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Sennheiser HDB 630: two-minute review

What happens when you cut the wires off your audiophile-grade headphones and fit a Bluetooth module inside, then add a USB-C dongle to the box so people can hear them at their best? You get the Sennheiser HDB 630. These wireless headphones are intended to deliver ‘hi-res’ Bluetooth audio to anyone, no matter which smartphone you’re using – yes, even an iPhone.

To achieve this, Sennheiser has bundled in its BTD 700 dongle, which opens up access to the aptX, aptX HD and aptX Adaptive codecs, and up to 24-bit / 96kHz streaming quality. Just plug the USB-C dongle into your phone, pair it to the Sennheiser HDB 630, mkae sure your file quality is of the desired standard and you’re good to go.

Of course, some data is lost when streaming over Bluetooth, but still, the audio quality here is exceptional and deserving of Sennheiser's HD (ie. reference grade) lineup. I was very impressed by the beautifully balanced, textured, and well-separated performance of the HDB 630, which outperformed even some of the best headphones I’ve tested in this price-range.

They have a neutral tuning out of the box, which a lot of audiophiles will appreciate – the bass is far from overbearing, though it remains punchy and responsive. A bump in the upper midrange often gives vocals a little bit of extra room to express themselves too, while treble is controlled and never too intense.

With parametric EQ and crossfade functions, you can also adapt the sound to your specific tastes – there’s so much customizability to access with the Sennheiser SmartControlPlus companion app.

And that applies to more than just sound. There’s customizable active noise cancellation, including a transparency mode, and a standalone adaptive configuration. These all work effectively, and although you won’t get absolute top-tier noise-crushing abilities here, the HDB 630 were able to keep me pretty focused on my music during a flight and when working at my office.

One thing that I wish was a little more tweakable, though, is the touch controls. Some of these function decently, but a couple feel a little clumsy to use, like volume adjustment and a single-touch play/pause option. Similarly, the On-head Detection is very sensitive, and the cans sometimes turn on even with a small knock. All of this can be switched off, but rivals like the Sony WH-1000XM6 offer much more intuitive controls.

Back to the positives though. Something that really wowed me about the HDB 630 was their excellent battery life. Considering a lot of high-level rivals in this range only offer around 30 hours of playtime, the 60 hours you get here – with ANC on, by the way – is absolutely exceptional. I barely ever had to charge these cans during my month of testing, and that in itself is a massive benefit.

In fact, other than the slightly unrefined touch controls, most of my criticisms are minor. I experienced a few inconsistencies with mic quality when using the BTD 700 dongle, and I would say that these aren’t quite the comfiest cans ever. But still, they’re snug enough to keep on for longer listening sessions, and without the dongle, the mic quality is very good.

Overall, these cans make a spectacular wireless debut into Sennheiser’s beloved HD6XX line. They supply revealing, immersive audio, buckets of playtime, and a rich set of features. Sure, there are a few imperfections here and there, but if we’re talking sound for pound (or dollar, etc.) value, then the Sennheiser HDB 630 are a tempting option, and easy to recommend.

(Image credit: Future)Sennheiser HDB 630 review: price & release date

• $499 / £399 / AU$999
• Launched in October 2025

The Sennheiser HDB 630 were revealed at the beginning of October 2025, and are available to order now. They're the first wireless pair of headphones to join Sennheiser’s beloved 6XX range, rather than slotting into the Momentum or Accentum family, but they feel like a natural upgrade over the Sennheiser Momentum 4 Wireless, sonically speaking.

As a premium pair of wireless headphones, these come with a fairly high price tag. They'll set you back $499 / £399 / AU$999, which is in a similar ballpark to top-tier wireless options like the Sony WH-1000XM6 and Bowers & Wilkins Px7 S3 – more on both of those later.

(Image credit: Future)Sennheiser HDB 630 review: specs

Drivers

42mm dynamic

Active noise cancellation

Yes

Battery life

60 hours (ANC on)

Weight

311g

Connectivity

Bluetooth 5.2, 3.5mm, USB-C

Frequency range

6Hz-22kHz

Sennheiser HDB 630 review: features

• Well-engineered adaptive ANC and passthrough modes
• Fleshed-out companion app with parametric EQ and crossfeed
• Comes with Sennheiser BTD 700 transmitter for better Bluetooth audio

When it comes to features, Sennheiser has put a lot of care into delivering just about everything you could want from wireless headphones.

