We now return to Xbox’s odd releases, with their second big game of October — this one being noteworthy online for resurrecting a franchise everyone thought was long dead. Ninja Gaiden 4 marks the first time the series has been handed off to PlatinumGames, and while that’s an eyebrow-raiser for longtime fans of Ryu Hayabusa’s brutally methodical action, it’s also a fitting studio for a reboot that wants to feel both reverent and reckless. I’ll admit I have no horse in this race; I never played the older Ninja Gaiden titles, only knew them as the “hard game before Dark Souls.” So, this new one served as my proper introduction — and what an introduction it is: fast, loud, and occasionally frustrating in all the ways you’d expect from a developer that worships style almost as much as substance.

The main thing I noticed is that you don’t play as Ryu this time — instead, you take control of newcomer Yakumo. Once the game begins, it feels unmistakably like a classic PlatinumGames title. The combat is absurdly kinetic — a swirl of sword flashes, dashes, and counter kills stitched together by animation so fluid it borders on choreography. Every slash feels sharp enough to split air, every dodge perfectly framed by motion blur, and every boss fight a small explosion of spectacle. Platinum doesn’t reinvent the core mechanics — it’s still combo-driven hack-and-slash — but they do smooth out the punishing edges that once defined the series. The parry system, for instance, is more forgiving, with a generous timing window that encourages aggression over hesitation. That may disappoint purists, but it makes the game feel more rhythmic — more like an action ballet than a test of patience.

What the game nails is that immediate, tactile thrill of control. Inputs are lightning-fast, cancel windows wide open, and transitions between ground and air combat are seamless. Yakumo can string a light-attack combo into an aerial finisher, then zip across the arena in a shadow dash that recalls Bayonetta’s Witch Time. There’s a definite Platinum fingerprint here — the same momentum and cinematic flair that made Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance so intoxicating. Yet beneath all the flash, there’s still a hint of that old-school cruelty. Enemies punish sloppiness, healing items are scarce, and the game never stops reminding you that mastery — not button-mashing — is the real goal.

As for pacing, the campaign feels surprisingly deliberate for a developer known for excess. Each chapter alternates between urban chaos and quieter interludes in temples or mountain villages, giving the player breathing room before the next storm. Where earlier Ninja Gaiden games were infamous for grinding players down through repetition, 4 uses difficulty more dynamically — challenging you to adapt rather than endure. It’s still tough, especially on higher settings, but the frustration now feels sculpted rather than sadistic. The checkpoints are mercifully modern, boss fights rarely overstay their welcome, and even the occasional quick-time event feels purposeful instead of performative.

On the visual side, it’s a wild fusion of Platinum’s neon-smeared futurism and Team Ninja’s gothic severity. The environments drip with atmosphere: rain-soaked backstreets where neon kanji bleed across puddles, rusted shrines reclaimed by nature, cybernetic fortresses guarded by AI samurai. The game runs at a crisp 60 frames per second on both consoles, and the art direction carries more personality than most AAA action games dare attempt. While the old trilogy’s color palette leaned heavily toward dark realism, this new entry embraces a surreal contrast — blues, golds, and reds streaking through shadows. It often resembles less a traditional ninja game and more like a fever dream painted by someone who misses the PlayStation 2 era of bold, experimental visuals and wants to bring back color in modern games.

Regarding the issues, the game experiences the usual technical hiccups when the screen fills with particle effects, which is surprising given how stable the game remains during even more intense sequences. And, as with most modern action games, the story isn’t the main driving force for the player — it’s the thrill of combat itself. If you’re someone more interested in narrative than in the challenge of banging your head against tough encounters, this probably isn’t for you.

In the end, is Ninja Gaiden 4 a return to form for the long-dormant series? For a newcomer, I’d say yes. It manages to pick up where the last one ended while evolving with the times. In an era where most games are made either for the casual market or the hardcore niche, Ninja Gaiden 4 finds a middle ground without alienating its old fans. I hope this serves as a jumping-off point for the series, as I’d be very interested to see where it goes from here.

Score: 8 out of 10

Reviewed on Xbox Series X