YAIBA: NINJA GAIDEN Z

55%
Game Brain Score Based on 300 reviews
  • humor
  • story
  • gameplay
YAIBA: NINJA GAIDEN Z Game Cover
Yaiba: Ninja Gaiden Z is a fantastic spin-off entry to the main series, packed with great combat and stunning visuals.
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Yaiba: Ninja Gaiden Z is a collaborative game by Team NINJA and Keiji Inafune, where players control a cyborg ninja named Yaiba on a quest for revenge while battling hordes of zombies. This special edition includes a full-color comic book by Dark Horse, an original soundtrack, and exclusive Yaiba-themed DLC costumes for DOA5 Ultimate game owners.

  • PC
  • Windows
  • Play​Station
  • Play​station 3
  • Xbox
  • Xbox 360
Genres & TagsPlay Modes

Reviews

55%
Audience ScoreBased on 300 reviews
humor78 positive mentions
stability8 negative mentions
  • The game features a humorous and tongue-in-cheek story that adds to its charm.
  • The cel-shaded graphics and art style are visually appealing and reminiscent of comic books.
  • Combat is fast-paced and engaging, with a variety of combos and executions that can be satisfying to perform.
  • The camera angles are often frustrating and can hinder gameplay, making it difficult to track the character during combat.
  • The game can feel repetitive, with a limited variety of enemies and mechanics that lead to a lack of depth.
  • There are numerous bugs and technical issues, including crashes and long loading times after deaths.
  • humor79 mentions

    The humor in the game is predominantly low-brow and juvenile, often relying on crude jokes and slapstick moments that can be hit or miss for players. While some found the humor entertaining and reminiscent of B-movie antics, others criticized it as overly childish and repetitive. Overall, the comedic elements, including character dialogues and absurd scenarios, provide a mixed bag of laughs that may appeal to those with a taste for irreverent humor, but may not resonate with everyone.

    • “The humor is on point, the dialogue is exactly what you expect from a B-movie like action game ranging from very badass to funny as hell!”
    • “A hilarious b-side in Ninja Gaiden's universe playing the role of a bad guy underdog turned cyborg errand boy to an affably evil corporate supervillain and his sassy evil genius.”
    • “The game is an action/beat 'em up (Devil May Cry, etc.) but with a sense of humor; the jokes might not be for everyone, but they made me laugh.”
    • “This game had its moments; the humor is there, but holy crap, does the game get infuriating.”
    • “The attempts at humor often fall flat, making the experience more frustrating than funny.”
    • “While the game tries to be funny, most of the jokes miss the mark and feel forced.”
  • story75 mentions

    The story of "Yaiba: Ninja Gaiden Z" is characterized by its over-the-top, crude humor and a simplistic, predictable plot that revolves around a foul-mouthed ninja seeking revenge against Ryu Hayabusa. While some players appreciate the comic book style and self-aware humor, others criticize the writing as poor and the narrative as lacking depth, making it more of a backdrop for the chaotic gameplay rather than a compelling tale. Overall, the story is seen as entertainingly ridiculous, appealing to those looking for a light-hearted, mindless hack-and-slash experience.

    • “The story is fun, the graphics are cartoony and enjoyable.”
    • “The game’s story was good and corny and had a great comic book/grindhouse feel to it.”
    • “The main story is silly and simplistic, but enjoyable and fun; it does have stupid humor, it does have vulgarity in it, but the game is constantly self-aware of this and in a way it's making fun of itself in the process.”
    • “The storyline's basic idea is simply indecent (you're a scrap ninja pwned by Ryu Hayabusa, and initially your mission is to pwn him back), and the camera, too, not to mention a number of bugs killing you in original ways.”
    • “The story is nonsense.”
    • “The two big drawbacks are the very short story (took me about 3 hours to go through it) of the game and the fixed camera which sometimes makes it a hassle for seeing enemies.”
  • gameplay68 mentions

    The gameplay of the game is characterized by fast-paced hack and slash mechanics that some players find enjoyable, particularly due to its fluid combat and engaging visuals. However, many reviews highlight issues such as a frustrating camera system, repetitive gameplay, and a lack of depth compared to similar titles like Ninja Gaiden or Devil May Cry. While the game offers a fun experience for those who appreciate its style and humor, it may not satisfy players seeking a more refined or challenging gameplay experience.

    • “💯 recommend, an amazing hack n slash with fast-paced gameplay.”
    • “The gameplay is incredible in this, fast-paced, gory, action-packed combat.”
    • “The gameplay is really fun though the upgrades could be better; it isn't as deep as Ninja Gaiden or Devil May Cry in terms of combat, but it is a lot of fun.”
    • “The developers probably made the game more difficult because it's supposed to be a Ninja Gaiden spinoff, but that difficulty just feels unfair and really ruins it because there isn't much satisfaction to get out of the gameplay.”
    • “The gameplay has some frustrating bits that are largely because of how the camera will zoom out during certain 'arena' combat scenarios, making it easy to lose track of the character when there are tons of enemies onscreen.”
    • “Repetitive gameplay, repetitive combos, embarrassing 'jokes', and a really frustrating camera.”
  • graphics59 mentions

    The graphics of "Yaiba: Ninja Gaiden Z" are widely praised for their stylish cel-shaded art style, reminiscent of comic books and 90s aesthetics, which enhances the overall visual appeal of the game. While some reviewers noted issues with camera controls and environmental design, the vibrant and colorful graphics, combined with smooth gameplay, contribute to a fun and engaging experience. Overall, the visuals are considered a standout feature, effectively complementing the game's humorous and action-packed nature.