Let’s start with some of the flashy inclusions that you’re not going to find from most rivals. First up, we’ve got parametric EQ. This grants users with granular control over the frequency they want to change, along with gain and Q-factor. So, if you’ve got a very precise sound in mind, you’ll easily be able to adapt the headphones to it.

In my experience, parametric EQ worked very nicely, and there are clear instructions in the Sennheiser SmartControlPlus app for how to get the best out of it. I generally stuck with the default sound, but tried making an altered tuning with a slight low-end bump, which was fun to configure.

Next, let’s talk about crossfeed – something I’d never used on a rival pair of the best over-ear headphones. Essentially, this can be used to blend the left and right audio channels for a more balanced presentation – especially useful if a recording has extreme channel separation and most of the bass only plays from the right side, say.

I tried this feature out with Purple Haze by Jimi Hendrix – a man who loved to move sound across the stereo field for a unique listening experience. When cranking crossfade up to high, vocals – which initially were focused into the right channel – were significantly more balanced. Personally, I had no issue with the original sound, so I rarely used crossfeed, but it does work well, and I’m sure some will enjoy using it.

Perhaps the star feature of the HDB 630 is their higher-res Bluetooth audio support. To make use of this, you can plug in the included BTD 700 dongle, which opens up access to aptX, aptX HD, and aptX Adaptive codecs – even if you’re on iPhone.

Anyway, the BTD 700 will let you stream audio in higher-than CD quality – 24-bit / 96kHz (albeit with some loss incurred by Bluetooth transmission itself). That means that great quality music becomes available to just about any modern device – more on the actual audio performance later, though.

Another one of the HDB 630’s major features is active noise cancellation. I was very pleased with the overall performance here, even if it won’t compare to leading players in this field, like the Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones Gen 2. One small thing: the HDB 630 set the ANC level to 60% by default, perhaps for the ideal balance sonically, but for testing purposes I cranked this up to 100%.

On a flight to Copenhagen, the low rumble of the jet engine was massively subdued, while discussions around me were basically inaudible. And that was when listening to music at about 60% volume, by the way. Some higher pitched sounds – like the click of seatbelts – did creep through, but I was still impressed with the HDB 630’s noise nixing talents.

Adaptive mode is dynamic and effective too, but you can also access a transparency mode with the custom settings. This is an ideal selection if you’re someone that prefers to have a good measure of your surroundings. There’s also an option to turn on anti-wind noise, or simply turn noise cancelling off entirely.

Sound zones is another interesting feature that enables you to set an EQ preset and ANC level depending on your location. You can save a number of locations, and the headphones will seamlessly slip into your chosen settings, so long as you’re within a certain radius of the relevant area.

A quick word on battery life too. You get an outstanding 60 hours of playtime from the HDB 630, even with ANC on. That’s very impressive indeed, and matches the battery life of the five-star-rated Sennheiser Momentum 4 Wireless.

One key issue I ran into during my time with the HDB 630, was that call and recording quality would suffer significantly if I was using the BTD 700 dongle. Similarly, if I ended a call, when my music continued to play it sometimes sounded fuzzy. The SoundConnectPlus app would also sometimes fail to work when I had the dongle inserted, though this wasn’t always the case. These issues may well be solvable with updates and such – but the call quality issue was especially unfortunate, as without the dongle, call quality on the HDB 630 is strong.

All in all, though, there’s just so much to sink your teeth into on the HDB 630, and if you want highly customizable listening experiences, it doesn’t get much better than this.

• Features score: 4.5/5

(Image credit: Future)Sennheiser HDB 630 review: sound quality

• Immersive, detailed audio performance
• Audiophiles will likely appreciate more neutral default tuning
• Hi-res audio sounds fantastic with BTD 700 transmitter

Now, for anyone familiar with Sennheiser’s name, you’ll know that the company is known for knocking out stellar sounding audio gear time after time. And the HDB 630 continue that trend. I was very impressed with the clarity, detail, and width of the audio these headphones conjure up — and at this price, you’re not going to find a lot of rivals that do better.

