Review: Ninja Gaiden (2004)

Happy Thanksgiving to all of my US readers. I hope your Thanksgiving holiday is filled with plenty of camaraderie, tasty food, and relaxation. On top of that, may you find the time today to carve out a little room for gaming. This time of year things start to get pretty hectic for many of us. But I always make sure that I have plenty of time to unwind. This year, I spent the weeks leading up to Thanksgiving playing a game that is beloved by many action-gaming fans, Ninja Gaiden.

Now, I’m not talking about the classic NES game of the same name. In fact, I already reviewed the original Ninja Gaiden trilogy several years ago. Instead, today I’m going to be discussing the 2004 “reboot” of the series. Of course, it’s really not that simple either. When the 2004 Ninja Gaiden was originally announced, the developers claimed it be a full reboot of the series. However, years later, they walked back this statement and stated it was actually intended to serve as a prequel to the original games. Whichever scenario you choose to believe, there’s no denying that the game was a hit with fans. The new Ninja Gaiden was originally an exclusive title for the Xbox when it first dropped in 2004. The game proved to be quite popular and the developers released two free DLC packs as a way to say thank you to fans. A year later, the DLC packs, along with some additional gameplay tweaks were compiled into a new version of the game titled, Ninja Gaiden Black. But it doesn’t stop there…. In 2006, a port of the game was released for the Playstation 3. This new version, titled Ninja Gaiden Sigma, included a number of graphical and gameplay updates. It also included new playable levels and the ability to play as a second character. This version of the game was well received by fans. However, the original developer of Ninja Gaiden was not involved in its release and was unhappy with several of the changes. Ninja Gaiden Sigma was updated yet again in 2012, for a PS Vita version of the game called Ninja Gaiden Sigma Plus. Finally, the PS3 version of Ninja Gaiden Sigma was remastered for inclusion in the 2021 compilation Ninja Gaiden Master Collection. This collection takes the PS3 version and increases the resolution and adds a few of the enhancements from Sigma Plus (but not all), and bundles it with the next two games in the series.

All of this may leave fans wondering what version of the game is best to play? Well, the answer is a difficult one. According to many fans (and even the game’s developer), Ninja Gaiden Black for the Xbox is the definitive version of the game. It includes all of the content originally envisioned for the title, with a difficulty level believed to be ideal. Sadly, this version is only available on the original Xbox and has never been ported to a modern system. In light of this, the Master Collection version of Sigma is easily the most available (and arguably the most content complete). However, it lacks the stamp of approval from original dev team. For this review, I started off by playing Ninja Gaiden Black. But ultimately I shifted over to the modern release of Ninja Gaiden Sigma because I wanted to play the new levels and content. My playthrough started with the version of the Master Collection on Xbox Gamepass. But after I got a few days into the game, the Master Collection was pulled from Gamepass, so I started over with the PC version on Steam. At the end of the day, you’ll have to decide which version feels “canon” to you. But honestly, Ninja Gaiden Sigma is the choice of most since it is so accessible.

Ninja Gaiden follows the story of Ryu, a master ninja from the Hayabusa clan. Ryu wields the legendary Dragon Sword – a blade that is said to have once slain the ancient dark dragons. The Hayabusa clan are also the caretakers of the evil Dark Dragon Blade – a cursed sword imbued with the power of devils. While away from home, Ryu’s village is attacked and the Dark Dragon Blade is stolen. The game follows Ryu as he pursues the thief to the far-away Vigoor Empire in attempt to take back the blade. While there, he encounters Rachel, a devil-hunter. Rachel has come to the Vigoor Empire to seek revenge for the demonic possession of her twin sister. Together, Ryu and Rachel work to find the Dark Dragon Blade and put an end to the evil Vigoor Empire.

Ninja Gaiden is a fast-paced action game that is presented in the third-person. In many ways it is similar to other 3D action titles from the era (Castlevania – Curse of Darkness, Devil May Cry, etc). The game consists of exploring a 3D environment and doing battle with multiple enemies. Players are scored on the speed, accuracy, and the number of combos made during combat. Enemies that are defeated often drop orbs that either count as currency or restore health. As you progress through the game, players are able to spend these orbs purchase new weapons and combat techniques – both of which can also be leveled up for an additional cost. There’s also a number of consumable items that can either be found or purchased. These range from simple restoratives, to items that can actually increase your maximum health and ki (magic).

While combat is certainly a big part of the gameplay, Ninja Gaiden also has elements of a platformer as well. A big key to mastering the game is learning how to use Ryu’s ninja abilities to jump, climb, and flip your way to various locations. Often times, powerful items will be hidden in these hard-to-reach places.

The storyline for the game is told through various cutscenes that are typically shown and the beginning and end of each level. Generally speaking, each level has a goal that needs to be achieved before the level is complete. More often than not, this culminates with a boss fight. Once the game gets going, the story introduces the character of Rachel. In the original release of Ninja Gaiden and Ninja Gaiden Black, Rachel was simply an NPC that players would get to know through cutscenes. However, with the release of Ninja Gaiden Sigma, several new playable levels are introduced in which Rachel actually becomes a playable character. Rachel controls very similar to Ryu, but with her own unique spin on the combat.

