STACK #252 October 2025

FEATURE GAMING

SWORD UP! It’s taken 13 years, but this month sees the release of a direct sequel to 2012’s Ninja Gaiden 3 , appropriately titled Ninja Gaiden 4 . PlatinumGames producer and directorYuji Nakao tells us more about theTeam Ninja collaboration… Words Bec Summer FORMAT: GENRE: Action adventure MULTIPLAYER: No

DYK? The word "gaiden" means "side story" in Japanese.

represent adversity for Yakumo. To maintain the tension throughout, we’ve added high-speed elements like rail and wire-based actions to keep up the sense of challenge” Nakao-san says that nailing the character movement to suit the high-speed action of Ninja Gaiden 4 proved a challenge. “Improving responsiveness while faithfully inheriting that unique sense of grip the series is known for, and ensuring it still feels good for newcomers, meant we had to strike a very delicate balance between two differing needs. “In the end, I think we achieved a feel that is incredibly approachable, yet still familiar so that veteran fans can pick up the controller and instantly think, ‘Ah, yes – this is how it felt!’” The look of Tokyo has been changed up for Ninja Gaiden 4 , too, with more of a distinct cyberpunk aesthetic. “We wanted to blend old and new elements,” Nakao-san enthuses. “Tokyo in this game has been drastically transformed by the influence of the underworld, which is why it appears this way. Rain is a major visual theme in this game. For example, we’ve put a lot of effort

F ans will instantly notice a new lead character in Yakumo. Nakao-san explains his introduction. “One of the key reasons we chose to introduce a new protagonist is that Ninja Gaiden 4 marks the series’ return after a long hiatus. We trust that longtime fans who’ve followed the series will continue to support, but we also wanted to create a character that would allow new players – those starting fresh with

PlatinumGames’ debut title, MadWorld , was an extremely violent Wii exclusive. Like the movie Sin City , it was all black and white – save for splashes of red. It's a sin!

the franchise – to begin on equal footing and grow alongside the protagonist.” It was part of the

is adversity, which means some new gameplay additions. “Adversity is a key concept for this game,” explains Nakao-san. “From the

team’s vision to deliver the most amazing Ninja Gaiden game yet. “With Ninja Gaiden 4 , we aimed to fully realise everything we’ve ever wanted to express in an action game, and Yakumo embodies that vision.” One of the game’s core themes this time

beginning to the end of each stage and even in the transitions between,

into how characters look when drenched, how raindrops hit the ground, and various other effects.”

everything is designed to

• Ninja Gaiden 4 is out Oct 21

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