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In a corner of Tokyo, now transformed into a decay-infested metropolis, Yakumo finds himself in peril—under relentless attack from the Divine Dragon Order, a faction with countless warriors.
With his sole salvation—the Elixir of Life—nearly depleted, Yakumo unleashes the powerful Bloodraven Form in one fluid, continuous motion, with a vibrant red trail following his sword strikes. Now armed with formidable abilities, he begins to turn the tide of battle.
Just a few days ago, during one of the game’s early demos, a surprising and diverse array of actions unfolded before my eyes in a meeting room at PlatinumGames’ headquarters. I had the opportunity not only to personally experience the opening segment of the highly anticipated Ninja Gaiden 4—which debuted new footage at the Xbox Games Showcase—but also to speak with Yuji Nakao of PlatinumGames Inc., serving as producer and director of Ninja Gaiden 4.
Though Ryu Hayabusa’s new technique in the Showcase trailer teased “…stay tuned for future announcements!”, I’m writing to share what was revealed that day, alongside Nakao’s insights and vision.
A New Era for Ninja Gaiden
Entering Chapter 1, one standout moment in the opening sequence was how an iconic Ninja Gaiden technique—the Obliteration Technique, a finisher that executes downed enemies—now integrates seamlessly into diverse combo strings.
“This game offers many new possibilities—that’s a core part of its appeal,” says Nakao. “We focused intensely on gameplay depth, range, and breadth, especially techniques that evolve with player skill.”
His tone brims with anticipation. He eagerly awaits seeing how players (both veterans and newcomers) striving for the coveted Master Ninja rank will adopt the game’s new systems into their playstyles. The more skilled you become, the more you’ll execute unreal action sequences and combos. Undoubtedly, Ninja Gaiden 4 possesses the expressive depth to deliver this.
World-building also shifted slightly with Yakumo’s introduction. He hails not from Hayabusa Clan’s Dragon Ninja, but the new Raven Clan faction. Consequently, certain world elements underwent changes.
For instance, levels now feature mechanical shrines—Raven Clan’s Dark Nest Terminals. These serve as hubs to restock items, accept optional Missions for Ninja Coin, and chat with Yakumo’s operator, Umi.
An Evolved Ninja Gaiden Experience
I descended into Yakumo’s first battle arena—only to face the transformed Tokyo skyline revealed in January’s Developer_Direct. As the Raven Clan’s prodigy ninja, Yakumo masters signature Ninja Gaiden actions like Technique of Shadowless Footsteps (free wall-running) and Flying Bird Flip (essential for vertical navigation).
Effortlessly traversing towering buildings’ vertical expanse, Yakumo stylishly dismantles the Divine Dragon Order—blending nostalgic combat flow with a new Assassination mechanic to silently eliminate peripheral threats before engaging larger groups. The demo’s opening phase progressed seamlessly under my control.
As Yakumo advanced through early sections, I quickly grew familiar with his starting moves. Just as I craved more ninja action, I encountered Tyran—a veteran ninja appearing in multiple locations, including this initial phase.
Tyran teaches Combat Skills for Ninja Coin, letting me learn iconic Ninja Gaiden techniques: Flying Swallow, Izuna Drop, even the Technique of Ultimate Guidance.
This gradual onboarding gives players crucial time to absorb the vast array of techniques awaiting them.
For action-game newcomers, each Combat Skill has dedicated Ninjutsu Training trials. Beyond classic movesets, Tyran offers fresh techniques promising experiences distinct from past Ninja Gaiden titles.
Among these new Combat Skills is Fatal Flash—a follow-up trigger activated by syncing attacks with enemy strikes.
Landing Fatal Flash makes enemies drop Blood Essence even when not defeated. You can immediately chain into Technique of Ultimate Guidance for Ultimate Technique flurries, or reposition strategically.
The better you read enemy behavior, the more you shift battle momentum in Yakumo’s favor—unlocking combat possibilities driven purely by skill.
The Bloodraven Form
As the session progressed, Nakao detailed unique traits of Bloodraven Form—including how its activation replaces all standard commands with entirely new moves.
Mastering its use is essential since Bloodraven Form rapidly depletes the Bloodbind Gauge required to activate it.
“If you jump during Bloodraven Form, Yakumo impales his sword into the ground, extending it vertically—letting you briefly survey the battlefield from elevation,” Nakao explains. “Eventually, you’ll learn attacks from this state, but fundamentally, it’s best used for pausing invincibly to observe enemies.”
Nakao also detailed another Bloodraven mechanic—Hōgeki, a counterattack move that deflects heavy enemy strikes and stuns super-armored foes.
“For cautious play, syncing Bloodraven’s long-range technique with enemy heavy attacks easily triggers Hōgeki,” Nakao notes. “But keeping distance sacrifices effective follow-ups. This creates trade-offs: take a safer path with lower rewards, or maximize gains by staying close for successful counters.”
Bloodraven Form can pierce enemy guards and deal damage. Timing its activation perfectly—the fastest way to break guards—dramatically boosts survival odds. Nakao demonstrated this firsthand.
Incorporating Bloodraven Form substantially shifted the difficulty curve.
Watching Nakao execute flawless play left me equally awed and intimidated—but he reassured with a smile: “When PlatinumGames and Team Ninja discuss this new Ninja Gaiden, we joke: ‘This feels unlike modern games—it’s just too hard!’ Today’s games tend toward accessibility, but Ninja Gaiden 4 runs opposite. So don’t be discouraged!”.
Weapon Skills, Caddis Wire & Bloodbath Kills
Beyond Bloodraven Form, new elements deepen the experience: Weapon Skills tied to each arm, Yakumo’s hook-like Caddis Wire for aerial mobility, and the Berserk Gauge—filling from landing hits, taking damage, or executing Obliteration Techniques to reward aggressive play.
Most striking was the Berserk Gauge: its empowered state could turn the tide with one well-placed strike. “Entering Berserk lets you unleash devastating finishing strikes—Bloodbath Kills.”
“Against smaller foes, Takeminakata’s Charged Attack instantly kills regardless of health,” Nakao confirmed—reinforcing this impact.
Though my skill yielded only a few Bloodbath Kills, each felt electrifying.
As my preview ended, I sat down with Nakao to discuss Ninja Gaiden 4. He elaborated on new protagonist Yakumo, modernizing an iconic series, and hopes to revitalize his favorite genre.
Interview with Yuji Nakao, Producer and Director of Ninja Gaiden 4
Historically, Ryu Hayabusa was Ninja Gaiden’s protagonist. But in Ninja Gaiden 4, Yakumo takes center stage. Having seen his unique mechanics in action, could you elaborate on his appeal?
We introduced a new protagonist primarily because Ninja Gaiden 4 marks the series’ return after a long hiatus. While longtime fans will continue their support, we wanted a character letting newcomers start on equal footing and grow alongside the hero.
This vision united Team Ninja and PlatinumGames—thus Yakumo was born.
