Latest news with #TeamNinja
Yahoo
25-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Ninja Gaiden 4 devs say "Soulslikes have kind of taken center stage" since the last installment in the series, but "we are going against the trend in that way"
When you buy through links on our articles, Future and its syndication partners may earn a commission. If you're anything like me, you'll no doubt be frustrated with the soulslike genre effectively putting the classic hack and slash game away for a while. Every time something like The First Berserker: Khazan shows up looking stylish as hell only for it to be a soulslike deals me psychic damage. And because of that, the announcement of Ninja Gaiden 4 was an incredibly welcome one, with the devs "going against the trend." Not only is Team Ninja (which is somewhat responsible with their soulslikes Nioh and Wo Long), returning to its premiere action series, but PlatinumGames is returning the the genre that made the studio an all-time great before it got into RPGs and live service. PlatinumGames producer Yuji Nakao recently spoke about the disappearance of the action genre, while, Team Ninja producer Masakazu Hirayama spoke about the topic at Summer Game Fest in an interview attended by GamesRadar+. "The conversation about action games has changed quite a lot since the last Ninja Gaiden game," Hirayama says, referring to 2012's Ninja Gaiden 3 (or maybe 2014's Yaiba: Ninja Gaiden Z, which we'd all like to forget, but the point still stands). He adds: "Soulslikes have kind of taken center stage." However, despite this, and despite Team Ninja's soulslike focus over the last decade, the team knew things had to be different when returning to Ninja Gaiden. "Ninja Gaiden is about having high speed, pure action gameplay. So we are going against the trend in that way." However, despite the 13-year gap (or 18 year gap, considering Ninja Gaiden 3 was kind of pants) and the change in developer, Team Ninja is certain that fans of the series will not feel lost returning to it. Hirayama says, "When you pick up the controller and you play, it has that responsiveness, that really satisfying gameplay. Right when you pick it up, it feels like an evolution. It's like, oh, this is Ninja Gaiden." Now we just need Capcom to go back to Devil May Cry. Capcom's android apocalypse Pragmata is such a genius mix of shooters and puzzle games, both of which I normally hate, and I'm starting to rethink my entire existence.
The Verge
10-06-2025
- Entertainment
- The Verge
Ninja Gaiden 4's gory combat hides a goofy center
Ninja Gaiden 4 was one of several games that Xbox showed off in its games showcase over the weekend. And during its Summer Game Fest-adjacent in-person preview event, I got the chance to play it for myself. I've never played Ninja Gaiden before and was skeptical that the game's generic dark aesthetic, which feels straight out of 2012, could capture my interest. But after a short hands-on demo and an interview with the game's developers, I'm less wary and powerfully intrigued. Despite the '4' in the title, Ninja Gaiden 4 represents a soft reset for the franchise. You play as Yakumo, a ninja of the Raven Clan, who must save Tokyo from corruption. The game feels like a hack-and-slash beat 'em up with extreme emphasis on the hacking and slashing. Yakumo uses a number of weapons and abilities at his disposal, including swords, throwing knives, and an ability that briefly transforms him into a demonic raven for an extra burst of power. My time with the demo was short, consisting of Yakumo ninja-flipping through ruined city streets, fighting packs of cybernetic demons. In combat, you can string together attacks, producing visually impressive combos. One of the things that I most appreciated about the combat system was that it included one of my favorite moves in any action game — an air recovery ability. If you're hit into the air, you can quickly tap a button to right yourself and get back into the fight rather than get knocked away. Whoever at Team Ninja / PlatinumGames is a Kingdom Hearts fan, I see you. Also, along the way, I encountered a number of Yakumo's allies (including one voiced by Brandon ' Garrus Vakarian ' Keener, whose voice I'd know anywhere) who introduced me to the world, giving me power-ups and combat advice. This game is bloody, cartoonishly so. Once I've whittled down my enemies' health, I can dismember them in a number of increasingly brutal ways. It was so over the top that it veered into absurd territory, and I found myself laughing out loud in an otherwise quiet demo room. I wondered if the tension between the hardcore seriousness of Yakumo and his friends versus the goofy violence was intentional, but according to the developers, the game is working as intended. ' Ninja Gaiden has always been known as a very violent game, but we didn't want to just make it grotesque,' says Yuji Nakao, game producer and director at PlatinumGames, speaking through a translator. 