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Ninja Gaiden 4 sees Team Ninja co-develop with Platinum Games for a highly entertaining, super-smooth action game. Barring a visually deficient Xbox Series S port, this is an attractive, technically sound project that works on all systems - but is most recommended on PC and PS5 Pro.


00:00 - Introduction
01:49 - The Engine has Evolved
05:15 - Xbox Series X vs PS5
08:04 - PS5 Pro is Excellent
10:06 - Series S is, well, less so
12:26 - Best on PC
17:17 - Great Soundtrack
18:21 - Wrap-up

 

[lh032]

08:04 - PS5 Pro is Excellent

 

[RoboFu]

Do they acknowledge all the crashes on pc? I cannot watch it right now.

Also the game sucks .. horrible controls. It has that platinum stiffness I hate. And the enemies are all the same and stupid like all of platinum games as well.

I can't trust anyone's opinion who says this is a great game.

 

[Mister Wolf]

I'm glad they didn't use UE5. Too much artifacts, too much stuttering.

 

[Gonzito]

I'm glad they didn't use UE5. Too much artifacts, too much stuttering.

I agree. For this kind of game stuttering would be a deal breaker

 

[Mister Wolf]

I agree. For this kind of game stuttering would be a deal breaker

Seeing those microstutters in that Halo CE Remake footage worries me. I dealt with it all throughout playing Stalker 2.

 

[adamsapple]

- Step back from series's roots of pushing tech to focus on game play first
- Built using Platinum Games' proprietary engine
- The engine has finally been upgraded to DX 12 and uses Direct Storage on PC
- Usage of SSR and Per Object Motion Blur noted and praised

- Larger map sizes compared to previous entries noted and praised
- DF thinks a game with large maps like this would have seen travel stutters on UE5
- Some visual artifacts can produce noisy effects if you slow down and look at the environments

- The game is very well optimized on all tested machines

- Series X vs PS5
- Roughly the same, same 3 options (30fps, 60fps, 120fps)
- Both use FSR with dynamic resolution scaling
- 30fps Quality falls around 1440p, Performance 60 around 1080p, 120fps around 720p
- Level of detail and visual effects are also changed and removed depending on mode

- The 60fps Performance mode is DF's preferred option
- Most scenes hold 60fps but can see some drops in tough combat
- Series X runs slightly better than PS5. They're relatively comparable.

- Quality mode caps the game at 30fps and looks awful with poor frame pacing, not recommended
- DF doesn't think anyone would be happy playing the game at 30fps
- The 120fps mode sacrifices too much in terms of visual quality even if it feels great in responsiveness

- PS5 Pro:
- Significant step up, moreso than other recent games
- Adds a Pro specific performance mode and option to uncap frame rate for VRR (not seen on other consoles)
- Pro specific mode uses 30fps Quality settings with PSSR and targets 60fps with VRR support
- Unlocking frame rate makes the regular Performance mode to run at 80, 100
- This renders the dedicated 120fps mode obsolete
- A rare case where the PS5 Pro is 'quite useful'

Series S:
- Two modes, Performance and Quality
- The 60fps mode looks like the 120fps mode on SX with worse texture quality, targeting a lower 720p DRS
- Visual settings are also compromised, SSR, Motion Blur etc are disabled, makes it look like Ninja Gaiden Sigma 2
- At least it runs at a pretty good locked 60fps
- The Quality mode runs unlocked but it barely goes above 30fps
- Series S version makes big sacrifices but is very playable in Performance mode

PC / Steamdeck:
- Best way to enjoy if you have decent hardware
- No frame time hiccups, stuttering noted in testing
- PC version has native ultra-wide support as well with cut-scenes using black-bars for 16:9
- DLSS, DLAA, FSR support present.
- DLSS uses an automatic setting where FSR allows you to choose quality pre-sets
- A high end PC will allow 'dramatic' improvement in IQ over console versions

- Steamdeck has a bespoke settings version but it's not that good. Caps at 30fps with low settings
- DF recommends disabling Steamdeck mode and customizing settings yourself
- Medium/High at 30fps makes it look like console settings at 720p at 30fps

HDR:
- The game's HDR is capped to 1000nits on PC/PS5 so it's not useful for higher nit displays
- Xbox's HDR produces output kinda like SDR so DF recommends just sticking to SDR

 

[winjer]

Thank god this game doesn't use UE5.
I couldn't imagine tight action combat with constant stutters.

 

[Thief1987]

30fps Quality falls around 1440p,

And it's a game that wouldn't impress anyone even 10 years ago with a corridor levels. Great performance indeed. These shills one of the main reason why we have bottom low standards for performance and resolution nowadays

 

[Fbh]

Pretty underwhelming on base consoles. Looks like a last gen game yet only runs at 1080p?
DMC5 runs at native 1080p and 60fps...on a base PS4. And this doesn't look much better.

 

[willothedog]

12:26 - Best on PC

was there any doubt it wouldn't be?

