Ninja Gaiden 4 is the latest installment in Team Ninja’s classic hack-and-slash series, and its first mainline title in 13 years. With the game’s launch (October 21) just around the corner, AUTOMATON had the opportunity to interview directors Masakazu Hirayama (Team Ninja) and Yuji Nakao (PlatinumGames) to ask them about what players – veterans and newcomers alike – should expect from the upcoming title.
Hirayama explains that, for starters, he wants players to simply enjoy the “pure action” that the Ninja Gaiden series offers and is known for. Continuing the tradition of the classic series while opening the doors for a new, modern audience, Ninja Gaiden 4 is, at its core, a game where you get to experience ninja-like action through and through. So if you’re even a little bit curious about what it feels like to become a ninja, you should take the game for a spin, Hirayama suggests.
On the other hand, Ninja Gaiden 4 could potentially reignite the spark of veteran action gamers as well. As Nakao sees it, there is still demand for the straightforward, rudimentary hack-and-slash action the Ninja Gaiden series was built upon, and the new title might satisfy the hunger of those who are looking for such an experience amidst emerging hybrid genres.
“There are many pure, primitive action game series from the past that are still somehow managing to stay relevant to this day. And I personally don’t think that ‘pure action games’ have become obsolete, despite so many new and diverse genres being formed in recent days. I am confident that there are many potential players (including myself) who want to play such games, and I believe that Ninja Gaiden 4 will hit home for those people,” Nakao explained.
While they’ve been trying to incorporate specific new trends into the title, Nakao suggests that the developers were intent on not losing that traditional action-packed essence that the Ninja Gaiden series is known for. “No matter how much time passes, that’s one of the things that we didn’t want to compromise on. We (PlatinumGames) have had continuous discussions with Team NINJA throughout development, and the fact that we were able to build the game without changing any of the core elements was a major thing for us,” Nakao commented.
Ninja Gaiden 4 is set to release on October 21 for PC (Windows), PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X|S.
