After starting things off with tutorial and story prologue missions, Ninja Gaiden 4 places you straight into the action with Chapter 1: Bloodsoaked Tokyo. Like previous entries in the series, each chapter exists as a standalone experience. Fans of the franchise will immediately recognize the structure, and newcomers will likely find the linear nature of the missions refreshing. Either way, Bloodsoaked Tokyo serves as the first testing ground for all you've learned, and the jumping-off point for the high-level action to come.
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Chapter 1 Walkthrough Part 1 – Ninja Gaiden 4
From the Starting Point:
When you first get dropped into the streets of Tokyo, you'll be placed in a small courtyard. There are several alleys that appear to be paths, but remember, if you press and hold the R3 button, you'll now see a Destination Marker that reveals the direction you'll need to follow to progress the mission.
You'll also locate the game's first chest – which we'll call Chest 1 — at the bottom of a set of stairs behind the large rectangular object covered in a tarp. The chest contains Crimson Blood Balm x1. Once you've collected the item, you can safely leave the courtyard and begin your quest in earnest.
As you make your way along the main path, you'll arrive at a door with a metal screen covering it. Before you proceed through the door, head left and follow the wall, and you'll encounter Chest 2. It contains Senjin War Brew x1, which increases your attack power temporarily.
Continue along the main path, which is made up of several wall running sections. After the first double wall-run, you'll see a large stack of crates blocking an alcove. Destroy the crates to find Chest 3, which contains Life Elixir x1. Almost immediately after you encounter the third chest, you'll encounter the first DarkNest Terminal, which is where many of the game's central systems are located. It is also where you can find Ninja Gaiden 4's Deluxe Edition and Pre-Order bonuses.
DarkNest Terminal: How to Get Deluxe Edition & Pre-Order Items in Ninja Gaiden 4
Interact with the First DarkNest Terminal:
The DarkNest Terminal is how you'll find several important systems in Ninja Gaiden 4, including the Item Supply, where you purchase useful items with NinjaCoin, and the Mission Database, where you can accept side quests.
The terminal is also where you'll find the Deluxe Edition and Pre-Order items. Simply select the option to receive content from the menu, then select each item to add it to your inventory.
List of Available Missions:
- Execute the DDO Distribution Officers – Reward: NinjaCoin x2500
- Defeat 25 DDO Soldiers – Reward: NinjaCoin x2000, Crimson Blood Pellets x1
- Capture 1 Gourdy – Reward: NinjaCoin x2000
- Find the Data Chip in Tokyo Sky City – Reward: Phantasmal Herb x1
Some missions will state the location where they must be completed, like the DDO Distribution Officers, who must be found in Sky City Tokyo. Others will say "All Areas," which means they can be completed in any location.
Chapter 1 Walkthrough Part 2 – Ninja Gaiden 4
First Pylon and Tyran:
After your introduction to the DarkNest Terminal, you'll finally move into the proper portions of the stage. Your first goal will be to locate and destroy a series of pylons, the first of which comes not longer after the terminal. You'll know you reach the area once you see a large pyramid-shaped structure. You'll need to defeat the enemies that surround the building, then enter and destroy the pylon.
Once you exit the pylon structure, head up collect the Chest 4 (Divine Life Elixir) and through the gate. Once you are through, you'll encounter a raven with glowing red eyes. Approach the raven and interact with it to call forth Tyran, the Raven Clan's combat master. Tyran will provide you with access to Ninja Gaiden 4's Skill system, which allows you to purchase combat skills from a massive list.
Like the items in the shop, you'll need to use NinjaCoin to purchase combat skills. The skills start in the mid-hundreds and gradually increase in price.
To the right of Tyran, you'll see Chest 5 and Chest 6. Both chests contain Life Elixir x1.
Chest 7 is then located on top of the blue container across from Tyran. A Life Elixir is found inside.
If you are already carrying the max amount of any item in your inventory, collecting more of it will automatically convert it to NInjaCoin.
Intro to Daemon Shrine & D.D.O Officer Mission:
After you finish speaking with Tyran, you'll head up an elevator and shortly after exiting, the world will appear to change. The corridor will fill with patches of red flame. As you make your way through, make sure to destroy the wooden crates, as you'll find Chest 8 hiding behind one near the metal fence.
This chest contains an Incense of Rebirth.