 

[adamsapple]

The 60fps Performance mode doesn't look *that* bad, yes it doesn't look like a modern UE5 title, NG 2's Black earlier the year probably 'looks' better, but Platinum's goal was clearly Performance-first, and it shows.

The game runs like a dream.

Some direct SX Performance Mode Captures from my own play through.

 

[ADiTAR]

I hope this is a success for PG.

 

[Artistic]

For the game itself, it looked fairly odd compared to Ninja Gaiden 1/2. Like a drastic change in gameplay and approach.

With that said, I really need to start gaming more instead of discussing it with you guys on here.

I spend a good deal of my time defending Xbox instead of enjoying the console I love.

 

[Gaiff]

Ultrawide support.

For the game itself, it looked fairly odd compared to Ninja Gaiden 1/2. Like a drastic change in gameplay and approach.

Yeah, different dev. This is more reminiscent of Metal Gear Rising than Ninja Gaiden. The action and animations aren't as sleek, and they eschewed the more fighting-game-oriented intricate combos of NG/2/B in favor of the crazier stuff you pull off in their games like Bayonetta.

 

[The_hunter]

After all those disappointing UE5 games, it's nice to see a developer use in house tools to achieve a great looking and performing game, no matter where you play it.

 

[analog_future]

It looks like a last-gen game but at least it runs well

 

[adamsapple]

With that said, I really need to start gaming more instead of discussing it with you guys on here.

 

[Fbh]

The 60fps Performance mode doesn't look *that* bad, yes it doesn't look like a modern UE5 title, NG 2's Black earlier the year probably 'looks' better, but Platinum's goal was clearly Performance-first, and it shows.

The game runs like a dream.

Some direct SX Performance Mode Captures from my own play through.

It doesn't look bad.
But the problem is that it looks like a last gen game yet seems to run worse than your average last gen game does on Ps5/SX.
It doesn't look like a generational leap over something like DMC5 which runs at native 4K 60fps. It's a 75% drop in resolution for something that doesn't really look much better.

 

[paolo11]

It looks like a last-gen game but at least it runs well

That is true. Then again aren't most games this gen look last gen anyway ?

 

[Buggy Loop]

Do they acknowledge all the crashes on pc? I cannot watch it right now.

Also the game sucks .. horrible controls. It has that platinum stiffness I hate. And the enemies are all the same and stupid like all of platinum games as well.

I can't trust anyone's opinion who says this is a great game.

Haven't had a crash on PC?

As for platinum games not being your thing

 

[analog_future]

That is true. Then again aren't most games this gen look last gen anyway ?

Games that push the bar tend to have significant compromises on these underpowered consoles, yes. (Avatar, Star Wars Outlaws, Alan Wake II, Indiana Jones, Black Myth: Wukong, etc..)


There's some exceptions though like Hellblade II, Death Stranding 2, and Ratchet & Clank.

 

[Giallo Corsa]

Do they mention the slow loading and almost inexistent textures on some spots /geometry ?
It's been VERY strange so far to the point whether I don't know if it's an engine thing or something due to a bad installation (if there's even such a thing).

Honest question btw

 

[Liopleurodon]

No seriously, was this game originally just Metal Gear Rising 2?

 

[Caio]

PS5 Pro:
- Significant step up, moreso than other recent games
- Adds a Pro specific performance mode and option to uncap frame rate for VRR (not seen on other consoles)
- Pro specific mode uses 30fps Quality settings with PSSR and targets 60fps with VRR support
- Unlocking frame rate makes the regular Performance mode to run at 80, 100
- This renders the dedicated 120fps mode obsolete
- A rare case where the PS5 Pro is 'quite useful' ---> Maybe when someone actually uses its power instead of serving us the lazy edition ? Still blaming the PS5 Pro when it's the devs who can't be bothered to unlock the beast ? I'll just wait for the usual die-hard fans we all know here to have their little laugh, as always.

 

[adamsapple]

 

[Physiognomonics]

This game doesn't look like a genuine Ninja Gaiden to me. It looks more like a Devil may cry game.

 

[SuperC]

This game doesn't look like a genuine Ninja Gaiden to me. It looks more like a Devil may cry game.

It's better than NG3 and that's what really matters
I doubt even Team Ninja themselves have the knowledge now to make a proper Ninja Gaiden game, Itagaki is dead and the people who made the first two NG games are now in Soleil studios

 

[Blood Borne]

Genuine question.

What is the point of Series S?
Did it achieve any strategic goal from a Microsoft perspective?

 

[saintjules]

Haven't had a crash on PC?

As for platinum games not being your thing

For me it crashed a few times at start up and when toggling the framerate to a higher setting. And even if it worked the game would run at sub 30fps until you restart the application. Otherwise it works okay for the most part.

 

[Bernkastel]

Series X runs slightly better than PS5

Looks like Microsoft still has a parity clause prevent devs from taking full advantage of PS5 hardware.

 

[kevboard]

I'm glad they didn't use UE5. Too much artifacts, too much stuttering.

don't forget the input lag. NG2 Black has about 2 to 3 times the amount of input lag compared to the original and Sigma.

