Fans of the Ninja Gaiden series have been waiting for updates since Yaiba: Ninja Gaiden Z was released in 2014. As a make good for waiting so long, Koei Tecmo released not one, not two, but three games. First there was Ninja Gaiden 2 Black, a remaster of the 2008 original, followed by Ninja Gaiden: Ragebound, a new 2D entry.
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The big showstopper is Ninja Gaiden 4, a brand new 3D entry co-developed by PlatinumGames. It features a new protagonist, Yakumo, fighting in opposition to Ryu Hayabusa to help resurrect the Dark Dragon to bring his ninja clan’s name back to prominence. That’s the general premise, but newbies may need more than a synopsis to get through this challenging hack-and-slash game. Here are some tips.
The Most Inviting Ninja Gaiden Yet
Choosing A Difficulty
From the start, you can choose three difficulty levels, including Hero, Normal, and Hard. For anyone who knows the lineage of the 3D reboot series, the Ninja Gaiden games are supposed to be among the toughest action games around. Fortunately, the Hero difficulty comes with a lot of perks that will make this latest entry more accessible than past games.
You can turn on Auto Dodge and Auto Block, which will help them defensively, while Auto Assist will pull off some sleek moves without complicated button prompts. So, if Ninja Gaiden 4 is someone’s first entry into the series, then they should consider Hero mode.
Other Options To Consider
Speed Up Cleaner Battles
Beyond the difficulty settings, there are a few more options you should consider. For example, Ninja Gaiden 4 is incredibly bloody for an action game, so much so that it can be distracting to see so much blood in battle. The waves of blood can block vision, so using the Reduced Gore could help.
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There are also ways to reduce animations from finishers, which will speed up the gameplay loop because they happen a lot naturally. Finally, it may be worthwhile to hide button prompts, which is different from hiding tutorial messages, both of which can be hidden or displayed in the options.
Be Sure To Explore
There’s Always A Chest Nearby
Ninja Gaiden 4 is not a huge shift for the series, as it hasn’t gone open-world or anything like that. However, stages are longer than previous entries, and there are more opportunities to explore. You can even take on side quests at the DarkNest Terminal, and there’s no reason why you should ever ignore a side quest. Most of them are about slaying a specific number of enemies or demons, so they will come naturally.
To understand which way you should go, you can tap in on the right analog stick, which will show the right direction. This can help you decide which way to go if there is a fork in the road. If the right side is the correct direction, then the left path should contain hidden chests or a monster to collect. Basically, do the opposite of what the game wants, and it should be rewarding.
Combos Matter More Than Letter Grades
Raising Karma
Action games like Devil May Cry have a grade system that amounts to a bunch of bragging rights. In Ninja Gaiden 4, combos matter more than any other action game because the better players do in battle, the more currency they can earn.
If you use a lot of variety and finishers in their move sets, then you can get more Karma. Karma is one of the game’s currencies, which can unlock new combos for Yakumo’s various weapons. So, when fighting, just don’t play the game like a hack-and-slash, as variety is the spice of life.
Upgrades To Buy
Prioritizing Defense And Mobility
There are two major types of currency in Ninja Gaiden 4, including the aforementioned Karma gained from combat. There is also NinjaCoins, which are rewarded most for completing side missions. Karma can be used to buy moves for weapons at any time in the menu, while NinjaCoins can be used with the merchant/ninja, Tyran, to buy more specific moves.
One great one to get from Tyran is Art of Defense Lv. 1, which will increase the number of blocks you can do in a row without breaking. Another good one is Guillotine Throw, which lets you throw an enemy forward. You should not be concerned with cool-looking offensive moves in Ninja Gaiden 4 and should instead focus on anything that increases defense or mobility. Wind Path is another good one that lets you jump on an enemy’s head to get a boost.
Who To Target First
Gunners Are Trouble
This may be obvious for most action game fans, but ranged enemies are the first ones who should die in Ninja Gaiden 4. They can throw you off your tempo if they constantly need to block bullets while dodging blades from enemies up close. Air-based enemies are also a pain, although most of the airborne enemies in the game are ranged anyway, so they fall into the same category.
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There are some places where you can hop on drones or run on walls to reach hovering enemies, but the easiest way to knock them down is with Yakumo’s kunai. They won’t do a lot of damage, but kunai have their uses. Finally, most enemies can be knocked off cliffs or building edges, and even have horrific screams when they fall. If a particular enemy is giving a player trouble, they can always guide them to the razor’s edge and toss them off with a move like Guillotine Throw.
Not Every Battle Is Necessary
Learn To Run Away
Finally, the best lesson anyone can take away from Ninja Gaiden 4, or any heavy action game, is to run from enemies when possible. There are many encounters that are not necessary to fight in a level. Avoiding conflict can preserve health and item consumption.
There are methods to buy more items at the DarkNest Terminal or by finding them in chests, but it’s more efficient not to be forced into using items in the first place. If you do go into the game on Hero mode, items and health concerns won’t be a problem much, but for everyone else, they will be.
Ninja Gaiden 4
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OpenCritic Reviews
- Top Critic Avg: 82 /100 Critics Rec: 83%
- Released
- October 21, 2025
- ESRB
- Mature 17+ / Blood and Gore, Intense Violence, Strong Language, Suggestive Themes
- Developer(s)
- Platinum Games, Team Ninja, Koei Tecmo Games Co., Ltd.
- Publisher(s)
- Xbox Game Studios
