I was worried Ninja Gaiden 4 might tone down the extreme difficulty the series is known for, but Master Ninja mode has slashed those worries into 400 bloody pieces

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Violence that would make Wolverine blush

Yakumo fights the Courtesan boss in Ninja Gaiden 4
(Image credit: Xbox Game Studios, Team Ninja)

Ninja Gaiden 4 has shown off the first gameplay of its highest difficulty, and put to rest any fears that its lengthy hiatus would result in nerfed difficulty.

2025 has marked a massive return for Ninja Gaiden between the Unreal Engine 5 remake Ninja Gaiden 2 Black, and the Dotemu / The Game Kitchen 2D throwback Ninja Gaiden Ragebound, both of which have been well received. However, the real test is going to be Ninja Gaiden 4, a proper sequel to the Team Ninja-developed trilogy, after 13 years off the grid.

NINJA GAIDEN 4 - Difficulty Design | Tokyo Game Show 2025 - YouTube NINJA GAIDEN 4 - Difficulty Design | Tokyo Game Show 2025 - YouTube
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Although thankfully for some, Team Ninja also introduced some of the less extreme difficulty options with Hero mode featuring a number of support options like auto guard and auto dodge. Plus, there's the option to change difficulty and assists whenever you want during the game (however Master Ninja doesn't, and requires you do a whole run like that). And, for the first time in the series, Ninja Gaiden 4 has a training mode, meaning you can push yourself to get that Master Ninja run down.

6 hours in, Ninja Gaiden 4 has pushed me to my limit while giving me the tools to push beyond them – we are so back

Scott McCrae
Scott McCrae
Contributor

Scott has been freelancing for over three years across a number of different gaming publications, first appearing on GamesRadar+ in 2024. He has also written for the likes of PC Gamer, Eurogamer, VG247, Play, TechRadar, and others. He's typically rambling about Metal Gear Solid, God Hand, or any other PS2-era titles that rarely (if ever) get sequels.

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