'Because if we did that, you'd get tired of it.' Team Ninja partnered with PlatinumGames to develop the title, and the inclusion of the studio that made Bayonetta informs a bit of that tonal dissonance. Bayonetta is campy and fun, and I can see elements of that camp in Ninja Gaiden 4. 'When we were working with PlatinumGames,' says Masakazu Hirayama, the producer and director at Team Ninja. 'We wanted to bring their unique style approach to the action genre and inject that into the series.' Unless you count ports, remasters, or spinoffs, it's been more than 12 years since the last original title in the Ninja Gaiden series. In that time, a new crop of gamers, who are probably more familiar with Bayonetta, have come up. Meanwhile, there's still an older generation running around with memories of Ryu Hayabusa and Ninja Gaiden Black. The result of the partnership between PlatinumGames and Team Ninja is a game that has elements that'll appeal to different generations of players. ' Ninja Gaiden is about having a very diverse tool set that allows you to feel like that ultimate super ninja,' says Hirayama. 'And I think you'll see that the new protagonist and his new tool set opens up a lot of new possibilities.' The new game may not seem like the most exciting of titles if you're not a long-time fan of the series. But my skepticism of the game was slashed away in the face of an over-the-top gorefest that seems to take itself seriously but is hiding a soft, goofy center that wound up being really fun to play. Ninja Gaiden 4 comes out on Xbox, PlayStation, and PC on October 21st.
Yahoo
09-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Ninja Gaiden 4 looks sick, is out in October, and has the exact storytelling I demand from a ninja game: 'You're a wanted criminal now'
When you buy through links on our articles, Future and its syndication partners may earn a commission. Ninja Gaiden 4 got a new trailer and a release date at today's Xbox Games Showcase, and this thing looks like a fever dream I had back in 2013: which I mean as a compliment. I mean, what more is there to life than murdering enemy ninjas and demons in incredibly graceful and over-the-top fashion? The major reason for excitement around Ninja Gaiden 4, after the unutterably disappointing Ninja Gaiden 3, is that Team Ninja has been on fine form ever since with the likes of Nioh, and on this occasion had the wisdom to rope-in Platinum Games, best-known for Bayonetta and a studio that boasts some of the best hack-and-slash talent the industry's ever known. And doesn't Ninja Gaiden 4 show it. You wanna know what I mean by hack-and-slash talent? This trailer opens with a character called Seori saying "watch your back Yakumo, you're a wanted criminal now." "I'll kill the dark dragon myself," says new protagonist Yakumo. "It's my mission as a raven ninja." The latter phrase is uttered as some goon's body slowly slides apart after being bisected by a ninja sword and all I have to say is: yes. Then some dork called Misaki says "breaking the dark dragon free has consequences" before a shot of some thunder-y lightning-flecked skies, and we're into the action shots of enemies being chopped into pieces. So many pieces. We get a glimpse of Yakumo's various weapons which include one that morphs into a giant drill, which he then drills enemy bodies apart with, and an absolutely sick-looking hammer that I am going to main. We've had about five seconds' worth of dialogue followed by about 400 enemies being eviscerated in 15 seconds and, you know what: take my ninjacoin. But wait there's more: Seori pops up again and says "Ryu, there's something I need your help with" and say no more fam: we're instantly into our boy Hayabusa filleting monsters, executing a fool with a perfect Flying Swallow, executing perfect dodges, and cracking out the ninpo magic. I especially liked how the camera jerks down into a fixed position for the ninpo, which maybe doesn't look as slick as some modern titles but is how the Ninja Gaiden games have always done it. At a certain point in the trailer some of you might find yourselves thinking "why does this giant mutated shark have an almost equally large humanoid skeleton inside it?" And it's a fair question but, if you need it answered, this isn't the game for you. I on the other hand am going to brutally kill that skeleton shark for daring to exist in my videogame. Ninja Gaiden 4 is out October 21, 2025, and you best believe I've got a hot date that night with a dark dragon.