Make your way through this first corridor, and you'll come out into a much larger area, where Seori will explain the Shrine Daemon, and how getting closer to it will have strange results. While looking up at the large city scape, you can either turn right or left. If you accepted the "Execute the D.D.O. Distribution Officers" mission at the DarkNest Terminal, then turning right will lead you to that encounter.
Turning left will continue your progression of the main quest. You'll encounter a group of enemies along a narrow passageway, then find Chest 9 at the end, up against a wall. This chest contains Life Elixir x1.
Immediately after opening Chest 9, you'll face another small group of enemies. As you continue down the path while fighting them, you'll see Chest 8 along the right wall. This chest contains another Incense of Rebirth.
Unlock Weapon Skills in Ninja Gaiden 4:
After collecting Chest 8, the next encounter you have will be the largest collection of enemies you've faced thus far. Use all the skills you've acquired to take them out, and once you are done, the game will unlock and introduce Weapon Skills. These skills are separate from the Combat Skills you've already learned, as they apply specifically to the weapon you have equipped.
Weapon Skills are purchased with Weapon EXP, a currency meant only for this purpose. The game will pause once the combat encounter is over and enter a brief tutorial on Weapon Skills. You'll have several options to choose from. It appears that Weapon EXP is earned through combat, and the better you perform, the more you'll earn.
After exiting the area, you'll come to a large series of pipes you must jump onto to progress. If you head to the bend in the pipe that appears to go down into the abyss, you'll see a hidden ladder. Take the ladder down and head left to find Chest 11 and Chest 12.
One chest contains Life Elixir x1, the other contains Kongou Iron Brew x1, which increases your defense level temporarily.
Chapter 1 Walkthrough Part 3 – Ninja Gaiden 4
DarkNest Terminal 2 & Caddis Wire Unlock:
After collecting Chests 11 & 12, head back up the pipe, and you'll encounter the second DarkNest Terminal in Chapter 1. Umi will beckon you over to speak, where she'll reveal the new Caddis Wire traversal tool. It will not be clear at this point how the tool is supposed to be used, but it seems to be some type of grapple hook.
Make sure to take the time to report any completed missions. If you made your way to the D.D.O. Distribution Officers, that will be ready. You should also be able to report defeating 25 D.D.O. Soldiers. Once we turned these in and received the rewards, a fifth mission became available:
- Use Takeminkata to defeat 50 enemies – Reward: Bulwark God's Orb x1
Before moving away from the the terminal, make sure to collect Chest 13 from the top of the nearby stack of containers. It contains a Divine Life Elixir.
Purgatory Location in Chapter 1:
After leaving the second DarkNest Terminal, make your way up the stacks of crates and you'll find Chest 23 (Divine Life Elixir) — then cross the first large chasm using the Caddis Wire. Keep going, and you'll come to a second large chasm. You can cross this to continue along the main path, or turn left to find the first Purgatory Gate in Ninja Gaiden 4.
These gates allow access to a special set of challenges, all of which provide you with NinjaCoin and Weapon EXP. For many of these challenges, you will give up a certain percentage of your overall health to enter. It appears currently that you can only select one challenge in each chapter.
Where to Find the Gourdy in Chapter 1 – NInja Gaiden 4
After you collect the Caddis Wire at the second DarkNest Terminal, you'll cross two large chasms using the new tool. After crossing the second of these chasms, turn left, and you'll find the Gourdy near several crates at the end of the path.
When you approach the Gourdy, you'll get a brief window pop-up explaining that there are different methods for capturing each Gourdy. In this case, we had to quickly input the correct buttons. Once you successfully collect the Gourdy, remember to return to the DarkNest Terminal to report it.
Chest 14 is found on the crates above the Gourdy. It contains a Kongou Iron Brew.
Cobalt Ring & Accessories Unlock:
After collecting the Gourdy, make your way across the chasm with the double grapple points. After landing, turn right to see Chest 15 ( Life Elixir) at the edge, near the white crates.
Cross the next chasm and you'll encounter an enemy and a drone. Defeat them, then turn right and head through the gap in the storage crates. Turn the corner, and you'll eventually find Chest 16 at the end of a short corridor. Inside is the Cobalt Ring, the first accessory in Ninja Gaiden 4.
As soon as you open the chest, you'll be ambushed from behind. Put on the ring to get a defensive boost, then continue back to the main path.
