Summary
- Ninja Gaiden 4 has been announced after a long hiatus since Ninja Gaiden 3 in 2012.
- Players can enjoy Ninja Gaiden 2 Black as a bonus while waiting for Ninja Gaiden 4.
- Fans of Ninja Gaiden should try related games like Devil May Cry 5, Dynasty Warriors: Origins, and more.
Microsoft has been on a roll with these early Developer Directs kicking off the year. As always, they had a surprise in store, and they started by revealing Ninja Gaiden 4. Ninja Gaiden 3, the last mainline game in the franchise, was released in 2012, so it has been quite a while since a new entry came along.
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Koei Tecmo, Team Ninja, and PlatinumGames have promised that it won’t be too long until players can get their hands on Ninja Gaiden 4. In the meantime, they shadow dropped Ninja Gaiden 2 Black for Game Pass subscribers. It’s a cool bonus, but what should Ninja Gaiden fans play after they finish Ninja Gaiden 2 Black?
6
Devil May Cry 5
A Three-Way Demon Hunt
- Released
-
March 8, 2019
- OpenCritic Rating
-
Mighty
Fans who played Ninja Gaiden on the original Xbox in 2004 probably noticed some similarities between it and Devil May Cry, which was a PS2 exclusive franchise at the time. The storytelling, intense action, and emphasis on taking down demons that have existed for centuries are common themes of both titles. Of the many games in the series now, Devil May Cry 5 is probably the most deserving of another look.
Like Ninja Gaiden 2 Black, the campaign offers multiple heroes that switch off between chapters. It’s mostly focused on Nero, but V and Dante step in too. Each character plays differently, with Nero having grappling abilities thanks to his cybernetic arm and V being able to summon demons to help him. This helps keep the freshness of battle alive until the credits roll.
5
Dynasty Warriors: Origins
A Good Koei Tecmo Companion
- Released
-
January 17, 2025
- OpenCritic Rating
-
Strong
Dynasty Warriors: Origins is the perfect latest title to recommend to Ninja Gaiden fans. It’s also from Koei Tecmo – specifically their Omega Force branch. The combat can be just as intense, as enemies will come in the thousands. That said, there is some leniency in the challenge thanks to Dynasty Warriors: Origins’ difficulty levels.
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Dynasty Warriors: Origins features an impressive collection of weapons for the main character, The Wanderer, to wield too. He can use a staff, various swords, spears, chakrams, and more. It’s an expansive RPG with branching storylines that will take players more than a few hours to finish, which is perfect because it may be a while before Ninja Gaiden 4 releases.
4
Ghostwire: Tokyo
Banish Demons Back To Hell
- Released
-
March 25, 2022
- OpenCritic Rating
-
Strong
Ghostwire: Tokyo has the least fierce combat among these recommendations. However, Ninja Gaiden 2 Black fans should still dig it because it takes place in a somewhat futuristic Tokyo, and there are plenty of demons to slay here. Instead of a third-person action game, players will traverse this adventure as a first-person shooter.
Players will be armed with various elemental spells that they can use to deal with ghouls. There are also items that can be used to stun monsters, like talismans or weapons like the bow. It’s not a huge open world, but the city will open up as players gain new powers and slay bigger demons that are gatekeeping the city.
Perhaps PlatinumGames’ Best Adaptation
- Released
-
February 19, 2013
- OpenCritic Rating
-
Mighty
It was a surprise to see PlatinumGames working with Team Ninja for Ninja Gaiden 4, even though they have already worked on several big franchises. Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance is the best option from them to serve as a companion piece to Ninja Gaiden 4. Based on the trailer alone, aesthetically, it looks like Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance 2, a sequel fans have long been wishing for.
Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance is the furthest game in the franchise, following Raiden as he works alone to stop a group of private military cyborgs from taking over. The action is lightning fast, and getting to chop enemies up into literal pieces never gets old. It’s silly, violent, and one of the most stylish action games that has ever left Japan.
2
Muramasa: The Demon Blade
Two Ninjas And One Metroidvania
Action RPG
Fighting
Action-Adventure
Gamers can choose to play as two different characters in Muramasa: The Demon Blade, with Kisuke and Momohime being the available options. Both have ninja-like skills and an avalanche of blades to equip. Each one forged in a branching skill-like tree will have a different ability infused, with some even giving the user the power to summon wind to cut through their enemies. Even though the game is in 2D, the action flows at a high velocity, similarly to Ninja Gaiden 2 Black.
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Both campaigns are worth going through, even though players will retread similar waters. Of the many games Vanillaware has made, Muramasa: The Demon Blade definitely has the most intense combat. It’s just a shame that it’s trapped on either the Wii or the PS Vita via the Muramasa Rebirth edition.
1
Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice
Ryu Vs. The Wolf
- Released
-
March 22, 2019
- OpenCritic Rating
-
Mighty
Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice and Ninja Gaiden 2 Black fans could have a legitimate discussion on which ninja game is harder. Fans of Ninja Gaiden 2 Black have the luxury of difficulty options, but true to form, Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice does not provide any such choice, as that would seemingly go against the FromSoftware philosophy. Players can’t simply grind to become stronger in the game either, like FromSoftware’s other Soulslike experiences.
There are very few upgrade paths. Instead, players have to get better with practice. Will Ninja Gaiden 4 be more challenging? It’s hard to see how, but even though Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice is difficult, it’s an excellently designed experience that will make every victory feel like a legitimate reason to celebrate.