The Best Xbox Game Every Year 2001 - 2024
21. 2004 - Ninja Gaiden
Ninja Gaiden might've felt like an odd choice perhaps for a revived franchise of the 1990s but this timed-exclusive for Xbox was one of the surprise hits of 2004. After Ryu Hayabusa had joined the ranks of Dead or Alive during a dormant period of his own series, this year finally saw him take centre stage again.
With Ryu being recognised by worldwide DoA players, Tecmo and Team Ninja designed the new Ninja Gaiden with Western audiences in mind. Appropriately so, as whilst sales in Japan were low (as was the Xbox install-base), it was a huge hit in the US and Europe.
Upon release, Ninja Gaiden became synonymous with rewarding challenge. In a world between the era of NES Hard and the Soulsborne influence on today's industry, Ryu's return was seen as a test of true gaming mettle in the mid-00s. The game didn't let up from start to finish, and in particular, its pace and level design were singled out by critics as strong points. The game also had some incredible creature design, brilliantly realised in a way that showed the technical capabilities of the hardware available.
Whilst the franchise has since turned quiet, for a while Ninja Gaiden was a series that PlayStation fans envied.