    • “The graphics especially put a big smile on my face, as I’m a sucker for cel shading.”
    • “The game oozes style with its incredible visuals and its acrobatic platforming.”
    • “Yaiba: Ninja Gaiden Z is a fantastic spin-off entry to the main series, packed with great combat and stunning visuals.”
    • “The graphics kind of remind me of a 90's gory comic book style.”
    • “Chock full with childish humor, horrid visuals, and 'difficulty' that is only difficult because it's trash and not actually challenging.”
    • “Bad camera controls, boring puzzles, clunky combos, poor hit detection, tasteless jokes, crappy story, outdated graphics, mediocre sound effects.”
  • music11 mentions

    The music in the game has received positive feedback, with many praising the soundtrack as enjoyable and fitting the game's atmosphere. Highlights include the catchy main menu theme and remixes of classic NES and arcade game tracks. While some battle themes received mixed reviews, overall, the audio enhances the gaming experience and is likened to workout music.

    • “The OST for this mode is also a highlight since it consists of remixes/remakes from the classic NES games, as well as the arcade game!”
    • “The main menu's music is a killer; I can't stop listening to it.”
    • “The soundtrack fits the mood of the game and has some killer tracks in there.”
    • “The main menu's music is a killer, I can't stop listening to it.”
    • “Audio: this game has a pretty rad soundtrack, I must say.”
    • “They're songs you probably wouldn't mind working out to, if that helps give you an idea of the kinds of songs in the game.”
  • stability9 mentions

    The stability of the game is highly inconsistent, with many users reporting significant bugs, glitches, and crashes that hinder gameplay. While some players experience smooth performance without major issues, others face long loading times and frequent crashes, making the overall stability a mixed bag. Despite these problems, some players find the game enjoyable after overcoming initial technical difficulties.

    • “For a fast-paced, combat-focused game, running smoothly and being as bug-free as possible is a must, and this game seems to nail it.”
    • “Look, this game is buggy and difficult for almost no reason.”
    • “First: the game is unstable; multiple visual and audio glitches/bugs, long loading screens, and hard crashes.”
    • “This heaping mess of buggy code wouldn't even launch from within Steam.”
  • grinding4 mentions

    Players find the grinding in the game to be excessively tedious, particularly in the later levels where combat becomes repetitive and relies on gimmick fights with large numbers of the same enemies. This leads to a slogging experience that detracts from enjoyment, prompting some to lower the difficulty to alleviate the grind.

    • “You'll need a second life for grinding.”
    • “The main issues I have with this game is that levels are very linear and towards the end - in an attempt to raise difficulty - the game goes pretty much exclusively for either gimmick fights (that have dozens of hard enemies of the same type) or just as tedious enemy combinations as possible, making the game a slog to play in the last two levels.”
    • “The combat is nice for maybe the first 1-2 hours, then becomes completely tedious when you're forced to fight the same (maybe 8?) enemies over and over again, just in progressively larger quantities.”
  • optimization3 mentions

    The game's optimization is mixed; while it runs well on most PCs with fluid animations and no noticeable stuttering, some users caution that it may have performance issues on certain systems and advise against viewing it as a direct successor to the original titles.

    • “The performance of the port runs well on any PC.”
    • “So approach with caution; do not look at it as a successor to the original NG games, and do note it might have some performance issues on a bunch of systems.”
    • “Performance of the port runs well on any PC.”
    • “Animations overall are fluid; haven't experienced any stuttering or issues so far.”
  • replayability3 mentions

    The game offers a fun and engaging experience that improves with additional playtime, particularly after mastering combos, but its replayability is somewhat limited due to a lack of substantial content beyond higher difficulty levels. While it is considered underrated and enjoyable, the differences from the main Ninja Gaiden series may deter some players. Overall, it provides a short but replayable experience, albeit with some technical issues.

    • “Very underrated, short but replayable and most importantly fun game that got trashed because of its differences to the main Ninja Gaiden series, even though it's a spin-off.”
    • “Beyond that and playing through at higher difficulties, there isn't much replay value.”
    • “After an additional 10 hours, this game becomes more playable, but the camera positioning and occasional glitches still detract from the experience.”
  • atmosphere2 mentions

    The atmosphere of the game is generally well-received, with users appreciating the setting, voice acting, and comedic elements. Many believe that even if gameplay is lacking, a strong story and immersive atmosphere can still make the game worthwhile.

    • “The atmosphere, setting, voice acting, and comedy are all excellent.”
    • “My philosophy is that there are instances where a game may not have much gameplay (take Amnesia, for example), but the story and atmosphere are reason enough to pick it up.”
    • “The atmosphere feels flat and uninspired, lacking the depth needed to engage players.”
    • “Despite the potential, the atmosphere fails to create a sense of immersion, leaving players disconnected.”
    • “The setting is generic and does not evoke any real emotion or tension, making the experience forgettable.”
Positive mentions (%)Positive
Neutral mentions (%)Neutral
Negative mentions (%)Negative

Critic Reviews

51% average critic score

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Play time

10hMedian play time
10hAverage play time
9-10hSpent by most gamers
*Based on 2 analyzed playthroughs

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