The HDB 630 have a pretty neutral sound out of the box. Bass is punchy, but not overly assertive, with a significant dip in the sub-100Hz range compared to the Momentum 4. Mids never get drowned out, with vocals often given a lift thanks to a slight bump in the upper mid-range. Meanwhile, treble is perhaps a little more tempered than I’m used to on a lot of wireless headphones, but this results in a controlled presentation, with sounds in the upper-range never coming across as over-eager or tinny.

When listening to Black Eye by Allie X, I was impressed with the brilliantly defined, assertive vocals, which were carefully separated from the pumping low-end and electronica in the background. Finer details like light percussion came through clearly, while electric guitars in the lower mid-range – which can sometimes sound muddied with middling or poor quality cans – were given a fair amount of room to play.

Rains again by Solji – a softer ballad – was the exact kind of track the HDB 630 could excel with. The higher-pitched vocals floated were beautifully emotive and well-positioned in the mix, with soft acoustic guitars, as well as soft strings and keys all replicated in a tonally accurate, expressive manner.

Turning to a deeper track like Spaceship by Marsolo, this is where things may require some tweaking. The ambient sounds and almost otherworldly effects that enter into the track were exceptionally clear and well-positioned, though the bass itself – despite being rapid and responsive – lacked a little bit of bite for my personal taste.

Thankfully, this wasn’t too much of an issue, though. There is a bass boost toggle for moments where you want a low-end lift in a pinch, and extensive EQ presets and custom options if you want a deeper tuning.

I tried my own custom tuning, using parametric EQ, and Left And Right by D’Angelo sounded incredibly immersive, thanks to the controlled, texture bass, expertly layered vocals, and impactful yet disciplined percussion in the treble range. The wide soundstage created an almost three-dimensional listening experience, and that’s something that a fair few rivals in this price range can’t offer.

For reference, I spent the majority of my time listening with the BTD 700 dongle and the aptX Adaptive codec – this genuinely makes a difference with the HDB 630, opening up a more full-sounding, revealing listen. I also tried wired listening, and was again delighted with the responsive, elegantly balanced performance of the HDB 630. These are an excellent-sounding pair of headphones for the cost – they deliver exactly what they aim to: audiophile-friendly sound, without the cable.

• Sound quality score: 5/5

(Image credit: Future)Sennheiser HDB 630 review: design

• Wired headphone vibe, wireless design
• Could look a little more premium, in my view
• Touch controls and auto-on feel a little clumsy

It's been an almost perfect start for the HDB 630 so far, but the design department is where the picture is a little bit more mixed.

First up, let’s talk about looks. The HDB 630 have an appearance that's befitting of their purpose. Visually, they’re almost more like closed-back wired headphones, minus the wires – and I’m a fan of that synchronicity.

However, for me, they just don’t look quite as premium as I’d hope for headphones in this price range. The silver sections that connect the headband to the earcups have an almost plasticky look, which contrasts the luxurious-looking headband and leatherette earcups. They still look pretty good overall, and this is largely a matter of personal preference – but I think some rivals, like the Bowers & Wilkins Px7 S3 have a sleeker overall aesthetic.

Something that’s less subjective, however, is the quality of touch controls on the HDB 630. Personally, I’m a touch controls guy – controversial, I know. But I didn’t always find them to be intuitive here. When flicking up, volume would occasionally rise too drastically, and the single touch requirement to pause music meant that it was too easy to accidentally play or pause my tunes.

Unfortunately, touch controls can’t be customized – it's either on, or off – which is a bit of a shame, as I would’ve liked to try tailoring them to my preferences. To give the HDB 630 their flowers, some functions, like skipping or returning to the previous track, worked great. Call controls functioned well too.

It was a similar story with On-head Detection, which seemed a little clumsy. On a couple of occasions, I’d give the headphones a knock when they were on my desk, and they’d auto power-on, connect to my phone, and start playing my music out. That was a little frustrating, and led to me later turning the feature off, even though the smart pause function worked really nicely when removing or re-wearing the headphones.

On the positive side, these headphones are fairly comfortable for longer listening sessions. I definitely think that my day-to-day headphones, the Sony WH-1000XM6 feel lighter and comfier in-use, but the HDB 630 didn’t feel tight on my head or harsh on my ears. They also offered a secure fit during my flight and whenever I was out and about.

