still believe that skill matters. Every cut, every dodge, every perfectly timed strike reinforces that belief. By the time the credits roll, one truth becomes clear: the way of the ninja has not been forgotten. It has merely been waiting for the right blade to bring it back to life.

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WellPlayed - Kieran Stockton - 7.5 / 10

Team Ninja and PlatinumGames’ collaboration brings a stylish new numbered entry of this hallowed series into the modern era. Some old problems persist, but it’s nonetheless a (very) bloody good time with some of the slickest action gameplay out there.

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Windows Central - Jez Corden - 4 / 5

Ninja Gaiden 4 hardly re-writes the rules on what these kinds of games should look like, but fans who have been awaiting the return of the franchise may prefer this first re-entry takes things back to basics to some degree. Built in partnership between Koei, Microsoft, Team Ninja, and Platinum Games, Ninja Gaiden 4 has emerged a surprisingly coherent and confident product. Stunning and stylish hack n’ slash gameplay could’ve been backed up with more compelling characters and story beats, but for those who simply want to carve a bloody path through endless enemies — Ninja Gaiden 4 is up there with the best of them.

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Worth Playing - Chris “Atom” DeAngelus - 8 / 10

Ninja Gaiden 4 is a darn function action game that unfortunately avoids the heights that one might expect, given the pedigree of the developers. The very fun core combat shines, but everything surrounding it feels underbaked. The rushed ending and lackluster second character keep it from shining as brightly as it should. It’s still a fun character action game with some satisfying and meaty combat, and it’s something that fans of the genre should enjoy.

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XDA - Tomas Franzese - 6 / 10

There are moments, specifically during flashy boss fights or particularly tough levels, where Ninja Gaiden 4 shines. Unfortunately, a lackluster story, repetitive content, and a general lack of polish on important gameplay elements like the camera make the series’ grand return anticlimactic

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Xbox Achievements - Richard Walker - 85%

This year has been a banner one for Ninja Gaiden games. Usually, the adage about buses involves two turning up at once, but 2025 has seen no fewer th…

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XboxEra - Jesse Norris - 8.5 / 10

NINJA GAIDEN 4 revives the decade+ dormant franchise with a new developer leading it into an insanely fast, new direction. It’s a fun, occasionally beautiful title with an actually not terrible story, perhaps a first for the series

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ZTGD - Ken McKown - 9 / 10

Ninja Gaiden 4 is a great return for the series. Sure, it deviates from the first two entries, but has its own appeal. This is a quality Platinum Games release, which I know is hit and miss at times. Team Ninja and Platinum is a good combo and it feels good to have the series back.

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