There is the magic of the epic poetry felt and watched while the other series with a living new watched the new with a new identity yet holds firm to its core for Mastery and the expression to its core for Mastery and the expression for Mechanics. This is an intoxicating series. It is a thrilling hybrid for the game to be confined by its own core and still hold.
Even on the first mission, Ninja Gaiden 4 illustrates the level of control expected of the player. The influence of Platinum Games is clear, yet the emphasis on purity in Ninja Gaiden remains: calculated, high-stakes, and deeply gratifying.
Combat System – The Apex of Action Design
Since Devil May Cry 5, this is the most complete and mechanically demanding combat system and the most finely tuned system I have ever experienced. The precision of input is on a whole new level, and the system responds and buffers your moves in a timely manner. The new protagonist, Kaito, moves harmoniously with the player. The flows and rhythms of combat in Ninja Gaiden 4 are not just about surviving and enduring the fights; it is about mastering them.
Kaito's toolset emphasizes the potential for high-skill expression. He has perfected multi-combo stance shifting as a returning mechanic. Each stance maintains its viability differently, where tempo, defensive properties, and combo routing may vary. Because there are unlimited chains, players can create combo strings of all types. This encourages the improvisational precision seen in Platinum's upper-tier systems, where players can dodge offset in Bayonetta and parry time in Metal Gear Rising.
The depth of a defensive game is unparalleled. Reactionary spam fails to predict the parry, but it is worth the satisfaction when the timing is right. Perfectly timing a deflect negates damage and opens the window for counterattacks, where the next hit of Kaito's strike has enhanced momentum and priority. The dodging mechanic is robust, offering clear invincibility frames when precise directional input is used. There is minimized autopilot movement and bloated invulnerability.
Yasuhara has implemented mobility in combat expression, and if you buy PS5 games, you will appreciate it (I am 100% sure, here). Offensive and defensive maneuvers can use wall runs, aerial chains, and high-velocity dashes, all seamlessly intertwined. No breaks in combat. Control is refined at every frame. This is mechanical purity in motion, and it is an improvisational ballet.
Enemies and Boss Design – A True Test of Control
The design of enemies in Ninja Gaiden 4 is perfectly controlled in terms of aggression and how it is balanced. While some of the standard enemies may seem relentless, they are still predictable. This means that you cannot rely on hack-and-slash routines but must engage every element in the combat system. You must always pay attention and show the enemies the necessary respect. The fliers require you to take the battle to the air, the armored ones need you to change your stance, and the fast ones require you to adapt on the defensive in a snap.
The game earns its title by the quality of the action and the bosses. Every single one of them is a mechanical mirror that tests specific skills. One may test your ability to enforce discipline in the spacing, another your ability to react in a short time, and yet another your ability to execute offensive moves while managing counters. Every sequence is uncompromised and maintains the combat rhythm. No cheap interruptions. No over-reliance on cinematic set pieces. Just high-speed duels that reward precision, timing, and confidence.
Progression – Skill as the Ultimate Reward
Ninja Gaiden 4 respects the time and effort a player puts in. The game does not use shop menus to gate content, and instead focuses on acquisition through gameplay. The game focuses on mastery in combat and rewards with upgrades, including powerful techniques and expanded combo options, for demonstrating mastery. There is a sense of progression that is rewarding and tied to performance that is far from tedious.
Weapons may be small in number, but they are very expressive. Each one has a different timing window and varied combo properties, enabling the player to master a weapon rather than just accumulating play time. Each weapon's unique design challenges the player to come up with different and unexpected strategies as the player shifts from one weapon to another in a single battle, providing adaptability in a changing environment. The learning curve may be daunting, but the exhilarating feeling of complete mastery makes it worthwhile.
Story and Presentation – Minimal but Functional
In terms of narrative, Ninja Gaiden 4 does just what it has to: sets the stage, contextualizes the action, and gets out of the way. Kaito’s introduction as the protagonist has been controversial among diehard fans, but the narrative shift works. Movement, style, and technique as the battle focus shift are unclouded and unshackled by nostalgia. The writing is intentionally sparse and serves to bind the action as it escalates.
All the hype around the absence of Ryu Hayabusa goes to show just how much the series has needed a new, fresh mechanical identity. The new character is defined by a style that is quick, sharp, and much more open and different from anything we have seen in previous iterations. This may be the point in the series where Ninja Gaiden finally meets the mechanical transcendence it has been striving for.
The Verdict – A Modern Masterclass
Ninja Gaiden 4 is the most complete action game mechanically since Devil May Cry 5. It is complete in perfection in refinement in listening to the needs of gamers who seek mechanical perfection. It is sharp and aggressive and requires. In the present, it does not feel nostalgic.
Having dedicated most of my life to high-skill play, it is easy to say the game secures its position at the top. Each parry, dodge, and stance shift is hard-earned and pays off immensely. For each encounter to improve in speed and efficiency is a gift. There is no way to see this as a sequel. It is a powerful message that we have not forgotten the mechanical depth of the game. Mastery of the game will always be the greatest reward.
As the game has a lot of speed and action, it could be that it is pushing the limits of human reaction time above what is humanly possible. It does this sometimes at the loss of the precision that the series is known for.