Ninja Gaiden Franchise Launches War on Two Fronts in 2025

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Despite not being as widely recognized as games such as Super Mario, The Legend of Zelda, or Final Fantasy, Ninja Gaiden is one of gaming’s earliest franchises, first appearing in 1988. Initially a 2D action-platformer, it was released for arcades and the NES, and it achieved both critical and commercial success to the point that multiple sequels were produced during the 1990s. After a gap of ten years, Ninja Gaiden made a comeback in 2004 with a significant reboot, transitioning the series into a demanding 3D action-adventure. Similarly to the original Ninja Gaiden, the 2004 reboot spawned several sequels, and then the franchise went through another prolonged pause.

Apart from the 2021 release of the Ninja Gaiden: Master Collection, the Ninja Gaiden series hasn’t had a new game come out in more than ten years. However, a glimmer of anticipation was rekindled at last year’s Game Awards with the unveiling of Ninja Gaiden: Ragebound. And following an unexpected showing at Xbox’s Developer Direct event, that small spark has now turned into a passionate blaze.

Ninja Gaiden Is Releasing Two Very Different Entries in 2025

Ninja Gaiden: Ragebound Is a 2D Side-Scrolling Spinoff

The Ninja Gaiden series is gearing up for a massive impact in the year 2025, preparing to deliver two distinct gaming experiences tailored for two separate groups of players. First on the list is Ninja Gaiden: Ragebound, which is scheduled for launch around summer 2025.

At the 2024 Game Awards, it was announced that the new title, Ninja Gaiden: Ragebound, is set to be a 2D side-scroller action game reminiscent of the franchise’s ’80s/90s origins. In the reveal trailer for Ragebound, we see the new character, Kenji Mozu, defending Hayabusa Village from the demonic horde in Ryu Hayabusa’s absence. This upcoming game is being developed by The Game Kitchen, known for creating the Blasphemous duology, promising swift, satisfying, and precise side-scrolling combat and platforming experiences for fans.

The unveiling of Ninja Gaiden: Ragebound at the end of last year was greeted with jubilation, representing the first installment in the series for over a decade. However, Ninja Gaiden: Ragebound won’t have to bear the entire responsibility of rejuvenating the franchise on its own. Other games within the franchise are also contributing to the revival effort.

Ninja Gaiden 4 Is The Next Step in The Franchise’s Evolution

In the Xbox Developer Direct presentation, it was revealed that Team Ninja and PlatinumGames are collaborating again, with their joint effort focusing on creating the next primary installment for the Ninja Gaiden series. Known as “Ninja Gaiden 4“, this upcoming game is scheduled to be released in the Fall at the moment.

As a devoted fan, I couldn’t help but be thrilled when the unexpected announcement of a Unreal Engine 5 remaster for Ninja Gaiden 2 Black dropped during the recent Xbox Developer Direct event! The original from 2008 has always held a special place in my gaming heart.

Even though the announcement of Ninja Gaiden 4 is recent, a substantial amount of gameplay footage and details have already been disclosed, providing fans with a fairly clear notion of what to anticipate in the Fall. In this upcoming sequel, players will encounter Yakumo, a new character who must eliminate the Dark Dragon’s “miasma rain” from Tokyo’s skies. To accomplish this mission, players will be equipped with an array of fresh abilities, such as powerful finishers and the ability to travel along rails and slide down cables. Preliminary gameplay trailers suggest that Ninja Gaiden 4 is a natural progression of the series’ fundamental principles, and let’s hope it proves to be a development worth waiting 13 years for.

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2025-01-24 04:05