If you couldn’t tell, I was not okay during the Xbox Developer_Direct. Seeing that there was not only a new Ninja Gaiden game in development with Team Ninja and Platinum Games behind the helm, but a random remaster of Ninja Gaiden 2? It was a good day to be a fan of the franchise. But it seems like Ryu’s time as the main protagonist may be over, with both Ninja Gaiden 4 and Ninja Gaiden: Ragebound having him play second banana to the new main character. And in a way, I’m kind of fine with that.
Don’t Worry, Ryu Will Still Be Playable in ‘Ninja Gaiden 4’, He’s just Not the Main Character This Time Around
According to an interview with 4Gamer.net, roughly translated to English, Yakumo will be the main squeeze for the upcoming entry. Ryu is still going to be a pivotal figure here. But it seems like this new era of Ninja Gaiden is going to focus on the newcomer. I can’t deny that I was initially a bit upset about this news. But then I remembered how well MGS2 pulled off the same thing, and my hopes went up. Let’s hope for the same kind of good news here, as well.
While the original interview with 4Gamer.net was in Japanese, using Google Translate for a rough translation gave us this new bit of information regarding the playable characters in Ninja Gaiden 4:
“There will be more of Yakumo. However, Ryu is not pinpointed, and there is a volume that allows you to fully experience his character and strength. Ryu continues the feel of ‘2’ as a base. And can fight using a variety of techniques such as Izuna Otoshi and Hien.
On the other hand, in the Yakumo chapters, you will develop new ways of fighting as you progress through the game. Creating a flow that allows you to gradually understand the system.”
the conclusion?
From this translation, it may be safe to assume that the partnership with Platinum Games and Team Ninja could unfold in a few different ways. If I had to make a wild guess? The Yakumo levels will be directed by Platinum. Whereas the Ryu levels will be crafted by Team Ninja. Take this with a grain of salt, as I could be completely off the money here. But seeing how Team Ninja brought Ninja Gaiden 2 back from the dead, it could have been practice for the upcoming new entry. If that’s the case, though? This could be a generational-level action game.
The post ‘Ninja Gaiden 4’ Will Focus On Yakumo More Than Ryu, but I’m Still Hyped as Hell for It appeared first on VICE.