Time of India
05-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Time of India
Nioh 3 gets 2026 release date, and a surprise demo available today
(Image via Team Ninja) Team Ninja dropped a bombshell during Sony's recent State of Play. Nioh 3, the highly anticipated game, is now officially confirmed, and it's coming soon. The fans will not have to wait for years in order to get its first taste, as along with the release date, the team has also confirmed the surprise demo available, starting June 4, 2025. Here is all you need to know about the officially confirmed upcoming release and how you can get a taste of it through the available Nioh 3 demo. Nioh 3 release date is officially confirmed, with a surprise demo now available Nioh 3 - Announcement Trailer | PS5 Games Mark the calendars for early 2026, as Nioh 3 is now officially heading to PC and PlayStation 5. The announcement about the release year came in with a thrilling and immediate bonus: a free alpha demo now live for players on PS stores starting June 4, 2025. The limited-time demo will offer an early look at the game's open-field mechanics and combat. But remember, it will not stick forever. The Nioh 3 demo window will close on June 18, 2025. Team Ninja, with this demo, explicitly wants player feedback to help shape the final product. With Nioh 2 selling over 2.5 million copies, the expectations with Nioh 3 are sky-high. If the demo is truly worth it, the wait till 2026 will be quite brutal. But at least the players will get a chance to sharpen the blades early on. Deadly combat styles to master in Nioh 3 Nioh 3 has introduced a very significant evolution within combat—the choice between Ninja and Samurai fighting styles. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Switch to UnionBank Rewards Card UnionBank Credit Card Apply Now Undo The Samurai style is familiar to the series veterans. It is reminiscent of the previous Nioh titles and enhances the foundation with Arts Proficiency and other new techniques like Deflect. While the former offers stronger martial arts, the latter is meant for some critical last-moment blocks, thereby intensifying the duels of close quarters. On the other hand, the Ninja style prioritizes agility. Its focus remains on rapid dodges, ranged Ninjutsu techniques, and aerial maneuvers. Players can use some moves like the Mist to leave the decoy clone or choose Evade for precise enemy strikes. The style will allow you to attack from safer distances and set up some devastating speed attacks. Crucially, the players can easily switch between Ninja and Samurai styles instantly (as shown in the early footage) at any point in the gameplay, making it more dynamic than it was before. Open fields, bigger battles, multiplayer enhancements, and more Beyond combat, exploration has undergone a major overhaul. Nioh 3 has moved beyond the contained zones. It has introduced expansive open fields encouraging the players to explore war-torn villages, hidden dungeons, and more. The areas promise more freedom in strategy and exploration. So, expect to uncover the hidden challenges while facing formidable Yokai unexpectedly within the battles and detailed environments. It even promises some brutal boss fights. Nioh 3 multiplayer mode has even received some adjustments. Summon Visitor mode has returned for the targeted assistance. In terms of new, Expeditions online multiplayer mode has been designed specifically to explore open fields cooperatively with the other players. It provides a fresh option to tackle the tougher challenges together. The demo released includes a character creation feature that is still under development, but it previews deeper customization. In short, whether you are tackling the challenges solo or along with the allies, Nioh 3 is aimed at balancing the trademark difficulty with flexibility in how the players engage with the world.
Hypebeast
05-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Hypebeast
‘Nioh 3' Is Set for an Early 2026 Release
Summary Koei Tecmoand developerTeam Ninjahave officially announcedNioh 3, the latest installment in their dark fantasy action RPG series. The announcement was made duringPlaystation'sState of Playevent. To celebrate the reveal, a free limited-time demo ofNioh 3is now available exclusively on PlayStation 5 until June 18. Set during Japan's historically turbulent Sengoku period, theNiohfranchise is known for its challenging combat, deep lore and fusion of samurai combat with supernatural elements. In Nioh 3, players will embody a young warrior destined to become the next Shogun, battling against formidable yokai. A key new feature introduces two distinct combat styles: Samurai and Ninja. The Samurai style offers a gameplay experience similar to previousNiohtitles, with added actions like Arts Proficiency and Deflect for intense close-quarters combat. The Ninja style emphasizes quick movements, dodging, and aerial actions, allowing players to utilize various 'Ninjitsu' techniques for ranged attacks and swift maneuvers. Players can seamlessly switch between these styles at any time. Beyond its revamped combat mechanics,Nioh 3introduces an open-field world, departing from the mission-based structure of previous entries. Players can anticipate unexpected encounters with yokai, mysterious villages, and daunting challenges like The Crucible. The demo includes a character creation feature, which was well-received in the previous title. Team Ninja encourages players to provide feedback on the demo through a survey on the official website to help fine-tune the game. Nioh 3is set to launch in early 2026 for PlayStation 5 and PC via Steam, marking a new chapter in the franchise's evolution.