Unlike headphones such as the Sony WH-1000XM4, the HDB 630 don't fold up. That means they're not the most compact around. But when you need to take them out and about, you can make use of the included carry case, which is built to a high standard. It feels very durable, and is well protected against scuffs or scratches. It's a little large and uses a zip rather than my preference of magnets, but it's still a very welcome inclusion.

• Design score: 3.5/5

(Image credit: Future)Sennheiser HDB 630 review: value

• Fairly priced for the sound quality on offer…
• …even if you can get better ANC and comfort from some rivals
• Incredible feature-set, even against competitors

When it comes to value for money, the Sennheiser HDB 630 score nicely – yes, even though they’re not the cheapest headphones out there.

For the money you pay, you get absolutely wonderful sound quality, and the inclusion of the BTD 700 dongle opens up higher-res Bluetooth listening to anyone – even iPhone listeners, who are frequently left behind in that domain.

Even in a side-by-side comparison with my similarly priced Sony WH-1000XM6, I felt that the HDB 630 performed exceptionally, offering a slightly more open, revealing sound. The XM6 arguably have a more ‘exciting’ profile out of the box, but with a little tuning, there’s not much the HDB 630 can’t do.

Looks-wise and comfortability-wise, the HDB 630 are solid – not the best in class but certainly not bad. But they sure do stand out when it comes to features. Parametric EQ, crossfade, adaptable ANC, and a ton of battery life. All of that combined with the sound you get? That’s plenty of bang for your buck.

• Value score: 4.5/5

(Image credit: Future)Should I buy the Sennheiser HDB 630?

Attributes

Notes

Rating

Features

Wide feature-set, detailed-oriented sound options, dongle opens up great audio quality, though can cause some functionality issues.

4.5/5

Sound quality

Beautifully balanced, textured, detailed, and personalizable sound.

5/5

Design

Touch controls and auto-pause can be clumsy, good-looking and comfortable overall, but some rivals have nicer appearance and feel

3.5/5

Value

Incredible sound and feature-set for the price you pay.

4.5/5

Buy them if…

You want audiophile-friendly headphones, minus the wires
If you’re looking for audiophile-grade sound from some wireless headphones, then look no further than the HDB 630. With the included Sennheiser BTD 700 transmitter, you can access ‘hi-res’ Bluetooth audio on your phone – yes, even a modern iPhone! Of course, you’ll lose some quality over Bluetooth regardless, but wired listening is available here too, either via the USB-C or 3.5mm ports.

You regularly use public transport or fly
These headphones are awesome for anyone who regularly uses public transport or flies due to their effective, customizable active noise cancellation capabilities. I even found them pretty strong against external noise on a flight – pretty impressive! Oh, they also have solid-performing inbuilt mics, making them perfect for taking business or personal calls on the go.

Don’t buy them if…

You want great touch controls
I just couldn’t get along with the touch controls of the Sennheiser HDB 630. I found them to be a little clumsy, and the lack of customizability is a bit of a shame. Having said that, I love headphones that do touch control correctly, such as the Sony WH-1000XM5, or even better, XM6.

You’re looking for ultimate comfort
Now don’t get me wrong, the HDB 630 aren’t uncomfortable, per se, I’ve just tested models that felt a little more plush on my head. The aforementioned XM6, Sonos Ace, and Anker Soundcore Space One Pro are just a few examples of comfy over-ears that I’d prefer purely in terms of comfort.

Sennheiser HDB 630 review: also consider

Sennheiser HDB 630

Sony WH-100XM6

Bowers & Wilkins Px7 S3

Price

$499 / £399 / AU$999

$449 / £399 / AU$699

$479 / £399 / AU$699

Drivers

42mm dynamic

30mm dynamic

40mm dynamic

Active noise cancellation

Yes

Yes

Yes

Battery life

60 hours (ANC on)

30 hours (ANC on)

30 hours (ANC on)

Weight

311g

254g

300g

Connectivity

Bluetooth 5.2, 3.5mm, USB-C

Bluetooth 5.3, 3.5mm

Bluetooth 5.3, USB-C, 3.5mm (via USB-C to 3.5mm cable)

Frequency range

6Hz-22kHz

20Hz-20kHz

10Hz-20kHz

Sony WH-1000XM6
The Sony WH-1000XM6 are some of the best headphones to release in 2025, with class-leading noise cancelling abilities, beautifully balanced yet exciting audio, and the most intuitive touch controls I’ve ever used. They’re lighter, and comfier than the HDB 630, and surpass them in terms of ANC and compactness. But they’re no match in terms of battery life, and Sennheiser’s cans offer a touch more detail, sonically. Read our full Sony WH-1000XM6 review.

