Ninja Gaiden: Master Collection

The Master Collection is just about as barebones as you can get, yet can still be recommended due to the inclusion of two of the best games ever made. Like most players, I was excited when the collection was first announced because I thought it would be a full blown remake or, at the very least, a remaster. Still, I had hours of fun replaying the first two entries, and would wholeheartedly recommend this collection to anybody that has not played the games before or does not own another means of playing them.

There’s no better way to see the Dragon Ninja Ryu Hayabusa in action than with the Ninja Gaiden: Master Collection. Those that can deal with the odd loading stutter can experience some of the finest hack-and-slash combat on the market today.

A much-needed re-release of Team Ninja's trio of Ninja Gaiden titles, though the third game is a step below the other two games, and the remastering effort a touch on the conservative side, it's a proper joy to be able to play the first two Ninja Gaiden games once again on contemporary hardware; camera issues with the first game notwithstanding. Bolstered by a neat amount of extras and the seemingly ageless and satisfying combat that's as good now in 2021 as it was before, the king of high-octane, hyperviolent ninja action has returned.

Ninja Gaiden Master Collection offers three games of varying greatness in one set. It's not quite the all inclusive package one would hope for and the enhancements are limited but seeing each game back to back really shows the strength of each and highlights the fact that the controls and combat were always top notch.

The Ninja Gaiden: Master Collection on PS4 Pro and PS5 offers great value with its budget price, runs brilliantly, and is well worth your time if you can stomach some visual inconsistencies and camera issues.

Years after the release of the first Ninja Gaiden game, it's core gameplay mechanisms and level design still seem fresh and satisfying. The Master Collection puts together Sigma, Sigma 2 and Razor's Edge games in a thrilling Hack and Slash package that the fans of the genre just can't miss. Ryu Hayabusa is back; fast as a lightning bolt and sharp as a dagger.

Team Ninja have succeeded in bringing back Ryu in 2021 and while it doesn’t offer anything new, this collection is a lean mean fighting machine and with the inclusion of 4K graphics running at 60 frames per second, revisiting Ninja Gaiden is a blast from the past with a modern twist and while the first game feels a little dated, this collection excels with the later two games.

Even after 15 years from the publication of the first Ninja Gaiden it is easy to appreciate its majesty and all the nuances of the combat system proposed by Itagak.

The Ninja Gaiden trilogy returns to modern platforms in a 4K collection that includes most of the DLCs released over the years. This is an excellent opportunity to rediscover an action classic.

The slight graphical improvements and the addition of a few modes, weapons and characters provide a plausible excuse to pick up Team Ninja's vigorous games, neglecting the multiplayer of the past. The base of the problems is not found in the texture and resolution update, but in the origin of this trilogy, with the negative points of the Sigma versions making themselves felt in some moments. However, there are several moments in which we experience memorable challenges and a frenzy of blows that make us stick to the screen, just like what happened 10 years ago, reanimating a series that seemed forgotten, in the hands of a new generation of players.

Ninja Gaiden: Master Collection is an honest package, which manages to combine a decent job of graphical modernization with a fairly popular price. Even if on the first Ninja Gaiden weighs the weight of age, remains perhaps the best chapter of the whole package, and even today, one of the best action ever. Bloody and spectacular, the second chapter does not match the excellent design of the predecessor, preferring a more classic pace.The kitsch atmosphere and the unsuccessful design of some bosses deny the title its excellence, proving, however, a worthy heir to the first episode. Razor's Edge, on the other hand, proves to be an artificial and poorly blended work, being unbalanced in difficulty and dull in level design.

Ninja Gaiden: Master Collection gives new players a chance to experience three wonderfully crafted action games with solid 60fps and 4K resolution.

Koei Tecmo could have used this opportunity to further strengthen the weak link beyond what it already did, but the first two games still stand so tall that it justifies the preservation altogether.

The Ninja Gaiden: Master Collection is a nice little walk down memory lane for any returning fans of the franchise and a challenging yet fun experience for newer ones. It takes everything that made the original editions of the games enjoyable, polishes them to perfection, and wraps them up in one nicely affordable package. Although the main stories may be a bit on the short side, the collection still offers plenty to keep you occupied with all the extra play modes at your disposal. I can't stress how good all three games look. So with that said, if this timeless, high-speed, ninja action series is one you enjoy, be sure to pick up the standard or deluxe edition.

Ninja Gaiden: Master Collection is the best way to play through Ryu's blood-soaked, over-the-top adventures. New trophies, lots of content, and a modest visual upgrade make this a must-have package for hardcore Ninja Gaiden fans.