Ninja Gaiden 4 ending explained

There were no new products between 2015 and 2024. Ninja Gaiden A game to check out. That drought ended with the release of . Ninja Gaiden 2 BlackNinja Gaiden: Rageboundand Ninja Gaiden 4 In 2025. Many fans are undoubtedly wondering what this game is. especially Ninja Gaiden 4Ultimately, it represents the franchise's return to gaming prominence. The jury is still out on this one, but in my opinion the new release is just as strong as the ending.

Ninja Gaiden 4 There is definitely a well-defined ending to follow along with the great action gameplay. Overall, the story isn't the main attraction of the game, but it does give lore fans a lot to chew on. Spoilers start in the next paragraph.

Ninja Gaiden 4's past

Ninja Gaiden 4 There are a few flashback chapters near the end of the game, in which you play as beloved protagonist Ryu Hayabusa, but it's worth explaining them first for clarity. at Ninja Gaiden 4 In the timeline, Ryu kills the Dark Dragon twice, but these deaths are never permanent. Since he reappears every time he kills them, they decide to seal him away in Tokyo somewhere. This splits the Dark Dragon into two. the bodyCan be seen throughout Tokyo soulThis is where Lady Seori resides. The corpses create a rain of decay around Tokyo, making it uninhabitable to all but the toughest warriors and demons.

The Great Demon King Achilles attempted to be resurrected using frost, but Ryu stopped him. To prevent it from coming back to life, Ryu and Seo-ri create an elaborate seal and spread it around the world. Each seal contains a sacred weapon that keeps the seal intact, and Ryu and Frost bind demons to the area to prevent anyone from breaking the seal. Afterwards, Ryu and his associate Kagashi appear to be building and expanding the power of the Divine Dragon Order (DDO), one of whose seals exists atop their headquarters. As Frost plays into Achilles' hands, he begins to search for a way to undo all the damage he has unknowingly caused. Achilles is thought to have been defeated at this time.

The current state of Ninja Gaiden 4

A few years later, the present begins Ninja Gaiden 4Yakumo and a small crew of Raven Clan ninjas attempt to break into DDO's headquarters and kill the Dark Dragon's priestess, thereby putting an end to the Dark Dragon. This is because of the prophecy that the Raven Clan's master ninja can kill the dark dragon once and for all.

The exact wording means that only after the priestess's death can the master ninja of the Raven tribe “purify” the dark dragon. It is assumed that Seo-ri is a prisoner of DDO, but it is more likely that he was just visiting due to his good relationship with Ryu, but the player does not know this immediately. However, Frost does not fully understand the prophecy and keeps Yakumo's hand, saying that he needs her help to break the seal to release the Dark Dragon (to purify it/kill it once and for all).

From there, Yakumo, the Raven Clan, and Seori work to break the four seals (set by Seori and Ryu years ago). Yakumo takes charge of everything and everyone believes he is the one who can purify the Dark Dragon. Some important characters joining Yakumo and Seori are:

• Umi – Communications Specialist

• Tyran – Master of martial arts

• Misaki – Raven Clan's newest member and trusted advisor.

After agreeing to work with Frost, players are tasked with finding and canceling each Dark Dragon Sigil. Yakumo leads the way, eliminating demons and enemies in each realm through Tyran's training modules and Umi's communications. Meanwhile, Misaki guides Seori to each location when it is safe. There are several important story beats along the way.

• Yakumo clashes with Ryu, and the latter and Ayane investigate Yakumo. This scene implies that Ryu is trying to save Frost and prevent Yakumo from releasing the Dark Dragon.

• Seo-ri is kidnapped by the devil, and Yakumo must rescue him. This sequence in particular highlights the burgeoning relationship between Yakumo and Seori.

Fourth Dark Dragon Seal

After breaking the first three Dark Dragon seals, Yakumo and group return to DDO headquarters for the final seal. Yakumo fights his way through defeating Kagashi, who marches into DDO's strongest member (as his title also suggests). Along the way, the player sees a cutscene where Frost talks to Ryu, where she asks Yakumo to entrust her with a special item from the Dark Dragon. if and if Ryu Hyun-jin considers him worthy. This cutscene is a bit confusing in terms of timeline, but it doesn't really matter when it happens. This could mean that he left Mizaki for a moment to talk to Ryu, or this could have happened when the party was at DDO headquarters at the start of the game. In the latter case, it means that Ryu has fully known and tested all the information about Yakumo. This also explains why Ryu doesn't chase Yakumo throughout the trip.

Yakumo meets Mizaki and Frost at the final seal, and when Frost performs a ritual to reveal the soul of the dark dragon within him, Yakumo asks him to kill him. Yakumo hesitates, torn between his duties as a Raven Clan master ninja and his duties as a person with feelings for Frost. Instead, Mizaki stabs the frost at this moment, revealing that he is actually his Achilles heel. This releases the Dark Dragon, which Yakumo fights and kills Achilles in the immediate aftermath. Yakumo then holds Seori in his arms and tells her about his mistakes and how she is not really ready to die, and as the Dark Dragon flies over Tokyo, Yakumo cries.

At this point in the game, the player steps into Ryu's shoes and plays through flashbacks of Seori and Ryu setting the seal. Returning to the present, Ryu runs to the top exit of DDO headquarters. The game then returns the player to Yakumo's perspective.

Enraged by Seo-ri's death, he runs to that exit and confronts Ryu once again. The two engage in battle, with Ryu deeming Yakumo worthy. Ryu then gives Yakumo the final parting gift of Seori (previous cutscene), the Dark Dragon's Jewel that transforms into the Dark Dragon Blade. Part of the Dark Dragon itself, this blade has the power to kill any Dark Dragon in the hands of a Raven Clan ninja due to its cursed bloodline.

Dark Dragon's End in Ninja Gaiden 4

On the rooftop of DDO headquarters, Yakumo confronts and defeats the Dark Dragon. The second stage of the boss battle sees the Dark Dragon take Yakumo's form and Yakumo is also defeated. Afterwards, as the credits roll, players are free from the Dark Dragon's toxic effects and can wander around Tokyo breathing fresh air for the first time in years. Like Tokyo, Yakumo defeated the Dark Dragon and freed himself and his clan from the curse of his bloodline. Without Ryu and Frost, we may not have had the technology to defeat the dragon, but through their teachings (and, in Frost's case, their defeat), the world has become a better place. Yakumo and Seori may not have a happy or romantic ending, but they achieve what they wanted thanks to each other.

released

October 21, 2025

ESRB

Ages 17 and older / Blood and gore, intense violence, strong language, obscene themes

publisher

Xbox Game Studios