Ryu Hayabusa feels like an afterthought

Don't shoot the messenger – I'm just saying, don't expect much from Ryu's playable story segments in Ninja Gaiden 4. In the last week or so I've been able to play and beat Ninja Gaiden 4and I'd say most of my expectations have been exceeded by a flashy new action game. As Yakumo, he delivers everything I want from combat and more, but PlatinumGames has confirmed that there will be two playable characters ahead of release: rookie Yakumo and veteran Ryu Hayabusa. I can easily point to the worst game segments Ninja Gaiden 4's story, and these are the ones where you play as Ryu.

But I want to be clear: NG4 it's a good game and I would recommend it as a whole. I would just recommend it with the caveat that your expectations for Ryu should be on the floor. Fortunately, this is a relatively short stretch of the game that only takes up a handful of chapters Ninja Gaiden 4. It's worth noting that there's more to Ryu than just those chapters, at least, but it still feels like he's a minor character in the franchise that bears his name. SPOILER DISCUSSION FOLLOWS.

A key shot from the Ninja Gaiden 4 Reveal trailer revealing Yakumo in an action pose

Ryu's role in the NG4 story explained

Without going further into spoiler territory than I have to, it's pretty clear in the first few hours Ninja Gaiden 4 that Ryu is indeed the “major challenge and growth milestone” PlatinumGames suggested he would be for Yakum. Yakumo carries with him the arrogance and self-righteousness one would expect from a less seasoned warrior who believes himself to be Ryu's equal from the start. The conflicts that arise between them are clearly those between the seasoned veteran and the prestigious newcomer, and the story very quickly puts them at odds. There are several reasons for this, but as players progress through the story as Yakumo, they must complete four objectives. In the process, it is constantly suggested, and then directly confirmed, that Priestess Seori instituted these four goals—with Ryu's help.

After spending the entire game clearing these four objectives, the playable segments for Ryu are flashbacks to setting up these four objectives. In other words, it's just a replay of already played content. It will come as no surprise to any player that each of these four objectives ends with a boss fight, and they are the same boss fights for Ryu. What's a bit worse is that it goes backwards, meaning the last objective Yakumo completes is the first one Ryu set. Players face one main boss back-to-back, first as Yakumo and then as Ryu, before continuing to repeat levels to get to the next bosses. The only upside is that every objective is shortened for Ryu, which maybe speaks to his strength, but it's not like players need to be convinced that Ryu is the better ninja. Overall, this is one of the shortest segments of the game, but the brevity, repetitive boss fights, and the fact that it has no real story significance. Ninja Gaiden 4 it would be better if these levels were reduced.

How cutting playable Ryu would make Ninja Gaiden 4 better

First, the pace would be greatly improved. These flashbacks take place immediately after one of the biggest story beats Ninja Gaiden 4interrupting the natural narrative. Perhaps the goal is to create distance from that moment and what follows, which itself is short compared to the rest of the game, but it doesn't really achieve that. It's like repetitive content sandwiched between solving the four objectives and the final boss. Second, it doesn't add anything to the gravity of the story either. If something new was revealed here, it might be worth replaying the content, but it isn't. Seori's role in the four objectives is made clear at the beginning of the game, and it is implied throughout the game that Ryu was involved. The flashbacks serve no purpose narratively other than to explain perhaps one detail that prolongs the need for explanation.

Ninja Gaiden 4 Story Structure

Prologue and preparation
Complete objective one
Complete the second objective
Complete the third objective
Complete objective four
Big Story Moment (Cutscene)
Repeat target four, three, two and one as Ryu
The final chapters of the game

Since nothing important or new happens in Ryu's boss fights or story chapters, it feels very much like an afterthought thrown into the game for the fans. Now, there is absolutely nothing wrong with fanservice and having a playable Ryu Ninja Gaiden 4 it only makes logical sense. But the fact remains that cutting his chapters would make it a better game. Stepping into Ryu's shoes quickly goes from a rush of excitement to a worry that it's all very familiar, “Ah, so this is what we're doing. All this. Again.” As the story unfolds, instead of these flashbacks, I'd be more curious to see what Ryu did for the rest of today's game. The story and pacing would be more interesting if each objective for Yakumo (which is roughly three chapters) was followed by an original present chapter for Ryu instead of flashbacks.

Without that, a straight cut of Ryu's chapters would also work, with his role as a playable character only being an end game unlock. It really is, but its story chapters aren't necessary for that. As it is, it feels like an arbitrary story reward instead of an actual reward that players are going into Ninja Gaiden 4higher difficulty/endgame content.

Ryu's ending content in NG4

To reiterate, I enjoyed playing it and recommend it Ninja Gaiden 4. For me it's a very good game 8/10. I just think this part of the story hurts overall and keeps it from being a great or even amazing experience. The moment-to-moment combat is tons of fun, the content offering is pretty good, and the overall story isn't revolutionary, but it's more than serviceable. I don't necessarily think so more Ryu I would fix it, but I wanted to better Ryu content than flashbacks. I'd say the players deserve more than just the main Super Ninja content and flashbacks.

However, once players get through these chapters and they are done Ninja Gaiden 4Ryu can be selected as a playable character. Players can replay chapters, do purges, complete trials, and so on, which means at least there's more Ryu than in the story chapters. But for its playable story segments, it's hard not to be disappointed by how it's handled.