Ninja Gaiden 4

Despite its disappointing story and bland level design, Ninja Gaiden 4's excellent combat still make it one of the best 3D action games in recent memory.

Ninja Gaiden 4 brings the series back with a bang, building on its intoxicating foundations with smart additions that further elevate its brutally brilliant combat

Bloody good combat carries Ninja Gaiden 4 through its more granular and extraneous "modern" additions.

Ninja Gaiden 4 is a bloody good time.

Ninja Gaiden 4 is a balls-to-the-wall action game with a relentless pace and an almost comedic level of gory combat. It's very much a one-trick pony, however, and as thoroughly entertaining as fighting waves of enemies is, its tendency to recycle assets near the end of the game means it can start to overstay its welcome if you don't take it upon yourself to use the wide variety of optional moves available to you.

Ninja Gaiden 4 is a rock solid action game that delivers on what's most important - the combat. While some of the surrounding aspects are a little less successful, such as repeated environments and a forgettable story, the intense battles and myriad challenges are where the game shines, whether playing as Yakumo or Ryu. It doesn't hit every mark, but the simplistic structure, emphasis on technical combat, and even the cheesy performances combine for an action game that feels like it's from a bygone era, in the best way possible.

[Ninja Gaiden 4] retains the spirit and traditions of the previous games, expands on combat in new and stylish ways, and if you’re a fan of this type of game – it’s a bloody excellent fight from start to finish. Now, if you don’t mind, I’ve got some more fiends to slay.

The grand spectacle of Ninja Gaiden 4 felt like the developers saying they wanted a proper ending for what we’ve seen out of the 3D Ninja Gaiden series, and I feel like they nailed it.

Ninja Gaiden 4 features the brutally challenging combat the series is known for. Though its story and level design aren't memorable, its superb gameplay makes up for any shortcomings. This is the return to form we've wanted. $56.39 at Loaded (Formerly CDKeys) $69 at Walmart $69.99 at Walmart Check Amazon

Some of PlatinumGames' best character action to date is muddled with a bloated first half and an otherwise uninteresting protagonist. However, as the narrative picks up, this ninja doesn't stop until long after the credits roll.