Joseph Mother
@caribbeanragna.bsky.social
aka baal, joe, bleacher | pandemic era gaming takes | tampa fgc | i play fate/grand order
Which uhhh, I'll give proper reviews another time. I'm still playing the game and having fun moving through the other difficulties and I'm looking forward to even more when the DLC drops next year.
4.5/5
4.5/5
November 23, 2025 at 10:27 AM
Which uhhh, I'll give proper reviews another time. I'm still playing the game and having fun moving through the other difficulties and I'm looking forward to even more when the DLC drops next year.
4.5/5
4.5/5
It got very close. If the narrative had a bit more meat to it and some of the more annoying gameplay conventions were worked on I'd be super down to let it supplant Hundred, but as it stands it's an obscenely strong runner up. This has also got me playing other Ninja Gaiden games...
November 23, 2025 at 10:26 AM
It got very close. If the narrative had a bit more meat to it and some of the more annoying gameplay conventions were worked on I'd be super down to let it supplant Hundred, but as it stands it's an obscenely strong runner up. This has also got me playing other Ninja Gaiden games...
I'd also like to shout out Victor Borba for getting 4 different vocal tracks in this game that are all good. He's fucking killing it in this game and they are some of the most hype moments in the game. As it stands NG4 isn't gonna unseat Hundred Line as my game of the year, but fuck...
November 23, 2025 at 10:25 AM
I'd also like to shout out Victor Borba for getting 4 different vocal tracks in this game that are all good. He's fucking killing it in this game and they are some of the most hype moments in the game. As it stands NG4 isn't gonna unseat Hundred Line as my game of the year, but fuck...
THE Super Ninja, I also don't like him very much and want to follow him. Yakumo's terse interactions with Tyran and Umi are far more interesting to me than anything going on with Ryu, though I will say he plays a pretty solid supporting role in the game and has some fun segments in combat.
November 23, 2025 at 10:24 AM
THE Super Ninja, I also don't like him very much and want to follow him. Yakumo's terse interactions with Tyran and Umi are far more interesting to me than anything going on with Ryu, though I will say he plays a pretty solid supporting role in the game and has some fun segments in combat.
I will also say Ryu is in this game and man I felt like his stages were sort of a downturn. They are reused, you have to recollect skills in an awkward way, and I also just don't really love Ryu. He's not a very kinetic character and while I've come to respect his position and legacy as...
November 23, 2025 at 10:22 AM
I will also say Ryu is in this game and man I felt like his stages were sort of a downturn. They are reused, you have to recollect skills in an awkward way, and I also just don't really love Ryu. He's not a very kinetic character and while I've come to respect his position and legacy as...
And learn them isolated in their own arena. There is a surprising amount of post game stuff to do between the boss fights, missions, and difficulty replays. The game even lets you impose restrictions upon yourself to increase the challenge more.
November 23, 2025 at 10:21 AM
And learn them isolated in their own arena. There is a surprising amount of post game stuff to do between the boss fights, missions, and difficulty replays. The game even lets you impose restrictions upon yourself to increase the challenge more.
Than any other defensive mechanic they've made. You need to swing into opponent attacks to properly deflect them and grant you an opening and this opens up even more when you incorporate the Bloodraven attacks' counters. Once the game is beaten a ton of stuff unlocks and you can even just fight...
November 23, 2025 at 10:20 AM
Than any other defensive mechanic they've made. You need to swing into opponent attacks to properly deflect them and grant you an opening and this opens up even more when you incorporate the Bloodraven attacks' counters. Once the game is beaten a ton of stuff unlocks and you can even just fight...
But there are still some bosses that are gonna be a slog even after you've learned them. I am glad that this game has a very rewarding parry it's so satisfying to learn boss patterns and stuff their shit once you get it down and it still feels rewarding because it's far more timing based...
November 23, 2025 at 10:18 AM
But there are still some bosses that are gonna be a slog even after you've learned them. I am glad that this game has a very rewarding parry it's so satisfying to learn boss patterns and stuff their shit once you get it down and it still feels rewarding because it's far more timing based...
The bosses are generally fine, though the human bosses are far and above the other boss fights. Most of the monster and tank bosses kinda suck ass and feel like they can take a while sometimes. Finding out how to interact with them to force your offense and stop theirs IS satisfying no matter what..
November 23, 2025 at 10:17 AM
The bosses are generally fine, though the human bosses are far and above the other boss fights. Most of the monster and tank bosses kinda suck ass and feel like they can take a while sometimes. Finding out how to interact with them to force your offense and stop theirs IS satisfying no matter what..
There's also something to be said about level design and how it's largely a bunch of fight arenas made to just kill dudes and it has none of the interesting level layout that the OG did while also having really basic stages. It's not the worst thing ever, but it really does make you wish for more.
November 23, 2025 at 10:15 AM
There's also something to be said about level design and how it's largely a bunch of fight arenas made to just kill dudes and it has none of the interesting level layout that the OG did while also having really basic stages. It's not the worst thing ever, but it really does make you wish for more.
That some combo enders are very committal and it makes wanting to use them ever scary as it can mean doing it gets you attacked by an enemy waiting in the wings. I think the HUD also suffers due to the critical health effect that covers the screen in red and looks terrible.
November 23, 2025 at 10:14 AM
That some combo enders are very committal and it makes wanting to use them ever scary as it can mean doing it gets you attacked by an enemy waiting in the wings. I think the HUD also suffers due to the critical health effect that covers the screen in red and looks terrible.
This comes with some of the best movement Platinum has ever had. Yakumo jumps through the air with all of the grace Ryu had in prior games and still maintains his wall run, grappling hook, and options to maneuver through enemies in the melee of it all. About the only issue with combat I have is...
