The upcoming action-adventure title Ninja Gaiden 4 has received its official content rating, offering detailed insights into the mature themes and elements that players can expect when the game launches later this year. Developed in collaboration between Team Ninja and PlatinumGames, and published by Xbox Game Studios, the game has been rated M18 for its frequent depictions of graphic violence and strong gore.
Set in a dystopian version of Tokyo, Ninja Gaiden 4 introduces a new protagonist named Yakumo. A young and determined ninja, Yakumo embarks on a dangerous quest to summon and destroy the Dark Dragon, a powerful entity responsible for spreading underworld corruption across the city. The storyline blends classic ninja warfare with science fiction and supernatural elements, offering a fresh yet familiar experience for fans of the long-standing series.
Gameplay unfolds from a third-person perspective, where players guide Yakumo through a series of perilous missions. These involve exploration and fast-paced combat against a variety of enemies, including ninjas, futuristic robots, and otherworldly creatures. Each stage concludes with an intense boss fight, a hallmark of the series, where defeating a formidable opponent is necessary to advance the story.
According to the rating summary, Ninja Gaiden 4 features brutal and highly stylized combat sequences marked by strong violence and explicit gore. Players will utilize an array of deadly weapons, such as katanas, warhammers, and claws, to dismember, decapitate, and pulverize enemies. The graphic nature of combat is underscored by abundant blood effects and body parts being scattered across environments. In a distinctive visual touch, bloodstains accumulate on Yakumo’s character model as fights progress, while dramatic slow-motion closeups further emphasize the intensity of certain attacks. These depictions align with the M18 classification standards, which permit realistic portrayals of severe injury, dismemberment, and death inflicted upon humanoid characters.
In addition to violent content, the rating board also highlighted the presence of sexualized character designs. Certain female characters in the game appear in outfits that prominently expose cleavage, although the rating notes there is no direct nudity. Moreover, the game’s script includes occasional use of strong language, specifically the expletive “f**k,” which contributes to its mature rating.
While the game introduces Yakumo as the central hero, series veteran Ryu Hayabusa is confirmed to be both playable and integral to the unfolding narrative. This continuity is likely to appeal to fans familiar with the earlier titles, particularly Ninja Gaiden 3, to which this game serves as a direct sequel.
Ninja Gaiden 4 marks the seventh mainline entry in Koei Tecmo’s storied Ninja Gaiden series. It is scheduled for global release on October 21, 2025, across PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, and Windows platforms. This entry signifies the first time the franchise will benefit from the combined development expertise of Team Ninja and PlatinumGames, promising an evolution in gameplay intensity and visual presentation.