 

[SuperC]

Looks like Microsoft still has a parity clause prevent devs from taking full advantage of PS5 hardware.

The majority of the games this year perform better on the SeriesX

 

[adamsapple]

Looks like Microsoft still has a parity clause prevent devs from taking full advantage of PS5 hardware.

 

[Skifi28]

Those Series S textures and settings, uh. It seems like developers have really given up. "We just lowered everything until we hit PS3 levels, but it works."

 

[Three]

Genuine question.

What is the point of Series S?
Did it achieve any strategic goal from a Microsoft perspective?

Their install base would have only been 15M without it but it screwed the Series X owners so who knows.

 

[analog_future]

wrong thread

 

[Punished Miku]

Looks like Microsoft still has a parity clause prevent devs from taking full advantage of PS5 hardware.

Weren't you going on and on about how all games will probably run better on PS5 just a few days ago? You have to be the absolute most disingenuous poster on here. Just nonstop trolling and will do complete 180s on your stance on a dime.

 

[Karim]

The majority of the games this year perform better on the SeriesX

You mean the optional unstable 60 fps mode being a bit less unstable yes true.

 

[Kuranghi]

Just a note that having peak brightness capped at 1000 nits does not mean displays with peak brightness above that are being completely under utilised, since there are other factors like the brightness limiting behavior of the panel technology.

So even on 2 TVs, a (sufficiently high zone count) FALD LCD and an OLED, which are calibrated to the same reference and displaying the same HDR content there is going to be a difference in the image produced/potential brightness of different sized elements.

In the example above simplifying things: The small highlights will be duller on the LCD (or still bright but reducing the "contrast" of the surrounding content, perhaps with visible blooming) and the large bright areas/highlights will be duller on the OLED.

TL;DR - Peak brightness bring capped to 1000 nits isnt the worst thing, what matters more is the other aspects of the presentations tonemapping.

So ideally yeah you'd want to be able to go over 1000 nits for high end displays, but when I play other games that are capped to 1000 nits max (BL4 appears bugged to be like this rn) and I'm indoor looking out of a window/doorway that fills 25-50% of the screen its blindingly bright on my ZD9 LCD.

And yes it is funny my TL;DR is nearly the same length of the rest of the post.

 

[Darsxx82]

The game is not a technical marvel and there are somewhat questionable results on base consoles... but at least the performance is phenomenal, the gaming experience is good and that is something that many of the projects from Japanese Studios cannot say. And this using a proprietary and genuine engine!!!.

 

[S0ULZB0URNE]

More impressed with NGB2.

 

[kevboard]

More impressed with NGB2.

nah, especially after playing NG2B I am so fucking glad that Platinum used their own engine and not UE5.

even in the 120fps mode, NG4 looks cleaner in image quality than NG2B looks in its 60fps mode.
input lag also feels a good 40 to 50 ms lower.

NG2B is an insanely ugly game in motion, with multiple areas that completely break apart visually due to Lumen.
if you play the original through back compat, or the Sigma 2 current gen port, and then go to Black 2... my god... it's jarring how sluggish it looks and feels in comparison

 

[Diego Brasil]

- Series X runs slightly better than PS5

You forgot to complete Digital Foudry's sentence


runs a little better, but is relatively comparable overall

 

[Majima Everywhere System]

Glad it runs well on Series X, but it will take more than a frame to buy a game on that platform.

 

[adamsapple]

You forgot to complete Digital Foudry's sentence


runs a little better, but is relatively comparable overall

Yes, that's what 'slightly' means.

More impressed with NGB2.

NGB2 uses more visual flair but it's also a much smaller scope/scale game in comparison.

 

[Diego Brasil]

Yes, that's what 'slightly' means.






NGB2 uses more visual flair but it's also a much smaller scope/scale game in comparison.

but the sentence is missing...

but it's relatively comparable overall

 

[Pimpbaa]

NG2B has a raised black level so bad it's best not to use hdr and NG4 HDR has SDR brightness range on consoles (the sliders do nothing, except for black level). Completely unacceptable. Hope I'm not waiting for a fix that will never come like NG2B.

 

[adamsapple]

but the sentence is missing...

but it's relatively comparable overall

I don't transcribe entire sentences from the video tho. But I'll add the note just for you.

 

[S0ULZB0URNE]

nah, especially after playing NG2B I am so fucking glad that Platinum used their own engine and not UE5.

even in the 120fps mode, NG4 looks cleaner in image quality than NG2B looks in its 60fps mode.
input lag also feels a good 40 to 50 ms lower.

NG2B is an insanely ugly game in motion, with multiple areas that completely break apart visually due to Lumen.
if you play the original through back compat, or the Sigma 2 current gen port, and then go to Black 2... my god... it's jarring how sluggish it looks and feels in comparison

Not agreeing.
Link comparison of the input lag?
It's smooth as butter when I play.
Ugly in motion? Yeah I can't take you serious with dumb statements like this.