Bowers & Wilkins Px7 S3
Even though the Bowers & Wilkins Px8 S2 have landed, they’re a significant step-up, price-wise. The Px7 S3 are more of a match for the HDB 630 when it comes to cost, and they’re an incredible pair of wireless headphones. With expansive sound, stunning looks, and an evolving feature-set, they’re well worth considering. Read our full Bowers & Wilkins Px7 S3 review.

How I tested the Sennheiser HDB 630

• Tested for one month
• Used in the office and on a flight
• Predominantly tested using Tidal

I spent one month testing the Sennheiser HDB 630, taking them just about everywhere I went. Of course, I used them at the office during standard work hours, but I also used them at home, while out on walks, and even on a flight.

While listening to music, I predominantly made use of Tidal in order to enjoy the 24 bit / 96 kHz quality audio – something that Spotify lossless isn’t capable of. I tuned into the TechRadar testing playlist, which features tracks from a wide range of genres, but also bumped a range of songs from my personal music library.

On top of that, I exhausted the various features on the HDB 630, like crossfeed, parametric EQ, and ANC. Where appropriate, I compared the headphones against my trusty Sony WH-1000XM6, which helped to assess aspects like sound quality and design.

• First reviewed: October 2025
• Read more about how we test

PlatinumGames and Team Ninja revive the franchise with pure adrenaline.

Ninja Gaiden 4 is a bloody triumph, seeing its co-developers back at the top of their respective games.

Ninja Gaiden 4 is, without a shred of doubt in my mind, the best action game of 2025. It’s co-developers Team Ninja and PlatinumGames doing what they do best; firing on all cylinders to provide a wicked hard combat experience that puts priority on learning effective combo routes and enemy behavior - as well as spatial awareness - over bloated health bars or other cheap difficulty tricks.

Review info

Platform reviewed: Xbox Series X, PC
Available on: PS5, Xbox Series X, Series S, PC
Release date: October 21, 2025

Like the best of its peers, such as Devil May Cry 5 or the Bayonetta games, Ninja Gaiden 4 gives you all the tools you need to make quick work of almost any foe in the game. But getting to that point is a skill that demands utmost mastery at its higher difficulty levels. And embarking on that journey here manages to recapture that satisfaction of the best the character action subgenre has to offer.

(Image credit: Team Ninja)

If you’re already a Ninja Gaiden head, you’ll be pleased to know that all the staples are here. Multiple weapon types with expandable move sets, dismemberment for instant-kill obliteration attacks, and the need for a careful balance of offense and defense to get the better of the armies of enemy soldiers and daemons standing in your way.

It’s not without its faults. Environments can be quite dull, often lacking in the gorgeous vistas and arena variety of its predecessors - while prior games often had you fighting for your life in claustrophobic spaces, combat areas in Ninja Gaiden 4 are decidedly more open and boxy. There’s also an over-reliance on on-rails platforming sections that are largely scripted. They can look cool, but certainly lack the challenge and thrills of the main combat loop.

These slight hitches aside, Ninja Gaiden 4 provides an exhilarating combat experience with strong enemy variety and tremendous chapter-ending boss fights. And as a bonus, while the main plot isn’t spectacular, series fans can expect plenty of callbacks to Ninja Gaiden’s universe - albeit none that I will explicitly spoil for you in this review.

Raven's call

(Image credit: Team Ninja)

In Ninja Gaiden 4, the corpse of the colossal Dark Dragon continues to loom over Tokyo, emitting a rain of death and decay that threatens to destroy the city. Our newcomer protagonist, Yakumo, is a ninja of the Raven Clan that forms an uneasy alliance with a priestess named Seori. The goal of the partnership is to actively resurrect the Dark Dragon in order to slay it - body, soul, and all - for good.

Returning series legend Ryu Hayabusa, meanwhile, is none too happy at the prospect of bringing such a great evil back to life. He allies himself with the Divine Dragon Order (D.D.O. for short) - one of the game’s main enemy factions - in order to combat the Raven Clan’s plan.