Tyran Location 2 and DarkNest Terminal 3:
After collecting the Cobalt Ring, make your way back to the main path and head up the small set of stairs. You'll quickly reach an alcove where you need to perform Flying Bird Flips to reach the top. After reaching the top, you'll quickly encounter the second raven, who will call Tyran to your location. If you've amassed enough NinjaCoin, you may want to purchase more Combat Skills.
To the right of Tyran, you'll find the third DarkNest Terminal. Make sure to turn in the Gourdy you captured. Doing so will unlock another mission. This time, you'll need to collect five Gourdies. This is an All Areas mission.
Where to Find the Data Chip in Sky City Tokyo – Ninja Gaiden 4
Data Chip and Chests 17-18:
After leaving the third DarkNest Terminal, you'll come to an outdoor courtyard that you look over from an elevated position. There are several enemies patrolling the courtyard below, as well as a drone flying overhead. You can take out several enemies with stealth, or simply jump in and fight.
Once the courtyard is clear, you'll find Chest 17 (Crimson Blood Pellets) against one wall, and Chests 18–20 (Divine Life Elixir x2, Life Elixir) in a row in an alcove formed with containers. Look to the left of the three chests, and you'll find the Data Chip sitting on the ground.
Simply approach the chip and interact with it to collect it. Make sure to complete this mission, as it provides the game's first Phantasmal Herb, which is one of two items required to increase max health in Ninja Gaiden 4
After collecting the chip, make your way over the container and up onto the well-lit platform.
There, you'll find Chest 21 (Divine Life Elixir) in the back corner. You can either slide under the containers, or go around to reach it.
Make your way up the ladder right next to the chest, and you'll find Chests 22 & 23 (Incense of Rebirth, Life Elixir) at the top.
Beserk State, Tyran Location 3, and DarkNest Terminal 4:
After collecting all those chests, you'll find yourself looking over a courtyard with several enemies. As soon as you jump down, the game will automatically introduce you to the Beserk State mechanic. This is an overcharged combat state that allows Yakumo to perform incredibly powerful attacks called Bloodbath Kills that are capable of cleaving enemies in half with one strike.
Once you clear the arena, a large gate will open. As soon as you enter, before interacting with the terminal, turn right and climb to the top of the stack of containers. There, you'll find Chest 24, which contains a Life Elixir.
Chest 25 & 26:
After you leave Tyran's third location, you'll find Chest 25 at the top of the steps. Inside you'll find Divine Life Elixir x1. Shortly after this chest, you'll come to a location among the containers where you can go right or left.
The destination icon will lead you right, but if you go left, you'll find Chest 26, which contains Incense of Rebirth x1.
Tyran Location 4 and DarkNest Terminal 5:
After Chest 20, you'll encounter several enemies as you grapple and wall run across several gaps. You'll quickly encounter Tyran's fourth location and the fifth DarkNest Terminal shortly after.
Chapter 1 Walkthrough Boss Fight – Ninja Giaden 4
D.D.O. Commander Boss Fight:
Immediately after leaving the final DarkNest Terminal, you'll come across one more chest on the left, Chest 27. Inside, you'll find Divine Life Elixir x1.
After collecting the chest, head down the bridge, and you'll reach Chapter 1's final boss, the D.D.O. Commander. This is the first Formidable Enemy you'll face in Ninja Gaiden 4, and it lives up to its name.
The most important thing to remember when taking on the Commander, is to use Bloodraven Form attacks whenever it is winding up for a power attack (red exclamation point). Hitting in during the wind up will cause it to become staggered.
The Commander has two life bars, so make sure to conserve your consumables so they'll last the whole fight. Keep an eye on your Beserk Gauge, as it will allow you to remove a massive amount of health from the enemy.
Once the Commander has been dealt with, simply destroy the final Pylon. This will bring Chapter 1 to an immediate end.
Ninja Gaiden 4
- Released
- October 21, 2025
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- Mature 17+ / Blood and Gore, Intense Violence, Strong Language, Suggestive Themes
- Developer(s)
- Platinum Games, Team Ninja, Koei Tecmo Games Co., Ltd.
- Publisher(s)
- Xbox Game Studios
- Prequel(s)
- Ninja Gaiden 3
- Franchise
- Ninja Gaiden
- Number of Players
- Single-player
- Steam Deck Compatibility
- Unknown
- PC Release Date
- October 21, 2025
- Xbox Series X|S Release Date
- October 21, 2025
- PS5 Release Date
- October 21, 2025
- Platform(s)
- PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, PC