The game features multiple difficulty options. But honestly speaking, even on “easy” some parts of the game can be downright frustrating. Personally, the toughest part of the game for me didn’t really come from combat and boss fights (although those were pretty frustrating at first). Instead I struggled most with the platforming aspect of the game. Running up walls and executing tricky jumps took me a little getting used to. I had to fail a lot before I was able to master this element of the game.

It’s worth noting that aside from the main scenario, there’s also a number of optional challenges that can be taken on. Both the original version of the game and the Black update feature optional “training” scenarios. Sigma also adds a survival mode as well. Both of these game modes don’t really tie in to the story in any way. But they exist to provide some additional challenge and replayability.

I will be the first to admit. This style of game is not one that I usually excel at. So, even though I thoroughly enjoyed my time with Ninja Gaiden, I probably didn’t get as much out of it as a true action fan might. Still, I found the game to very entertaining and I’m looking forward to checking out the sequel. By today’s action game standards, Ninja Gaiden certainly shows its age. So, as I play through the sequels, I’m eager to see just how gameplay continues to evolve.

Version Reviewed: PC

Difficulty: Variable –  Regardless of which version you play, there are multiple difficulty options available. The little bit of time spent with Ninja Gaiden Black left me with the impression that was the more difficult of the two versions I tested. It felt like the enemy AI was a little more clever than in Sigma. Still, Sigma was no walk in the park. In Sigma, the following difficulty options are available from the beginning: Hero Mode, Normal, and Hard. Hero Mode makes the game extremely easy by enabling automatic blocking and ramping down the difficulty considerably. Normal and Hard seem well balanced and appropriately named. But make no mistake, Normal is no walk in the park. It’s important to note that there’s a hidden difficulty option, “Ninja Dog” that becomes available if you die several times in a row. This option isn’t quite as simplistic as Hero Mode, but it does give the player an easier time. (This comes with a score penalty, however.) Finally, two additional difficulty options, Very Hard and Master Ninja become available by completing chapter two on Hard or Very Hard difficulty.

Multiplayer: No.

Story: The plot for the game is interesting and hooked me early on. It’s not unheard of for action games to have a pretty shallow story, but that’s not the case here.

Originality: Fast-paced brawlers like this were nothing new in 2004 when this game first released. But, the game manages to feel fresh thanks to the fantastic asian setting and unique environments.

Soundtrack: The score for the game is appropriate and catchy. It’s a mix of rock far-eastern flair. I can’t say there’s a stand-out piece, but the soundtrack serves its purpose here.

Fun: Once I managed to get a firm grasp on the game, I found myself having a pretty good time. Fans of this genre are likely to find Ninja Gaiden to be a fun ride. But even for gamers that aren’t quite as action-focused, there’s potential here.

Graphics: At time of the original release, this game was top of the line. The Master Collection version of Sigma is by far the best looking version of the game. It’s sharp and colorful even by today’s standards.

Playcontrol: Each release of the game was designed to respond best with the controller native to that specific console. The original version of Sigma, for example, featured play control options unique to the DualShock 3 controller. Today of course, most gamers (myself included) choose to play the Master Collection version of the game. Out of all the ports available, it seems like the PS 4/5 offers the best controller experience. I played the PC version using both an Xbox One controller and a PS5 DualSense and the DualSense was the clear winner. Still, the game is perfectly playable on most quality controllers.

Downloadable Content: No.

Mature Content: Violence, Gore, Suggestive content.

Value: These days the Master Collection is by far the easiest way to get your hands on a copy of this game. The collection sells for approximately $40 and contains three full games for this price. If you’re a purist who wants to get their hands on a copy of Ninja Gaiden Black, used copies range anywhere from $30-$70 online typically. In my opinion, the Master Collection is the way to go.

Overall score (1-100): 85 – It’s important to note that this score is for the Master Collection version of Ninja Gaiden Sigma specifically. I found this game to be very polished and it offered a fun and enjoyable experience. That being said, it’s certainly not perfect and I can’t help but feel like there could have been a little room for improvement – especially considering how many updates had been made to the game by the time this version was released. All that aside, if Japanese-themed ninja action is something you crave, this game is going to scratch that itch.

Original System: Xbox

Available today on:  Xbox One/X/S, Playstation 4/5, Switch/Switch 2, PC  –  (Updated as of Fall 2025)

Best Experience: Playstation 4/5 –  (Updated as of Fall 2025)

Other Games In This Series:

Ninja Gaiden Trilogy  –   Ninja Gaiden Shadow

Ninja Gaiden (2004)    –   Ninja Gaiden: Dragon Sword  –   Ninja Gaiden 2 (2008).  –   Ninja Gaiden 3 (2012)   –   Ninja Gaiden 4

Ninja Gaiden: Ragebound