This doesn’t so much set up Hayabusa as the villain as it does provide conflicting ways to solve the problem at hand. It’s the most interesting aspect of Ninja Gaiden 4’s plot, but don’t expect Nier Automata levels of storytelling here. Like other games in the series, the story serves a simple backdrop to the action, not the core focus.

Yakumo himself begins as a fairly one-note entity. I do love his design, emulating a painfully 2010s level of edginess; clad entirely in black and sporting a haircut that threatens to cover his line of sight entirely. But he’s an effective contrast to the more traditional, arguably sensible look of Hayabusa. Something much more rebellious and unpredictable in nature.

Steeped in blood

(Image credit: Team Ninja)

That chaotic nature plays strongly into Yakumo’s weapons and abilities. While he has access to iconic Hayabusa-brand moves like the gap-closing Flying Swallow and cranium-obliterating Izuna Drop, Yakumo’s very much his own beast with his signature Bloodraven form.

At any time during combat, assuming you have a sufficient amount of gauge, Yakumo can enter Bloodraven stance by holding the left trigger. This powers up his light and heavy attacks, but is also able to break through guarding enemies and interrupt unblockable attacks noted by a handy exclamation point icon.

Best bit

(Image credit: Team Ninja)

What I find most striking about Ninja Gaiden 4 is the unique imprint Team Ninja and PlatinumGames have left on the game through its two heroes. Yakumo is very much a Platinum-style acrobat, with flashy and nimble combat. Meanwhile, Hayabusa’s weightier style plays a lot like he did in prior titles. It’s a fascinating blend that serves to keep the campaign feeling fresh throughout.

Shifting between Yakumo’s base and Bloodraven forms is a skill unto itself. It’s certainly fun to rip enemies to shreds with it at first. But as the game progresses, you’ll be pressured to use it only when necessary. Running out of Bloodraven gauge means you won’t be able to effectively deal with blocking enemies or punish charged attacks, and can leave you wide open to heavy damage.

Even without Bloodraven form, you’re still powerful. Hitting enemies with basic combos enough can dismember their limbs, leaving them vulnerable to an instant-kill Obliteration attack. Furthermore, holding the heavy attack button charges up your ‘Ultimate’ technique, which zips you to the nearest enemy for enormous damage and outright killing weaker foes.

Hayabusa, meanwhile, feels suitably distinct. You’ll get control of him around the second half of the game, and he’s a lot weightier and grounded than his edgy acrobatic counterpart. His sections feel a lot more like classic Ninja Gaiden, and feel noticeably harder as a result.

On the defensive side, both Yakumo and Hayabusa are able to block, dodge, and parry incoming attacks. Parries are ultra-satisfying here, creating a flashing glint that lets you immediately hit back with an attack of your own. Dodging is also incredibly useful; when done at the last moment, it creates a Bayonetta-esque ‘Witch Time’ slowdown effect that helps you effectively reposition and get some free hits in.

Slice and dice

(Image credit: Team Ninja)

You’ll be doing all of this at breakneck speeds in the average combat encounter. When the game starts mixing in multiple enemy types - and even some elites - knowing when to both attack and defend becomes a high priority, and it’s a skill that’s heavily rewarded. Better performance leads to higher stage ranks, resulting in more currency and weapon experience to spend on life-saving consumables and additional weapon techniques respectively.

It’s not all combat, though. Ninja Gaiden 4 occasionally breaks up the pace with avenues for exploration. These often let you tick off specific side missions, or gather hidden collectibles or take part in optional challenges for additional currency and weapon experience.

These are nice distractions, allowing you to momentarily take a breather in between ruthless bouts of combat. Platforming sections achieve this, too, but these do grow stale rather quickly. There’s a good variety, often making use of traversal items like a grappling hook, glider wings, and a surfboard (Joe Musashi would like a word here, I think). However, these often run a bit long and ultimately only serve to pad out any given stage’s run time. I often found myself just wanting to have them over with to get stuck into the next batch of bads.

Level design in general isn’t a particular strength of Ninja Gaiden 4, either. It certainly serves its basic purpose, but there isn’t a strong variety here. Most arenas are large and square-shaped. Some have differing levels of verticality and let you zip about with the grappling hook.

