Are the Ninja Gaiden games Soulslike? There's only one answer

Hannan Mundia Published 29/01/2025

With Team Ninja’s recent streak of Soulslike-inspired games, players may wonder whether the Ninja Gaiden game series follows the same formula, and whether the upcoming Ninja Gaiden 4 will do the same.

The Soulslike genre of games has saturated the industry. From Star Wars to Pinocchio, it’s as if every popular theme has gotten a Soulslike adaptation at this point, though that isn’t necessarily a bad thing. With the Soulslike fandom growing seemingly every day, each developer is trying to make the next Dark Souls or Elden Ring.

For many gamers, difficult games involving melee weapons is enough to mean Soulslike. Many would agree the Ninja Gaiden games paved the path for such challenging 3D action games, and with Ninja Gaiden 4 on the horizon, some may wonder whether the Ninja Gaiden games are Soulslikes, or at least inspired by them.

Do the Ninja Gaiden games have Soulslike mechanics?

While every numbered modern Ninja Gaiden game is fairly difficult, they don’t possess many trademark Soulslike mechanics or traits.

While multiple different Soulslike games are on the market now, they all share some key characteristics. Each Soulslike game requires the player to manage their stamina and usually only throws a handful of enemies at the player at a time. Additionally, every defeated enemy drops the equivalent of “souls,” some form of currency that players can use to increase their character’s level and abilities, though dying can mean players lose some or all of that currency. Finally, all Soulslike games have checkpoints used for leveling purposes, and interacting with one respawns enemies in the surrounding area.

Ninja Gaiden gameplay

By contrast, Ninja Gaiden games don’t have stamina management. Players can slash or dodge to their heart’s content. While enemies in Ninja Gaiden drop essence when defeated, those drops are more involved in the game’s active combat mechanics. Blue essence refills health and red is for recharging magic, while only yellow is used as currency. Performing well results in more essence being dropped, and it’s all more similar to the Devil May Cry combat formula.

Arguably the biggest separation from the Soulslike genre is that dying in Ninja Gaiden doesn’t have long-term consequences. Players can simply reload from their last checkpoint and continue with the money and experience they had accrued before dying.

The biggest similarity Ninja Gaiden has to the Dark Souls games is the level design. Like most Soulslikes, Ninja Gaiden’s missions involve players progressing in linear areas and unlocking shortcuts that open paths to already-explored locations. However, enemies can spawn in Ninja Gaiden without visiting the player visiting shrine checkpoint.

Will Ninja Gaiden 4 be a Soulslike game?

All signs point to Ninja Gaiden 4 being an action hack-and-slash game like the other three modern numbered Ninja Gaiden games, which means it won’t be a soulslike.

While Team Ninja has worked on multiple Soulslike games, Ninja Gaiden 4 doesn’t seem to be following that formula. Not only does the reveal trailer show combat very reminiscent of the other numbered games in the series but the game is also co-developed by PlatinumGames. PlatinumGames worked on titles like Metal Gear: Revengeance, Bayonetta, and Nier: Automata, all following a similar hack-and-slash formula as previous recent Ninja Gaiden games.

With so many Soulslike games coming out recently, many fans are glad to see something different. The primary concern most have is with the new playable character, though the iconic Ryu Hayabusa is also taking center stage.

Hannan Mundia

About Hannan Mundia

Hannan Mundia is a lifelong gamer. Don’t believe us? Just ask him. But don’t ask how many hours he’s spent playing. He’s been gaming since the age of three, and much of his live revolves around video games and the video game industry. Whether it’s a classic Legend of Zelda game from Nintendo, the newest Bethesda RPG, or something else entirely, you can bet that Hannan is ready and willing to play it.

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