Ninja Gaiden 4 Showcases Platinum Games’ Signature Style

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During the 2025 Xbox Developer Direct, Ninja Gaiden enthusiasts worldwide were taken aback by the unexpected debut of Ninja Gaiden 2 Black, as well as the announcement of Ninja Gaiden 4. Just a month earlier, the unveiling of Ninja Gaiden: Ragebound at The Game Awards had already hinted at a revival of Koei Tecmo’s swift-action franchise, which hadn’t been seen since the 2000s. Players are currently relishing the enhancements in Ninja Gaiden 2 Black compared to the remastered 2021 Ninja Gaiden: Master Collection, despite neither quite reaching the pandemonium of the original Ninja Gaiden 2. As the launches of both Ninja Gaiden 4 and Ragebound draw nearer in the latter part of the year, excitement grows.

There’s more than just the fact that Ninja Gaiden is back to get you excited about these upcoming games. Not only is Ninja Gaiden: Ragebound being published by DotEmu in collaboration with Koei Tecmo, but The Game Kitchen, renowned for their 2D metroidvania franchise Blasphemous, are the creators of Ragebound themselves. Similarly, Xbox Game Studios is involved with Ninja Gaiden 4, and it’s being developed by an unexpected pair – Team Ninja and Platinum Games, whose distinctive style remains prominent.

Platinum’s Touch Is A Tangible Part of Ninja Gaiden 4

At a quick glance, Ninja Gaiden 4 might seem like just another game from Team Ninja. However, upon closer inspection, elements distinctively reminiscent of Platinum Games projects are evident in the reveal trailer and additional footage. Notably, many games in Platinum Games’ catalog share the action genre with Ninja Gaiden, but Ninja Gaiden 4 stands out as particularly evocative of a Platinum Games style. The influence of Platinum Games classics such as the Bayonetta series, Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance, NieR: Automata, Astral Chain can be discerned in subtle visual and tactile cues. Even the fact that a Platinum Games title is being published by Xbox serves as an ironic nod to the canceled Scalebound project.

Interesting Traversal In Ninja Gaiden 4 Recalls Platinum Games’ Approach

The combat encounters in Ninja Gaiden 4 appear to follow the structure typical of Platinum Games titles, featuring breaks showcasing the characters’ extraordinary ninja agility. Although Ninja Gaiden has previously incorporated movement and key set pieces, the influence of Platinum Games is palpable in the mobility-centric sections of Ninja Gaiden 4, as Yakumo and Ryu Hayabusa glide down slopes, travel along rails, and run on vertical walls. Fast-paced gameplay segments similar to those found in Ninja Run from Metal Gear Rising are expected to pad out the gameplay time of Ninja Gaiden 4, and there’s no better series to accommodate them.

Ninja Gaiden 4‘s Yakumo Represents Platinum’s Contributions

Most Of Platinum Games’ New Ideas Seem Funneled Into NG4’s New Hero

On Yakumo’s side of things, the gameplay style seems to reflect two distinct development teams. Team Ninja’s traditional, methodical approach is embodied by Ryu Hayabusa, while Yakumo represents Platinum’s more agile and fluid playstyle. It remains unclear how deeply this division runs, given some overlap in their gameplay mechanics, but the stark contrast between the classic Xbox settings surrounding Ryu and the cyberpunk cityscape where Yakumo battles is telling of this difference. Furthermore, the presence of enemies resembling those from Bayonetta 3 in Yakumo’s scenes, coupled with his battles against cybernetic foes rather than demons like Ryu, hints that this contrast may run even deeper.

Yakumo embodies the characteristic moves of Platinum Games, tailored to blend with the style of Ninja Gaiden. His combat abilities lean towards those seen in Ayane or a typical Platinum hero rather than Ryu, while his colossal Bloodraven Form attacks resemble Bayonetta’s Wicked Weaves. The visual execution of Nue Form draws inspiration from MGR’s Zandatsu, and most notably, Yakumo takes over the wire-based grappling hook and the newcomer protagonist role previously held by Viola in Bayonetta 3. It’s expected that Platinum Games will leave a distinctive imprint on Ninja Gaiden 4, and it’ll be intriguing to observe how their style meshes with Team Ninja’s.

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2025-01-26 20:04