(Image credit: Team Ninja)

But most arenas feel designed to your advantage. In prior Ninja Gaiden games, you’d often struggle for space in smaller rooms and hallways, or have enemies charge you from either side or via hidden passageways. There’s little in the way of the element of surprise in Ninja Gaiden 4 - nothing to especially catch you off guard during most encounters. The core combat loop remains incredibly strong, but a bit more variety in level design would definitely have been nice.

Thankfully, the game’s incredible boss fights are always worth trudging through the most uninspired levels to get to. Bosses are massive and all feel distinct. They feel like unique challenges in and of themselves, often requiring you to figure out which weapon types are most effective, and having you deal with unpredictable attacks. They’re incredibly thrilling and almost always backed by a superb blood-pumping soundtrack.

While the overall look of levels are a bit dull, I can’t fault the game for its visual fidelity. Characters and weather effects especially look stunning. And as you might expect from these developers, animation and combat feedback are satisfyingly on point.

It’s a winner in the performance department, too. For me, Ninja Gaiden 4 ran at a near-immaculate 60 frames per second on both Xbox Series X Digital Edition and PC via the Xbox app. It’s worth noting that this is a ‘Play Anywhere’ title, too. Meaning if you buy on Xbox, you’re free to play your copy on PC, too, and vice versa (so long as your purchase was done via the Microsoft Store). It’s also available day one on Xbox Game Pass Ultimate, so it’s definitely worth checking out and downloading if you’re subscribed.

Should you play Ninja Gaiden 4?

(Image credit: Team Ninja)Play it if...

You’re up for a challenge
Ninja Gaiden 4 is hard. Really hard. Multiple difficulty options do exist, including an easier ‘Hero’ mode, but to be eligible for stage rankings and some unlocks you’ll need to be playing on Normal or above. But it’s here where the game’s combat and punishing difficulty come alive in such a satisfying way.

You miss classic character action
Ninja Gaiden 4 hearkens back to a time before soulslikes became the de facto action game archetype. Countless combos, character upgrades, and lightning-fast combat are the order of the day here.

You love PlatinumGames’ brand of thrillingly fast combat
I haven’t enjoyed a PlatinumGames-developed title this much since 2019’s Astral Chain on the original Nintendo Switch. What’s here in Ninja Gaiden 4 is a stylish, expertly-paced combat loop that seriously rewards mastery of its many layering systems and combos. It’s brilliant stuff.

You want to witness two legendary developers at their best
Team Ninja and PlatinumGames is a match made in heaven. The former’s calculated approach to combat design meshes perfectly with the latter’s prowess for set pieces and style. It’s a wonderful partnership that I hope we get more of in the future.

Don't play it if...

You’re easily frustrated by demanding combat
Ninja Gaiden 4 doesn’t pull any punches at its higher difficulties, and even Normal presents a significant challenge for first-time players. The easier Hero mode is a decent way around this, but you do lose much of the game’s appeal here with a watered down combat experience.

Accessibility

There's a very robust amount of accessibility options in Ninja Gaiden 4. For starters, if you're not overly keen on its crushing difficulty, 'Hero' mode offers optional toggles for easier combos and auto dodge and block mechanics. Other game related options such as auto healing and quick-time events can also be enabled here.

For vision-related accessibility settings, players can enable color highlights for both player characters, enemies, and objects in the world, helping them stand out against the background. You can also enable a high-constrast background. On the controls front, options for left-handed and single-handed play are available, too.

How I reviewed Ninja Gaiden 4

I played Ninja Gaiden 4 for around 18 hours across for this review, completing the main campaign once. I went back and forth between playing on Xbox Series X Digital Edition and my gaming PC thanks to Xbox’s Play Anywhere feature. On Xbox, I primarily used the Turtle Beach Stealth Pivot and Razer Wolverine V3 Pro controllers for play, while on PC, I went with the old reliable 8BitDo Ultimate 2.

I also hooked my controllers up with the RIG R5 Spear Pro HS wired gaming headset for more immersive audio, with my LG CX OLED TV for display while playing on Xbox Series X. I also played through a good chunk of Ninja Gaiden 2 Black on via Xbox Game Pass to get a grip on how this new game feels in comparison to the remastered classic.

First reviewed October 2025

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