November 23, 2025 at 10:12 AM
This comes with some of the best movement Platinum has ever had. Yakumo jumps through the air with all of the grace Ryu had in prior games and still maintains his wall run, grappling hook, and options to maneuver through enemies in the melee of it all. About the only issue with combat I have is...
From its default look to a more powerful weapon. A rapier turns into a drill, a bo staff into a hammer, etc. You have a berserk state that not only grants an infusion of Bloodraven gauge on activation, but guarantees instant kills when an attack is fully charged or released at appropriate timing.
November 23, 2025 at 10:11 AM
From its default look to a more powerful weapon. A rapier turns into a drill, a bo staff into a hammer, etc. You have a berserk state that not only grants an infusion of Bloodraven gauge on activation, but guarantees instant kills when an attack is fully charged or released at appropriate timing.
Bloodraven is a central mechanic to NG4 that sees Yakumo ready a power stance that allows him to make more powerful swings of his weapons that are utilized to break armor on enemy attacks, hit for more damage, and instant kill grunts in some cases as well. Bloodraven will also transform the weapon..
November 23, 2025 at 10:09 AM
Bloodraven is a central mechanic to NG4 that sees Yakumo ready a power stance that allows him to make more powerful swings of his weapons that are utilized to break armor on enemy attacks, hit for more damage, and instant kill grunts in some cases as well. Bloodraven will also transform the weapon..
Yakumo gets some fun toys to play with between 5 different weapon types that all slot into his gameplay in some different way or another. They come with a list of moves usable by certain button combos that have become ubiquitous in platinum's game, but with the add layer of Bloodraven forms.
November 23, 2025 at 10:07 AM
Yakumo gets some fun toys to play with between 5 different weapon types that all slot into his gameplay in some different way or another. They come with a list of moves usable by certain button combos that have become ubiquitous in platinum's game, but with the add layer of Bloodraven forms.
This isn't to say the game is super short, it's about as long as DMC5 is. You can finish the main story in about 8-10 hours. There's plenty of time in here for something a bit more meaty, but it's clear it's mostly an excuse to get to the cool stuff. To be fair, there is a lot of fucking cool stuff.
November 23, 2025 at 10:02 AM
This isn't to say the game is super short, it's about as long as DMC5 is. You can finish the main story in about 8-10 hours. There's plenty of time in here for something a bit more meaty, but it's clear it's mostly an excuse to get to the cool stuff. To be fair, there is a lot of fucking cool stuff.
Is undercooked. It's easy to see where all of the dots connect to get to where we want to go, but more time needed to be spent to truly care. I think if the game cuts some parts and puts some more scenes of Yakumo and Seori's relationship developing it could've at least had a solid core.
November 23, 2025 at 10:00 AM
Is undercooked. It's easy to see where all of the dots connect to get to where we want to go, but more time needed to be spent to truly care. I think if the game cuts some parts and puts some more scenes of Yakumo and Seori's relationship developing it could've at least had a solid core.
It's really just a story that moves way too fast, doesn't focus on its narrative beats much, and treats the majority of the cast like afterthoughts. Only Yakumo and the playful woman who leads him along, Seori, get any real focus and even their relationship ,which is the game's lynchpin...
November 23, 2025 at 9:59 AM
It's really just a story that moves way too fast, doesn't focus on its narrative beats much, and treats the majority of the cast like afterthoughts. Only Yakumo and the playful woman who leads him along, Seori, get any real focus and even their relationship ,which is the game's lynchpin...
It is half-baked though. I feel like one of the easiest criticisms to throw at this game is its narrative is ass and it really kinda is. It's easy to say Ninja Gaiden and Platinum both have never been showers in the narrative department, but this story is really not so bad its unsalvageable.
November 23, 2025 at 9:57 AM
It is half-baked though. I feel like one of the easiest criticisms to throw at this game is its narrative is ass and it really kinda is. It's easy to say Ninja Gaiden and Platinum both have never been showers in the narrative department, but this story is really not so bad its unsalvageable.
He feels like he really inhabits the world he's in while still being that terse no nonsense ninja that Ryu can be, but he's not as unflappable. He gets exhausted, he has relationships that it feels like he does value though they're kept simple, and he has a proper character arc.
November 23, 2025 at 9:56 AM
He feels like he really inhabits the world he's in while still being that terse no nonsense ninja that Ryu can be, but he's not as unflappable. He gets exhausted, he has relationships that it feels like he does value though they're kept simple, and he has a proper character arc.
It's very reminiscent of DMC4 in that way. You get a new protagonist with all new moves and he has more of an attitude, but the heart of gold lies underneath all the same. Very Nero esque, but he's a lot less playful and more to the point in his shit talking. I liked Yakumo a lot.
November 23, 2025 at 9:55 AM
It's very reminiscent of DMC4 in that way. You get a new protagonist with all new moves and he has more of an attitude, but the heart of gold lies underneath all the same. Very Nero esque, but he's a lot less playful and more to the point in his shit talking. I liked Yakumo a lot.
I think it hits an excellent middle man. It's familiar in its NG identity, while still feeling distinct. I think that's helped by the game's protagonist, who is not Ryu this time but instead a new young ninja dude named Yakumo who is the master of the Raven Clan, a branch clan of the Hayabusa ninja.
November 23, 2025 at 9:51 AM
I think it hits an excellent middle man. It's familiar in its NG identity, while still feeling distinct. I think that's helped by the game's protagonist, who is not Ryu this time but instead a new young ninja dude named Yakumo who is the master of the Raven Clan, a branch clan of the Hayabusa ninja.