Striking the Right Balance: Character Dynamics Crucial for Ninja Gaiden 4’s Success

The Xbox Developer Direct from January 23, 2025, was brimming with updates about several games, but none stole the spotlight quite like Ninja Gaiden. The gaming community was abuzz when an Unreal Engine 5 remake of Ninja Gaiden 2 Black was unexpectedly launched, alongside the announcement of the highly anticipated Ninja Gaiden 4, set for release in Fall 2025. This time, the legendary series is getting a fresh twist with Platinum Games co-developing. These announcements have stirred up excitement far beyond the loyal but dwindling Ninja Gaiden fanbase, promising to breathe new life into the community by year’s end. It’s a thrilling prospect to see this beloved series evolve with Ninja Gaiden 4.

Ninja Gaiden, a cornerstone of Koei Tecmo’s action game lineup since the NES days, owes much of its 3D success to Team Ninja’s efforts back in 2004. However, the series hit a rough patch after Tomonobu Itagaki left Team Ninja post-Ninja Gaiden 2 in 2008 due to legal issues. The failure of titles like Ninja Gaiden 3 in 2012 and 2014’s Yaiba: Ninja Gaiden Z consigned series hero Ryu Hayabusa mostly to cameo roles until the surprise release of Ninja Gaiden: Master Collection in 2021. At last, the iconic ninja is back in top form, although he’ll need to adjust to sharing the stage with a new co-star in NG4.

In line with the recent spin-off Ninja Gaiden: Ragebound, which saw players controlling Kenji Mozu to cover for Ryu, Ninja Gaiden 4 places significant focus on introducing a fresh character, Yakumo. While Ryu Hayabusa continues to be a playable, essential part of the narrative, which revolves around the Dark Dragon—the origin of Ryu’s sword and a namesake for a DS spinoff—the marketing spotlight has been notably on Yakumo. While characters like Ayame, Kasumi, Rachel, and Momiji have been part of the 3D Ninja Gaiden universe before, this marks the first time another protagonist is positioned to stand on equal footing with Ryu.

Ninja Gaiden’s essence lies in gameplay, and Ninja Gaiden 4 seems to respect this tradition by giving both Yakumo and Ryu unique but overlapping combat styles. Ryu’s gameplay feels like a nostalgic nod to the series’ roots, with levels reminiscent of Ninja Gaiden Black and Ninja Gaiden 2’s aesthetics, as opposed to NG4’s futuristic urban backdrop. Meanwhile, Yakumo wields innovative new moves, including the crowd-sweeping Nue Style and a versatile grappling hook. The blood-pumping action fans crave is intact, yet how the interplay between these two ninja warriors will unfold remains a tantalizing mystery.

Balancing two leading characters is never easy, and Ninja Gaiden 4 has the task of introducing Yakumo while paying proper homage to the iconic Ryu Hayabusa. The series is known for its straightforward storytelling, often letting Hayabusa’s actions speak for him. Establishing Yakumo’s character while threading Ryu through the storyline will undoubtedly be a challenging feat. Yet, Yakumo can’t overshadow Ryu, whose resurgence is a big draw for fans eager for NG4.

As we wait to see how these characters are handled at launch, reflecting on games like Devil May Cry 4 provides some guidance. DMC4 adeptly managed to balance screen time between newcomer Nero and the beloved Dante, hinting that deftly apportioned spotlight can indeed work. With its trio of protagonists, DMC5 excelled by keeping Dante central in key segments while maximizing Nero and V’s presence overall. Ninja Gaiden 4 will need to chart its own course through this dual-character challenge to do justice to both Yakumo and Ryu.